Struggling to recover deleted files is a position no business wants to find itself in. But thankfully, there are tools designed to restore important information that has found its way into the trash can.

We've listed some of the best data recovery tools for Windows. Using this software, you can easily restore once-lost documents from hard drives, USB drives, CDs, DVDs, SD Cards, virtual environments and more.  

Most of these tools are aimed at small to medium businesses, with a few accommodating larger enterprises.

1. Recuva

Developed by London-based company Piriform and now part of the Avast Family, Recuva provides business data recovery solutions for a range of different file types. Recuva offers file detection even if file names aren't known and offers secure file deletion, for those that should be deleted.

- Restores data from memory cards, recycle bin, and virtual disks

- Supports internal, external and network drives

- Supports FAT, UDF and exFAT file systems

System requirements: Windows 10, 8.1, 7, Vista and XP

Cost: $19.95 (£15) for a professional package

2. Stellar

Stellar's Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a professional service designed to retrieve lost data from any kind of corrupt media, hard drive or virtual environment. Stellar also offers a photo specific recovery tool and tools for Mac OS.

- Recover entire folder or single documents

- Will recover files from hard drives, USB drives, CDs, DVDs and SD Cards

- Restore ZIP files, databases and archives

- Restore MS Outlook and Outlook Express

- Hard drive cloning

System requirements: Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10

Cost:The Windows Data Recovery package can be bought for £52.99,

3. Kroll Ontrack

Kroll Ontrack has three data recovery packages, two of which are aimed at small-medium businesses and larger enterprises. These include Ontrack Easy Recovery Home, Ontrack Easy Recovery Professional and Ontrack Easy Recovery Enterprise.

All packages are available for both Windows and Mac.

Key features:

- Disk diagnostics

- Permanently delete files

- No limit to the amount and size of recoveries

- File scanning with pause function

System requirements: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2003,Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, all versions of Windows Servers

Cost: Try for free, £104 for a 12-month licence.

4. R-Tools

R-Tools provides file, archive and raw data recovery from local, internal, external and virtual networks. 

Available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

- Disk copying

- Raw file recovery

- File scan

- RAID reconstruction

- Reformatted file recovery

System requirements for Windows package: Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Vista, 2008 Server, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1/10, Windows Server 2012

Cost: $79 (£54.64)

5. Undelete

Operating since 1998, Undelete offers file recovery for Windows PCs aimed at professional workspaces. Undelete also recovers overwritten files as well as deleted documents.

- Recovery from overwritten local and network files

- Data protection for Windows PC

- Recovers Word, Excel and PowerPoint files

- Self-service recovery

- Recovers files in virtual environments

- Undelete Server

System requirements: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP

Cost: $59.95 (£41.47) per licence

6. Recover My Files

Recover My Files from Get Data, offers file recovery from a wide-range of formats with a particular focus on those compromised by malicious content.

- Recover from hard drive, camera card, USB, Zip, floppy disk etc.

- Recover from emptied recycling bin

- Retrieve from RAW hard drives

- Locates documents, photos, video, music and email

System requirements: Windows 2003, XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10

Cost: $69.95 (£48.38)

7. MiniTool Power data recovery

MiniTool Power data recovery provides file detection for small and medium businesses and large enterprises.

- Recover images, texts, videos, music, emails, etc

- Recovers from PC, laptop, hard disk drive, USB flash drive, memory card, digital camera and mobile phones

- File preview

System requirements: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012

Cost: Standard business licences are $119 (£82.31) and an enterprise licence starts at $299 (£206.82)

8. UndeleteMyFiles Pro

UndeleteMyFiles Pro is a free professional tool for file recovery for media, email and document rescue. While it is a free programme, UndeleteMyFiles Pro is aimed at professionals and offices alike.

- File Rescue Wizard 

- Media Recover 

- Deleted File Search

- Files Wiper

- Email Rescue

System requirements: Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista and 7

Cost: Free

9. SalvageRecovery

SalvageRecovery offers file recovery aim at professional services. This platform hosts a library of search algorithms designed to seek out lost of hidden documents. They offer a free demo to test out their services.

Available for Mac and Windows. 

- Recovers documents from hard disk drives, network servers, personal computers, mobile and tablets devices and database applications

- Online support

- Free updates

System requirements: Microsoft Windows and NFTS, FAT, FAT 32 file systems

Cost: Free trial and price after that dependent on size and need of business, but is currently under development. 

10. TestDisk

TestDisk is open source, free recovery software available on a number of different operating systems e.g. Mac OS, Windows, Linux.

- Can recover a range of media including video, documents and archives from Hard Disks, CDRom and lost pictures from digital camera memory.

- Lets users recover the boot sector

- Can reliably undelete files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext2 file systems

Cost: The software can be downloaded for free here. 

11. Disk Drill (formerly Pandora Recovery)

Disk Drill is the new generation of Pandora Data Recovery and layers new algorithms increasing data recovery efficiency on top of the prominent file recovery functionality.

Key Features: 

-Quick & Deep Scan, Partition Search

-All file systems: FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, EXT3/4, etc.

-Rebuilds over 300 file formats

Cost: The Pro package is $39 (£29), available for purchase.