Updated 2026-11-15 · 6 min read
How to recover files from a formatted USB flash drive
Formatted a USB stick by mistake? A quick format leaves your files on the drive. Here is what actually happens, what to do first and how to get the files back on Windows.
You plugged in a USB flash drive, Windows asked to format it, you clicked OK — and the photos, documents or backups on it seem gone. In most cases they are not. A quick format, which is what Windows does by default, only writes a new, empty file table. The data itself stays on the drive until something new is written over it.
This guide explains what a format really erases, the one thing you must not do, and how to recover the files step by step.
What a quick format actually erases
A USB drive stores two kinds of information: the files themselves, and a table that says where each file is and what it is called. On FAT32 and exFAT that table is the File Allocation Table plus the directory entries; on NTFS it is the Master File Table ($MFT).
A quick format creates a fresh, empty table and marks the whole drive as free. It does not visit the rest of the drive. Your photos are still sitting in the same sectors — the drive simply no longer has a map that points to them.
The one thing not to do
Do not copy anything to the drive, do not install recovery software onto it, and do not run chkdsk or “repair” tools on it. Each of these writes to the drive and can overwrite the sectors that still hold your files.
If Windows keeps asking to format the drive, close the dialog. Recovery software reads the drive directly and does not need Windows to open it.
How recovery software finds the files
Good recovery tools try several methods in a fixed order, because each one recovers a different part of the information:
- Old file-system records: on NTFS, records from before the format are often still in the old $MFT area; on FAT and exFAT, old directory entries survive in the data area. These bring back file names and folders.
- Backup structures: NTFS keeps a mirror of the first $MFT records and a backup boot sector; FAT32 and exFAT keep a backup boot region.
- Content search (also called carving): the drive is read sector by sector looking for the signatures of known formats — a JPEG starts with FF D8 FF, a PNG with 89 50 4E 47 — and each candidate is verified from start to end.
Why some files come back partial
Large files such as videos are often stored in several pieces (fragments). When the file table is gone, content search can only follow pieces that sit next to each other, so a fragmented video may come back with its start intact and the rest missing. A good tool tells you which files are intact and which are partial instead of promising 100%.
Step by step
- 1
Stop using the drive
Unplug it or leave it plugged in, but do not save, copy or repair anything on it.
- 2
Install a recovery tool on your computer
Install it on the internal disk, not on the USB drive. DiskMend runs on Windows 10 and 11.
- 3
Select the USB drive
Pick the drive from the list, even if Windows shows it as RAW or asks to format it.
- 4
Run the scan
Let it read the old file-system records first and then search by content. A 32 GB stick usually takes 10–30 minutes.
- 5
Check the preview
Look at the found files and their status (intact or partial) before you save anything.
- 6
Save to another drive
Choose a folder on your computer's disk or another external drive, never the USB stick itself.
| Format type | File contents | File names and folders | Chance of recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick format (default) | Still on the drive | Often recoverable from old records | High |
| Full format (Windows 10/11) | Overwritten with zeros | Lost | None |
| Format in a camera or phone | Usually still on the card | Sometimes | High |
| Format + new files copied | Partly overwritten | Partly | Medium to low |
Check your drive for free
DiskMend scans and previews for free and only reads the drive.
Download DiskMendFrequently asked questions
Can I recover files after formatting a USB drive?+
Yes, after a quick format the files usually remain on the drive and can be recovered with data recovery software, as long as nothing new has been written over them.
Does a full format delete files permanently?+
Yes. Since Windows Vista, a full format writes zeros to every sector, so the data cannot be recovered by software.
Will I get my file names back?+
Often yes: if old file-system records survive, names and folders come back. Files found only by their content get generic names such as jpg_00012.jpg.
How long does recovery take?+
It depends on the size and speed of the drive. Scanning a 32 GB USB 3.0 stick typically takes 10 to 30 minutes.
Is recovery software safe for my drive?+
Read-only tools such as DiskMend never write to the drive being recovered, so they cannot make things worse.