WPS Data Recovery Master Review: Features, Pros & ConsWPS Data Recovery Master is a file-recovery utility aimed at helping users restore deleted, formatted, or otherwise lost files from a variety of storage devices. In this review I cover its main features, how it works, performance, user experience, pricing, and clear pros and cons to help you decide whether it’s a good fit for your needs.
What is WPS Data Recovery Master?
WPS Data Recovery Master is a recovery tool developed to retrieve lost documents, photos, videos, audio files, emails, and other data types from PCs, external drives, USB flash drives, memory cards, and other storage media. It targets both casual users who need a straightforward recovery solution and more advanced users who want deeper scanning options for tougher data loss situations.
Key Features
- File type support: Recovers common document formats (DOC/DOCX, XLS/XLSX, PPT/PPTX), images (JPEG, PNG, GIF), videos (MP4, AVI), audio (MP3, WAV), and more.
- Multiple device support: Works with internal hard drives (HDD/SSD), external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD and microSD cards, and other removable media.
- Quick Scan and Deep Scan: Offers a faster quick scan for recently deleted files and a deep scan mode for thoroughly searching formatted or severely corrupted drives.
- Preview before recovery: Lets you preview recoverable files (images, documents, some video formats) before restoring, so you can choose exactly what you need.
- Filter and search: Filters by file type and lets you search by filename to narrow results quickly.
- Simple UI: Designed with an accessible interface for non-technical users, with step-by-step recovery flow.
- Selective recovery: Allows restoring only selected files rather than whole folders or volumes.
How it Works (Quick Overview)
- Install and open WPS Data Recovery Master.
- Choose the drive or removable device you want to scan.
- Run a Quick Scan for recently deleted files or a Deep Scan for more thorough results.
- Review scanned results using filters and previews.
- Select files and recover them to a different drive (recommended) to avoid overwriting.
Performance & Effectiveness
- Quick Scan: Generally retrieves recently deleted files successfully and is fast on small to medium-sized drives.
- Deep Scan: More time-consuming but can locate files from formatted volumes and partial corruption. Effectiveness depends on how much the storage has been written to since data loss.
- File integrity: Many recovered documents and images are intact; however, some recovered media or heavily fragmented files may show corruption or partial recovery—common across many recovery tools.
- Speed: Scan durations vary by drive size and health; expect long deep scans on multi-terabyte drives.
User Experience
- Installation: Straightforward installer with a clear license prompt. Be cautious to install only the recovery tool and decline bundled offers if present.
- Interface: Clean, minimal, and aimed at ease of use—good for beginners.
- Language support: Typically available in English and other languages depending on the distribution.
- Support: Basic documentation and FAQs often included; paid licenses usually get priority support channels.
Pricing & Licensing
WPS Data Recovery Master generally offers a free trial with limited recovery capabilities (preview and limited-size recoveries), and paid tiers unlock full recovery and advanced features. Pricing varies by license type (monthly, yearly, perpetual) and number of devices. Always check the vendor site for current pricing, promotions, and exact license terms.
Pros
- User-friendly interface — good for non-technical users.
- Multiple scan modes — quick and deep scanning tailored to different loss scenarios.
- Wide file-type support — recovers documents, images, audio, and video.
- Preview function — helps avoid unnecessary restores.
- Selective recovery — saves time and disk space by recovering only needed files.
Cons
- Limited free recovery — the trial often restricts actual file restoration.
- Scan time for deep scans — can be long on large or slow drives.
- Mixed recovery success on fragmented/corrupted files — not unique to this tool but a limitation to note.
- Potential bundled offers during install — watch for optional add-ons.
Alternatives to Consider
- Recuva — free tier, user-friendly, good for Windows basics.
- Disk Drill — strong macOS and Windows support with extra disk tools.
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard — popular, strong recovery success and UI.
- TestDisk/PhotoRec — free, powerful but more technical (command-line oriented).
Recommendations & Best Practices
- Stop using the affected drive immediately after data loss to avoid overwriting.
- Recover files to a different drive than the source.
- Try Quick Scan first; if unsuccessful, run Deep Scan and be prepared for longer wait times.
- Use the preview function to verify files before recovery.
- For critical or complex recoveries (physically damaged drives, enterprise data), consider professional data recovery services.
Verdict
WPS Data Recovery Master is a solid, user-friendly option for recovering common file types from various storage devices. It offers the expected mix of quick and deep scanning, previewing, and selective recovery that many users need. Its main drawbacks are trial limitations and potentially long deep-scan times on large drives. For routine accidental deletions and basic formatted-drive recovery, it’s worth trying; for severe damage or business-critical data, professional services or more advanced tools may be preferable.
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