Tested on Windows · September 2026

MiniTool Power Data Recovery Review 2026: SSD Recovery Limitations

MiniTool handles ordinary deleted-file scans without much fuss. SSD recovery is a different story, while its limited toolset makes the paid plans tough to justify.

By Pjirc Blog Editorial Team Published · Updated
5.4 /10
Too Limited for Serious SSD Recovery Simple scans, weak safeguards, narrow platform support
Not recommended
Quick verdict

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is fine for a basic Windows undelete job, especially if the missing data fits within its 1 GB free allowance. Still, it offers little leverage against TRIM, lacks the stronger imaging workflow we want around questionable drives, plus costs $69 for one month. Disk Drill is the better-rounded download for most home recovery jobs.

!

Stop using the affected SSD immediately because MiniTool, Disk Drill, plus every other software recovery app may find nothing once TRIM or garbage collection clears the deleted blocks.

Download Disk Drill Free See full scorecard

MiniTool Power Data Recovery at a Glance

5.4/10

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a Windows utility for restoring deleted files, lost partitions, RAW volumes, plus formatted storage. It scans SSDs, though TRIM can make deleted SSD data impossible to retrieve.

Best forWindows users recovering a small batch of recently deleted files from a healthy HDD, SD card, or USB drive

Main features
  • Deleted-file plus formatted-drive scans
  • RAW partition recovery
  • Focused folder or Recycle Bin scanning
  • File preview plus result filters
  • WinPE boot media on paid plans
Pricing Free recovery up to 1 GB · Monthly $69 · Annual $89 · Personal Ultimate $129 perpetual
Standout featureThe free edition can save up to 1 GB
The upside
  • Simple scan flow
  • Useful 1 GB free limit
  • Good basic filtering
The catch
  • Poor odds after SSD TRIM
  • No strong imaging toolkit
  • Windows-only personal product

How We Evaluated MiniTool Power Data Recovery for SSD Loss

We judged MiniTool against five practical areas: deleted SSD prospects, normal recovery coverage, scan usability, safeguards for questionable media, plus current US pricing. The review used Windows-oriented scenarios involving deleted files, a formatted removable drive, a RAW volume, plus an SSD where TRIM had to be treated as the deciding technical limit.

Scores weigh recoverability more heavily than appearance. We also checked MiniTool's September 2026 store details against its free-edition limits, then compared the surrounding toolset with Disk Drill 6. Recovery totals are never guaranteed, so previews plus valid file openings mattered more than a large headline count.

When MiniTool Power Data Recovery Is the Wrong Tool

Avoid running MiniTool directly against a drive that clicks, disappears, stalls the PC, or reports rapidly growing bad-sector counts. Repeated reads can make a physical failure worse. Stop, disconnect it, then contact a recovery lab if the files cannot be replaced.

It is also a poor bet after files were deleted from an active internal SSD several hours or days ago. Windows may issue TRIM quickly, while background garbage collection can finish the cleanup later. No paid upgrade restores blocks that the controller now returns as zeros.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery: How It Scored for SSD Recovery

CategoryPerformanceScore
01 SSD Recovery Prospects
3.5/10
02 Everyday Recovery Results
6.2/10
03 Scan Workflow
7.4/10
04 Recovery Safeguards
4.6/10
05 Cost & Licensing
5.1/10

MiniTool Power Data Recovery Results Across Five Recovery Criteria

01

SSD Recovery Prospects

TRIM leaves software with very little to scan

3.5/10

MiniTool can scan an SSD, yet recognizing the device is not the same as recovering its deleted contents. On a modern Windows SSD, TRIM may tell the controller that deleted blocks are free. Garbage collection can then clear them, leaving recovery software reading zeros rather than the old file data.

That is a hardware-level limit, not a MiniTool-only defect. The problem is how little the app does to explain the odds before a long scan. Its broad SSD recovery wording may leave a casual user expecting results that no consumer tool can deliver. A visible filename or thumbnail also does not prove that the complete file remains intact.

The upside
  • Recognizes internal or externally attached SSDs
  • Can help if TRIM was never issued
  • Preview may confirm intact small files
The catch
  • Cannot reverse completed TRIM cleanup
  • Recovery odds are not explained clearly enough
  • Detected records may point to empty data blocks
02

Everyday Recovery Results

More useful on HDDs, cards, plus USB drives

6.2/10

MiniTool is more convincing with ordinary logical loss. It can search deleted partitions, RAW volumes, emptied Recycle Bin contents, formatted media, USB drives, plus memory cards. Filters for filename, extension, size, or date reduce some of the clutter after a deep scan.

The weaker moments appear when file-system metadata is damaged. Signature-based results may lose original names or folder paths, producing long groups of generically named files. Photos are manageable through previews. Sorting hundreds of recovered documents or clips is a much less pleasant job.

The upside
  • Supports common Windows data-loss cases
  • Can scan RAW or formatted volumes
  • Useful type, size, plus date filters
  • Preview helps validate photos or documents
The catch
  • File carving may discard names plus folders
  • Large result sets become repetitive to sort
  • No recovery program can repair overwritten data
03

Scan Workflow

The cleanest part of the package

7.4/10

The home screen keeps the first decision simple. Pick a partition, attached device, desktop, Recycle Bin, or folder, then start the scan. Results appear while scanning, so you do not always have to wait for a large disk to finish before checking a known filename.

That simplicity is MiniTool's best trait. It also hides some context a nervous user needs, such as why an SSD result may be empty or why repeatedly reading a physically unstable drive is risky. Easy controls do not make every drive safe for a direct scan.

The upside
  • Straightforward device selection
  • Results populate before a scan ends
  • Focused scans cover folders plus Recycle Bin
  • Low learning curve for a one-off job
The catch
  • Sparse technical context for risky media
  • Result groups can feel fragmented
  • Windows app only
04

Recovery Safeguards

Missing tools matter around unstable storage

4.6/10

Our largest practical complaint is the thin pre-recovery toolkit. Disk Drill includes byte-to-byte backup creation, scan support for image files, S.M.A.R.T. monitoring, plus recovery-protection features in the same app. MiniTool's main workflow pushes users more directly toward scanning the source.

For a healthy drive with an accidental deletion, that may be enough. For a drive that disconnects, clicks, freezes Explorer, reports bad sectors, or reads slowly, making an image first is usually the safer software-level approach. A mechanically failing disk should be powered down for professional assessment instead.

The upside
  • Read-focused recovery workflow
  • Warns users to save files elsewhere
  • WinPE builder comes with paid personal plans
The catch
  • No comparable built-in byte-to-byte imaging workflow
  • No integrated S.M.A.R.T. health panel
  • Poor fit for diagnosing an unstable disk
05

Cost & Licensing

A generous trial followed by an awkward jump

5.1/10

The free edition recovers up to 1 GB, which is useful for testing a few documents or photos. Paid pricing rises quickly: $69 monthly, $89 annually, or $129 for the Personal Ultimate perpetual license. The subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled.

The $69 monthly plan is especially difficult to recommend. MiniTool's personal licenses cover Windows, while Disk Drill's $89 annual or $149 lifetime PRO license covers Windows plus macOS under one purchase. MiniTool Ultimate permits three PCs, yet the narrower recovery toolkit reduces the value of those extra activations.

The upside
  • Free edition recovers a concrete 1 GB
  • Perpetual option covers three Windows PCs
  • Paid tiers remove the recovery cap
The catch
  • $69 is steep for one month
  • Subscriptions renew automatically
  • No macOS version under the same product license
Free $0 Recover up to 1 GB
Monthly $69 1 PC · auto-renewing
Annual $89 1 PC · auto-renewing
Personal Ultimate $129 Perpetual · 3 PCs

MiniTool Power Data Recovery vs Disk Drill — Head to Head

We compared both desktop apps around the same home-recovery concerns: deleted SSD files, formatted removable media, damaged file systems, result checking, drive imaging, platform coverage, plus license cost. Neither app can restore SSD blocks already cleared through TRIM.

Metric MiniTool Power Data Recovery Disk Drill
Deleted SSD Recovery Limited by TRIM, with little odds guidance Also limited by TRIM, with clearer recovery-chance context
Disk Imaging No comparable byte-to-byte module in the core workflow Built-in byte-to-byte backup plus image scanning
File-System Coverage Best suited to Windows-oriented storage NTFS, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, FAT, exFAT, EXT, plus Btrfs
Camera Media Recovery General photo plus video carving Dedicated Advanced Camera Recovery mode
Free Recovery Allowance Up to 1 GB Up to 100 MB on Windows
Desktop Platforms per License Windows only Windows plus macOS
Pricing & License $89/year or $129 perpetual $89/year or $149 lifetime, both platforms
Overall Score 5.4 / 10 8.8 / 10

What to Use Instead

Choose Disk Drill if you want a recovery app that can image a questionable drive, scan more file systems, handle camera media more intelligently, plus work across Windows or macOS.

01

Disk Drill

A fuller recovery workspace for Windows plus macOS

8.8/10

Disk Drill is the more complete choice if you want one app for scanning, previews, byte-to-byte images, S.M.A.R.T. details, lost partitions, plus camera-media recovery. Its interface remains approachable, but it exposes more useful information before you commit to saving a large result set.

It cannot beat SSD physics. If TRIM has cleared the missing blocks, Disk Drill will fail too. Its advantage is the broader workflow around recoverable HDDs, memory cards, USB storage, disk images, RAW volumes, plus non-Windows file systems. The free Windows recovery allowance is only 100 MB, so treat Basic mainly as a scan plus preview test.

Why We Recommend It
  • Built-in byte-to-byte backups
  • Windows plus macOS under one PRO license
  • Advanced Camera Recovery for fragmented media
  • Broad file-system support
  • Clear previews, filters, plus recovery estimates
Caveats
  • Only 100 MB of standard free recovery on Windows
  • $149 lifetime price is not cheap
  • No software can undo completed SSD TRIM
Basic $0 Scan, preview, plus 100 MB Windows recovery
PRO Annual $89 Windows plus macOS
PRO Lifetime $149 One-time · future upgrades included
Disk Drill Review ↗ Download Disk Drill

What Users Report About MiniTool Power Data Recovery

A Reddit user said MiniTool could display recoverable folder contents, though the software would not save the full set without payment.
Reddit user · r/datarecovery
One user reported successful recovery of old music from a previously formatted HDD. That case involved magnetic storage, where deleted data often survives longer than it does on a TRIM-enabled SSD.
Reddit user · r/techsupport
A MiniTool user complained that recovered files had generic names with missing metadata after a Windows installation altered the drive. That outcome is common when recovery falls back to raw file carving.
Reddit user · r/techsupport
A forum poster noted that the 1 GB free limit was useful, but agreed that software recovery from a TRIM-enabled SSD was unlikely.
cythiawhite · BleepingComputer

Should You Use MiniTool Power Data Recovery in 2026?

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is usable for a straightforward Windows recovery from a healthy HDD, USB stick, or memory card, particularly when 1 GB is enough. We would skip it for a paid SSD recovery attempt because TRIM may already have erased the target blocks, while MiniTool offers fewer imaging plus diagnostic safeguards than its better-equipped rival. Download Disk Drill first, scan the device without writing to it, then confirm important files through previews before purchasing anything.

Top pick Disk Drill
Power off the affected SSD, connect it only when ready to scan, then recover files to a different physical drive. Never install recovery software on the source disk.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery Questions, Answered

Is MiniTool Power Data Recovery good for SSD recovery in 2026?
It can help with simple file loss cases, but SSD recovery is where it starts to look weak. If TRIM has already run, the deleted data is often gone for good, so the software may only find partial results or nothing at all.
Why does MiniTool Power Data Recovery struggle with deleted SSD files?
SSDs handle deletion differently from hard drives because of TRIM. Once the drive clears those blocks, recovery tools like MiniTool have very little to scan, which makes deep recovery far less effective.
Can MiniTool recover files from an SSD after formatting?
Sometimes it can recover leftover file names or fragments after a quick format, but success is inconsistent. If the SSD was used much after the format, the chances drop fast.
Does MiniTool Power Data Recovery support NVMe SSDs?
Yes, it can detect many NVMe drives, but detection is not the same as strong recovery. If the controller, firmware, or TRIM behavior limits access, the scan may return incomplete results.
Is MiniTool better than Recuva for SSD recovery?
Neither is a miracle fix for SSD deletion, but MiniTool is usually more polished while Recuva is simpler. For real SSD loss, the deciding factor is usually TRIM status, not the app itself.
What is the biggest limitation of MiniTool Power Data Recovery on SSDs?
The biggest issue is that it cannot bypass SSD-level data removal. If the drive has already erased deleted blocks, no software scan can rebuild what is no longer there.
Can MiniTool recover data from a failing SSD?
It may work if the SSD is still readable, but failing SSDs often disconnect, freeze, or return bad sectors during scanning. In those cases, a clone-first approach is safer than running repeated scans.
Should I use MiniTool before or after cloning an SSD?
After cloning is usually smarter. Scanning a shaky SSD directly can make the drive less stable, while a clone gives you a safer copy to work from.
Why does MiniTool show files but not recover them from my SSD?
That usually means the software can see directory traces or metadata but the actual data blocks are missing. On SSDs, that happens a lot when TRIM or wear leveling has already cleaned up the storage blocks.
Is MiniTool Power Data Recovery worth buying for SSD emergencies?
Only if you understand its limits. For simple accidental deletion on a lightly used SSD, it might help, but for serious loss, the price can feel wasted if the drive has already been trimmed.
What should I try before using MiniTool on an SSD?
Stop using the SSD right away, avoid installs, save nothing new, then create a sector-by-sector clone if possible. That gives you the best shot, since every new write can overwrite recoverable traces.
Are there better alternatives to MiniTool for SSD recovery?
For SSD problems, the better alternative is often a professional recovery lab, not another app. Software can still be useful for basic deletion cases, but it cannot defeat TRIM or physical NAND failure.
Can MiniTool recover permanently deleted files from an SSD?
Not reliably. If the files were deleted recently and the SSD has not been heavily used, there is a chance, but permanent deletion on SSDs is usually much harder to reverse than on HDDs.
Why is MiniTool scan time on SSDs sometimes fast but results are poor?
A fast scan often means the software is reading what is still visible rather than digging up deep raw data. On SSDs, a quick scan with weak results usually points to trimmed or overwritten blocks.
What is the safest recovery workflow for an SSD with MiniTool?
Disconnect the SSD, clone it first, then scan the clone instead of the original. If the data matters a lot, compare the software result with a professional service before you keep pushing the drive.