retrouv

Retrouv is an open‑source file recovery utility designed to retrieve deleted or lost data from a variety of storage media, including hard drives, flash drives, and removable media. The program operates on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms and supports both basic and advanced recovery modes. Its user interface is minimalist, allowing novice users to perform quick scans while offering expert options for targeted recovery operations.

The project was first released in 2015 by a group of volunteer developers with backgrounds in data forensics and software engineering. The name Retrouv is a portmanteau of “retrieve” and “utility,” reflecting the tool’s core purpose. Early versions focused on FAT and NTFS file systems, but subsequent releases expanded support to ext4, HFS+, and exFAT. Community contributions have introduced enhancements such as sector‑level imaging, checksum verification, and batch processing scripts.

Key features include a two‑pass scanning algorithm that increases recovery rates, a file preview function that allows users to verify recoverability before extraction, and the ability to recover from partially overwritten sectors. The software integrates with the Linux command line via a cli module, enabling integration into scripts and automation pipelines.

Retrouv is released under the MIT License, which allows commercial and non‑commercial use without the requirement of licensing fees. The project is hosted on GitHub, where it maintains an active issue tracker and a forum for user support. Although not as widely known as commercial recovery suites, Retrouv has gained a small but dedicated following among technical professionals and hobbyists who value its transparency, affordability, and cross‑platform compatibility.