AMRescue Photo Recovery Advanced
Recover deleted and lost photos, videos, and audio from your PC drives, memory cards, and USB storage.
Version 7.0WindowsPhotos · Videos · AudioQuick & Deep ScanChoose the drive, the file types, and a scan mode, then click Start Scan.
Browse the results, preview files, and tick the ones you want back.
Choose a different drive and click Start Recovery.
1Introduction
AMRescue Photo Recovery Advanced is a Windows application that finds and recovers deleted or lost photos, videos, and audio files from internal drives, external drives, USB sticks, and memory cards. It scans the drive, lists everything it finds, lets you preview files, and copies the ones you select to a safe location.
Key Capabilities
- Recovers photos, videos, and audio files in one workflow
- Quick Scan for recently deleted files and Deep Scan for maximum recovery
- Three ways to browse results: System View, File Type, and Deleted Only
- Built-in preview for images, plus playback for video and audio
- Search, sorting, and pagination (50 / 100 / 200 / 500 files per page) for large scans
- Save Scan to a
.datfile and Resume Scan later without scanning again - Optionally keeps the original folder structure and automatically renames duplicate files
- Recovery summary showing Recovered, Skipped, Overwritten, and Failed counts
- Demo mode: scan and preview for free, and recover files with a license
The software scans the source drive in read-only fashion. Recovered files are copied to a different drive that you choose. The software does not allow saving to the drive being scanned.
2System Requirements
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 8 / 10 / 11 (64-bit recommended) |
| RAM | 4 GB minimum, 8 GB or more recommended for large drives |
| Disk Space | 250 MB for installation, plus free space on a second drive for recovered files |
| Display | 1280 × 768 minimum, 1920 × 1080 recommended |
| Internet | Only for Online Activation (Offline Activation is available) |
Installation, and reading a whole drive, may require administrator rights. If your organisation restricts software installation, contact your IT administrator first.
3Installation
Visit www.amrescue.com and download the AMRescue Photo Recovery Advanced installer.
Double-click the downloaded .exe file. If Windows User Account Control asks for permission, click Yes.
Read the End-User License Agreement and click I Agree.
The default location is recommended. Click Browse only if you need a custom folder.
Click Install, then Finish. Open the app from the Desktop shortcut or Start Menu → AMRescue.
If you are recovering files from your C: drive, avoid installing, downloading, or saving anything new to it. New data can overwrite deleted files permanently.
4License Activation
You can use the software in Demo Mode without activation. Demo Mode lets you scan and preview, but recovery is locked. If you click Start Recovery in Demo Mode, a message tells you that saving recovered files requires the licensed version. The status bar and Menu → About always show your current mode.
Demo Mode (Unlicensed)
✔ Select drive and run Quick / Deep Scan✔ Browse results in all three views
✔ Preview files
✔ Search, sort, Save Scan, Resume Scan
✘ Recover (save) files
Licensed (Full Version)
✔ Everything in Demo Mode✔ Recover selected files
✔ Preserve folder structure
✔ Duplicate renaming
✔ Recovery summary report
4.1 Online Activation
The fastest method. Requires an internet connection.
Click Menu at the top right, then Activate Online…
Paste the key from your purchase confirmation email into the Activation Key box.
The software contacts the AMRescue activation server and validates your key.
A message shows your expiry date and “Full recovery is now unlocked.” Click OK.
If the server does not respond, try again or use Offline Activation.
4.2 Offline Activation
Use this if the PC has no internet access or your network blocks the activation server.
Click Menu → Activate Offline…
Click Copy ID. The button changes to “Copied!”
Send the Registration ID to AMRescue support (see Support & Contact) to receive your Activation Key and License Key.
Paste both keys, choose the License Duration that matches your purchase, and click Activate.
A message confirms activation and shows the expiry date. Click OK.
Your Registration ID is unique to this PC, and the keys only work with that ID and the chosen license duration. When a license expires, use Menu → Renew / Extend License… to renew.
5Interface Overview
The window follows a three-step flow shown along the top: Select Drive → Scan & Preview → Recover Files.
| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Header Buttons | Menu (activation, manual, support, About, Exit) and New Scan (resets the app for a fresh scan). |
| Step Indicator | Shows your current step: Select Drive, Scan & Preview, or Recover Files. |
| Available Drives | Lists fixed and removable drives with label, size, and file system. |
| File Types to Recover | Tick Photos, Videos, and/or Audio. |
| Scan Mode | Quick Scan or Deep Scan. |
| Before You Start / Warning | Reminders to stop writing to the drive and never save to the same drive. |
| Resume Scan | Loads a previously saved .dat scan instead of scanning again. |
| Status Bar | Shows messages, license status, and the app version. |
6Step-by-Step Recovery Guide
As soon as you notice files are missing, stop using the affected drive. Do not copy, install, or download anything to it. New data can overwrite deleted files for good.
6.1 Step 1 — Select Drive, File Types & Scan Mode
Click the drive that held your lost files. The selected drive is highlighted and appears under Selected Drive on the right.
Tick Photos, Videos, and/or Audio. Un-ticking types you do not need makes scanning faster.
Quick Scan is fast and finds recently deleted files. Deep Scan is thorough and gives maximum recovery, but takes longer (about 15–30 minutes, depending on the drive).
The scan begins and the app moves to Step 2.
Start with Quick Scan. If your files are not listed, run a Deep Scan. If a Quick Scan finds nothing, the software suggests trying Deep Scan.
6.2 Step 2 — Scan & Preview
While scanning, a progress bar shows the percentage complete and the number of files found so far. Results appear as they are found, and you can Cancel Scan at any time to keep and browse the partial results.
Three ways to view results
| View | What it shows |
|---|---|
| System View | Your files in their original folder structure, like File Explorer. Pick a folder on the left to list its files. |
| File Type | Files grouped by category (Photo, Video, Audio) and then by format (JPG, PNG, HEIC, and so on), with counts. |
| Deleted Only | Only files marked DELETED, shown under “Lost Files”. |
Status labels
- FOUND (green) means the file still exists on the drive.
- DELETED (red) means the file was deleted and can potentially be recovered.
Working with the results
- Preview panel: click a file to see its preview, file name, size, and date. Videos and audio can be played with the play/pause control.
- Search box: type part of a file name to filter the list.
- Sort: click the File Name, Type, Size, or Date Modified column headers.
- Pagination: use the page arrows and choose 50, 100, 200, or 500 files per page.
“Preview not supported for this file type” appears for formats such as SVG. “Preview not available — file may be corrupted” means the data may be damaged or partly overwritten. Such files can still be recovered, but may not open correctly.
6.3 Choose the Files to Recover
Use the check boxes next to individual files, next to folders in the left tree, or the Select All boxes. Select All and Clear All in the toolbar select or deselect everything.
The bottom of the list shows how many files are selected (for example “8 selected”).
This moves you to Step 3.
Selections are kept when you switch between System View, File Type, and Deleted Only, so you can mix views to build your list.
6.4 Step 3 — Recover Files
The Recover Your Files page shows a summary of how many files and how much data you selected.
Click Browse… and pick a drive in the Select Destination Drive window. The scanned drive is shown as “Same as source (not allowed)” and cannot be chosen.
Select a folder on the chosen drive, use Make New Folder, or click OK to use the drive root. The software creates a folder named AMRescue Recovered Data inside your selection.
Preserve original folder structure recreates the original folders. Automatically rename duplicate files avoids overwriting files with the same name.
A progress window shows overall progress (for example “148 / 77,028 files”), estimated time remaining, and the current file. Click Cancel to stop.
The Recovery Complete window shows counts for Recovered, Skipped, Overwritten, and Failed, and the save location. Click Open Folder to see your files.
Recovery is available only in the licensed version (see License Activation).
If a file already exists
If a file with the same name is already in the destination, a prompt offers: Overwrite, Overwrite All, Skip, Skip All, Rename (saves with a unique name), or Cancel (stops the recovery).
If the destination drive becomes full, recovery stops with a “Disk full or write error” message. Free up space or choose another drive and recover the remaining files again. Files that cannot be read are counted as Failed.
6.5 Save Scan & Resume Scan
Deep scans on large drives can take a long time. Save your results to avoid repeating the scan.
After the scan finishes, click Save Scan in the toolbar. It is available once scanning has completed.
Choose a location. The suggested name looks like AMRescue_Scan_C_20261020_153000.dat (drive, date, and time).
On the Select Drive page, click Resume Scan and open the .dat file. The results load immediately.
Do not save the .dat file on the drive you are recovering from. Also, files on the drive can change after a scan, so recover soon after scanning. To start over, use New Scan. If a scan is running, you are asked to confirm.
7Supported File Formats
| Category | Formats |
|---|---|
| Photos | .jpg .jpeg .png .bmp .gif .tif .tiff .webp .ico .heic .heif, plus other image types such as RAW, SVG, CUR, EPS, PPM, and XBM, which appear in File Type view when found |
| Videos | .mp4 .avi .mov .mkv .wmv .m4v .mpg .mpeg .flv .webm .3gp |
| Audio | .mp3 .wav .aac .flac .ogg .m4a .wma .opus .m4b .aiff |
Common image formats, plus video and audio, can be previewed. Some formats (for example SVG) show file details only. A file can still be recovered even when no preview is available.
9Frequently Asked Questions
Can I try the software before buying?
Yes. Demo Mode needs no activation. You can scan drives, browse results, and preview files. Recovering (saving) files requires a license.
Why can't I save recovered files to the same drive?
Writing to the scanned drive could overwrite the very data you are trying to recover. The software blocks this and requires a different drive. Use an external drive, USB stick, or second internal drive.
What is the difference between Quick Scan and Deep Scan?
Quick Scan is fast and looks for recently deleted files. Deep Scan is slower (typically 15–30 minutes) but more thorough, and can find files Quick Scan misses.
My file shows “FOUND” and not “DELETED”. What does it mean?
FOUND means the file exists on the drive. DELETED means the file was deleted and is still recoverable. Both can be selected and recovered.
The preview says the file may be corrupted. Can I still recover it?
Yes, you can still recover it, but the file may be damaged if parts of it were overwritten. The more the drive has been used since deletion, the lower the chance of a perfect recovery.
Where are my recovered files saved?
In a folder named AMRescue Recovered Data inside the location you chose. The Recovery Complete window shows the path and has an Open Folder button.
Can I stop a scan or a recovery?
Yes. Click Cancel Scan during a scan to keep partial results, or Cancel in the recovery progress window to stop recovery.
Do I have to scan again every time?
No. Use Save Scan to store results in a .dat file, then Resume Scan to load it later.
No files were found. What should I do?
Run a Deep Scan, check that the correct drive and file types are selected, and stop using the drive. If files were overwritten, they cannot be recovered.
My network blocks the activation server. What can I do?
Use Offline Activation (section 4.2). Copy your Registration ID and send it to AMRescue support to receive your keys.
My license shows as expired or invalid.
Licenses are tied to your computer and have an expiry date. If a license has expired, or it was activated on a different computer, the software returns to Demo Mode. Use Menu → Get License / Buy Now… to renew, or contact support.
10Support & Contact
If you need help that is not covered in this manual, contact us using the options below.
www.amrescue.com
amrescue.com/support.php
amrescue.com/contact.php
support@amrescue.com
Buy Now
amrescue.com/terms.php
We hope the software helps you get your precious memories back.
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