This is a review of Gihosoft Android Data Recovery, a software tool for recovering lost data on Android phones and devices.
I’ve been offering IT training and support for several decades and writing software reviews and how-tos over the last four years. I’ve taken an in-depth look at Gihosoft Android Data Recovery to let you know how likely it is to recover your phone’s lost data.
Gihosoft Android Data Recovery is an application that looks promising but is let down by its execution. Everything works well until the scan for lost phone data is completed. Then you are left with no help finding the items you want to recover.
In this Gihosoft Android Data Recovery review, I’ll explore the types of data the application can restore, how long this is likely to take and weigh up your chance of success. Let’s get started.
Contents
Gihosoft Android Data Recovery Overview
Gihosoft Android Data Recovery is able to retrieve various types of lost data from your Android phone or device. The software runs on your Mac or PC and scans your phone via an attached cable.
Two versions are available:
- Gihosoft Android Data Recovery Free: free, limited
- Gihosoft Android Data Recovery Pro: $49.95 (normally $59), unlimited
Windows and Mac downloads are available for each. A free trial of the Pro version will show you if your files can be recovered before paying for the application.
What are the limitations of the free version? It’s unable to restore SMS messages, contacts, photos, videos, WhatsApp messages, or Viber messages. It also doesn’t include technical support.
In this review, we cover the Mac version of Gihosoft Android Data Recovery Pro.
Recovery Features
How is data recovery possible? When you delete an item on your phone, its data isn’t actually removed. It is available for new files, and in time is likely to be overwritten. That means that data recovery is never guaranteed, and you’ll have the best chance of success by acting promptly.
Methods of data recovery offered:
- Recover directly from your Android device
Supported devices:
- Android OS: from Android 2.0 to Android 10, and later versions
- Samsung: Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, Galaxy A, Galaxy E, and more
- HTC: HTC One, HTC Desire, HTC Butterfly, and more
- Other brands: LG, Sony, Motorola, Huawei, Google, Lenovo, and more
Supported data types:
- Call history
- Audio
- Documents
- Messages (Pro only)
- Contacts (Pro only)
- Photos (Pro only)
- Videos (Pro only)
- WhatsApp messages (Pro only)
- Viber messages (Pro only)
User Experience
Gihosoft Android Data Recovery is easy to install and use. Scanning for lost data on your iPhone is done using three simple steps:
- Connect your device
- Scan and search
- Preview and recover
However, buttons are not displayed correctly on the Mac version, giving it an unprofessional look. That wasn’t true the last time I tested it.
Most Android recovery data applications require you to root your Android phone before performing a scan. Gihosoft Android Data Recovery’s official website claims “no root required”, but I’m not sure if that statement is accurate.
One user commented on the Gihosoft Support Page that the app didn’t work for them. Someone from the support team responded: “Hi, Did you root your phone? If not, please root your phone first, then run our program to have a try again. Thank you!” [1]
The original commenter was disappointed: “The website doesn’t say that your phone has to be rooted before doing the file recovery. I feel like this was unadvertised. I wasted money on this.”
Performance
Scanning for lost files can be time-consuming. How fast is Gihosoft Android Data Recovery? When I tested the iPhone version, a scan on my 128 GB iPhone 12 mini took about 1 hour 45 minutes. Compared with similar apps, that time is in the middle of the field. The faster apps took about an hour, and the slowest apps many hours.
Depending on the types of data you want to recover, you can significantly reduce the time required for a scan. You can choose the types of data that are scanned for, and minimizing the number of checked items makes a big difference.
Effectiveness
Data recovery can never be guaranteed. In fact, I have not yet found a recovery tool that could locate every lost item.
How successful is Gihosoft Android Data Recovery? It certainly seems to locate lost files but determining how many is difficult.
That’s because it lists the lost files it locates along with all of the existing items still on your phone. When I tested the iPhone version I was offered a list of 40,000 items, and no way to narrow down my options. Finding a deleted photo was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The app doesn’t allow you to display deleted items only, something that some competing apps do. It doesn’t even offer a way to search the filenames or content of those items, or even sort them, something that almost all competing apps are capable of. I was unable to find all the files I wanted to recover.
Customer Support
The Gihosoft Support Center [2] offers few resources, but comments are open and usually responded to. The support team can be contacted via email.
FAQs
Is Gihosoft Android Data Recovery safe?
Yes. Scanning for lost data won’t harm your computer or phone.
Is Gihosoft Android Data Recovery free?
Yes, but only for certain types of data. You can recover your call history, audio files, and documents, for free. For other types of data, you need a Pro license.
Can Gihosoft Android Data Recovery rescue lost data on my iPhone?
No, but their other software, Gihosoft iPhone Data Recovery, can.
Alternatives
If Gihosoft Android Data Recovery isn’t right for you, here are some alternatives I recommend.
Wondershare Dr.Fone for Android
Wondershare Dr.Fone is a reputable alternative that offers versions for Windows, Mac, and Android. It’s one of the slower apps I’ve tried but doesn’t require you to root your Android phone.
iMobie PhoneRescue for Android
iMobie PhoneRescue is a second alternative that automatically roots and unroots your Android phone during the scan process. Windows and Mac versions are available.
Aiseesoft FoneLab Android Data Recovery
Aiseesoft FoneLab will scan your phone much faster but requires you to root it first. It also lets you back up your phone and transfers its files to your computer. Windows and Mac versions are available.
Final Verdict
I can’t recommend Gihosoft Android Data Recovery. I can’t determine the number of lost files it locates because they get lost in the crowd. There is no option to display on the deleted files, and no search or sort features to help you find the files you want to recover.
There are plenty of alternatives that offer all of these features. Wondershare Dr.Fone for Android and iMobie PhoneRescue for Android are two that do all of that and also automatically root your phone. Aiseesoft FoneLab Android Data Recovery is an alternative that offers much faster scans, but at the cost that you need to root your phone manually.
References
