This is a review of Tenorshare UltData for iPhone (also available for Android devices), a software tool that can recover lost data from mobile phones.
I’ve offered IT training and support over several decades and written software reviews and how-tos for business users. I’ve taken an in-depth look at Tenorshare UltData to let you know how successful you’re likely to be when recovering lost data from your phone.
I found Tenorshare UltData to be fast and relatively effective. It was unable to recover all of my lost data, but I haven’t found an alternative that can do better and it supports more data types than others.
In this Tenorshare UltData 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
Tenorshare UltData is a desktop application that recovers lost data from iOS or Android-based smartphones.
There are two apps available for Windows users:
- Tenorshare UltData for Android: $35.95/month, $39.95/year, $49.95 lifetime
- Tenorshare UltData for iOS: $45.95/month, $49.95/year, $59.95 lifetime
There are also two apps available for Mac users:
- Tenorshare UltData for Android: $59.95/year
- Tenorshare UltData for iOS: $55.95/month, $59.95/year, $69.95 lifetime
The apps run on a single computer and can recover data from up to five devices. The prices are presented as special deals on the website but have been the same every time I checked over the last few years.
A free trial will show you if your data can be recovered before paying for the application, but unfortunately, it doesn’t allow you to preview all files.
In this review, we’ll focus on the Mac app, but will also touch on the Windows app for Android. I discovered that it was unable to recover all of my lost data and that the same is true of other mobile recovery apps. Its scan was faster than any other app I tested.
Recovery Features
How is data recovery possible? When you delete information from your phone, it is not actually removed but is simply marked as available space. In time, it will be overwritten by new information, so it’s important to attempt recovery as early as possible.
Methods of data recovery offered:
Android:
- Recovery deleted data by scanning your Android device directly
iOS:
- Recovery deleted data by scanning your iPhone or iPad directly
- Selectively restore data from your iTunes backup
- Selectively restore data from your iCloud backup
Supported devices:
Android: Over 6,000 phones and tablets are supported including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Moto Z.
iOS: Any iOS device is compatible including the phones and iOS version.
Supported data types:
Android:
- Contacts
- Photos
- Videos
- Music and audio
- Documents and app data
- Call history
- Messages and SMS
- WeChat messages, contacts, photos, voice recordings
iOS:
- Contacts
- Notes and attachments
- Calendar
- Reminders
- Photos
- Videos
- Music
- Voice memos
- Books
- App audio
- App documents
- Call history
- Messages and attachments
- Facetime
- Facebook Messenger and attachments
- Viber
- Tango
- Line
- Kik
- Safari bookmarks and history
User Experience
Tenorshare UltData is easy to install and setup. Data recovery does not require any technical knowledge and can be performed in three simple steps:
- Connect your device to your computer
- Scan the device by running the software on your computer
- Preview the files and select those you wish to recover
You may need to root your Android phone to recover data from it. The Windows version is able to recover deleted photos and WhatsApp messages without rooting your phone. For other types of data (and all types when using the Mac version) you will need root access.
Performance
Scanning for lost files can be time-consuming. How fast is Tenorshare UltData?
To find out, I added six test items to my personal 256 GB iPhone 7 then deleted them: a contact, photo, Apple note, voice memo, calendar event, and Pages document. The scan took 49 minutes. You can select which types of data to scan for to minimize the time required.
How does that compare with other data recovery apps? I performed the same test with nine competitors, and UltData was the fastest. Four other apps also took around an hour, three took 2-3 hours, and two were significantly slower (6 and 21 hours).
Effectiveness
Data recovery can never be guaranteed. How successful is Tenorshare UltData?
In my test, it was only able to recover three of the six items I deleted: the contact, Apple note, and photo. I was unable to recover the calendar event, voice memo, and Pages document.
I was disappointed but didn’t find an alternative that could do better. Four other apps recovered three items, and the rest, just two. Every program I tried successfully recovered the contact and Apple note. Only four apps managed to recover the photo and only one could recover the voice memo. I wasn’t able to recover the calendar event or Pages document with any of them.
Data recovery is never guaranteed, and that seems especially true when attempting to recover lost data from smartphones.
On a more positive note, my test items were not the only lost files that were located. Every app I tested also located hundreds of files and documents and thousands of photos.
Customer Support
The Tenorshare Customer Support Center offers a searchable product guide and FAQ. The support team can be contacted via a web form. [1]
FAQs
Is Tenorshare UltData safe?
Yes. The app is safe to use and will not overwrite your existing data.
Is Tenorshare UltData free?
No. The free trial will show you if your lost data can be located, but you need to purchase a license to actually recover it.
Alternatives
If Tenorshare UltData isn’t right for you, here are some alternatives I recommend.
Aiseesoft FoneLab offers fast and effective scans as well as support for rooted Android devices. Windows and Mac versions are available.
EaseUS Mobisaver is the only app to recover the voice memo in my test. It can recover data from iPhones and rooted Android devices but scans slower than UltData. Versions are available for Windows and Mac.
Wondershare Dr.Fone is another reputable alternative and offers versions for Windows, Mac, and Android. Its scans are quite slow compared to my other recommendations but it doesn’t require you to first root your Android phone.
Final Verdict
I recommend Tenorshare UltData (for iPhones or Android). While it didn’t recover all of the lost data in my test, no other app did better. It scanned my phone faster than the alternatives and located an impressive amount of recoverable data.
A scan with the free trial version will show you whether your lost files will be recovered, and the same is true for the alternatives I recommend. If one recovery tool is unable to find your files it won’t hurt to scan your phone with a few others. It will just cost a few hours of your time.
References
Pradeep Ranavare
It’s a scam. Does not work nor they refund your money. Just give vague answers for there failure. Do not install and lose your money
Fred C.B.
Thank you for your Review of Tenorshare Ultdata. It was very helpful and considered to be a very objective assessment of its merits, covering both pros and cons. The fact that you suggested other alternatives helped to alleviate the thought, that the review may be yet another of those that get written by the very creators of the product. Regards, Fred C.B.