About TestDisk
The story behind one of the most trusted data recovery tools in open-source software.
Losing a partition table or accidentally deleting critical files is the kind of problem that makes your stomach drop. TestDisk exists for exactly those moments. It is a free, open-source utility built to recover lost partitions, repair damaged boot sectors, and pull files back from FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystems. Where commercial recovery software charges hundreds of dollars, TestDisk does the job for free.
The tool runs entirely in a text-based terminal interface. There are no flashy graphics or drag-and-drop wizards. You get arrow-key navigation, step-by-step menus, and direct access to your disk structures. For IT professionals and sysadmins, this is a feature, not a limitation.
How TestDisk started
From a personal side project to a tool trusted by recovery specialists worldwide.
The first release
Christophe Grenier, a French software developer working in IT security, wrote TestDisk to solve a problem he kept running into: corrupted partition tables. The first version handled basic MBR partition recovery on Linux systems.
Cross-platform expansion
TestDisk added support for Windows, macOS, and FreeBSD. NTFS and FAT recovery capabilities improved significantly, and the tool started appearing in Linux live rescue distributions like SystemRescueCD and Knoppix.
PhotoRec joins the bundle
Grenier bundled PhotoRec, his file carving companion tool, alongside TestDisk. PhotoRec recovers individual files (photos, documents, archives) even when the filesystem is completely destroyed. The two tools complement each other well: TestDisk fixes structures, PhotoRec rescues content.
Growing adoption
TestDisk gained a reputation on forums like Reddit, Stack Exchange, and various sysadmin communities as the go-to free partition recovery tool. GPT partition table support was added, along with ext4 and exFAT filesystem handling.
Version 7.2
The latest release brought updated filesystem support and compatibility with modern hardware. TestDisk now runs on Windows Vista through Windows 11, modern Linux kernels, and both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
What TestDisk actually does
Partition recovery, boot sector repair, and file undelete across every major operating system.
Partition table repair
Fixes corrupted or deleted MBR, GPT, Apple, Sun, and BSD partition maps. This is the core function that made TestDisk famous.
Deleted partition recovery
Scans disk surfaces to locate partitions that have been removed by accident, malware, or failed disk operations. Supports deep search mode for stubborn cases.
Boot sector rebuild
Reconstructs damaged FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and ext2/ext3/ext4 boot sectors from backup copies or from scratch.
File undelete
Recovers deleted files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and ext2 filesystems. You can browse deleted entries and copy them to a safe location.
TestDisk runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and even DOS. It requires administrator or root privileges because it reads raw disk sectors directly. The entire program is about 28 MB and needs no installation.
The developer behind TestDisk
One developer, decades of work, millions of recovered partitions.
Christophe Grenier
CGSecurity – France
Grenier is a French IT security professional who has maintained TestDisk and PhotoRec for over 25 years. He runs CGSecurity (cgsecurity.org), which hosts both projects along with documentation and a community wiki. Unlike many open-source projects backed by companies or foundations, TestDisk has always been a one-person effort. Grenier handles development, bug fixes, documentation, and user support himself.
The project is licensed under GPL v2 and hosted on GitHub, where Grenier continues to accept bug reports and merge contributions from the community.
Why people rely on TestDisk
Trusted by sysadmins, IT professionals, and anyone who has ever lost a partition.
If you search Reddit or any tech forum for “recover deleted partition,” TestDisk is almost always the first recommendation. Sysadmins keep it on their USB rescue drives. IT support teams use it when a client brings in a laptop with a wiped disk. Data recovery professionals reach for it before spinning up expensive commercial tools.
The reason is simple: it works, it is free, and it has been around long enough that people trust it. There are hundreds of forum threads where someone posts “TestDisk just saved my thesis” or “recovered three years of photos my kid accidentally deleted.” The terminal interface intimidates beginners at first, but the step-by-step menus walk you through the process clearly.
TestDisk also ships with most Linux rescue distributions, which means if your system will not boot at all, you can run it from a live USB without installing anything.
About this website
An independent resource built to help users find what they need.
testdisk.app is an independent, fan-made website. We are not affiliated with Christophe Grenier, CGSecurity, or the official TestDisk project in any way.
We built this site because TestDisk deserves a clean, easy-to-navigate resource page. The official CGSecurity wiki has all the technical documentation you could need, but it can be hard to find specific information quickly. Our goal is to provide download links, setup guides, and FAQ answers in one place.
Every download link on this site points to official sources. We do not host, modify, or redistribute any software files. We respect the developer and his work, and we encourage every user to visit the official CGSecurity website for the most up-to-date releases and documentation.
If you find TestDisk useful, consider supporting Christophe Grenier and the CGSecurity project directly.
Get in touch
Questions, feedback, or corrections? We are happy to hear from you.
Have a question about this website? Visit our Contact page.
For official TestDisk support, head to cgsecurity.org.