Overwritten CCTV File Recovery: How Can I Recover CCTV/DVR Files

Try each of the solutions to recover CCTV files.

Workable Solutions	Step-by-step Troubleshooting
1. Use File Recovery Software	Run Deep Data Recovery Select the location and click "Scan" Recover lost video recordings...Full steps
2. Recover from Backup	Find the video backup folder Locate the exact video Copy and store the found video...Full steps

Workable Solutions

Step-by-step Troubleshooting

1. Use File Recovery Software

Run Deep Data Recovery

Select the location and click "Scan"

Recover lost video recordings...Full steps

2. Recover from Backup

Find the video backup folder

Locate the exact video

Copy and store the found video...Full steps

What Do Overwritten Files Mean

When a crime occurs, surveillance videos often serve as crucial evidence for investigations. However, if a video is overwritten, it means new data is recorded over the existing data, effectively erasing the old information. This happens when a file system is updated and new files are written over the old ones, utilizing unused file system clusters to record new data. As a result, the old information is lost, making it challenging to recover or access it.

Can You Recover Overwritten CCTV Files

Can deleted CCTV files be recovered? Is it possible to recover overwritten CCTV or DVR data? These are common questions, and the answer is yes, in some cases. Deleted files can be recovered if the storage device is not overwritten, and the data is not corrupted.

can you recover lost cctv files

Recovering deleted CCTV files is relatively easy, but there's a slim chance of retrieving DVR videos that have been overwritten, as they're often erased from the hard disc to make room for new recordings. However, if the hard disk is damaged but still contains existing videos, it's possible to recover those files.

If a hard drive used for a CCTV camera is not completely overwritten, there is still a possibility to recover video footage from it.

Two Methods to Restore Lost CCTV Files

If you've accidentally deleted videos from your CCTV/DVR hard drive or SD card, don't worry! There are two methods to recover deleted videos: using a data recovery software or physically extracting the hard drive or SD card and sending it to a professional data recovery service.

recover cctv files with Qiling data recovery software

Method 1. Recover CCTV Files with Qiling Data Recovery Software

If you've deleted your CCTV data, you can use Qiling disk data recovery software to restore lost CCTV/DVR data. This software allows you to recover deleted, formatted, or erased CCTV files on hard drives, SD cards, or USB storage devices, effectively recovering your lost video recordings.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Step 1. Launch Deep Data Recovery. Choose file types and click "Next" to start the recovery process.

Select file types that you want to recover

Step 2. To recover deleted videos, select the location or device where the videos were lost or deleted, and click "Scan" to initiate the recovery process.

Step 3. After scanning, select "Videos" in the left panel, go to "Lost" or "All" to find the desired videos, and then click "Preview" to select the found videos.

Step 4. Select the video files you want to recover, then click "Recover" to save them to a secure location.

 Tip: If your CCTV HDD is not completely overwritten, you can try Qiling data recovery software. However, be aware that if data has been overwritten, retrieval is more complex and not guaranteed. You can download a trial version to try and see if you can recover the lost files. If you're successful, you can purchase the software and save the recovered data to a safe place. Otherwise, this tool may not be able to help.

Method 2. Recover Deleted/Overwritten CCTV from Backup

If you've backed up your surveillance videos to another hard drive or SD card, you can easily restore your CCTV files from the backup.

Step 1. Find and open the video backup folder.

Step 2. To recover a deleted video from a CCTV or DVR hard drive/SD card, you can use specialized software designed for this purpose. These tools, such as CCF Viewer, CCF Explorer, or DVR Viewer, can help you locate and recover the deleted video.

Step 3. Copy and store the found video back to the disk/SD card.

Bonus Tip - How to Back Up Videos and CCTV Files

To protect yourself from data loss and its associated hassle, consider backing up your videos by copying them to another drive or uploading them to cloud storage services like Google Drive or OneDrive. For automatic file backup, Qiling Backup is a reliable option that allows you to easily back up wanted files and folders to an external hard drive or other drives.

Conclusion

If you don't have a backup, you can consider using professional data recovery software and services for CCTV/DVR recovery in different situations. This approach can help you recover your data without a backup. However, it's worth noting that going this route may require seeking the assistance of a professional data recovery service, depending on the complexity of the situation.