Summary of the Dr.fone Review
Dr.fone is a versatile and handy software tool that helps to manage data on both Android and iOS devices. This software claims to have the ability to recover the files that are deleted intentionally or unintentionally. Also, it can back up the recovered data and restore all those files into any desired device. Apart from that, Dr.fone comprises of a large range of useful tools. These tools can root, remove the lock screen, record screen and do a variety of other tasks on your smart device. Despite all those features, in this Dr.fone Review, we intend to focus on its data recovery functionality.
If truth to be told, in earlier versions of Dr.fone Data Recovery utility had some glitches in recovering photos. That means some of the deleted photos weren’t actually recovered. Instead, it recovered photos that were already on the device. However, the developers have taken the necessary measures to fix this issue. As of the writing of this review (March 2019), they have fixed the issue. All the aspects of the software (including photo recovery) work fine. However, we noticed that a couple of photos were recovered with a slight loss of quality. Apart from that, recovering bookmarks and contacts worked fine.
However, to be realistic, the user experience might vary from one user to another. We intend to share what we have practically experienced with this software. In fact, data recovery is yet another feature associated with Dr.fone. There are several other useful tools offered by Dr.fone. In fact, we don’t intend to pump too much information by reviewing all those tools. Instead, we will just focus on Dr.fone Data Recovery tool in this review article. However, we should also emphasize the fact that Dr.fone saves some money as it comes as a complete package. In other words, you spend less and experience more through Dr.fone. So, if you seek our straightforward recommendation, it’s a definite yes from us. The rest of this review will explain why we say so. So, read on this Dr.fone Review and come to a conclusion.
PS: The above video was created by Doodly, to know more about it, here is the completed Doodly Review for you. And click to find out Recover Photos After Factory Reset on Android with ease.
Dr.fone Review – A quick look at the pros and cons of Dr.fone
In this section of the review, you can take a quick look at the pros and cons of Dr.fone. This is a quick way to give you a general idea about this software.
Pros of Dr.fone
- A very attractive price that stands ahead of the competition very easily
- A large range of versatile features to manage Android devices and iOS devices efficiently
- Powerful but simplified user-interface that allows users to navigate easily
- Excellent support from the customer support team through emails
Cons of Dr.fone
- A couple of files weren’t recovered during the test run
Reasons to count on this Dr.fone Review
In general, many users opt to take their smartphones to a service center to get potential glitches fixed. However, many of them experience the same issue after some time and get really annoyed. Well, in that case, they will have to take their phones once again to a service center. Isn’t it a waste of money? What will you do if you are in the same situation?
We are a team of smartphone enthusiasts who tend to do a lot of experiments with them. In many cases, we end up with serious errors in the phones we test. But we don’t want to spend money on service centers, and instead, we want to fix them my own. We are on constant lookout for powerful and effective software that can rectify the potential errors. So far, we have tested plenty of phone repairing tools, and only a couple of them worked for us.
In fact, searching for a phone repair utility you can count on is an uphill task. To find the best, either you have to try them all or rely on a review done by users. Practically, it is not possible for everyone to try all the options in the market. That can cost a lot. So, the most appropriate solution is to rely on a review left by an expert. During our constant research, we came across the software Dr.fone and tested it with several malfunctioning phones. The outcome is very satisfactory, and it delivered almost everything we have expected from such software. The beauty of Dr.fone is its user-friendly interface. Even if you are a novice, you can find Dr.fone’s interface to be really friendly. Such a friendly approach makes the process really efficient. Also, their customer support team plays a very important role to uplift their standards. That means, they reply fast and with all the required information. All in all, their customer support team is effective and professional.
Dr.fone Review – Introduction to Dr.fone
Dr.fone is mainly developed to recover iPhone and Android data that are lost due to any reason. This program is introduced by Wondershare which is renowned for a variety of handy tools. In fact, Dr.fone was previously known as Data Recovery for iTunes. Since then, this tool came across a range of advancements. Now, it has become a really popular data recovery software that shows a great deal of efficiency.
Although it was initially named Data Recovery for iTunes, the company decided to give its name a revamp. As a result, now it is branded as Dr.fone. The name is pronounced as “Doctor Phone” and that gives a clear idea about its overall functionality. The software went through a range of major updates, and now it is not restricted to iOS devices. Instead, this software works perfectly with Android and iOS devices. In addition to data recovery, Dr.fone is equipped with a large range of other utilities as well. These utilities let you capture the screens, root the devices, secure erasure of data, etc.
Dr.fone Review – Dr.fone is for whom?
As we mentioned earlier in this review, the main functionality of Dr.fone toolkit is to recover data off smartphones. If you have deleted any of the files stored in your phone, this software claims to recover them all. This software is compatible with all the iOS devices as well as with Android devices. They also claim that this software can help to restore data from broken, stolen or frozen devices. That is, in fact, is done through an already existing backup. Also, it offers you the opportunity of recovering data selectively. That means you can use this software to recover just the files you need instead of all of them.
The other tools included in Dr.fone utility can help you accomplish various tasks with ease. For instance, wiping out data completely, recording screen activities, moving WhatsApp data can be done easily with these tools. In fact, Dr.fone is considered to be a complete toolkit for both Android and iOS devices.
Dr.fone Review – Can you rely on Dr.fone?
In a nutshell, Dr.fone is a very reliable software that doesn’t pose any threat to your personal data. Also, it isn’t associated with any malware. In fact, we have tried Dr.fone in both Android and iOS devices. Also, we installed it on both Windows PCs and Macs. We did scan it with two major antivirus programs and found no issues at all.
The usage of the software is pretty easy. Also, your data will be perfectly safe with it. It doesn’t keep any records of the login information or passwords. Once the files are displayed, you can extract the files to your Mac or PC without much trouble.
Dr.fone Review – What does it cost?
As you may have expected, Dr.fone is not a freeware. After all, it is impractical to expect such impressive software for free. However, it comes with a trial version as well. Again, the trial version of Dr.fone has some limitations. You can use this trial version to take a look at the lost data. If you intend to purchase this program, first see if it shows lost data. You can purchase it only if you can find the lost data. Please note that the free version doesn’t recover lost files. Instead, it just shows the files deleted.
We have noticed that there are some comments saying that Dr.fone is a bogus software that does nothing. Well, we DISAGREE with such comments. We have practically experienced that Dr.fone recovers lost files. However, we don’t say that Dr.fone recovers 100% of all the files. Instead, we should say that Dr.fone has a substantial ability to recovering many of the files. In fact, that is exactly why we recommend you to try the trial version before purchasing it. If it doesn’t show any deleted file, don’t purchase it.
We also should say that Wondershare might have launched various marketing campaigns with various claims. There can be time to time offers with discounts, coupon codes, etc. Regardless of what those exaggerating campaigns say, we should again encourage you to use the demo version.
Dr.fone Review – Does this data recovery software actually work?
Before we move forward, we should say that Dr.fone is a collection of many utilities. So, we didn’t try all of those tools to write this Dr.fone Review. Also, we didn’t test this software with all the potential instances that cause data losses. In addition to that, we had only a couple of iOS and Android devices to test with Dr.fone. We didn’t try Dr.fone with all the device models in the market today. Practically, you will have to expect different results with different devices. So, let’s take a look at what we have really experienced with Dr.fone.
Instance 1: Using Dr.Fone for iOS to recover data from an iOS device (iPhone/iPad)
Note: Data Recovery feature included in Dr.fone comprises of three subsections. Those sections are mentioned below.
Recovering data from iPhone directly
In fact, we were able to recover deleted files off an iOS device. However, there were some glitches associated with the process. In other words, the process didn’t go as planned. We purposely deleted Some contacts, photos and a couple of videos. Also, we deleted the call logs of the device as well. Interestingly, we were able to recover most of the files (except for a couple of photos). We discovered that a couple of photos came out without expected quality. Also, two photos were completely disappeared. Even with the recovered contacts, we had some issues. That means, some of the contacts we recovered actually didn’t have numbers. It is needless to mention that the numbers are the most important aspects of any contact.
So, it is fair to say that Dr.fone can recover deleted files but not all the files you’ve lost. In other words, we cannot say that Dr.fone has a 100% success rate in recovering files. But the truth is that it delivers better results compared to losing all the files. As we believe, losing a couple of files is way better than losing all those files.
Recovering iPhone data from iTunes backup file
Dr.fone can go through the available iTunes backup on your computer and extract the required files conveniently. To do this, you will have to install and launch the program on the computer. The computer you run the software should be previously synchronized with the iOS device.
We tested this feature using a Mac, and it was able to find several iTunes backups. In fact, this method shows a great deal of success compared to the previous one. All the iTunes backup files were clearly organized and it is a matter of extracting them carefully. After selecting to start the scan, the software will be able to find all the recoverable files. These files were clearly listed according to the file type. It displays photos, messages, contacts, call logs and app data accordingly. For most of the individuals, photos and messages are the most important aspects. So, recovering those photos is a piece of delightful news for them. Also, it shows significant success in recovering call logs as well. We experienced that the information associated with calls are properly arranged. For instance, it displays information like date, name, etc. We find this feature to be a really handy one, therefore. In order to get those files saved on the computer, we had to define a location. Then, the files were smoothly transferred to the Mac device that was connected to the iOS device.
Recovering iPhone data through iCloud backup file
Recovering the data using iCloud backup files is pretty similar to the previous process (Recover from iTunes Backup File). However, when you use the iCloud backup file, you will have to use iCloud credentials.
Once you log into the iCloud account, Dr.fone will verify the information by itself. Nevertheless, you don’t have to worry about your privacy. Wondershare repeatedly claims that they never store your personal data. In fact, we strongly believe what they say because no user has complained about any privacy issue so far. To make it clear by yourself, you can visit Wondershare’s privacy policy page. That page comprises of substantial information about the process.
Just like the previous step, Dr.fone were able to find several iCloud backups that were stored in the Mac. To see the contents of these backups, you should click on the “Download” button. Then, you should click on the files you require.
Instance 2: Extract from Damaged Device and Recover from SD Card
With the latest updates took place, Dr.Fone is now enabled with the ability to reverse data from SD cards. Here’s how the process goes on when it comes to recovering deleted data from SD cards.
After launching Dr.Fone, you should opt for the option “Recover”. Then, you should connect the SD card with the same computer. You can directly connect the Android device (in which the SD card is) to the computer. If not, you can simply connect it using a card reader. We chose the latter. After the SD card is detected, you can click on the “Next” button.
Of two scan modes (Standard and Advanced), we chose Standard. With this method, you can either scan for all the files or deleted files only. We went with the former option.
After selecting the recovery mode, it is a matter of clicking the “Next” button. You will now see a scanning process goes on. At the completion of the scan, you can see a list of files categorized. Use the left sidebar and click on the type of data you need to recover. Select the exact files you need and click on “Recover”.
Instance 3: Using Dr.fone for Android to recover data from an Android device
With the Android version of Dr.fone Data Recovery, we have tried pretty much all the features available. However, in this Dr.fone Review, we emphasize what we have experienced with its data recovery feature only. Dr.fone is perfectly compatible with most of the leading brands ranging from Samsung to Sony to Google.
Before trying the program out, we purposely deleted some pictures, text messages and contacts from the tested Android device. However, we made sure not to delete important files (as a precautionary measure). We did some research and found that some of the users found incompatibilities with Dr.fone. But the truth is that those users have experienced the issues with unrecognized smartphone brands. So, if you are not using a recognized, leading brand, we suggest you the trial version beforehand. Such an approach will assure the safety of your purchase. In fact, opting to trial version is a safer approach even if you are using a branded Android device. The trial version lets you see if there are recoverable files and then you can buy it.
When it comes to the home screen of Dr.fone, there are plenty of features to go through. If this is the first time you are trying the software, you should have an internet connection. That is to download all the files required to enable the additional features.
Our main intention is to test Dr.fone’s data recovery ability. So, we started testing it. The most important thing here is that you need to perform some configurations in your android device. That means, to recover data, you have to enable the DFU/Recovery mode in it. Otherwise, Dr.fone will not be able to perform the required changes in the Android device. In fact, depending on the brand and the model of the device, there can be slight differences. In general, however, the process of enabling the DFU/Recovery mode is the same.
To make it more convenient to the users, Dr.fone displays all the instructions about DFU/Recovery modes. These instructions are applicable with most of the Android devices unless you are using an unrecognized brand.
If you are a novice, however, enabling USB debugging should be done as follows.
To put your Android device in USB debugging mode, you should first go to Settings of the phone. Then, you should tap on “About Device” option. After that, you will have to tap on “Build Number” for 07 times constantly. You will then find developer options which are generally above the “About Phone” option. Tap on “Developer Options”. Now, you can see there is a switch to enable the respective settings. As the last step, you should enable the option “USB Debugging” and that’s it.
In order to check whether you have put the phone into Debugging mode, connect the device into the computer. Once connected, your phone will have a message displayed on the screen saying the USB debugging mode is working.
After proper configuration, you should get the device connected to the computer. The device should be recognized by the program automatically. If it doesn’t, you can click the “Next” button for Dr.fone to install drivers. Installation of drivers might take only a few seconds. At the completion of the installation, you can decide which type of data you will be able to recover. During our test, we selected everything. You can decide which option to select and then select “Next”.
At the completion of the analysis, Dr.fone started to scan the device. Within a couple of minutes, the scan was finished. In fact, it went smoothly. As per our experiment, Dr.fone was able to find a massive number of files weigh a couple of GBs. Interestingly, we were able to find the majority of the files that were deleted. However, some call logs and text messages were missing from this scan. If you need to find the deleted items only, you should turn “Only display deleted items“.
We also were able to see a large number of photos. Some of these photos were the ones I took through the camera. However, the program recovered unnecessary photos as well. That means, it recovered plenty of files that were associated with apps. These images weren’t actually necessary. When it comes to the videos, it was able to recover some of the videos. These videos included the ones that are already in the phones.
Dr.fone Review – What else can Dr.fone do?
As mentioned before, there are plenty of features associated with Dr.fone. In fact, Dr.fone’s interface itself displays all those information for our perusal. Mentioned below are some of the attractive features included in Dr.fone.
Restore Social Media
iOS System Recovery
System Recovery is another feature that can be handy if you have some issues in your iOS device. For instance, if your device is switched on, but it cannot be used, you can use System Recovery. Apart from bricked phones, this feature claims to recover various issues. White screen, restart loop, stuck on Apple logo, black screen, etc. are some of those issues. It is capable of restoring the iOS device into normal mode without losing data. Well, to the delight of the iPhone users, this feature works on all the iOS devices.
Repairing iTunes
Repairing Android Devices
With the recent updates introduced to Dr.Fone, you can not use it to repair a variety of Android-related issues. In fact, Dr.Fone is the world’s first tool to repair Android devices. It lets you repair Android devices with a single click operation.
Erasing data
You might wonder why you need software to delete data when you can do it manually. However, with the assistance of Dr.Fone’s data erasure feature, you can get your device ‘cleaned up’ conveniently. Once the data is erased using Dr.Fone, the device will appear as if it is a brand new device. No other user will be able to find your data at all. Again, this can be done in two ways.
Erasing private data
Although this sounds similar to erasing data, this option lets you delete private data selectively. Through this method, you can keep data that doesn’t affect your privacy and delete the rest. For instance, you can delete all the photos, text messages, videos and anything else that may affect your privacy. This option lets you keep the general apps that don’t comprise of private information. If you plan to give away or sell your device to someone you know, this is a good option. The deleted private data will not be recoverable – even with the most powerful data recovery tool.
Erasing data permanently
If you want to erase all the data off your device, use this feature. It lets you delete all the data no matter whether they affect your privacy or not. After erasing the data permanently, they become irrecoverable. Other individuals will not be able to recover your data and misuse them. Even with a data recovery program, no one recovers these files. Once the files are deleted, no trace will be left behind. Compared to a factory reset, this is a very safe method as we understand. With this feature, you can make your device to function like a brand new one. To use the device again, the user has to configure it and install all the required apps.
Transferring, creating backups and restoring messaging app data
You can use Dr.Fone to create backups of your messaging app data. In addition to that, you can directly transfer them or restore them separately. For instance, you can manage WhatsApp, Line, Viber, and Kik data with this feature.
Data Switch
Data Switch is another convenient feature added to Dr.Fone for the sake of busy individuals. It can move data from one device to another across different platforms. For instance, you can simply transfer contacts, photos, video clips, text, etc. from an iPhone to an Android phone. This feature is compatible with pretty much all the important files you use every day.
Data Transfer (iOS)
This is the feature that allows you to transfer data between iOS devices (iPads and iPhones). Also, it lets you transfer data between iOS devices and computers. It supports transferring contacts, videos, SMS, photos, music, etc. stored in your iOS device. You don’t need to rely on iTunes to transfer data if you use Dr.Fone’s data transfer feature.
Data Transfer (Android)
Just like with iOS devices, Dr.Fone’s Transfer (Android) feature allows you to transfer data between Android devices. You can also transfer data between iTunes and Android (and vice versa). Apart from that, you can use this feature to transfer data between Android devices and computers as well. In addition to that, it also lets you manage Android devices through your computer. Thankfully, this feature supports all the widely used file types (photos, contacts, SMS, etc.).
Creating backups and restoring data
You can make use of this feature to create backups of all the important files on your device. It can even restore those files whenever you need. If you wonder what files can be backed up and restored, refer to the list below.
- Your contacts
- Text messages
- Call logs
- Photos stored in the gallery
- Video clips
- Calendar data
- Audio clips and songs
- Apps installed
However, when it comes to apps, Dr.fone can backup the application only. The data related to the app cannot be deleted if your phone is not rooted already. However, if you have a rooted Android device, you can easily backup the app data as well. Also, you should remember that backup and restore function may not work on some devices. So, Backup and Restore function has relatively less compatibility.
Removing the lock screen
How did we rate this software in this Dr.fone Review?
In this section of our Dr.fone Review, we emphasize the ratings we placed on different aspects of the software.
Overall Effectiveness – 8.5/10
Although we had some disputes with Dr.fone’s data recovery process, we consider it as a pretty effective tool. That is because Dr.fone is not just a data recovery tool. It is a collection of useful tools that can make it a very effective utility. We would give it 10/10 in terms of effectiveness if there weren’t any glitches associated with its data recovery. However, we should mention that even the effectiveness of the data recovery may vary from device to device. That means some might experience better data recovery experience with Dr.fone despite what we encountered.
Price – 9/10
When it comes to the price factor, we can offer a 9/10 rating considering various aspects. Wondershare lets you select the most prominent package from various options they offer. These packages are available for both Mac and Windows computers.
User-friendliness – 9.5/10
Honestly, Dr.fone comes with one of the coolest and most convenient user-interfaces we have come across. Even if you are a novice user, you will be able to make the best use of this software. It is easy to understand and easy to navigate.
Support – 9/10
As we mentioned earlier, they respond to the emails pretty fast and with clear information. They maintain a very professional manner. They assist you in overcoming the issues you encounter.
Are there any alternatives to Dr.fone?
Obviously, in this Dr.fone Review, there are some alternatives to Dr.fone. However, none of these alternatives are perfect (neither does Dr.fone).
iCloud and iTunes Backup (Free alternatives)
Both iTunes and iCloud are considered to be official options provided by Apple itself. When it comes to iTunes, you should use the app on a PC or a Mac. However, iCloud is a cloud-based backup system, just like the name suggests.
However, both of these options don’t offer selective data recovery. Also, both of these options are usable only if you have created a backup beforehand.
iMyFone D-Back – iPhone Data Recovery (Starts from $49.95)
iMyFone D-Back is another tool for you to recover your deleted or lost data on your iPhone/iPad/iPod with ease. It can recover Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat, Line, Kik, photos, contacts, messages, notes from your iOS devices for you with just simple steps.
And there are four recovery modes with a higher chance of recovery, Smart Recovery, Recover from iTunes Backup, Recover from Device, Recover from iCloud Backup, just choose the right one for you to try. You can also know more about it via the full iMyFone D-Back Review.
PhoneRescue ($49.99)
This is licensed software that comes with most of the features offered by Dr.fone. It works with both iOS and Android devices. However, when it comes to the number of features, Dr.fone is better than this option.
Stellar iPhone Data Recovery ($49.95)
If your intention is just to recover deleted items, this would be a good option. However, it doesn’t offer other features offered by Dr.fone. Although it comes with a free trial, the software doesn’t work on Android devices.