CCTV, DVR & NVR Footage Recovery: What Actually Works in 2026

If you’re reading this, you’re probably dealing with a stressful situation.

Somewhere in your CCTV, DVR, or NVR system, important footage is missing, and you need to know whether it can be recovered.

At Stellar Data Recovery, we see this every day. Sometimes it’s a break in. Sometimes a workplace incident. Sometimes footage that was supposed to be there for compliance or investigation simply isn’t.

The first question our experts are asked is always the same: Can this footage be recovered, or is it gone forever?

In this guide, we will answer four key questions around CCTV, NVR, and DVR data recovery.

• How does CCTV footage get lost, and what really happens when CCTV footage is deleted, lost, or corrupted?
• When is CCTV footage recovery technically possible—and when it isn’t?
• Why do some DIY attempts work well but others permanently destroy the data?
• What to do immediately to boost your chances of recovering your footage from a DVR or NVR?

How CCTV, DVR & NVR Footage Actually Gets Lost (and Why That Matters)

Before you jump into recovering deleted CCTV footage, understand why footage goes missing in the first place. The “why” and “how” of the loss will dictate the recovery path that makes sense for you.

1. Cyclic Overwriting (Loop Recording)

Almost all CCTV, DVR, and NVR systems use a mechanism called loop (cyclic) recording.
Here’s what that means.

• The system is designed to record footage nonstop.
• The storage is treated as a circular buffer.
• Once the capacity is full and the retention limit is reached (which typically is 14–30 days), the new footage overwrites the oldest footage automatically.

This overwriting happens at the storage block level. The DVR or NVR system reallocates the underlying storage sectors (or “blocks”) that previously held old footage and then writes the new video data directly over those blocks. As a result, the old footage is physically replaced bit by bit.

That’s why, if you want to recover the footage of an event that is now past the DVR/NVR’s overwrite window, it’s highly unlikely that it can be recovered, as it would have been automatically overwritten.

2. Manual Deletion or Logical Erasure

Footage can be deleted deliberately or accidentally by an administrator, a user, or through automated settings.

In most cases, the video isn’t immediately erased from the drive—it’s just marked as available space. However, once the recorder continues working, new footage will quickly overwrite these “deleted” areas.

3. Storage Media Failure

Hard drives (especially ones that aren’t specifically designed for DVRs or NVRs) can undergo logical or physical failure. Improper handling can lead to read/write head crashes or spindle motor failures, or the drive may simply wear out from constant recording.

SSDs and embedded chips in budget CCTVs can fail due to power surges or cell degradation. Sometimes, frequent power cuts can corrupt the drive’s file system or leave footage unplayable.

In all these cases, your data is intact but trapped on hardware that won’t power up or be recognized by your computer.

4. External Corruption and Environmental Threats

In many cases, we diagnose that power loss, firmware bugs, malware, or ransomware attacks damage the file system. Then there’s the risk of environmental damage (fire, water, overheating).

Each of these scenarios creates a unique technical situation. For instance, if footage is overwritten, no recovery method can bring it back. But if you’re dealing with accidental deletion or device failure, you can still recover your recordings.

Can Lost CCTV/DVR/NVR Footage Be Recovered?

Now that you know the common ways footage goes missing, the obvious question is: can CCTV footage be recovered?

Recovery is possible under specific technical conditions.

1. If Footage Was Deleted (but Not Overwritten)

There is a strong chance of success in this case if you act quickly. A deleted video remains on the disk until it is overwritten by new data. If your recorder has not been running for long since the deletion, recovery of your deleted CCTV footage is possible.
The same applies to files lost due to device or logical failure. So, as long as the underlying data hasn’t been erased or overwritten, your data can be recovered.

2. If the DVR/NVR Setup or Storage Drive Has Failed

In many cases, we see that DVR/ NVR data recovery is possible with the help of specialized tools that allow our technicians to access the drive at a low level, bypassing the failed components.
The success of this method depends on how badly the drive is damaged and whether the file system can be reconstructed.

3. If Corruption or Malware Has Made Video Unplayable

Even in this case, there is still a reasonable chance of our technicians being able to repair the corrupted CCTV footage, especially if you have the original drive and have stopped using it immediately.

4. In Case of Cyclic Recording

If the capacity of the drives in your DVR/NVR setup has not been utilized completely, new footage might not have completely overwritten the footage from before the retention time. In such cases, professionals can recover old footage. However, the likelihood of success is quite low. Because once a new video has physically overwritten the storage blocks where your old footage lived, the previous data is gone forever.

How to Recover CCTV/DVR/NVR Footage in 2025

So, if your CCTV data loss situation is within the “recoverable” zone (meaning the footage has not been overwritten), you can recover your data.

At Stellar, we want to help you get this right from the start. So let’s walk through the process step-by-step.

Step 1: Stop Recording Immediately

As soon as you realize footage is missing, power down your DVR or NVR. We recommend this because every second of continued recording means new data will overwrite your deleted or unplayable files.

Step 2: Identify Your Storage Type

• Is your system using a removable hard drive, SSD, or SD card? If yes, remove the media for analysis.
• Is it a RAID-based enterprise NVR or a system with soldered/embedded memory? If yes, you should immediately contact Stellar’s NVR Recovery Specialists.

Step 3: Seek Professional Support

If your hard drive is not detected, you hear unusual noises (clicking/scratching), the drive is corrupted, or you are using an enterprise-grade RAID/NVR setup, in such cases data recovery demands specialized equipment and expertise.

Only experts at a professional data recovery lab can handle such cases. Professional data recovery experts can:

• Open drives in a cleanroom to repair or replace failed components.
• Rebuild RAID arrays using forensic-grade software that can work with vendor-specific file systems.
• Extract and reassemble fragmented or corrupted video.
• Attempt chip-off recovery for embedded memory (such as soldered chips in smart cameras).

Note: If the footage is critical for legal or compliance reasons, consult professional data recovery experts at the earliest. They can preserve the chain of custody, document every step, and maximize your chances of a successful recovery.

Give Yourself the Best Chance of CCTV Data Recovery—Call Stellar

At Stellar, in many cases related to CCTV data recovery, clients call us after failed DIY attempts. Data recovery experts advise against this as it complicates recovery attempts and can reduce the chances of successful recovery. However, Stellar still gives you the best chances of success because of the following factors.

• Our experienced technicians safely repair physically damaged or dead hard drives in ISO-certified Class 100 cleanrooms.
• Our expertise in data recovery extends to video recording setups that use RAID arrays, where it’s necessary to rebuild the array.
• We have proprietary forensic-grade software that allows us to carry out advanced data recovery techniques. For damaged flash media, we perform chip-off data recovery, where we physically remove the chip from devices where memory is soldered and directly access raw data.
• We use signature-based carving and vendor-specific tools to locate, reassemble, and export video fragments. We can also stitch together missing frames, rebuild indexes, and restore “unplayable” files.
• As an ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified company, we document every step and preserve chain of custody, which is a must in cases of sensitive footage.

Our final piece of advice is that you avoid risky DIY data recovery tactics if the lost footage is important and contact Stellar’s CCTV data recovery experts before you decide the next steps.