How can I recover data from a formatted USB drive?

Avoid plugging your USB into anything else until you're sure about your recovery plan. If you're tech-savvy, look into TestDisk from cgsecurity.org—it's a free tool that can help recover files, but it does have a learning curve. If there's no physical damage to your USB, you still have a good chance of getting your data back.

It's really unfortunate that this happened, and it highlights the risks of keeping important files on a single USB drive. I’ve seen heartbreaking cases like this before. If the data is vital, a professional recovery service is the best bet, as they have methods that exceed consumer-level software.

Right now, your priority should be to stop using the drive. Use recovery tools like EaseUS or Recuva, or go with PhotoRec if other tools don't work. Time is of the essence, so try to recover your files as soon as possible!

You should definitely try using Recuva for a deep scan. It can potentially recover most of your lost files, as long as you haven’t overwritten anything. Make sure to save any recovered files onto a different drive, not the original USB, to prevent further damage.

First things first, keep the USB drive unplugged until you're ready to attempt recovery. Connecting it again can overwrite the data and make recovery almost impossible. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, I recommend taking it to a data recovery shop—it might be the safest option. Just remember, regular backups are crucial to avoid situations like this in the future!