Stellar works okay without root. It scans the "cache" and "thumbnail" folders. But to recover deleted WhatsApp images or a formatted internal drive? You need root.
If you are considering data recovery, you need to act fast. When files are deleted, they are not actually erased; the space is merely marked as "available." The moment you write new data to the phone, you overwrite those files, making recovery impossible.
Here is the correct, safe workflow for using Stellar legally: stellar data recovery for android torrent install
Step 1: Enable USB Debugging
Step 2: Download the Official Installer
Step 3: Run the Installation
Step 4: Connect and Scan
Step 5: Activate License & Recover
In my testing (using a cracked v.8.0), Stellar recovered 70% of deleted images from a non-rooted phone, and 95% from a rooted one. The torrent version had a "lucky patcher" nag screen, but the recovery engine was intact. Stellar works okay without root