To provide a method for recovering solder containing Sn from a device such as a circuit board without heating the device to a high temperature.

In the method for recovering solder containing an Sn element from a device made by using the solder, by cooling treatment where the device is exposed to a low temperature, β-Sn is transited to α-Sn to collapse the solder, and the device and solder are fractionated. The cooling treatment is performed preferably at a low temperature of -90 to -10°C. Further, vibration is preferably applied to the device at least either in the middle of the cooling treatment or in a stage after the cooling treatment. The recovery method is suitably used when the device is a circuit board.