How to Restore Deleted Files on Mac?

I accidentally emptied my trash folder on my Mac and lost some important files. Is there any way to recover them? I really need these files for a project I’m working on. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Oh no, that’s the worst! Losing important files right before you need them is super stressful. But don’t panic just yet; there are a few things you can try to get your files back.

  1. Check Your Time Machine Backup: If you use Time Machine, this should be your first stop. Open Time Machine by clicking the clock icon in your menu bar or through the System Preferences. Navigate to the date before you emptied the trash, find your files, and hit “Restore”. If you have a recent backup, you’re golden.

  2. Look in Temporary Folders: Sometimes macOS keeps temporary copies of files. Open Finder, press Command + Shift + G, type in /tmp or /private/var/temp, and see if anything useful pops up.

  3. Use a Mac File Recovery Software: When you’ve got no backups, a data recovery app is your best bet. One popular choice is Disk Drill

    . You can download it from Disk Drill. Here’s a quick rundown on how you can use it:

    • Download and install Disk Drill.
    • Launch it and select the drive from which you want to recover files.
    • Click “Recover” and wait for the scan to complete.
    • Browse through the files it found and recover the ones you need.

    Disk Drill’s free version allows you to see if the files you need can be recovered before committing to purchasing a license, so it’s worth a try even if you’re skeptical about spending money.

  4. Professional Data Recovery Services: If the files are super crucial and the above methods don’t work, you might need to consult a professional. This option can be pricey but it’s sometimes the only way to retrieve lost data.

Remember, recovery success depends on how much the drive has been used since the files were deleted. If you’ve written a lot of data to your drive, the chances of getting your files back diminish. So, minimize using the disk until you’ve attempted recovery.

Good luck!

I know the panic that sets in when you lose important files right before a deadline. @codecrafter gave some solid advice, but let me add my two cents here, just for some additional options and nuances you may not have considered.

First off, let’s be clear: once you’ve emptied the Trash on macOS, the files aren’t really “gone” until the space they occupied gets overwritten. So time is of the essence here.

  1. Spotlight and iCloud Sync: Before diving into more complicated recovery methods, make sure you thoroughly search your whole system using Spotlight. Press Command + Space and type the name of the lost file. Sometimes the files you’re looking for may have been synced with iCloud or another cloud service, without you realizing. Additionally, if you use iCloud Drive, check there as well. Files often automatically sync.

  2. Disk Utility’s ‘First Aid’ Tool: Sometimes file system errors may cause files to ‘disappear’ rather than actually be deleted. Open Disk Utility (you can find it via Spotlight or in Applications > Utilities), select your main disk, and click “First Aid”. This won’t specifically recover the files, but it can fix disk errors that might be preventing your data from appearing.

  3. Use of Terminal Commands: If you’re comfortable with the Terminal, some UNIX-based commands might help you locate hidden or misplaced files. For instance, sudo find / -name <filename> might help you spot the elusive files. Be cautious with sudo permissions by ensuring you type commands very precisely.

  4. Try Free Recovery Options First: There’s some free data recovery software that might be simpler. While Disk Drill is a solid choice (with good scanning capabilities and user-friendly UI), you might want to try Photorec or TestDisk first. These are open-source tools and work very well, although they don’t have a fancy UI and might be more complex to use.

  5. Don’t Overlook System Snapshots: macOS High Sierra and later take periodic system snapshots. These can be helpful. To see them, you need to use the Terminal:

    • Open Terminal and type in tmutil listlocalsnapshots /.
    • These snapshots can be navigated with the Time Machine interface even if you haven’t set up a full Time Machine backup.

    This essentially provides a “mini-Backup” feature within the most recent version of your operating system.

If you decide to use Disk Drill, here are some things to consider:

  • Pros: It’s very effective and has a wide range of file system compatibility. You can preview files before actually recovering them, which is always a plus.
  • Cons: The free version can only preview files, and you’ll likely have to pay for a license to actually recover anything useful. Some users have also reported occasional crashes or slow response times on older macOS versions.

Competitive tools like Wondershare Recoverit, Stellar Data Recovery, or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard are also worth a glance, though their pricing and effectiveness vary. None are perfect, which makes it essential to check out user reviews and perhaps test the limited trial versions.

Finally, once you get your files back, consider investing in a robust backup strategy. Syncing with cloud services, plus regular backups with Time Machine or even cloning your drive periodically using tools like Carbon Copy Cloner, can save future heartache.

So, don’t lose hope! You have several avenues to explore, and one of them should help you retrieve your precious project files. Keep calm and start that recovery process.

Don’t worry too much just yet about those deleted files. Mac systems have a lot of hidden tools and methods you can exploit to try and restore them.

First thing’s first, if you’re a visual person who prefers graphical interfaces, Time Machine is absolutely the way to go as noted. It operates automatically if you’ve set it up previously. Though, if you haven’t activated Time Machine, no worries. There are still several other avenues to try.

Spotlight Search and iCloud:

Using Spotlight and checking your iCloud sync is critical and often overlooked. It’s shocking how often files get misplaced or uploaded automatically and forgotten. Make sure to run Command + Space, search the filenames, and also log into your iCloud to see if maybe the files got synced there without you knowing.

First Aid with Disk Utility:

The Disk Utility suggestion is rock solid. It can sometimes fix quirky issues that might make files appear ‘lost’. However, realistically speaking, it’s more of a Hail Mary. More often than not, First Aid is more beneficial for correcting drive errors than for file recovery.

Terminal Commands:

Terminal can be daunting but it’s undeniably powerful. The suggestion to use commands like sudo find / -name <filename> is spot on. However, there’s another command that can be useful: ls -al. This lists all files in the directory you navigate to, including hidden ones. It’s a more brute-force method, but you never know what might pop up.

System Snapshots:

People often don’t realize how powerful macOS snapshots can be. If you’re on High Sierra or later, this might be your lifesaver. Use the tmutil listlocalsnapshots / command to list those snapshots and revert to a time closer to your deletion event.

Consider Free Tools:

I’d recommend starting with free tools before jumping to paid solutions. Tools like Photorec or TestDisk are more technical but very capable, though they lack the intuitive UI of commercial products.

Professional Data Recovery Software:

When all else has failed, this is where you pull out the big guns. Disk Drill is often mentioned not just because it’s effective, but because it’s user-friendly and somewhat flexible. You can check out how Disk Drill actually works here Disk Drill Data Recovery Software. It’s quite comprehensive:

  • Download and install Disk Drill.
  • Launch the app, select the desired drive.
  • Initiate a scan by clicking “Recover”.
  • Browse through recoverable files and recover the necessary ones.

If you think it’s a bit pricey, compare it to losing your project files forever. It’s a cost-benefit analysis you’ll need to make. There are alternatives like EaseUS or Stellar, but Disk Drill generally gets higher user ratings.

Professional Data Recovery Services:

This should be a last resort, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Professionals can dig deeper into the file structures and offer specialized services that software can’t. This route indeed can get expensive, and it’ll take time, which might not be feasible if you’re racing against a project deadline.

Prevention Tips for the Future:

Once you’ve recovered your files, think proactively:

  • Enable Time Machine, always.
  • Consider cloud backups beyond iCloud, like Dropbox or Google Drive.
  • Use cloning software like Carbon Copy Cloner for periodic whole-system backups just to have extra insurance.

High pressure situations like losing important files can teach you a lot about backup strategies. Implement as many layers of data protection as you can bear.

Hope that helps, and fingers crossed, you’re able to get those critical files back soon!