8 Proven Ways to Recover Deleted Files on Mac

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8 Proven Ways to Recover Deleted Files on Mac

Yes, it is possible to recover permanently deleted files on a Mac, but success depends on several key factors.

When files are removed from the Trash or bypass it entirely—commonly referred to as “permanent deletion”—recovery becomes more complicated, but it’s not always impossible. The ability to retrieve permanently deleted files largely depends on:

• Type of storage device: Modern Macs usually use solid-state drives (SSDs), which manage deleted data differently than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). SSDs employ a process called TRIM, which improves performance by immediately clearing blocks of data that are no longer in use. While beneficial for speed, TRIM makes recovery extremely difficult, because once a block has been cleared, the data is essentially irretrievable.

• Time since deletion: How long it has been since the file was deleted is critical. The longer the delay, the higher the chance that new data has overwritten the deleted file’s storage space. Once overwritten, recovery is virtually impossible.

• Availability of backup: Having a recent backup simplifies recovery significantly. If you regularly use Time Machine or a cloud storage service, restoring lost files is usually straightforward and reliable.

• Use of data recovery software: When backups aren’t available and the deleted data hasn’t been overwritten, data recovery software can help. These programs scan your drive for remnants of deleted files that remain. Their success depends on the type of storage device and how soon after deletion you attempt recovery.

How to Restore Permanently Deleted Files on Mac using Software

Data recovery software can help retrieve files that aren’t in the Trash or backed up elsewhere. Recovery is possible as long as the data hasn’t been overwritten. Acting quickly is essential.

There are several recovery tools available, such as Disk Drill, PhotoRec, EaseUS, and R-Studio. For this demonstration, we use Disk Drill because of its intuitive interface, advanced scanning algorithms, and compatibility with all major file formats and storage types.

The steps below show how to recover deleted files on a Mac using Disk Drill:

1. Download and install Disk Drill for Mac. Avoid installing the software on the same storage device that contained the lost files. If the data was on your main drive, use an external drive for downloading and installing Disk Drill. This helps prevent overwriting the files you want to recover.

2. 

3. Start Disk Drill and choose the affected device from the list of available disks.

4. Click the Search for lost data button to start scanning the device for recoverable data.

   

5. Preview the files that Disk Drill finds and choose the ones you want to recover.

   

6. Click Recover button and select a safe location to store the recovered data that is not on the original disk.

   

7. Click the OK button to complete the recovery.

   

Disk Drill supports recovery of images, videos, documents, audio files, and archives in over 400 file formats. It also allows users to recover data from any disk-based storage device, including SD cards, USB drives, internal hard drives, and external storage devices.

How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac Without Software

There are several ways to recover files on a Mac, some of which are quick and require only a few clicks or keystrokes. One of the following methods may help you retrieve your valuable lost data.

Method 1: Recover Deleted Files from Trash on Mac

Advantages: No need to install third-party software; quick and simple

Disadvantages: Cannot recover permanently deleted files

When files are deleted on a Mac, they are moved to the Trash for temporary storage. The Trash is a special folder that holds recently deleted items, allowing you to restore them easily.

Depending on your Mac’s settings, files may remain in the Trash for a specific period or until the Trash is manually emptied. For more information on using the Trash, consult this Apple support page.

The steps below show how to recover files from the Trash on your Mac:

1. Click the Trash icon to open the folder.

   

2. Search the folder for the item you want to retrieve.

3. Right-click on the file and select Put Back to restore the file or folder to its original location.

   

External drives also have Trash folders, though they are hidden by default. When you connect an external device to your Mac, the main Trash folder will display the contents of the external drive’s Trash as well. This means that if you deleted a file from an external drive, you might be able to recover it by connecting the drive to your Mac and following the procedure described above.

Method 2: Recover Deleted Files with Undo Options

Advantages: Instant recovery of recently deleted files

Disadvantages: Only works for a short time after deletion

You may be able to restore a deleted file using macOS’s Undo feature. In most cases, pressing Command + Z will undo your last action. If that action was deleting a file, the file will be immediately restored. You can sometimes undo multiple recent actions, but there is a limit, so this method should be attempted as soon as possible after deletion.

Method 3: Recover Deleted Files on Mac with the Terminal App

Advantages: Good for users who prefer the command line

Disadvantages: Not beginner-friendly

Following are two ways to recover deleted files on your Mac using the Terminal app.

1. After opening Terminal through your Utilities on Mac, type the following command: cd .Trash and then hit Return.

2. View the contents of the Trash folder with this command: ls -al ~/.Trash.

   

3. Move files out of the Trash to the current folder with this command: mv filename ../.

4. Enter Quit to exit Terminal.

   

You can also access Time Machine and recover deleted files using the tmutil command in Terminal. Check out this website for more information on controlling Time Machine from Terminal.

Method 4: Check .Trashes Folders

Advantages: No need to install third-party software; quick and simple

Disadvantages: Only works for external storage devices; cannot recover permanently deleted files

In addition to the main Trash folder, which you can access by clicking the Trash icon in the dock, macOS creates a hidden .Trashes folder on every external storage device connected to your Mac. This folder temporarily stores files deleted from that external device.

Since .Trashes folders are hidden by default, most Mac users are unaware of them. Fortunately, files stored here can be easily recovered:

1. Connect your external storage device to your Mac.

2. Open Finder and navigate to the root folder of the external device.

3. Press Command + Shift + . (dot) to show hidden files and folders.

4. Open the .Trashes folder.

5. Recover the lost files from the folder.

6. Press Command + Shift + . (dot) again to hide hidden files and folders.

Method 5: How to Retrieve Deleted Files from a Time Machine Backup

Advantages: Built into macOS; can restore older versions of existing files

Disadvantages: Requires prior setup; relies on an external backup drive

A Time Machine backup is an excellent way to recover lost or deleted files. This free Apple tool comes preinstalled on your Mac and only requires an external drive to store backups. Using Time Machine is highly recommended for protecting valuable data.

The limitation is that the file must have been backed up previously. Newly created and deleted files, or files significantly changed since the last backup, cannot be recovered with this method.

Follow these steps to restore files from a Time Machine backup:

1. Connect the external drive containing your Time Machine backups to your Mac.

2. Open a Finder window in the folder where the deleted file was originally stored. (If the file was on the desktop, a Finder window isn’t needed.)

3. Launch Time Machine by clicking the Time Machine icon in the menu bar.

   

4. Search through the available backups using the timeline and arrows to find the file that you want to recover.

5. Select the file you want to retrieve and click the Restore button. The item will be restored to its original location.

   

In addition to recovering files from external backups, Time Machine offers a feature called local snapshots. Local snapshots are automatically saved copies of your files stored on your Mac’s internal drive, which is especially helpful when your external backup drive is not available.

Local Snapshots vs. External Backups:

• Local snapshots: Automatically created and updated frequently, providing recent backups of your files. Stored on your Mac’s internal drive, they allow quick recovery of files deleted within the last 24–48 hours.

• External backups: Stored on an external drive and updated less frequently, these backups provide a longer history and are ideal for recovering older files or performing a full system restore.

To recover files from a local snapshot when your external drive is unavailable, open Time Machine from the menu bar, navigate the timeline to the snapshot you need, and restore the files. This method is fast and convenient for recent deletions.

To enable Time Machine:

1. Open System Preferences.

2. Click Time Machine.

3. Click Select Backup Disk.

4. Choose a suitable external backup drive.

Method 6: Recover via Other Backup Solutions

Advantages: Versatile, cloud backups can be accessed from anywhere

Disadvantages: Require previous setup

Advantages: Flexible; cloud backups are accessible from anywhere

Disadvantages: Require prior setup

Other backup solutions can also help recover deleted files. These backups can be local or cloud-based, with slightly different recovery methods for each.

Cloud Backup Recovery:

Use these steps when restoring files from cloud services such as iCloud or Carbonite:

1. Connect your computer to the Internet and log in to the cloud service containing your backups.

2. Locate the files you wish to restore.

3. Transfer the files back to your Mac over the network.

4. 

Local

Local backups can be created with a wide variety of tools. Disk Drill offers a free feature that creates byte-level backups that can be used to protect your data and recover it if needed. Recovering from local backups requires following this general process:

1. Connect the storage device that holds the backup to your Mac.

2. Start the recovery tool or search on the backup media for the desired files.

3. Copy the files from the backup media to your computer.

   

Besides iCloud and Carbonite, some of the most popular backup solutions favored by Mac users include Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Mega, Syncthing, and ownCloud.

Method 7. Use a data recovery service

Advantages: Can recover data from physically damaged storage devices

Disadvantages: Expensive and potentially time-consuming

When all other methods fail, a professional data recovery service may be able to retrieve your deleted data. Specialists use cleanrooms, advanced hardware, and software techniques to recover files, which is often the only option in cases of physical device damage.

If important data cannot be recovered through software or backups, consider the following process when using a data recovery service:

1. Contact the data recovery service for an initial consultation and shipping instructions.

2. Send your storage device to the recovery center. Technicians will evaluate the device and provide a recovery estimate.

3. The specialists will attempt to clone the drive and recover the data.

4. Once recovery is complete, the recovered data will be returned to you on new media.

Before sending your Mac or storage device to a recovery service, we strongly recommend attempting data recovery software like Disk Drill.

How to Avoid Data Loss on Your Mac

Even better than recovering your data successfully is not losing it in the first place. Here are some steps you should take to avoid losing valuable data stored on your Mac.

• Take backups regularly. If you aren’t already backing up your Mac, start today. Time Machine is built into macOS and works with an external drive. Other backup solutions are also effective—any backup is better than none.
• Be careful when deleting files or formatting drives. Double-check your actions before confirming deletion or formatting to avoid accidental data loss.
• Protect against malware. Use antivirus software on your Mac and avoid connecting potentially infected external devices.

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to recover deleted files on a Mac. The easiest is recovering from the Trash, but backups and data recovery software are also reliable options. Acting quickly is critical to prevent deleted files from being overwritten.

Data recovery software is the most dependable method for restoring files no longer in the Trash. For best results, stop using your Mac until recovery is complete. Good luck recovering your lost data!