How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac

You were working on your Mac and accidentally deleted certain data? Maybe you intentionally placed some files in the Recycle Bin and then realized you might still need them? Such situations are quite common because when working with information, you cannot exclude the human factor. We all make mistakes but there’s always a solution. Restoring deleted files is possible, and we will tell you exactly how to do this. You will be able to find out what software is best to use in this situation and how to permanently delete confidential information on a Mac. So, if you want to learn how to recover deleted files on Mac with or without software, read more.

I deleted all files from the Trash on my Mac. What do I do?

If you have placed any files in the Recycle Bin but later changed your mind to get rid of them, the easiest solution is, of course, to go to the Trash itself and select the “Undo” option by selecting the required (recently deleted) files.

However, if you have already cleaned the Recycle Bin, this option will not work. But we hasten to inform you that the restoration of your deleted files is still possible! At the same time, the less time has passed since you cleaned your Trash, the more chances you have to recover absolutely all the data required.

As soon as you have realized the need to restore deleted files, stop all operations on your Mac that may lead to overwriting data on this section of your hard drive (new information records, updates, new software installation, etc.).

To successfully recover your files, it’s best to use professional tools designed specifically for recovering deleted, lost, or formatted data in such situations.

Best Data Recovery Software for Mac

Disk Drill Basic is a free version of Disk Drill. This software, in addition to the ability to preview recovered files, contains many additional features such as Recovery Vault and Guaranteed Recovery, which make it one of the best tools for Mac data recovery.

• Recovery Vault is actually an additional layer to the Recycle Bin folder, which stores a link to the deleted data.
• Guaranteed Recovery is a background service that stores a copy of each file sent to a folder specified by the user. Both utilities significantly reduce the probability of losing important data.

Disk Drill by Cleverfiles can recover data from internal and external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD memory cards, and many other devices that can be connected to your Mac, including iOS and Android devices. The latest version of the software has an extensive database of file signatures and uses very efficient scanning algorithms.

In addition, this utility also offers the function of creating a disk image, giving the user the opportunity to work with a cloned version of the device/section, without jeopardizing the original source.

The user interface is extremely intuitive, and the Pro version includes an efficient support service along with the ability to purchase a lifetime update that covers all future versions. All in all, Disk Drill is an excellent utility that will be suitable for both regular, professional, and corporate users, and the upgrade is really worth the money.

What kind of data can Disk Drill recover?

It does not really matter on which disk the files are lost. If you can physically connect it to your Mac, Disk Drill will take over. Even if your computer can’t read it. The following cases are available:

• You’ve accidentally deleted files from your Mac, USB flash drive, or memory card;
• You have completely formatted your drive (or USB flash drive);
• The system stops reading your file drive and offers to format it;
• Missing music or audiobooks in the Kindle-like app (e-book reader).

Disk Drill works with all popular file systems for macOS, Windows, and Linux:

• APFS
• HFS/HFS+
• FAT/FAT32/exFAT
• NTFS
• EXT3/EXT4

But even if the file system is damaged or missing, Disk Drill can still analyze the drive and recover files thanks to the Deep Scan function.

Conclusion

Thus, we reviewed how you can recover files on your Mac even if they have been removed from the Recycle Bin. Disk Drill is the best in the range and it may become your indispensable assistant and allow you to recover lost data in a very short time. Plus, you have 7 days to use the software for free! But there’s one more thing we would like to let you know…

If you want to eliminate the possibility of recovering important information from your Mac, you can use the “Delete Permanently” option on your Mac. 

FYI: When you delete files on your Mac and then empty your Trash Bin, the data does not actually go anywhere but simply becomes available for recovering. This is what the ability to recover files, after they have been removed from the Trash, is based on. However, sometimes, the information is so confidential and private that the owner cannot allow it to be accessed by third parties. If you want to irretrievably delete any data on your Mac, you can use the built-in permanent delete feature of the Recycle Bin.  

In the ideal world, you will never need Disk Drill. But in the real world, we’re constantly dealing with non-powered USB drives, corrupted file systems, and trivial negligence. And simple backups aren’t the answer, especially during trips, where backing up can be problematic. So try Disk Drill and when you in case of a “total f*** up,” you will know what to do.