Best Ways to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on macOS

You wanted to free up some storage on your Mac, so you started deleting files you no longer needed. After that, you emptied the Trash without giving it much thought. Only later did you realize that an important document, photo, or other valuable file had been deleted along with everything else. You frantically searched for an “Undo” button, hoping there was a quick way to bring your files back, but nothing worked. At that point, it probably felt like everything was lost.

Here, you’ll find the best solutions to recover permanently deleted files on Mac. We’ll explain which recovery methods actually work, when recovery is still possible, and what you should do first to give yourself the best chance of getting your files back.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Mac

The first thing you should do is stop using your Mac as much as possible. Every new file you create, app you install, or website you open can overwrite the space where your deleted files are still waiting to be recovered. The less you use the drive before recovery, the better your chances of getting your data back. Below are the most effective methods.

Method 1. Restore Files from a Time Machine Backup

Time Machine is one of the easiest ways to recover deleted files on Mac. If you’ve been using it to back up your Mac, restoring lost files usually takes just a few minutes.

The only catch is that this method works only if Time Machine was already enabled before the files were deleted. If you didn’t create a backup in advance, you’ll need to try one of the other recovery methods.

To restore files with Time Machine:

1. Connect the drive containing your Time Machine backup. If you don’t have the backup drive with you, you can still open Time Machine.
2. Open Time Machine from Apps or the menu bar. If you don’t see the icon, open System Settings > General > Time Machine and launch it from there.

3. Navigate to the folder where the deleted file was originally stored.
4. Use the timeline on the right to browse older backups.
5. Select the file you want to recover.
6. Click Restore.

The file will be returned to its original location.

Method 2. Restore Files from APFS Snapshots

Most Macs running macOS High Sierra or later use the APFS file system, which can automatically create local snapshots of your internal drive as part of Time Machine. If you’ve already set up Time Machine, macOS may temporarily keep these snapshots on your internal drive when your external backup disk isn’t connected. If one is available, you may be able to recover recently deleted files from it.

To check for APFS snapshots:

1. Open Disk Utility (use Spotlight or go to Apps > Utilities).
2. Select your system drive.
3. Choose View > Show APFS Snapshots.

4. If snapshots are available, select one and mount it.
5. Open the mounted snapshot in Finder.
6. Browse to the folder containing your deleted files and copy them back to your Mac.

Note: You can also access these files through Browse Time Machine Backups using the same steps as in Method 1, but without connecting your external Time Machine backup drive.

Method 3. Recover Photos from iCloud

If the deleted files were stored in iCloud Drive, you may be able to recover them through iCloud’s built-in recovery feature. In some cases, Apple retains deleted iCloud Drive files for up to 30 days, even after you’ve emptied the Trash on your Mac. Recovery isn’t guaranteed, but it’s worth checking if the deletion hasn’t fully synchronized yet.

To restore from iCloud:

1. Sign in to iCloud.com using your Apple ID.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Data Recovery (or Account Settings > Data Recovery).

3. Select Restore Files.
4. Select the files you want to recover.
5. Click Restore.

Note: If you use a cloud storage service that doesn’t synchronize file deletions with your Mac (such as Google Drive), the deleted files may still be available in the cloud service’s trash even after you’ve emptied the Trash on your Mac.

Method 4. Recover Files Using Data Recovery Software

If you don’t have a backup or the previous methods didn’t help, your next best option is to use data recovery software to recover emptied Trash on Mac. These tools scan your drive for deleted files that haven’t yet been overwritten, giving you the best chance of recovering permanently deleted data.

If this is your first time using data recovery software or you’re not sure which one to choose, Disk Drill is a great place to start. It’s a beginner-friendly Mac data recovery software with an intuitive interface and powerful recovery capabilities. It supports APFS, HFS+, NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, EXT4, and ReFS file systems, lets you scan and preview recoverable files for free, recovers data using both file system records and file signatures, supports recovery from BitLocker-encrypted partitions, and works on both Apple Silicon and Intel-based Macs.

Note: If the deleted files were stored on your Mac’s internal SSD, recovery is usually impossible because TRIM permanently erases deleted data blocks. Data recovery software is much more effective for external storage devices, such as external hard drives, USB flash drives, and SD cards, where TRIM typically doesn’t apply.

To recover permanently deleted files with Disk Drill:

1. Download and install Disk Drill.
2. Launch the application.
3. Select the drive where the files were deleted.
4. Click Search for Lost Data.

5. When the scan finishes, click Review found items.

6. Use the filters or search bar to find your files. Use the Preview feature to verify that your files are recoverable before restoring them.
7. Select the files you want to restore and click Recover.

8. Choose a destination on a different drive or location, then click Next.

Note: The free version doesn’t allow you to save recovered files. But, it lets you scan your drive and preview files without any limits. So you can check whether your deleted files can actually be recovered before spending money on a license.

Method 5. Recover Files on Mac Using Terminal

If you prefer a command-line approach or want a completely free recovery solution, you can use PhotoRec, a data recovery tool included in the TestDisk package that runs entirely in Terminal. However, PhotoRec doesn’t work with the internal SSDs of Apple silicon Macs (M1-M5) or Macs equipped with the Apple T2 Security Chip, so it’s only suitable for recovering data from external storage devices or older Intel-based Macs.

It scans your drive at a low level and recovers files based on their signatures rather than the file system. While this makes it a powerful recovery tool, it also comes with a few limitations. Unlike Disk Drill, PhotoRec won’t keep recovered files’ original names or folder structure, so you’ll need to organize them manually after the scan. It also doesn’t have a user-friendly interface, doesn’t provide a preview feature, which makes it less convenient for beginners.

To recover files using PhotoRec:

1. If you have Homebrew installed, open Terminal and run: brew install testdisk

2. Launch PhotoRec by typing: sudo photorec
3. Enter your password and press Return.
4. Select the drive where your deleted files were stored and choose Proceed and press Return.

5. Choose the correct partition, then select Whole disk.

6. Navigate to Search and press Return.
7. Select Other for APFS, HFS+, exFAT, or FAT file systems.

8. Choose Free if the files were simply deleted, or Whole if the partition was formatted or corrupted.
9. Select a recovery destination on a different drive.
10. Wait for the scan to finish. PhotoRec will automatically save recovered files into folders in the selected destination.

Conclusion

Even if you permanently delete your files, there is still a good chance to get them back. First, always check your Time Machine backups or iCloud. If you don’t have a backup, you can use data recovery tools. For beginners, Disk Drill is the best and easiest option because it has a simple, user-friendly interface. If you prefer a completely free tool and don’t mind a more complex, text-based interface, you can try PhotoRec via Terminal. To avoid permanent data loss in the future, make regular backups of everything stored on your Mac’s internal drive. For the best protection, keep multiple copies of your important files in cloud storage and on an external drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on MacBook

The best way to recover permanently deleted files on a MacBook is by restoring them from a Time Machine backup, an APFS snapshot, or iCloud if one is available. If you don’t have a backup, you can try using data recovery software:

1. Download and install a reliable Mac data recovery tool, such as Disk Drill.
2. Launch the application.
3. Select the drive where the files were deleted.
4. Start a scan.
5. Wait for the scan to finish.
6. Preview the recoverable files.
7. Select the files you want and recover them to a different drive.

Data recovery software can help if TRIM hasn’t already erased the deleted data from your SSD.

Can I recover a deleted folder on Mac?

Yes. A deleted folder can often be recovered the same way as individual files. If you have a Time Machine backup, an APFS snapshot, or a copy stored in iCloud, you can restore the entire folder. If no backup is available, data recovery software such as Disk Drill or PhotoRec may still be able to recover it, provided the deleted data hasn’t been overwritten or permanently erased by TRIM on your Mac’s internal SSD.

How long can permanently deleted files be recovered on a Mac?

There is no fixed time limit. If your files are still available in a backup, you can recover them at any time. Otherwise, deleted files remain recoverable until the storage space they occupied is overwritten by new data. That’s why it’s important to stop using your Mac as soon as you notice the files are missing and begin the recovery process as quickly as possible.

Which data recovery software is better for Mac?

If you want an easy-to-use recovery tool with a user-friendly interface, file preview, and the ability to preserve original file names and folder structure, Disk Drill is the best choice. It’s especially useful if you need to recover a large number of files. It also receives positive feedback from Mac users and is frequently recommended in discussions for its ease of use and reliable recovery results. But remember that recovery from the internal SSD isn’t guaranteed because TRIM can permanently erase deleted data.

If you want to recover permanently deleted files on Mac for free and only need to recover a few files, PhotoRec is a good alternative for recovering deleted files from external storage devices. However, it uses a Terminal-based interface, doesn’t preserve original file names or folder structure, and is generally better suited for more experienced users.