Data loss is considered to be a major problem for many people. There are times when we want to delete data from our computer, but we end up deleting the wrong file. This can lead to irreversible consequences and compromises. Deleted files on a Mac cannot be recovered using any data recovery software. This is because deleted files on Mac get put in the Trash folder, which gets emptied automatically after 30 days.
The mac data recovery is usually possible with Windows-based machines, but not with Macs. However, there are some different ways you can recover your files if you have a recent backup or an external hard disk drive (HDD). In this article, we will provide you with some solutions to help you recover deleted data on your Mac.
How to Recover Deleted Data from Mac
One way to recover deleted data on your Mac is to use the Disk Utility. Open this program and then go to the First Aid tab. In order to recover files, you have to unmount the disk that has your file system. After you have done so, select Repair Disk and let it scan for errors. If there are any problems found, fix them by selecting from the list of options provided.
Another way to recover deleted data from Mac is using a Time Machine backup. Ensure that your computer’s hard drive is connected with an external hard drive and then check the box next to Backup Disk in Preferences under the Time Machine icon. Select Restore From Time Machine Backup and choose your last backup file if available.
The Differences in Data Recovery
When you delete a file on your Mac, it will not be permanently deleted. Instead, the file will be moved to the Trash folder. The Mac then waits 30 days before deleting the files in this folder. However, if you realize that you made a mistake and want to recover the data from your Mac, there are two things that should happen.
First, do not empty the trash. If you never emptied the trash, then it is likely that your files were still in there when they were supposed to have been permanently deleted after 30 days. If this is true for your machine, all you have to do is wait for 30 days and then empty the trash before looking for your data again. Second, check for any backups that you may have of these files or even an external hard disk drive (HDD). If you do find a backup or HDD with this deleted data on it, just copy those files onto your desktop and then create a new folder to put them in and label them accordingly so that you know which ones are which.
Steps for Recovering Deleted Data on Windows-Based Machines
If you have a backup or external HDD, you can use the following steps to recover the deleted files:
- Make sure to connect your computer to the power supply and turn it on.
- If your drive is not showing up in Windows File Explorer, then plug your external drive into the USB port and open it up.
- Select all of the files that were deleted and right-click on them. Select Restore previous versions and choose a date before the file was deleted.
- After restoring the previous version, close your external HDD and disconnect it from your computer.
Steps for Recovering Deleted Data on a Mac
If you are using a Mac, the steps to recover deleted files are as follows:
- Connect your Mac to its power supply and turn it on.
- Open up your external hard drive and select the file that you want to recover.
- Select the file and press command + Z to undo the deletion of this file.
- You can also drag this file back into its original folder or a new folder if you wish to organize them better later on.
Connect to your Time Machine backup
The first thing you want to do is connect to your Time Machine backup. This will allow you to retrieve all the files that have been removed from your Mac. You can access your Time Machine backup by going to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Time Machine. Find the external hard drive you used for the backup and click on it. After a few seconds, all of your past versions will show up, allowing you to select the timeframe in which you deleted your data and recover it quickly.
Use an external HDD and Disk Utility.app
If you have a recent backup, you can access the files from your external HDD. If not, you will need to use Disk Utility.app to retrieve data from your internal hard drive.
Disk Utility is built into Mac and is already installed on every Mac computer. This app allows you to erase or restore a disk or partition. You can also use it to check the status of your disk and repair any errors that may be preventing your computer from starting up properly. The steps for using Disk Utility are as follows:
1) Launch Disk Utility by searching it in Spotlight search
2) Select the hard drive with the file you want to recover
3) Go down to Erase tab at the top of the window, select Mac OS Extended Journaled, then click Erase.
4) Enter a name for this operation at the end of this window, then click “Erase”.
5) Click “Verify” to make sure everything is okay and wait for the verification process to complete
6) Restart the computer and try opening the file again
