How to recover permanently deleted files on Mac?

Unfortunately those files are gone unless you have a backup copy of them. After you empty the Trash on an SSD, the data will be permanently deleted due to how SSDs work.

If you do not have a backup, then see if you any of those files stored somewhere else. Did you ever transfer those files to someone else in an email, USB stick or drive....maybe that copy may still be around.

If those items were syncing to iCloud, then you may be able to recover them from iCloud.

Recover deleted files on iCloud.com - Apple Support

First things first, take a deep breath and try not to use your Mac too much right now. The more you use it, the higher the chance that new data could overwrite the space where your deleted files were. It's like the digital version of not walking on a crime scene, you know?

Now, onto the recovery part. I didn't have Time Machine set up (yeah, I know, rookie mistake), but if you do, that's your golden ticket. Just open Time Machine, navigate to the date before you deleted the files, and restore them. Easy peasy.

But if you're in the no-Time-Machine club like I was, you'll need to look at third-party software. There's a bunch out there, but the one that saved my digital life was Disk Drill. Not sponsored or anything, just genuinely helped me out. It's user-friendly, and it has a pretty decent success rate. You can download it, run a scan, and it'll show you a preview of what files can be recovered. The catch? You might need to buy the full version to actually recover the files, but seeing your files in the preview is already a huge sigh of relief.

Another one I've heard good things about is PhotoRec. It's more on the techie side and doesn't have the prettiest interface, but it's powerful and, best of all, free. It might take a bit of Googling to get the hang of it, but it could be worth it if it gets your files back.

Just a heads up, though, not all software can recover permanently deleted files on Mac, especially if the files were deleted a while ago or if you've used your Mac a lot since. It's kind of like trying to put together a puzzle when some of the pieces might have been vacuumed up. But don't lose hope! You might be surprised at what can be salvaged.

Recovering permanently deleted files on a Mac can be a bit more challenging than recovering simple deleted files, but it is still possible. Here are some methods you can try to recover permanently deleted files on Mac:

1. Use Time Machine Backup

If you have previously set up a Time Machine backup on your Mac, you can use it to recover permanently deleted files on Mac. Follow these steps:

• Connect the external hard drive that contains your Time Machine backup.
• Open Finder and navigate to the folder where the deleted files were located.
• Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select Enter Time Machine.
• Use the arrow keys or the timeline on the right-hand side to go back to the date when the files were still on your Mac.
• Select the files you want to recover and click on Restore.

2. Use a Third-Party Data Recovery Tool

If you do not have a Time Machine backup, you can use a third-party data recovery tool to recover permanently deleted files on Mac, such as Disk Drill, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Here are the general steps to use a data recovery tool:

• Download and install the data recovery software on your Mac.
• Launch the software and select the disk where the deleted files were located.
• Scan the disk for deleted files.
• Preview the recoverable files and select the ones you want to restore.
• Click on the Recover button to restore permanently deleted files to a different location on your Mac.

3. Check Available Local and Remote Backups

Apart from Time Machine backup, you may also want to check other available backups such as local and remote backups if they exist. Local backups can be available via Time Capsule and Time Machine and remote backups may be linked to cloud-based backup services such as iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.

Note that the chances of successfully recovering permanently deleted files on Mac depend on various factors such as the time elapsed since the files were deleted and the level of disk activity after deletion. Therefore, it is always a good practice to regularly backup important files and avoid overwriting the deleted files by using the computer or installing new software until they are recovered.

google_seo_cursus wrote:

I am talking about the big, large HDD's with flat cables which are barely used now a days. A SSD/ M2 drive works totally different obviously.

If the files were deleted from a Hard Drive, then you may be able to recover them using a data recovery app. You just need to make sure to stop writing to that drive or you risk overwriting the files you are trying to recover. There are multiple data recovery apps for macOS. I've seen some people on this forum mention good things about Stellar Data Recovery and Disk Drill (I've never used either one).

Fortunately, Apple provides a cloud solution (which I love) to store images and documents. I use this for all my important files. I also use Google Drive, which is free up to a certain amount of gigabytes in storage.

iCloud is not a backup, but is a file syncing service. If you make a catastrophic edit or deletion, then that catastrophic change occurs to every copy of that file stored on all your other devices syncing to iCloud (or any file syncing service). You need to have a good local backup such as using Time Machine as @PRP_53 already mentioned.

It is a simple process to recover permanently deleted files from a Time Machine backup on a Mac if you regularly back up the computer. Time Machine, Apple's built-in backup feature, automatically saves copies of all your files, applications, and system files at regular intervals. If you've accidentally deleted a file or simply need to restore a previous version, Time Machine is an excellent first place to check.

To begin the recovery process, first connect the external drive you use for Time Machine backups to your Mac. It's crucial that this drive is the one that has been used for backing up your system. Once connected, you can access Time Machine by clicking on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar (assuming it's enabled) and selecting "Enter Time Machine." If you don't see the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, you can also access it through the System Preferences.

Inside Time Machine, navigate through your backups by using the arrows and timeline on the edge of the screen to find the point at which the deleted files exist. The interface allows you to travel back in time to see your system as it was at different backup points. Once you locate the files or folders you wish to restore, you can preview them by selecting them and pressing the Spacebar to ensure they are the correct versions.

To recover permanently deleted files on Mac, click the "Restore" button. Time Machine will then copy those items back to their original location on your hard drive, or you can choose a new location if you prefer. If the original location already has a file with the same name, you may be asked whether you want to replace it, keep both, or keep the original. After the restoration process completes, you can close Time Machine and disconnect your backup drive. The recovered files should now be accessible in their specified location, effectively undoing the deletion.

The chances of recovering "  permanently deleted " files from MacBook Air (2018 – 2020) with an SSD Drive which this computer has.

It becomes far less lightly as long as this computer is used

Each time new dats is written to the SSD drive, the more chances the Deleted Files are being Over-Written making it next to impossible to recover any meaningful amounts of deleted files

Even a Professional Data Recovery Company will tell you the same thing

If you have used or are using Time Machine Backup Utility you maybe able to Restore the Deleted Files

For future purposes

To truly protect your non replaceable Data - have a 3-2-1 Rescue Plan in place and always current

3 Backups using 2 methods and 1 off site incase of natural disaster or un-natural disaster

Follow on

From another similar question.

Note, it may apply to macOS 14 Sonoma but the principle remains the same

Refer specifically to posting by my Learned Colleague @HWTech

What is the best alternative to Disk Dril… - Apple Community

I find it very interesting to read that the files are permanently gone. Back in the good old days (When I was working in IT), on Windows system and even after clearing your "bin", with the right software you would be able to recover a lot of files.

I am talking about the big, large HDD's with flat cables which are barely used now a days. A SSD/ M2 drive works totally different obviously.

Fortunately, Apple provides a cloud solution (which I love) to store images and documents. I use this for all my important files. I also use Google Drive, which is free up to a certain amount of gigabytes in storage.

Best regards,

Google SEO Cursus

If I may

There has been a recent infestation of the Forums by AI / ChatBots that may appear as will formulated and presented suggestions.

Suggest being very careful about this, as some information suggested can be very incorrect or even impossible to do.

Good work 👍 and thanks for adding into this question

But I think much of this has already covered earlier ( in less detail ) than yours 😎