How do I retrieve files deleted from my trash?

Unless you have a backup you can restore from, except for using recovery software which is very expensive, I'm afraid you are out of luck.

If your music included iTunes purchases, those can be re downloaded for free > Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store

You might try Data Rescue - you can download a trial which will tell you if it is able to locate deleted files, and then you need to purchase it (it's $100) to recover the files.

Files securely deleted have no chance of being recovered.

As Carolyn said, it's ALWAYS better to exercise prevention (i.e., have a backup routine!) rather than cure.

Matt

...and get OUT of the habit of automatically "deleting files, then emptying the Trash." I know several people who always do this, and a few, like you, who have regretted it.

What are you trying to achieve by always emptying the Trash automatically, after deleting files??

I may have a fix. Looks like iTunes had a new interface today, version 12.0.1.26, and music files I had deleted from trash were there. I r-clicked on one of them and chose "Show Description". On the "Files" tab I saw the address of the file. macbook/user/[name]/.trash if memory serves. A folder labeled .trash, greyed out to look like it was a hidden file. It held all my deleted files.

I was able to select all of the files and move them to an empty desktop folder with my mouse.

Tried to be specific, since I'm probably not as technical as some folks on here. I was restoring podcast episodes not music, but I don't think that should make a difference. If downloading the new iTunes doesn't work, someone more technical can help you get to the files in that directory. I haven't found any other way to get to that directory or change other options for hidden or system files.

If you stop using the drive it's possible to recover deleted files that have not been overwritten by using recovery software such as Data Rescue II, File Salvage or TechTool Pro. Each of the preceding come on bootable CDs to enable usage without risk of writing more data to the hard drive. Two free alternatives are Disk Drill and TestDisk. Look for them and demos at MacUpdateor CNET Downloads.

The longer the hard drive remains in use and data are written to it, the greater the risk your deleted files will be overwritten.

Also visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on Data Recovery.

If you did not empty the Trash, click on the Trash icon at the right side of the Dock and drag those files to a different location to recover deleted files on Mac.

If you emptied the Trash, it is more difficult. Typically, when a file is erase, it is not really erased. The space the file occupied become unallocated, so that new data can be written over that space. If new data files have not yet been written over that space, the old data is still there and may be recoverable.

There are utilities specifically for data recovery. For example (I have not used)

Other more general utilities, have a data recovery "module" as part of the package. I have this utility (and it's a good product), but I have never used it for doing data recovery.

You may be able to use such Data Recovery for Mac software to recover erased data. If you intend to try, you should use the disk that held the erased data as little as possible, to reduce the likelihood that new data files will be written over the space used by the old data. Hope you can quickly solved the issue about how to recover deleted files from Mac Trash.

Do you have a Time Machine backup? Time Machine would only help you in the future. Is your Mac set up with Time Machine? If so you should be able to get the deleted files that way. Click the Time Machine icon in the dock. Then go back to before you deleted the files, they are probably still available.

If you don't have a Time Machine backup yet, then your best option would probably be Data Recovery for Mac.

If you did not empty the Trash, click on the Trash icon at the right side of the Dockand drag those files to a different location.

If you emptied the Trash, it is more difficult. Typically, when a file is erase, it is not really erased. The space the file occupied become unallocated, so that new data can be written over that space. If new data files have not yet been written over that space, the old data is still there and may be recoverable.

There are utilities specifically for data recovery. For example (I have not used)

http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php

Other more general utilities, such as TechTool Pro by Micromat, have a data recovery "module" as part of the package. I have this utility (and it's a good product), but I have never used it for doing data recovery.

You may be able to use such tools to recover erased data. If you intend to try, you should use the disk that held the erased data as little as possible, to reduce the likelihood that new data files will be written over the space used by the old data.