How to recover deleted files on Mac?

Data Recovery
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Hey, I feel your pain with losing important files—it’s frustrating! There are several ways you might be able to recover those. Check these out:

  1. Time Machine Backup: If you’ve set up Time Machine, you’re in luck. Connect the backup drive, open the folder where your files were, and click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar. Browse into the past to locate the deleted files, then click “Restore.”

  2. Check iCloud: Sometimes, if you have iCloud Drive enabled, your files might be saved there. Head to iCloud.com, log in, and check the “Recently Deleted” folder.

  3. Third-Party Software: This is your best bet if the files are not in Time Machine or iCloud. I’ve personally used this tool called Disk Drill

    . It’s seriously a lifesaver when it comes to recovering lost files. Disk Drill offers a pretty robust recovery system for Mac. You download it from here. It scans your drive and can restore files even after they’ve been deleted from the Trash.

  4. Built-in Mac Terminal: For those who are a bit comfortable with the Terminal, you might want to try using some Unix commands to see if the files can be found in any lost directories. Use commands like sudo lsof | grep '/Users/' to look for files that might still be in an open state or not completely overwritten yet.

  5. Check Other Drives: Sometimes we save files in other drives/external storage or even on network drives. Double-check all other sources.

  6. Rebuilding the Directory: Occasionally, drive directory issues cause files to disappear. Tools like Disk Utility can help you run First Aid on the drive, but this isn’t the same as file recovery—it’s just a general health check.

Remember, if you’re going with Disk Drill, follow the instructions carefully. Install it on an external storage device if possible, to minimize the risk of overwriting your deleted files.

Lastly, practice preventive measures in the future—regularly back up your data using Time Machine, iCloud, or other cloud services. Also, keep your Trash in check; you can prolong the time files stay in Trash before they get permanently deleted.

Good luck! Hope you get your files back!

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