How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Mac [3 Ways]

Sometimes, you want to get a deleted file back, but you can’t find it in recycle cans on Mac. This may be because you mistakenly or accidentally deleted it permanently from your Mac. You keep asking yourself why you deleted the files on Mac.

Don’t panic. You don’t need to spend a lot of time rewriting it. Even if you have deleted files permanently on a Mac, you can still bring them back. In this article, we will show you how to recover permanently deleted files on Mac in 3 efficient ways.

Conditions that May Lead to Permanent File Deletion

Normally, you can find your documents back in the recycling bin after you delete them. There are some special situations where you can’t find them in the trash can on Mac, which means they’ve permanently deleted documents.

When you delete files, you use the Shift-Command-Delete shortcut keys. This way, we will permanently delete selected files without sending them to the Trash bin.

1️⃣ You delete files by using the Mac Terminal command.

2️⃣ You accidentally empty the Mac trash can.

3️⃣ You delete files forcefully by using some third-party apps.

4️⃣ You have set the option of “Remove items from the Trash after 30 days.”

Efficient 3 Ways to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Mac 

Now, the most important thing is that you need to recover your permanently deleted files as soon as possible to avoid being overwritten on your files. There are many ways to recover deleted documents, such as some data recovery tools, Testdisk, and Time Machine backup. Read below to help you get your data back quickly.

Recover Deleted Files on Mac Using Time Machine

You can restore the permanently deleted file at no cost, as long as you have the backup of files using Time Machine. This is a built-in feature on your Mac device, and all the files that are stored on Time Machine can be retrieved with simple clicks. But if you haven’t backed up files on this tool before, this method may not be suitable for you.

How to recover permanently deleted files on Mac step by step:

Step 1. You need to connect the external storage device that contains your backups to your Mac. 

Step 2. Search for Time Machine in the menu bar and then launch it. 

Step 3. Look for the files you need to retrieve. Or you can search for the name of the document if you remember.

Step 4. After you find the file, choose the corresponding backup version you want to restore.

Step 5. Then click the “Restore” button, and the document will return to its original place.

When you use a Time Machine, it can automatically back up your personal data, including music, photos, and files all the time, allowing you to restore your files anytime if you delete or can’t access them. 

Recover Permanently Deleted Documents with TestDisk

TestDisk is a free and powerful data recovery software designed to recover lost partitions and data. But it’s worth noting that this is a command-line interface software, so it will be difficult for people without technical knowledge to utilize it.

You can go to its official website to download the software for your Mac and read the step-by-step instructions. The steps for a novice computer who does not know the operation of the interface are a bit difficult to understand.

However, once you’re familiar with it, you can easily get your permanently deleted documents. If you find it really hard to operate with Testdisk, then read below and try simple data recovery tools. 

Related Post: How to Recover Data from a Hard Drive on a Mac

How to retrieve deleted documents on Mac using TestDisk:

Step 1. Download and launch this software on your Mac.

Step 2. Choose “Create” to start a new log.

Step 3. Now, you need to use the up/down arrow keys to select the disk and partition.

Step 4. Select Advanced and choose the “Undelete” option.

Step 5. Choose the destination for the files that will be recovered and start the recovery process.

Recover File in Mac with ONERECOVERY

As a data recovery software, ONERECOVERY also offers a free way to recover permanently deleted documents on Mac. With quick and easy steps, it can recover your lost Mac files in minutes.

With professional data recovery technology, the ONERECOVERY tool can retrieve your permanently deleted documents as quickly as possible. It also deals with some lost data problems, such as improper operation recovery, computer corruption recovery, Recycle Bin recovery, etc.

This software can help you get the files back wherever they are stored. For instance, it supports data recovery from SD cards, hard drives, USB flash drives, and so on.

How to recover Mac deleted files using ONERECOVERY:

Step 1. Download and launch the Mac data recovery software.

Step 2. Select a location to start scanning.

Step 3. Select scan mode, deep scan mode, or quick scan mode to scan data that contains lost data. This process takes some time. Please wait patiently.

Step 4. After scanning, you can preview the recoverable data and find one that you need.

Step 5. Once done, click “Recover” to get your lost document back on your Mac.

You May Also Need: How to Recover Deleted Files From USB Flash Drive on Mac

Wrap Up

All in all, you don’t need to worry if you can’t find the permanently deleted document on Windows. You can recover them with data backup and data recovery tools. Just follow the above methods to retrieve deleted files.

But it’s better for you to prepare backup files in different places, such as One Drive, Onebox, and USB flash drives. Therefore, you don’t need to waste time recovering permanently deleted files.

FAQs About Recovering Deleted Files on Mac

For those who still have questions about recovering files on Mac, this part will be helpful.