How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac from Trash (Quick Access)

Mac recover deleted files

  • Open Mac Trash Bin by clicking on its icon.
  • Locate the lost or deleted files that you want to restore.
  • Right-click the selected file or folder.
  • Choose "Put Back" to restore deleted files on Mac to their original location.

5 Tips to Recover Deleted Files on Mac Even Emptied Trash

If you have emptied the Trash, you canrecover deleted files on Macwith Mac hard drive recovery software, undo options, time machine backup files, and terminal commands. There are five different ways to recover a deleted file on Mac. If you accidentally deleted an important document, here's what to do.

  1. Method 1. Recover Deleted Files with Software
  2. Method 2. Restore Mac Trash Files via the "Put Back" Option
  3. Method 3. Recover Deleted Files with Undo Options
  4. Method 4. Restore Files via Time Machine Backup
  5. Method 5. Retrieve Deleted Files with Terminal

You can watch the video first to learn how to recover permanently deleted files on Mac.

  • 00:00 Deleted Files Recovery
  • 00:23 EaseUS Recovery Wizard
  • 01:14 Put Back Option
  • 01:41 Undo Option
  • 02:12 Time Machine Recovery
  • 03:07 Recover files with Terminal

If you prefer a step-by-step guide, follow the steps below to restore deleted files on Mac.

Method 1. Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Mac (Emptied Trash)

Applies to macOS 10.9 ~ macOS 13

This method is the most effective, as it supports macOS 10.9 ~ 13. The operation steps are the same, even if you are on different macOS versions.ob欧宝电竞官网入口 is an ideal tool for Macintosh data recovery. No other file recovery tools are as user-friendly and straightforward as this one.

No matter what caused your data loss - corrupted data, mistaken deletion, unintentional formatting - we can help you get it back. What's more,Mac hard drive recoveryprogram can hopefully recover an emptied Trash, a formatted hard disk, and a crashed operating system and even a virus-infected Apple computer.

Highlights Details
File recovery from almost any storage device
  • Deleted files from an external hard drive or internal hard drive
  • Lost data on a memory card (SD Card, Flash card, XD Card, etc.)
  • Lost pictures or movies from a camera or camcorder
Recovery for almost all file systems and types
  • Supports HFS X, HFS+, FAT, FAT16/32, exFAT, NTFS, APFS.
  • Picture files like JPG, PNG, BMP, and TIFF
  • Music files like AIF, MP3, and WAV
  • Videos like AVI, MOV, 3GP, and MP4
Free scanning and previewing of files
  • There is no need to purchase until you have confirmed that your Macintosh hard drive recovery runs successfully.

Download this data recovery software for Mac andrecover permanently deleted files on Macwith the steps below.

Step 1. Scan for deleted files

Select the hard drive, external drive, or SSD where your important data & files were deleted and click "Search for lost files".

select a location and scan for deleted files on Mac

Step 2. Filter the lost files

The software will run quick and deep scans and work hard to find as many deleted files as possible on the selected volume. Filter wanted files through the "Type" and "Path" options.

Filter and select the lost files

Step 3. Recover deleted files

Double-click the deleted files to preview. Then, click the "Recover" button to get them back.

recover deleted files from Mac

If you are a Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP user, you can alsorecover deleted fileswith 100% working solutions. The following methods show you four practical solutions on how to recover deleted files on Mac without third-party software. Keep reading, andrecover deleted files on macOS Ventura蒙特利/大苏尔/卡特琳娜/高塞拉。

Method 2. Restore Deleted Files on Mac from Trash via "Put Back"

Where is the recently deleted file on Mac? If you drag a file to the Trash or right-click on the file and click "Delete", and you haven't emptied the Trash can yet, the recently deleted files to go the Trash, the following simple steps can quickly restore the deleted data onmacOS Trash folder.

Step 1.Open the Trash Bin icon on your desktop, and you can see all the deleted files there.

Step 2.Find the files you want to recover, and drag them to the desktop. Or right-click on them and select the "put back" option to recover deleted files on Mac from the Trash. The files will return to their original location.

recover mac deleted files through the put back option

You can check the restored files on your Mac desktop. For Windows users, therecycle bin recovery操作可能会略有不同。你需要to right-click the file and choose "Restore".

Method 3. How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac with Undo Options

If you accidentally delete important files on Mac, you can easily restore them by using the "Undo" option. But you should do it immediately after removing the files. It is invalid after you empty the Trash or permanently delete files.

Step 1.After deleting files, go to "Edit" and select the "Undo Move" option.

Step 2.Or you can also use the command + Z key to undo the delete operation.

bring back mac deleted files via undo option

After the process, you can put back lost files on a Mac. These two methods help to recover deleted files on Mac that are not permanently deleted. If you emptied the Trash, you must use aTime Machine backupor macOS data recovery software.

Method 4. Restore Deleted Mac Files via Time Machine Backup

时间机器申请苹果的备份解决方案n for the Mac. If you have enabled Time Machine backup, you can recover deleted data on Mac via a recent backup even if you have emptied the Trash bin. This way is useless if no backup has been created before. In the case of recovering permanently deleted files without backup, refer toMethod 1for help.

Applies to macOS High Sierra ~ macOS Ventura

To recover Mac deleted files with Time Machine:

Step 1.Launch Time Machine on your Mac. You can click on the icon in the menu bar and choose Enter Time Machine or search for Time Machine using Spotlight.

Step 2.You can find the specific files you want to restore using the onscreen up and down arrows to locate it. Then you can preview it by pressing Space Bar.

Step 3.最后,单击the "Restore" button, and the deleted file will return to its original location.

retrieve deleted files via time machine from mac

Method 5. Retrieving Deleted Files on Mac Through Terminal

If you want to recover deleted files on Mac without software, using Terminal is an excellent choice. But note that theTerminal command can only recover deleted files from Trashon Mac. If the Trash becomes empty, turn to a Mac file recovery tool for help.

To restore deleted files on Mac via Terminal, follow these steps:

Step 1.Go to "Finder" > "Applications" > "Utilities" and double-click "Terminal".

restore mac files from terminal - 1

Step 2.Type commandcd .Trashand press the "Return" key on your Mac.

Step 3.Continue typing "ls -al ~/.Trash". This is a command to let you view the contents of your Trash folder.

Step 4.Input "mv filename ../" and hit "Return". (Important: the filename must be the full file name to make this command line take effect)

terminal recover deleted files on mac

Step 5.Type "Quit" in the Terminal to exit the Terminal window.

The restored files by Terminal are located in your home directory folder. You can then navigate there and check the items.

5 Common Reasons Leading to Mac Data Loss or Deletion

The following list shows the most typical ways to delete files/folders on a Mac. These removed items (even not in the Trash anymore) are recoverable by using professional Mac data recovery software.

  • Directly drag files to the Trash and restart the computer.
  • Regularly empty the Trash to remove deleted files for good.
  • Permanently deleted files by using "Option + Command + Delete" hotkeys.
  • Deleted files by clicking on the Finder menu and selecting "Empty Trash...".
  • Mac Trash bin automatically deletesfiles without asking.

The image also proves how encouraging to have powerful software to help recuperate the non-existed data files!

lost Mac files with unintentional operations

Why Is It Possible to Recover Deleted Files Mac

You remove the entry whenever you delete a file instead of the data itself. First, the space of this deleted file will be marked as "available" for writing new data. That's the key point why you can applymacOS Ventura data recovery softwareto trace the deep entry and eventually find the raw files!

Accordingly, once new data occupies the marked area for "available", it's getting hard for any piece of software on the market to retrieve replaced and overwritten files. That's it. The sooner you find data recovery solutions, the more deleted files you can get back.

Additional Help for Mac Data Protection

Creating a regular backup is a simple but effective way to prevent data loss due to unexpected causes. macOS's Time Machine is a great built-in utility to handle backups automatically.

To back up Mac data with Time Machine

Step 1.Connect an external hard drive to your computer or MacBook

Step 2.Go to "System Preferences > Time Machine > Select Backup Disk".

Step 3.Select the location where you want to save the Time Machine backup files, and click "Use disk".

Step 4.Tick the "Back Up Automatically" option to automatically set Time Machine back up everything on your Mac.

back up mac files with time machine

If you want to没有时间机器支持Mac, you can trust a reliable Mac data backup tool, which lets you back up in full, incremental, or differential modes.

Conclusion

I hope this article helps you recover Mac files after deletion. There are five approaches you can take. The first approach is relevant when you don't have a backup of your Mac. Follow the mentioned steps to recover the deleted/lost files from any macOS version. Other approaches enable you to get back files before emptying the Trash Bin. You can also restore Mac data with Time Machine if you have a backup.

Sharing is caring. Help more people in need of getting deleted files back

It is pretty easy to undelete files and folders from the emptied Trash with an all-in-one solution for Mac deleted recovery! The magic tool comes in handy anytime when you lose important data on an internal hard drive, a USB flash drive, a memory card, or a pen drive... Why not share your happy moment in regaining the deleted files with others in trouble?

Mac Restore Deleted Files Frequently Asked Questions

After Mac data recovery, you can read these frequently asked questions to get additional help.

1. Is it possible to recover deleted files on Mac?

Of course, it is possible to recover deleted files on Mac. In general, the deleted files from Mac hard drive are put into the Trash Can, from where you can restore quickly. If you have emptied the Trash, you can restore deleted files on Mac without software by time machine backup files, undo options, and terminal commands.

To recover deleted files on Mac from an emptied Trash:

Step 1.Download and launch EaseUS Mac data recovery software. Select the location where your data or files were deleted and click the Scan button.

Step 2.The software will run quick and deep scans and work hard to find deleted files.

Step 3.Select the files and click the Recover Now button to get them back.

2. How do I recover permanently deleted photos from my Mac?

Permanently deleted files are not gone forever. You canrecover deleted photos on Macfor free with secure methods.

  • Recover deleted photos in Photos App on Mac
  • Recover deleted photos from Trash/emptied Trash
  • Recover deleted photos from Time Machine backup
  • Recover deleted pictures and photos from Mac with Mac data recovery software

3. How can I recover permanently deleted files from Mac without the software?

Recover Deleted Files on Mac without Software:

Step 1.Launch Time Machine on your Mac.

Step 2.Find the deleted files you want to restore using the onscreen up-and-down arrows to locate them.

Step 3.Click the Restore button, and the deleted file will return to its original location.

4. Where do permanently deleted files go?

Files moved to the recycle bin (on PCs) or the trash can (on Macs) stay in those folders until the user empties the recycle bin or trash can. Once they have been deleted from those folders, they are still in the hard drive and can be retrieved with the right software.

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Updated byBrithny

Brithny is a technology enthusiast, aiming to make readers' tech life easy and enjoyable. She loves exploring new technologies and writing technical how-to tips. On her spare time, she loves sharing things about her favorite singer - Taylor Swift on her Facebook or Twitter.

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Written byDaisy

Daisy is the Senior editor of the writing team for EaseUS. She has been working in EaseUS for over ten years, starting from a technical writer to a team leader of the content group. As a professional author for over 10 years, she writes a lot to help people overcome their tech troubles.

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