Accidentally deleted important files from my Mac and emptied the trash. I need reliable software to try and recover them. Any recommendations for the best data recovery tools? Thanks in advance!
If you’ve accidentally deleted important files from your Mac and even emptied the trash, don’t panic just yet. There’s a good chance you can still recover your data using some powerful recovery software. I’ll break down some of the best data recovery tools out there for Mac users:
Disk Drill
is among the top data recovery software for Mac, and many users consider it both reliable and easy to use. It’s designed to recover lost files from a variety of situations including accidental deletion, formatted drives, and even from external storage devices like USB drives or memory cards. Disk Drill supports recovering all file types and offers advanced scanning algorithms to maximize the chances of getting your data back.
You can check it out at Disk Drill Data Recovery Software. The interface is pretty user-friendly, and they offer a free version that lets you recover up to 500MB of data, which is great for testing it out before committing to a purchase.
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EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac: This one is also highly recommended. It provides a simple interface and is quite effective in scanning for lost files. It’s capable of recovering data from internal and external drives, cameras, and other devices. They offer a free trial version that limits the amount of data you can recover, but it does give you a good sense of what the software can do.
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Stellar Data Recovery for Mac: Another respected name in the field. Stellar offers both free and paid versions, with the free version allowing recovery of up to 1GB of data. It’s equipped to handle various file types and has deep scan capabilities for more thorough recovery.
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PhotoRec: This is a free, open-source option that works quite well, though it’s not as user-friendly as some of the others. If you’re comfortable with a bit more technical complexity and don’t mind a less polished interface, PhotoRec can recover a wide range of file types and from different storage mediums.
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Prosoft Data Rescue 5: Known for its robust capabilities, this software can recover files from almost any type of storage device. It’s a bit more expensive but offers features like cloned recovery drives and a RAID recovery function.
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R-Studio for Mac: This one is more geared towards professionals or advanced users. It offers comprehensive data recovery features and supports many different filesystems and devices. The interface might be a bit overwhelming for those who are not tech-savvy.
When selecting software, consider these common features:
- Compatibility: Ensure the software is compatible with your macOS version.
- File support: Look for one that supports a wide range of file types, especially those you need to recover.
- Scanning options: Programs with both quick scan and deep scan options can be very helpful. Quick scan allows you to recover recently deleted files more quickly, while deep scans are necessary for more complex or older data recovery.
- Ease of use: A user-friendly interface can make the recovery process less daunting, especially if you’re not very technical.
- Trial Version: Many programs offer free trial versions that allow you to recover a limited amount of data, which is beneficial to evaluate the software’s effectiveness before purchase.
Here are some steps to follow before using any recovery software:
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Stop using the affected drive: If possible, avoid writing any new data to the drive from which you’re trying to recover. This is crucial because new data can overwrite the spots where your deleted files were stored, making recovery more difficult or even impossible.
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Download and install the recovery software: Preferably do this on a different drive from the one where the data was lost. Most recovery programs will guide you through the installation and initial setup.
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Scan the drive: Use the software’s scanning tools to search for the deleted files. Depending on the size of the drive and the depth of the scan, this can take some time.
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Preview and recover: Once the scan is completed, many programs will allow you to preview the recoverable files. Select the files you need, and hit recover. Save the recovered files to a different drive to avoid overwriting more lost data.
In terms of effectiveness and easy-to-use interface, Disk Drill strikes a good balance and covers a broad range of scenarios. Their ability to preview recoverable data before purchase makes it a risk-free first choice. Check it out here.
Lastly, it’s always good to have a backup plan. Regularly backing up your data using Time Machine or another backup solution can save you from future headaches.
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I’ve seen lots of recommendations for data recovery tools, and while Disk Drill is pretty popular, I’d like to offer a different perspective based on my experience. Now, don’t get me wrong, Disk Drill is robust and the free version’s 500MB limit is a great way to test it out, but there are other gems out there that sometimes get overlooked.
Stellar Data Recovery for Mac: Many users praise its easy-to-navigate interface and impressive functionality. Yes, the free version caps you at 1GB of recoverable data, but the deep scan capabilities are phenomenal. I’ve personally recovered entire partitions with it, so it’s worth a mention if you’re dealing with hefty data loss.
PhotoRec: It’s true that it’s not very user-friendly, but this no-nonsense, open-source software gets the job done with a wide range of file types. If you’re somewhat tech-savvy, you’d be impressed by its prowess. When you’re not splurging on software, this is a trusty companion.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac: Another commendable option with a solid reputation. Its interface is slick, and the scanning speed is decent. They offer a free trial, which can be beneficial for those just getting their feet wet in data recovery.
A bit of a left-field suggestion: R-Studio for Mac - it’s powerful, catering particularly to those who know what they’re doing. If you have a more tech-savvy friend, it might be worth having them assist you. The multilanguage support and RAID recovery capabilities make it a beast in its arena.
Here’s a crucial tip beyond software: Stop writing new data to the affected drive ASAP. Every new file you create or move can potentially overwrite the spaces where your deleted files are chilling, making recovery a nightmare. Always install recovery software on a different drive and let it scan the troubled one.
Lastly, from personal experience: if you’re doing this a lot – like I do, thanks to a crazy hectic schedule leaving me scatterbrained – investing in a robust backup system like Time Machine or another regular backup strategy is invaluable. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
Remember, what’s “best” can often depend on personal comfort level, urgency, and the specific nature of your data loss. So, try a few tools if you can, and see what fits your need best. Good luck!
Why is everyone hyping Disk Drill so much? It’s overpriced and the free version is practically useless with its 500MB limit. Sure, it has a slick interface, but that doesn’t justify the hefty price tag for the full version. Plus, don’t forget it’s not always effective for recovering files from very fragmented or severely corrupted drives.
EaseUS and Stellar aren’t much better, just more polished interfaces with similar limitations. Same story, different packaging. And let’s not even start on Prosoft Data Rescue 5—too expensive for the average user and tends to over-complicate things.
For those saying “stop using the affected drive,” duh! First rule of data loss. But if you’re serious about getting data back without getting fleeced, consider PhotoRec. Yeah, it’s not pretty, but it’s free and powerful. Have a bit of patience, and it can often pull a miracle recovery.
Also, all these recovery tools talk a big game about deep scans, but they’re not magic. If your data’s overwritten, it’s game over. Don’t buy into the hype too quickly.
Guys, all good and well, but @ByteGuru and @Codecrafter, your posts read like you just copy-pasted the top results from Google. Have you actually tested any of these tools yourselves? No? Then let me add a dash of reality here. I’m an iOS dev, so my SSDs take a beating (builds, indexes, test runs, all day long). One night I wiped a 1TB APFS volume by mistake and thought, “no worries, I’ll just run recovery.” Yeah… no.
I tried both Disk Drill and Stellar. Stellar gave me basically nothing. Disk Drill at least surfaced file names, but the “recovery chance” was so low I didn’t even bother paying for Pro.
Real issue? TRIM had already done its job before I realized my mistake. By the time these tools were scanning my entire 1TB SSD for hours, the blocks were long gone. I don’t even know what I was hoping for at that point.
What annoys me most is the marketing. If you read the blogs from these vendors, they make it sound like “Recovering data from SSDs” is just another checkbox feature. In reality? Once TRIM fires, it’s game over. No magic software is bringing back your Xcode project files or plist configs.
So yeah, lesson learned: these shiny recovery apps aren’t a get-out-of-jail card. Git and Time Machine are my real friends now. Backup, backup, and backup again. That’s the only way you don’t lose a week of code or client work.
I’m really not a tech person, but I’ll share my story too. I let my kids use my MacBook, and they somehow managed to delete a couple of folders with their photos and a few Excel spreadsheets I use for school planning and work-related stuff. When I noticed, those folders weren’t even in the Trash. I don’t know how to use Time Machine at all, so I went online looking for solutions.
Everything I read said I need a special program. I kept seeing the same names: Disk Drill, EaseUS, Stellar, and one called Wondershare RecoverIt (I think that’s the name, sorry if I got it wrong). Honestly, after reading a few reviews, I couldn’t tell much difference between them except the price. So at first, I decided to go with EaseUS, mostly because it said I could recover files without paying upfront. But when I installed it, it showed a weird list of disks and partitions that don’t even exist on my Mac. Later I found a post from someone on this forum who mentioned the same thing, so I decided not to risk it.
Then I tried Disk Drill instead, and it turned out to be super easy to use - everything was explained step by step, even how to give it Full Disk Access. During the scan, it showed previews of my lost photos and Excel files, so I knew they were still there. Since those files were really important to me, I decided to buy the Pro version to actually recover them. It was worth it - Disk Drill restored almost everything perfectly. That convinced me it really works (at least in my case). Now I keep Disk Drill installed on my Mac just in case something like this happens again.
For me, the winner has always been PhotoRec. I had a drive loaded with old ROMs and emulator save states, oooh real retro gold, and it managed to pull most of them back. Yeah, its UI looks like DOS from the 80s, but that’s part of the fun if you grew up in that era 
So, @Olivia, you didn’t even need to spend the money. If PhotoRec can rescue my weird gaming files, it could’ve handled normal stuff like photos and spreadsheets. People stress too much about user-friendly interfaces. I say save your money. PhotoRec is free, and once you get the hang of it, it’s bulletproof. Highly recommend giving it a try before reaching for your wallet. And if you don’t get how it works right away, just search for a guide or a YouTube video. I’m sure there are tons out there.
Thank you for the tip, @Henry. I actually came across a few posts saying that PhotoRec doesn’t work too well on Mac system drives. So I guess it might’ve been tricky in my case anyway. Well, what’s done is done - the main thing is that the files are safe now. Hopefully I’ll never have to deal with this again and I wish the same for you too. For me, Disk Drill will remain the best software option for data recovery on macOS for now.
Man, this thread is giving me anxiety. If I ever lose my wallet.dat or seed phrase files, I’m done. Does Disk Drill even handle encrypted files properly?? I can’t risk half-baked recovery.
I’m not talking about photos or spreadsheets, I mean crypto wallets. One corrupt block and the file’s useless. Some tools claim they “support encrypted data,” but do they really? Has anyone here actually restored a wallet.dat or JSON key file and confirmed it still worked? Marketing promises don’t count when your coins are on the line.
@Felix I’ve actually tested this with Disk Drill. It can bring back encrypted containers like wallet.dat, what you recover is the raw file structure, sector by sector. Whether the wallet app still opens depends on how intact the underlying blocks are. In my case, the recovered wallet.dat passed validation in Bitcoin Core without issues.
The key thing to understand is that recovery software doesn’t decrypt. It doesn’t care about keys, AES, or whatever cipher the wallet uses. All it does is restore the binary file as a byte-for-byte image from the disk. If the sectors that held your wallet file haven’t been overwritten by new writes, the wallet app will still recognize it as valid. If even a small chunk is gone, though, the checksum fails and the file becomes useless.
$89 for a lifetime license is nothing if you’re serious about crypto. If your holdings are worth more than lunch money, that’s pocket change compared to the value you’re protecting.
Fair point… $89 does sound cheap compared to losing everything. I guess when you’re staring at the risk of your entire wallet vanishing, the cost isn’t even a factor.
I’ve been too focused on avoiding spending money upfront, but you’re right, if the file is gone, so is the crypto. I’ll rethink my whole setup. Probably need a better backup plan, maybe a mix of external storage and cloud sync, just in case. Can’t believe I almost trusted luck with something this critical.
Just to add my two cents here, @Felix, I’ve also recovered a wallet.dat file with Disk Drill, though in my case it was on Windows, not macOS. The process was the same: Disk Drill retrieved the raw file, I dropped it into Bitcoin Core, and it synced without a hitch. Since the recovery engine works on the same principles across platforms (scanning sectors, piecing the file structure together), I don’t see why the outcome on macOS would be any different. As long as the blocks aren’t overwritten, Disk Drill should handle it just as well.
Alright, I get the point about wallets. But looking at this thread, I see a whole list of tools - Disk Drill, Stellar, EaseUS, Recoverit, PhotoRec… Do these actually work any better for regular files like photos, docs, or projects?
That’s exactly what these tools were built - for bringing back the everyday stuff like photos, docs, projects. All of these tools work on the same principle: they scan your disk, look through the file system for traces of lost files, and then let you recover them to a safe location. The difference isn’t really in the core process, it’s in the extras and how much you want to pay.
If you want something free, PhotoRec is basically the only solid option. It’s not pretty, but it does the job without charging you. If you need extra features, like byte-to-byte backups or more polished workflows, then you’re looking at the paid software. Disk Drill, EaseUS, Stellar… they all fit that category.
Personally, I’d pick Disk Drill. Out of the paid tools, it has the most reasonable pricing model — one payment and you’re set, instead of getting locked into monthly or yearly subscriptions. Plus, they recently upgraded the byte-to-byte copy function and added a new mode that can actually recover fragmented video files from SD cards or drones. That’s something most tools can’t do, and they’ll just give you broken video files instead.
But keep in mind that it all depends on how the data was lost. Simple deletion is fine. But if the files have been overwritten, or the drive was securely formatted, then nothing short of a backup will save you.
By the way, regarding the chances of recovery mentioned earlier - the program can’t just “look” at a file like a human and decide if it’s okay or not. It uses its own algorithms, probably based on how the file was recovered. If it was an easy recovery, then the file is most likely intact. But if it had to rebuild something that was heavily fragmented, then the chances are much lower. I think it works like that.
Fully agree with everything said here. At the end of the day, all recovery tools do the same scanning under the hood. The real differences are in pricing models and those extra features. The point about backups being the only true safety net is 100% spot on.
Okay, that actually helps a lot. I was worried all these tools were just hype, but if they really can recover data, that’s good to know. Thanks for breaking it down. I feel a bit less lost now. Still hoping I never have to use any of them, but at least I’ve got a clearer picture.