Data loss on Mac, whether accidental or intentional, may put you in trouble, especially if the deleted data is important. Losing important photos, videos, documents, or other types of files can be distressing. Fortunately, macOS provides several built-in ways to find and recover recently deleted files. Even if these methods fail, you can use third-party tools to perform data recovery on Mac. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through different methods on how to find recently deleted files on Mac – starting from the simplest solutions to advanced recovery options. 

Why Do Files Get Deleted on Mac? 

Before recovery, understanding the exact reason for data loss is quite important. It helps you determine the right data recovery approach. Here are some common reasons why files are typically lost:

• Accidental Deletion: One of the most common reasons for data loss on a Mac is accidental deletion, where you may have unintentionally deleted files and folders.
• Emptying the Trash: Every deleted file on Mac goes to the Trash folder before being permanently erased. Emptying the Trash leads to permanent deletion of your files. 
• System updates or upgrades: macOS updates sometimes overwrite, relocate, or remove files during installation or configuration changes.
• System crash or power failure: Unexpected system shutdowns can corrupt files, making them inaccessible or causing permanent data loss.
• Malware or Virus Attack: Malicious programs like viruses or malware can delete, hide, or damage files without the user’s consent.
• Formatting a drive: Formatting internal or external drives, that too without proper backup, erases all stored data, including important files.

How do I Find Recently Deleted Files on Mac? 

Regardless of the above reasons behind file deletion on Mac, there are several quick methods to find them. However, it is important to act quickly, as the sooner you proceed with data recovery, the easier it will be to restore lost files. Here are some methods that you can try for data recovery on Mac: 

Method 01: Check the Trash Folder (First Step)

When a file is deleted on Mac, it goes to the Trash folder and remains there until permanently erased. Before you start any advanced method to find recently deleted files on Mac, it’s important to check the Trash folder. Follow the below steps to recover files from Trash: 

• Firstly, click the Trash icon from the Dock.
• Browse or search for your deleted file inside the Trash.
• Right-click on the deleted file you need to restore.
• Select Put Back to save the selected file to the original location on your Mac.

Note: Files remain in Trash until you empty it manually or macOS clears it automatically due to storage constraints.

Method 02: Use Finder’s “Recently Deleted” Locations

If your file is not present in the Trash folder, it may have been permanently erased or moved to another location on your Mac. Sometimes, files appear missing if they are relocated. In such a case, you can find the required file using Mac’s Finder: 

• Click the Finder icon from the Dock to access all files and folders on your Mac system.
• Now, click the Search bar in the top-right corner of the Finder window.
• Type the exact name of the file you need to recover, or use extensions like .docx, .pdf, or .jpg to narrow results.
• Review the search results carefully and, once the file is located, move it to a secure folder to avoid future loss.

If the above methods fail to find recently deleted files on Mac, then your files might have been permanently erased. In such cases, you can use previously created backups or third-party Mac data recovery tools to perform data recovery on Mac. Let’s explore these options in detail:

Method 03: Use Time Machine Backups to Recover Files

macOS provides an in-built Time Machine backup utility, which, when enabled on your device, creates an automatic backup of stored files and folders. If you’ve synced Time Machine on your Mac, recovery becomes much easier. All you have to do is:

• Open the folder where the file was stored before deletion.
• Click the Time Machine icon from the menu bar.
• Select Enter Time Machine, and browse through the timelines to find the deleted files.
• Choose all the files you want and click Restore to save them to their exact location.

Method 04: Check iCloud Drive for Deleted Files

Along with built-in Time Machine backup, you can use cloud services like iCloud, iDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive to find recently deleted files on Mac. If your Mac is synced with any of these cloud backups, it’s easy to perform data recovery on Mac. 

Follow the below steps to recover deleted files using iCloud.com:

• Open a web browser on your computer and go to iCloud.com.
• Sign in using your Apple ID and then click on iCloud Drive from the dashboard.
• Go to the Recently Deleted section to view deleted files.
• Browse through the file and find the file you want to restore.
• Click Recover to save the selected file to its original location in iCloud Drive.

Method 05: Recover Recently Deleted Files Using Mac Data Recovery Software

If the files are permanently erased – they are not in the Trash, Finder or any backup – using third-party Mac data recovery software is the best option. Some specialised Mac data recovery tools like Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac allow you to restore files deleted due to several reasons, including accidental deletion, formatting, system errors, and many more reasons. This tool offers a user-friendly interface and powerful scanning algorithms to find deleted files of various types, such as photos, videos, documents, etc. 

The Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac tool allows you to restore files from internal drives, external devices, formatted volumes, and even non-booting systems. It supports both Quick Scan (for recently deleted files) and Deep Scan (to perform thorough searching). The Preview feature of this tool lets you confirm files before restoring.

Here’s how to perform data recovery on Mac using this professional data recovery tool:

Step 1: Download and install the Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac tool from its official website. 

Step 2: Launch the tool and from the homepage, select the type of file you need to restore (or choose Recover Everything) and click Next. 

Step 3: Select the storage drive where your deleted files were earlier stored and click Scan to initiate the scanning process.

Step 4: When scanning completes, preview the recoverable results and select the files you want to restore. Click the Recover button to save selected files to a safe location (like an external drive or a folder on your Mac).

Wrapping Up

Finding recently deleted files on a Mac is often easier than it seems. However, things may get complicated if your files are actually erased from your Mac. macOS provides multiple built-in options like Trash, Finder’s Recently Deleted utility, Time Machine, and iCloud to find and restore deleted files. If your files are permanently erased, you can use third-party professional Mac data recovery software tools like Stellar Data Recovery for Mac to get your deleted files back. 

The key takeaway is don’t panic and don’t overwrite your data. With the right approach and timely steps, most deleted files can be successfully recovered.