I accidentally deleted important files from my Mac and emptied the Trash before realizing it. I’m trying to find the best Mac file recovery software that’s safe, effective, and easy to use because I really need to recover photos and work documents as soon as possible.
I went looking for free Mac recovery tools not long ago, and the options were thinner than I expected. Most apps wave the word ‘free’ around, then stop right before the part where you need your files back. You get the scan, you get the preview, then you hit the paywall. On current macOS builds, with APFS and Apple Silicon in the mix, the list gets even shorter.
The two free ones I’d still bother trying:
- PhotoRec
I’ve had better luck with PhotoRec than with most of the glossy apps people post about. It’s open source, costs nothing, and it pulled files off a damaged SD card for me when another tool wouldn’t even read the card cleanly. It’s ugly, terminal-based, and if you haven’t used command line stuff before, it feels rough fast. Also, the recovered files often come back stripped of the original names and folder layout, so cleanup after recovery is a pain.
- Exif Untrasher
This one is much narrower. If your problem is lost JPEGs from a camera card or SD card, it’s worth a shot. It’s simple. No drama. But it’s not something I’d call a full recovery app. More like a single-purpose tool you try before moving on.
If you’re open to paying for something, I’d point people to Disk Drill. From what I’ve seen, it hits the least annoying middle ground on Mac. It works well with APFS, doesn’t feel broken on Apple Silicon, and it handles external SSDs, USB sticks, SD cards, and Time Machine volumes without making you fight it.
Why I ended up liking it more than the usual alternatives:
- The file previews are dependable, so you get a decent idea of what’s recoverable before you start
- Deleted files and formatted volumes both gave me solid results
- It includes byte-to-byte backup imaging, which matters if the drive is starting to fail
- Photo and video support is good, including RAW formats from cameras
- It’s easier to deal with than tools like R-Studio or PhotoRec, esp if you don’t want to spend half your night reading docs
One thing matters more than the app you pick. Stop writing to the drive as soon as you notice data loss. On SSDs, TRIM can wipe deleted data fast on modern Macs, and once that happens, you’re usually done. Recover to a different drive too. Don’t put recovered files back onto the same disk you’re trying to save.
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First move. Stop using the Mac. Every new write cuts your odds, esp on SSDs with TRIM.
I agree with part of what @mikeappsreviewer said, but I’m less sold on free tools for this case. PhotoRec is solid for raw recovery, yet it turns recovery into a sorting job from hell. Fine for SD cards. Bad fit if you need named docs from your Mac drive.
If you want safe, simple, and effective on current macOS, Disk Drill is the easiest pick for most people. It handles APFS well, works fine on Apple Silicon, previews files before recovery, and supports recovery from internal drives, external SSDs, USB drives, and memory cards. For accidental Trash deletion, those points matter more than a giant feature list.
My short list:
- Disk Drill, best mix of ease and recovery rate.
- R-Studio, stronger for advanced cases, worse UI.
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, simple, but pricing gets annoyng.
- PhotoRec, free, messy results.
- Exif Untrasher, only for narrow photo cases.
Best data recovery software for Mac, top 5 tools worth trying.
If you want a quick walkthrough, watch this Mac file recovery video guide: see how Mac file recovery works before you install anything
One more thing. Recover files to a different drive. Not back to the same one. Thats where people mess it up.
If the files were deleted from your Mac’s internal SSD, I’d be a little less optimistic than @mikeappsreviewer and @sterrenkijker make it sound. Not because the apps are bad, but because modern Macs can be brutal once Trash is emptied and TRIM kicks in. Sometimes the ‘best Mac file recovery software’ still can’t recover what the storage system already wiped.
That said, if you want the safest/easiest route, Disk Drill is probly the first one I’d try. Not because it’s magic, just because the interface is simple, file previews help, and it’s less intimidating than a lot of recovery software for Mac. If it finds your files and previews them correctly, that’s a very good sign.
One thing I’d add that hasn’t been stressed enough: check for non-recovery options too before doing deep scans. Look in iCloud Drive, Desktop/Documents sync, email attachments, app-specific autosave folders, and Time Machine local snapshots. On macOS, deleted stuff sometimes still exists in places people forget about. I’ve seen folks spend hours scanning when the file was sitting in iCloud the whole time. Kinda painful lol.
If your drive is making noises, freezing, or disconnecting, skip normal scanning and clone/image it first. Recovery software is fine for logical deletion, not so much for dying hardware.
For a broader best Mac recovery software roundup, this Mac data recovery software discussion with real user picks is worth browsing.
Short version:
- Stop using the Mac.
- Check iCloud/Time Machine/app autosaves.
- Try Disk Drill first for ease of use.
- Use another drive for recovered files.
- Keep expectations realistic on internal SSDs.
Small disagreement with @sterrenkijker and @sternenwanderer: I would not jump straight into a long deep scan on the internal Mac SSD unless you already ruled out easier sources. Empty Trash on APFS + TRIM is often a coin toss, and scanning for hours can just waste time if the files are already gone.
What I’d do first:
- Check iCloud Drive Recently Deleted
- Check the app that created the files for autosave/version history
- Check Time Machine and local snapshots with
tmutil listlocalsnapshots / - If the files lived on an external drive or SD card, your odds are much better
On software, @mikeappsreviewer is right that “free” usually means preview-only. For paid tools, Disk Drill is the most practical Mac file recovery software for normal users.
Pros of Disk Drill:
- clean UI
- good preview support
- handles APFS/external media well
- can create a backup image before recovery
Cons:
- not cheap
- recovery from internal SSD after Trash emptying is still limited by TRIM
- advanced users may find R-Studio more controllable
My take:
- Internal SSD deleted files: try Disk Drill, but keep expectations low
- External drive/SD card: Disk Drill is a solid first choice
- Need forensic-level control: R-Studio
- Need free only: PhotoRec, but expect a mess
Most important rule that hasn’t been stressed enough: if the Mac keeps syncing to iCloud, even “doing nothing” may still write data in the background. If possible, shut it down and work from another Mac or boot method.