There are a few different recovery apps available for Mac that can help recover lost or deleted files. Some of the most popular Mac recovery apps include:
Disk Drill
Disk Drill is one of the top data recovery apps for Mac. It can recover lost or deleted documents, music, photos, videos, and more from internal and external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, etc. Disk Drill offers several key features:
- Recover up to 500MB of data for free
- Recovers 200+ file formats including documents, media files, archives, etc.
- Scans and previews recoverable files before recovery
- Has quick and deep scan options
- Supports recovery from Mac internal drives, external drives, USB drives, SD cards, etc.
- Supports HFS+, APFS, FAT32, NTFS, and other file systems
- Recovers data lost due to emptying trash, formatting drives, virus attacks, system crashes, etc.
Disk Drill is easy to use. After installing and launching the app, you just need to select the drive partition to scan and click “Recover” to start the recovery process. Both quick and deep scan modes are available to find lost files from the file system. Disk Drill can recover data even if you have emptied the Trash, accidentally deleted files, or lost partitions. It’s a great choice for any Mac user looking for a capable data recovery app.
Data Rescue
Data Rescue is another excellent file recovery app for Mac. It is ideal for recovering files lost due to reformatting drives, system crashes, accidental deletions, virus/malware attacks and more. Key features include:
- Advanced scanning algorithms for in-depth file searches
- Recovers from internal drives, external media, optical discs, etc.
- Supports all storage media used by Mac devices
- Allows previewing files before recovering data
- Easy-to-use interface suitable for both pros and newbies
- Compatible with macOS including latest Ventura, Monterey, and Big Sur
Data Rescue offers both quick and deep scanning to dig up and recover lost files from your Mac or any connected storage drive. It supports recovery of 550+ file formats including photos, videos, music, documents, archive files, and more. The app provides a widget showing real-time progress during scans. Once scans complete, Data Rescue allows previewing files before recovery. An advanced filtering system also allows focusing on specific file types. Overall, Data Rescue makes it easy to recover accidentally deleted files on a Mac.
Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery is a popular cross-platform data recovery app with a powerful Mac version. It can recover permanently deleted files and lost partitions effortlessly. Key features include:
- Recovers from accidental formatting and deletion
- Allows creating disk images to recover data non-invasively
- Scans and restores data from Time Machine, local backups, etc.
- Supports encrypted APFS file system recovery
- Recovers files from crashed or corrupt Mac system drives
- Supports latest macOS versions including Ventura and Monterey
Stellar Data Recovery makes it possible to recover lost or deleted files from internal and external hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives, optical media, memory cards, etc. The scanning process is fast and shows real-time progress. Recovered files can be saved to a prefered location. An option to create disk images is also provided for non-invasive recovery. The app can also restore files from Time Machine or other local backups. Overall, Stellar Data Recovery is a full-featured solution for file recovery on Mac.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a popular cross-platform recovery app with a dedicated Mac version. It makes it easy for Mac users to completely recover files lost due to deletion, disk formatting, OS crashes, virus attacks and more. Key features include:
- Simple interface ideal for first time users
- Fast search algorithms to identify lost files
- Preview identified files before recovery
- Filter scan results to target specific file types
- Supports Time Machine backup recovery
- Creates bootable recovery media for emergencies
- Provides up to 2GB of free data recovery
EaseUS can recover documents, photos, music, videos, emails and 300+ other file formats from hard drives, external storage devices, and more. The app offers customizable scans based on file types and locations. Real-time previews make it easy to check files before recovery. An intuitive interface and step-by-step guidance also makes EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard suitable for even new Mac users. Overall, it’s a great recovery app for retrieving lost or deleted data.
Remo Recovery
Remo Recovery is a Mac file recovery solution that retrieves data lost due to accidental deletion, drive formatting, crashes, corrupted volumes, or virus attacks. Key features include:
- Advanced scanning algorithms for in-depth file search
- Recovers data from internal drives, external media, etc.
- Previews files before recovering
- Recovers all major file types including media, documents, archives, etc.
- Supports encrypted APFS volumes
- Can recover data from unbootable Mac system drives
- Supports Mac with M1 and Intel chips
Remo offers both Quick Scan and Deep Scan options to thoroughly search connected drives and volumes for deleted or lost files. It can recover from HFS+, APFS, FAT, NTFS and other media with ease. The app interface shows live progress during scans. Once scans are complete, located files can be sorted and previewed before recovery. Users can select specific files/folders to recover instead of full drives. Remo also promises zero data modification during the recovery process. Overall, Remo Recovery is a good choice for recovering lost, deleted or inaccessible files on Mac.
How do these Mac recovery apps work?
Mac recovery apps use advanced data search algorithms to scan connected drives and volumes for recoverable data. Even if you empty the Trash or delete files, the actual data still resides on the drive until it gets overwritten by new content. Recovery apps scan drive sectors looking for file signatures of different data types like docs, media files, emails, etc. Once matching files are found, they reconstruct the data into its original form for recovery.
The apps provide an interface to select the source drive or device to scan. Both quick and deep scanning options are usually available:
- Quick Scan – Scans storage information tables and known file locations to quickly find recently deleted files for recovery.
- Deep Scan – Digs deeper, scanning each sector on the device to thoroughly search for any recoverable data traces.
Advanced Mac recovery software also uses techniques like data carving, file repair, hex recovery etc. for enhanced data retrieval. Once scans are complete, they allow previewing files to check their integrity. Users can then select specific files or folders to recover instead of full drives. The apps save the recovered data to a safe location – usually an external media or separate partition.
Key Capabilities of Mac Recovery Apps
Here are some of the key capabilities of the leading Mac data recovery apps:
- Recovers All Major File Types – Apps can recover documents, media files, emails, archives, app data, system files etc. in their original form.
- Restores Data from Any Mac Storage Device – They recover data from internal HDDs/SSDs, external USB drives, SD cards, optical media etc.
- APFS and Encrypted Volume Support – Apps like Stellar and Remo can recover data from modern APFS volumes and encrypted drives.
- Time Machine Backup Recovery – Some apps allow easy restore of files from Time Machine or other local backups created on the Mac.
- Bootable Media Creation – Apps like EaseUS can create bootable recovery media to recover data from non-booting Macs.
- Preview Before Recovery – All apps allow previewing found files before restoring to ensure their integrity.
- Selective File/Folder Recovery – Instead of full drives, users can select specific files and folders to recover.
- Pause/Resume Support – Long running scans can be paused and resumed without losing progress.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Recovery App
Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a recovery app for your Mac:
- Supported File Systems – App should support recovering data from formats like APFS, HFS, HFS+, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS etc.
- Scan Capabilities – It should offer both quick and deep scan modes for thorough searches.
- Data Protection – App should recover data without modifying source files or drives.
- Preview Before Recovery – Allows checking file integrity before restoring.
- Selective Recovery – Option to restore specific files and folders.
- Ease of Use – Simple and intuitive interface for hassle-free recovery.
- Compatibility – Full compatibility with latest macOS versions like Ventura, Monterey etc.
- Positive Reviews – App should have overwhelmingly positive customer reviews.
- Support and Pricing – Check included support channels and pricing options.
Evaluating apps against these parameters helps select the best recovery solution for your specific Mac data recovery needs.
Top Use Cases for File Recovery on Mac
Here are some of the top scenarios where using a Mac data recovery app proves to be extremely helpful:
- Recovering Accidentally Deleted Files – Restore files deleted from Mac internal drive, external USB drive, SD card etc.
- Retrieving Data After Drive Formatting – Get back files lost after formatting a drive or partition on Mac.
- Data Recovery After OS Failure – Retrieve user data from a Mac system drive that fails to boot or load OS.
- Restoring Lost Partitions – Recover data from deleted or lost drive partitions.
- Recovery After Malware Attack – Restore files encrypted or deleted due to ransomware or virus infection.
- Time Machine Backup Recovery – Retrieve archived files from Time Machine backups.
File recovery software make data recovery easy after accidental deletions, OS issues, drive failures, malware attacks etc. They take the headache out of data loss situations.
Tips for Successful Data Recovery on Mac
Here are some tips to improve your chances of successful data recovery on Mac using a file recovery app:
- Stop using the drive or device once data loss happens. Continued usage can overwrite deleted files making recovery difficult.
- Download and install a Mac recovery app on another drive. Don’t install on the problematic drive itself.
- Perform a Quick Scan first which is faster. Deep Scan later if required files are not found.
- Avoid recovering to the same drive you are scanning. Use an external media, separate partition or cloud storage.
- Preview found files before recovery to check their integrity.
- Use selective recovery to restore specific files instead of full drives or large chunks of data.
- Have patience! Scanning and file recovery can take time depending on data size and drive conditions.
Following these tips will help maximize your chances of getting back lost or deleted files using Mac recovery software.
Conclusion
Losing important files on a Mac due to accidental deletion, formatting or hardware failure can be stressful. Fortunately, powerful Mac data recovery apps make it easy to get back lost files and folders. Apps like Disk Drill, Data Rescue, Stellar, EaseUS and Remo Recovery utilize advanced scanning algorithms to dig up and recover lost data from failed, damaged or deleted drives and partitions.
Key capabilities like encrypted APFS support, Time Machine backup restore, bootable recovery media creation and flexible scan options enable recovering lost files under different data loss scenarios. The apps allow previewing found files before recovery and restoring selectively. Factors like file system support, recovery capabilities, ease of use and pricing should be evaluated when choosing a Mac recovery app.
Using these apps along with following best practices for Mac recovery greatly improves chances of successful data restoration after catastrophic data loss. So don’t panic – just download a good Mac file recovery app and scan any failed or unresponsive drive to get back your important documents, media, projects and other irreplaceable files with ease!
