How to Recover Deleted Files from External Hard Drive on Mac
An external hard drive is a great way to store and save significant amounts of data — lightweight and portable—so you can take them wherever you roam. Plus, instead of worrying about running out of space on your computer's disk, you can rely on the extra space offered by an external disk. However, data loss may occur while we enjoy the convenience it brings us. As a macOS user, if you are looking for ways to recover deleted files from external hard drive on Mac, read on to learn about these solutions.
- Quick Navigation
- Part 1. Is it possible to recover deleted files from external hard drive on Mac?
- Part 2. Top 6 Best External Hard Drive Recovery Software for Mac
- Part 3. How to Recover Deleted Files from External Hard Drive on Mac
- Part 4. Tips for Keeping Your External Disk Data Safe
- Part 5. Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to recover deleted files from external hard drive on Mac?
Most people think that if they delete a file from an external disk, it's gone forever. In some cases, this may be true, but removed contents can still be recovered as long as new data have not completely overwritten them. With the help of specialized software and some know-how, it is possible to retrieve files deleted from external hard drive on Mac. To this end, you can also take the following steps to increase your recovery rate.
- ⛔ Please stop using this removable hard disk immediately after the accident mode. This will effectively prevent accidentally deleted files from being overwritten by new data.
- ⚠️ Do not try commands or repair tools to find missing items. They may disrupt the fragmented files and make it impossible to reassemble.
- 🚫 If it is an SSD, then disable TRIM immediately. This prevents deleted files from being permanently erased.
- ⏰ Start the external drive data recovery work as soon as possible. The longer it takes, the greater the chances of files disappearing forever.
After following the above tips, choosing a good tool can help you recover files from an external hard drive on Mac more quickly if you don't have a backup. If you are unsure which is more effective, you can also refer to the following six recovery procedures.
Top 6 Best External Hard Drive Recovery Software for Mac
Keeping track of digital data is essential in today’s world. The best disk recovery software is vital if you want to restore data from an external hard drive on Mac without backup. There are many different programs out there, so deciding which is suitable for your particular needs can be tricky. Fortunately, these six programs are all tried and true, allowing you to help yourself quickly.
- iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac
- Pros
- Recover 500M data from external hard drive on Mac for free.
- File types can be filtered to save scanning time.
- Can repair corrupted videos, pictures, etc.
- Cons
- A deep scan takes time.
- R-Studio
- Pros
- Support RAID recovery
- Can create an emergency boot disk.
- Cons
- Specific skills are required to use it.
- Slow scan
- TestDisk for Mac
- Pros
- Open-source Tool
- Provide additional features
- Cons
- No user interface
- Can't preview file
- Disk Drill
- Pros
- Supports multiple file systems
- Preview before recovery
- Cons
- Expensive
- Some external drives are not recognized.
- EaseUS Data Recovery for Mac
- Pros
- Supports all file types
- Can extract backup data from Time Machine
- Cons
- The subscription model is unreasonable
- Sometimes it happens that the recovered files get corrupted.
- Recoverit for Mac
- Pros
- It provides two recovery modes
- Fast scanning
- Cons
- Some files cannot be previewed
- Simple filtration system
iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac is one of the most reliable and robust recovery solutions available for macOS users. Its intuitive, user-friendly interface makes it one of the best options for those looking to recover deleted files on Mac quickly and with minimal effort. Using advanced scanning algorithms, it scans your external disk for lost data. Once the scan process has been completed, an easy-to-use list of recovered files can be organized and sorted by file name, extension, original file path, and time created. With just a few clicks, you can restore lost data to its original folder structure as before deletion.
It is a comprehensive drive solution. It lets users quickly locate and find lost, deleted, or corrupted data from various storage devices, including hard disks, memory cards, USB drives, and other external devices. In addition to providing reliable and efficient data recovery services, it also features a user-friendly interface with step-by-step guidance and visual guides that make it easy for anyone to restore their files.
It is a powerful, recovery software for Mac developed by the legendary cgsecurity.org. It's an invaluable tool for users who have accidentally deleted or lost important files. TestDisk runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X systems and provides detailed reports on any detected issues with a hard drive or another storage device. With its impressive features and support for various operating systems, TestDisk makes it easier than ever to save valuable information from lost or damaged drives anytime, anywhere.
It is a good solution for recovering accidentally deleted files from an external hard drive on Mac. Not only does it get back lost items quickly and accurately, but it also saves time by only scanning the relevant file types so your files can be restored quickly. It features three recovery modes, including Quick Scan and Deep Scan, each of which facilitates recovery from different storage media with varying levels of severity.
It is an easy-to-use tool that helps recover large amounts of deleted items on external hard disks quickly and efficiently. This software is designed with advanced algorithms to accurately scan and detect lost files, folders, images, videos, and other documents so that they can be effortlessly retrieved. With its navigation options, you can quickly complete a successful data recovery regardless of whether you’re a Mac newbie or an experienced user. Let it help you find those lost files!
If you have ever needed to recover deleted files from external hard drive on Mac, then Recoverit is a choice. It provides users with an easy-to-use interface for getting data from various sources. Whether you accidentally deleted a few files or formatted the external disk, this application can help you quickly and safely retrieve your documents. And with the bonus of its high recovery rate, you can rest assured that recovered files are safe from potential threats. So if you need reliable external hard drive data recovery on your Mac, it is the way to go!
How to Recover Deleted Files from External Hard Drive on Mac
Obtaining those essential files that have mistakenly been deleted can feel like an impossible task. But, the process can be manageable. Recovering your lost data from an external hard drive on Mac is actually a simple process. But you need to use the right tools or methods. For this, you can choose the following methods according to the actual situation.
Ways 1. External Hard Drive Recovery on Mac withou Backup
In case of accidental deletion of files from an external drive without backup, they will be hidden from the system. We cannot free retrieve them manually. But this task can be done with free external hard drive recovery software. Here are the steps to use iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac to recover permanently deleted files from external hard drive on Mac free:
- Connect your external drive to your Mac computer.
- Download and install iBeesoft external hard disk recovery for Mac.
- After starting the software, filter the file type and click Start.
- Select the target drive and click on Scan.
- After completing the scanning, select the item you accidentally deleted and click the Recover button to save it.
Tip: If the Quick Scan doesn't find your missing files, you can also use the Deep Scan. It will scan sector by sector to extract more data.
Ways 2. Check Trash Folder to Get External Hard Disk Deleted Files
Your Mac computer and external drives have a folder for temporarily deleted data. So, you can go here to check if the accidentally removed item is here.
From Mac's Trash Bin:
- Click the Trash icon at the bottom right of macOS to open it.
- Browse its stored files. When you find what you need, please select it and right-click, choose "Put Back" to save it to your external drive again.
From Trash Folder of External Hard Drive:
- Open your external drive and click "Command + Shift + ."
- After refreshing, you will see the.Trashes folder.
- Open it and view the files you accidentally deleted.
- Once found, copy them to a new location.
Ways 3. Restore Deleted Files from External Hard Drive on Mac by Time Machine
Time Machine is a backup and restores tool built into macOS. If you have backed up files on your external hard drive before accidentally deleting them, you can get them back by the following methods.
- Connect the external disk used as a backup to your Mac and open Time Machine.
- Use the timeline to find previously backed-up items.
- Select the files you accidentally deleted and click "Restore" to restore them.
Ways 4. Get Your External Hard Drive Lost Files from Data Recovery Services
They are an invaluable resource in today's digital world. By leveraging powerful tools and methods, a data recovery service can save sensitive documents, important files, or even irreplaceable memories from oblivion. If the above methods of undelete files from an external hard drive on Mac failed, then you still try it. For this, you can search for "Data Recovery Service" to get related services, but it is more expensive.
Tips for Keeping Your External Hard Disk Data Safe
Securing external disk data should be a top priority in this digital age. It's essential to take precautions against losing or exposing critical documents, images, videos, and other information stored on an external hard drive. Fortunately, there are some simple tips that you can use to keep your data safe when using an external disk.
- 🎎 Frequently back up your files onto a cloud or other secure platform to create an extra layer of protection in case of hardware failure or malware infection.
- 🔒 Please encrypt your external hard disk with a strong password to secure the stored data.
- ⏏️ Also, make sure that any removable media is safely stored and disconnected when not in use to protect against malicious software threats.
- 🔍 Finally, if the external storage device has been used on an untrusted system, scan it with anti-malware software to ensure it is secure before using it again.
By committing to these easy tips, you will be well on your way toward preserving your external hard drive's valuable files from any malicious attack or accidental loss!
Frequently Asked Questions
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If you didn't save the new file, where did you delete it from, it's still there, just hidden. This time you need the help of the Best recovery software for Mac to retrieve them.
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There are many reasons why files stored in an External hard disk disappear. If your wrong settings hide them, click "Command + Shift + ." to show them. Suppose a malware attack, accidental deletion, formatting, etc., caused them to disappear. In that case, you can also rely on iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac to recover data from external drive on Mac for free.
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Open "Terminal" and type, "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true" and go to where the files disappeared to see them.
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After you use USB to connect to Mac, as long as you can find the damaged drive in Disk Utility, you can use iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac to scan it and restore the files.
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If the system cannot detect the disk, recovery software will still not be able to recognize it, let alone find files from it. But you can fix this by going to Finder > Preferences > Devices to select the checkbox in front of External Disks.
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Whether you accidentally deleted or formatted the external disk, as long as no new data is saved. Then you can use iBeesoft Mac data recovery software to recover deleted files from external drive on Mac free.
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If you ever backed up the external drive, you can quickly restore the files if you lose them. If not, you can rely only on external hard drive recovery software like iBeesoft data recovery software to help you.
Conclusion
It can be highly frustrating if an external hard disk file gets deleted accidentally. Luckily, you can quickly recover deleted files from external hard drive on Mac with some methods provided in this article. Ultimately, it would help if you took a few essential tips to preserve potentially critical files and backups to other drives, so you don’t find yourself in an undesirable situation again.