Mac computers come with Trash cans that make it very easy to store deleted files for some time. This feature is very important especially when you want to create additional space for some documents. Also, just like the Windows Recycle Bin, it helps you retrieve deleted files.
Mac Trash therefore stores deleted files only temporarily. This means, if you deleted files either willingly or by mistake, you will only be able to recover them from Trash after a certain period of time.
Some people however find it difficult to retain files in Trash for a short period. As a result, they follow the deleted files and delete them to empty the Trash Bin completely. That is probably one of the reasons why you are reading this article today.
No need to worry! In this article, we show you how to retrieve files from an emptied Trash Bin on Mac using data recovery software and other methods. Speaking of data recovery software, we will narrow our discussion to how Disk Drill by CleverFiles can help you with this challenge. Read on to find a method that works best for you.
Can I Restore Emptied Trash on Mac?
The straightforward answer to this question is , yes! You can restore Trash on the Mac after it is emptied. This is because emptying the Trash only means that macOS has deleted the files and folders in the Bin permanently.
Even though permanently deleted, the files are never erased immediately from the Mac’s hard drive or wherever storage location they were in the Mac. Simply put, the process only deletes the logical links that make the file accessible to the operating system. The data therefore remains on the storage undeleted!
Since the data remains but the logical links are deleted, the OS marks the spaces occupied by the deleted files as “available” for future use. When you add more files, then they will take up the spaces marked as “available” and the deleted files will become permanently unavailable.
However, you can still recover the deleted data from an emptied Trash as long as the files have not yet been overwritten by new ones. This can be easily achieved by some of the best data recovery apps or software rigorously tested on Mac.
How to Recover Emptied Trash on Mac with Software
In this section, we will show you how to recover emptied Trash on a Mac using a Disk Drill developed by CleverFiles. Disk Drill is a rigorous software developed for this purpose and has the highest recovery rate compared to similar apps in the market.
It comes with a user-friendly interface that is easy to use by all. With this software, you will be able to recover deleted files and emptied Trash Bins on Mac even if you have never tried it before. Just follow the set procedures and you will be good with all your lost files back.
Key Features of Disk Drill
Other key features to note about this software is that it comes as a freemium product. This means that you will be able to use it to recover data for free. However, the amount of data you can recover for free is limited to 500 MBs.
The software is built with advanced algorithms so that you can easily find recoverable data, preview recovered data, select, and restore them. This powerful feature also enables you to perform quick scans and deep scans depending on your preferred choice, size of data and the urgency.
How to Restore Data with Disk Drill
How to use this software? The following procedure demonstrates how you will be able to move step-by-step to restore lost data on an emptied Trash Bin.
Step 1: Download Disk Drill for Mac on a separate disk. This should be a different disk from the one where you emptied the Trash Bin. This will help you protect the recoverable files from being overwritten by the application files during the installation process.
Step 2: Now launch the software and choose the storage volume where the data was emptied from.
Step 3: Hit the “Search for lost data” button so that you can initiate the scanning process. Wait for the software to finish scanning the volume.
Step 4: Preview the files in the results interface. You can also go ahead to select the ones that you intend to retrieve.
Step 5: Hit the recover button so as to start the recovery process. You should see a prompt advising you to provide a safe location to retrieve the files. Remember not to use the same location where the files were deleted from.
Step 6: Click “Ok” once you have provided the new location. Allow the software to finish the recovery process.
How to Retrieve Files from an Emptied Trash Bin on Mac without Software
Other than data recovery with software, there are many other ways you can recover files from an emptied Trash Bin on Mac. Although we recommend you apply software for quick action and higher recovery rate, you have the option of trying these other methods too.
Method 1: Retrieve from Backups
Backing up your Mac on a regular basis is one way you can greatly minimize data loss. You can back up media on an external hard drive or even the cloud. Cloud backup is more preferred because it gives you real time backup and you can be able to recover even the most recently deleted documents.
Manual Backups
To back up data manually, you may use a hard drive, USB flash disk, or even an SD card. This backup system is very dependent on the type of storage device used since every device has a different capacity to store data. The manual process is also very simple, connect the storage device to the Mac and copy then move the data to them. You can also send the files directly to the backup device after the connection is successful.
To recover emptied Trash Bin media from manual backups, simply connect the backup media to the Mack and search for the lost files. You can then copy and paste or send them to a different location on your Mac.
Time Machine Backup
The other way you can back up your Mac is the Time Machine. Mac systems come pre-installed with the Time machine to make it easier to create backups. You must connect the Time Machine backup media to the Mac for all Time Machine backups to remain active.
To recover emptied Trash Bin data from Time Machine backup, open the Finder Window in the Trash folder, launch the Time Machine, then search for the lost files. Once you find them, select the ones to be recovered then hit the “Restore” button to finish.
iCloud Backup
Like we said already, iCloud gives you seamless data backup no matter the device you are using. What you need is a stable connection to the internet.
To initiate this kind of backup, log in to your iCloud account at iCloud.com. tap on the gear icon to access the settings then scroll to the bottom to locate the “Restore Files” button. Hit on it and select the recently deleted files. Click on the “Restore” button to restore lost data back to your Mac.
Conclusion
While data recovery from emptied Trash Bin on mac is possible, you must remember to move with speed to get them before they are overwritten. Always act with speed, avoid using the Mac immediately after data loss, and pick the method you trust the most for the situation to avoid gambling with your lost files.
