It’s easy to accidentally delete data. We have all done it and we will all do it again. The data recovery guys here at Dave’s Computers are always busy but some of the jobs we do are unnecessary as you could easily do it at home. That doesn’t mean we won’t do it, of course we will but some of this stuff is easy.
The specific steps you take depend on what has happened. For example, if you accidentally deleted some files fairly recently, it could take seconds to recover them. If you did it a little while ago or have used the computer a lot since, it may take a little longer. Don’t worry, if you can’t recover your files, we can!
Recover deleted files in Mac OS
The easiest thing to try first is to look in the Trash. This is where all your deleted files (that aren’t too large) will sit for a while before being cleaned. If you recently deleted files, you should look here first.
Double click the trashcan icon and work through the files in the list. If you see your files, right click and select Put Back. Your files will be replaced where they were originally and you will be able to use them normally.
If your files aren’t there, we can use Time Machine. If you use Time Machine that is.
As long as you have Time Machine set up, we can use that to recover deleted data.
- Select Time Machine and then Enter Time Machine.
- Select the arrow and navigate the various snapshots until you find the file you need.
- Select the file and then Restore.
Your file will be returned from whence it came and will be usable as before.
If you deleted music or a movie, you can use iTunes to recover it.
- Open iTunes and search in Trash and in Media.
- Recover it if you find it or re-download it from iTunes.
Even though you have deleted something from iTunes, if you have paid for it you can just download it again. iTunes trash works the same was as it does in Mac OS. It keeps recently deleted files and will periodically delete those as it goes.
If you cannot find your files and you either cannot find it in Time Machine or don’t use Time Machine, bring your Mac to Dave’s Computers in New Jersey. Our data recovery experts should be able to recover the files and restore them as if nothing happened!
