If you've deleted important files on your Mac, try these steps: 1. Check the Trash and use "Put Back." 2. Restore from Time Machine backup. 3. Recover from iCloud Drive’s Recently Deleted folder. 4. Use trusted data recovery software like Disk Drill if other methods fail.

If you've accidentally deleted important files on your Mac, there are several methods to recover them.

The operating environment of this tutorial: MacBook Air, macOS Sonoma

1. Check the Trash

Deleted files on a Mac are usually moved to the Trash first, where they remain until the Trash is emptied. This is the quickest and most straightforward place to look for recently deleted items.

• Click the Trash icon in the Dock to open it.
• Browse through the list of files to locate the ones you want to recover.
• Right-click the file and select Put Back to restore it to its original location.

2. Use Time Machine Backup

Time Machine is Apple’s built-in backup solution that automatically saves versions of your files. If enabled, you can restore files from a previous backup point.

• Connect your Time Machine backup drive if it's external.
• Open the folder where the deleted file was originally located.
• Launch Time Machine from the menu bar or Applications folder.
• Use the timeline on the right to navigate to a date when the file existed.
• Select the file and click Restore to bring it back to your system.

3. Recover from iCloud Drive

If you use iCloud Drive, files stored in synced folders may still be accessible even after deletion, as they might exist in iCloud’s servers with a recovery window.

• Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
• Open iCloud Drive and check if the missing file is present.
• If not visible, click Recently Deleted at the bottom-right corner.
• Files remain here for up to 30 days before permanent removal.
• Select the file and choose Recover.

4. Use Third-Party Data Recovery Software

When no backups exist and the Trash has been emptied, specialized recovery tools can scan your Mac’s storage for remnants of deleted files.

• Download reputable software such as Disk Drill, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, or Stellar Data Recovery for Mac.
• Install and launch the application.
• Select the drive or folder to scan—preferably the location where the files were stored.
• Wait for the software to complete the scan and preview recoverable files.
• Select the desired files and click Recover, saving them to a different drive to avoid overwriting.

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