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Jesse_PooleL's avatar
Jesse_PooleL
Iron Contributor
Feb 19, 2025
Solved

Can I recover files after emptying the Mac Trash? Help!

I just emptied the Mac Trash and found that several important files were accidentally deleted... 😭 I have two computers at home, one is Windows 11 and the other is Mac, but the main files were delet...
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  • Walterttor's avatar
    Walterttor
    Feb 19, 2025

    Don't worry, there is still a chance to recover files after emptying the Mac Trash, as long as too much new data is not written. You can try the AiseeeSoft data recovery first.  I have used it to successfully recover emptied photos and documents before.

    I followed this tutorial: (worked for me)

    https://www.pctipdaily.com/recover-deleted-files-mac

     

     

Nguyenais's avatar
Nguyenais
Bronze Contributor
Feb 19, 2025

If you have iCloud backup enabled, you are able to recover deleted files from iCloud Drive or other iCloud services.

Method 1: Recover from iCloud Website

  1. Go to iCloud.com.
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
    Click on Drive > Recently Deleted (bottom right).
  3. Browse and select the deleted files.
  4. Click Restore.

2. Recover Files from iCloud "Data Recovery" (Within 30 Days)
If you emptied the Trash on your Mac, but the files were stored in iCloud, they might still be recoverable via Apple's iCloud Data Recovery.

  1. Go to iCloud.com.
  2. Sign in and go to Account Settings.
  3. Scroll down to Advanced (bottom of the page).
  4. Click Restore Files.
  5. Select the files you want to recover and click Restore.

Files in "Recently Deleted" remain for 30 days before being permanently erased. If you emptied the Mac Trash and iCloud doesn't have a backup, third-party data recovery software is required to recover deleted files on Mac after emptying the Trash. iCloud does not store system files or app data unless included in a Time Machine or full Mac backup.

 

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