How to Retrieve Files after Emptying Trash on Mac

It happens that sometimes we delete files and keep them in the trash and after some second thoughts we restore them for one reason or the other. Also, it can happen that we empty the trash and free up some space on our Mac. What if something comes up and you need those files again? It will be a total disaster knowing that you have emptied the trash. Fortunately, there exist 2 ways for how to recover files after emptying trash on Mac.

To make it successful to get deleted files back after emptying trash on Mac, it is important to note that you should not modify your hard disk drive by adding anything to it. This will damage the file structures from which data can be recovered. Modifying your hard disk before performing a data recovery process reduces your chances of success. Do not modify the disk until you get down to the process of how to recover files after emptied trash in macOS.

Method 1: How to Recover Files After Empty Trash on Mac with Data Recovery Software

Using Data Recovery Software is the most efficient and reliable method of recovering data lost after emptying the trash on Mac. There are so many Data Recovery applications present in the market at this moment in time and not all are available on Mac so making the right choice is the key to your successful data recovery process. Among all the different software available for Mac, the best software for your data recovery process is iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac. It’s a professional tool for data recovery on Mac.

To recover files after emptying trash on Mac, using iBeesoft Data Recovery;

1. Download and install iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac from its official Website. When the software is completely installed, it will automatically be launched. If for any reason it does not get launched automatically, double click on the desktop shortcut to launch it.
2. Once it is launched and click "Start", you will see different locations displayed. Select the drive where the system is located and click "Scan" button.

This starts the scanning process and it may take some time. This scanning mode is the quick scan mode by default. During the scan, the files that have been found will be displayed and you can go through them while the scan continues. Above the Window is a panel where the recovery process is displayed and you can pause the scanning process to go through the found files if you need to.

3. This starts the scanning process and it may take some time. This scanning mode is the quick scan mode by default. During the scan, the files that have been found will be displayed and you can go through them while the scan continues. Above the Window is a panel where the recovery process is displayed and you can pause the scanning process to go through the found files if you need to.
4. Once the quick scan mode is completed, a deep scan is automatically started if you haven’t found the files yet. This mode permits you to restore the files. Once you find the finds, you can stop the scanning process from the options found above the Window.
5. When you find the files, click on the file and preview it to be sure. Not all file types can be previewed. After reviewing the files, you can click on "Recover" to get the files back by emptying the trash on your Mac.

Following these simple instructions precisely, you will certainly be able to get all your files back.

Method 2: How to Retrieve Files after Emptying Trash on Mac for Free without Software

This is a free method that Apple users can use in order to recover their deleted files from an emptied trash on Mac. It consists of retrieving the lost files from backups that were made before the trash was emptied. This method requires the use of a built-in option referred to as Time Machine which can be used by Apple users to perform regular backups such that in case they lose their files, they can recover them again using Time Machine.

NB: It is important to note that retrieving files using Time Machine will only work if you had done Time Machine backups before the Trash was emptied. If not, you will not be able to recover the files.

To use the Time Machine to recover files from an emptied Trash on Mac, open it. This can be done by clicking on the clock symbol which is found on Mac’s menu bar. It is equally possible to assess Time Machine using the Terminal application which gives you a wider scope of retrievals as you can see the different PCs and the different backups that were done using Time Machine.

1. If your Time Machine backups are done on an external drive, make sure you connect the drive to your Mac. When this is done, open Time Machine and go through all backups present.
2. Looking through all the files present in the different backups, find the files that were erased by going through a backup that was made before emptying the Trash. Press on the space bar if you want to preview any file on Mac.
3. Once you have found the files, click on "Restore" to restore these files to your Mac.

This process is an easy process but will only work if you had made Time Machine Backups before the emptying of the trash.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for how to recover deleted files after emptying trash on Mac

Q: Can you recover files that have been emptied from Trash?

A: Yes it is very possible to recover files that have been emptied from Trash on your Mac. When files are erased, they are deleted but their files structures which serve as their footprints on the hard disk drive and other storage devices remain so they can be rebuilt from these structures. You can recover such files in two ways. Using Time Machine Backups made from the built-in Time Machine Mac option and using Data Recovery software for Mac.

1. Download and install iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac.
2. Launch the data recovery software and click "Start".
3. Select the hard drive where the files have been deleted, and then click "Scan".
4. When the scanning process finished, select files to preview. When find the files have been emptied from trash, select them and click "Recover" to save them on Mac.

Q: How do I recover permanently deleted files from my Mac?

A: The best and easiest way of recovering deleted files from your Mac is using iBeesoft Data Recovery software. This software is efficient and professional, safe, easy to use and provides you with up to 2GB of free data recovery to enable you to recover your files with ease.

To recover files using iBeesoft Data Recovery

1. Download and install the best Apple data recovery software then launch it.
2. Select the location from which you want to recover permanently deleted files on Mac.
3. Start the scanning process and wait for the recovery of the files. You can navigate through the found files before the scanning process is done and if the file you require is present, you can stop the scanning process and recover the file. Previews before recovery are equally possible for certain file types.

Q: How do I recover files from my Mac after emptying Trash without the software?

A: If you want to recover files from your Mac without the use of software, Time Machine is the best option for you. This consists of going through the various Time Machine backups which you have made and finding a version of Mac that contained the files before they were deleted. To use Time Machine,

1. Click on the clock symbol on Mac’s menu bar and click on Enter Time Machine. If you made your Time machine backups on an external device, make sure to connect the device before entering Time Machine.
2. Go through the different time Machine backups and find one that contained the files before deletion.
3. Locate the files from the Time Machine backup, select them and click "Restore".

This method will work if you had made Time Machine backups before the deletion of the files.