Deleted something on your Mac by mistake? Six places it may still be
Most deleted files can be brought back from the Trash, app bins, iCloud, Time Machine or snapshots. Where to look, in order, and when it is too late.
First, stop saving large new files to the Mac. It does not always matter, but it never helps. Then work through these places in order. The first ones are the most likely.
1. Undo
If you just deleted it in Finder, press Command Z straight away.
2. The Trash
Open the Trash from the Dock. Control-click the file and choose Put Back to return it to where it was. External drives keep their own Trash, which only shows while the drive is connected.
3. The app's own bin
| App | Where | Kept for |
|---|---|---|
| Photos | Recently Deleted in the sidebar | About 30 days |
| Notes | Recently Deleted folder | About 30 days |
| The Trash mailbox | Depends on account settings | |
| Voice Memos | Recently Deleted | About 30 days |
4. iCloud Drive
Files deleted from iCloud Drive on any device can be restored from iCloud.com, in Drive, under Recently Deleted, for about 30 days. iCloud.com also has Data Recovery options for files, contacts and calendars.
5. Time Machine
Open the folder the file was in, then open Time Machine from the menu bar or Applications. Scroll back to a time before it was deleted, select it and click Restore. This also works when the backup drive is not connected, using local snapshots, if the file existed when one was taken.
tmutil listlocalsnapshots /6. Cloud sync services
Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive each keep deleted files for a period in their web versions. Check the service's website.
After the Trash is emptied
On a modern Mac with an SSD, emptying the Trash tells the drive to discard those blocks, so recovery software rarely finds anything useful. On an external hard drive, recovery tools have a better chance, as long as little has been written since. For irreplaceable files, a professional recovery service is the safer route.
Common questions
Can I recover a file after emptying the Trash on a Mac?
From a Time Machine backup or an iCloud Drive Recently Deleted folder, often yes. From the Mac's SSD itself, recovery software rarely succeeds after the Trash is emptied.
How do I restore a file from Time Machine?
Open the folder it was in, open Time Machine, scroll back to before it was deleted, select it and click Restore.
How long does iCloud Drive keep deleted files?
About 30 days, in Recently Deleted on iCloud.com.