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A Recovered Files folder appeared in your Trash: what it is and whether to keep it

After a restart or crash, macOS can put a Recovered Files folder in the Trash. What is inside, how to check it, and when it is safe to empty.

3 min read

You open the Trash and find a folder called Recovered Files, sometimes several with numbers. You did not put it there. macOS did, usually after a restart, crash or power cut.

What it contains

When macOS starts up, it clears temporary folders. If it finds files there that an app was still using when the Mac stopped, it does not simply delete them. It moves them to the Trash in a Recovered Files folder, so you get a chance to check them.

Most of the time the contents are app caches, half-written temporary files, and scratch data from editors. Occasionally there is an unsaved document worth rescuing.

Check before emptying

# How big it is
du -sh ~/.Trash/Recovered\ Files* 2>/dev/null

# What is inside, newest first
ls -lt ~/.Trash/Recovered\ Files*/ | head -30
  • Files with names you recognise, like a document or image you were editing: open them and save a copy elsewhere.
  • Files with random names or no extension: temporary data. Safe to delete.
  • Very large files: often video or audio scratch files. If the project opens fine without them, delete.

If it keeps coming back

A new Recovered Files folder after every restart means an app is leaving temporary files behind. Look at the file names for a clue to which app, and check it is up to date. Frequent crashes are also worth a look in Console under Crash Reports.

If the Trash will not empty, see the Trash will not empty. Deleted files that still seem to use space are covered in deleted files but storage not freed.

Common questions

What is the Recovered Files folder in my Mac's Trash?

Temporary files macOS found at startup that an app was still using when the Mac last stopped. It moves them to the Trash so you can check them instead of deleting them outright.

Is it safe to delete Recovered Files?

Usually yes. Look inside first for any document you recognise, save it elsewhere, then empty the Trash.

Why does a Recovered Files folder keep appearing?

An app is leaving temporary files behind, often because it crashed or the Mac was not shut down cleanly. The file names usually point to which app.

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