How can I recover permanently deleted files on mac without time machine?

When you recover permanently deleted files on Mac, they'll be saved to the same location where they were originally deleted. Make sure you don't overwrite the deleted files by saving new data to the same spot.

The sooner you start recovering files, the better. File systems tend to overwrite deleted data over time, making recovery more challenging. Refrain from modifying the file system or making any changes to the disk structure while recovering files. This can overwrite or damage the deleted files.

One free mac data recovery app you can try out is TestDisk. It is a free and open-source data recovery tool primarily designed to recover lost partitions, repair damaged file systems, and make non-booting disks bootable again. It’s a powerful command-line tool that supports a wide range of operating systems and file systems.

TestDisk works on macOS and is compatible with most Mac file systems, including HFS+ (used in macOS versions before APFS) and APFS (used in newer macOS versions). It can recover lost partitions and repair file systems on Mac disks, external drives, and USB drives.

To recover permanently deleted files on mac without time machine, this is simple command that works:

sudo ./testdisk

Use the arrow keys to navigate and select the disk containing the deleted files. Press Enter to proceed. Choose [Advanced] Filesystem Utils and press Enter. Select the partition where the deleted files were located and press Enter.

Use the arrow keys to navigate through the list of found files. Highlight the file(s) or folder(s) you want to recover. Press C (uppercase) to copy the selected file(s).

muguy wrote:

No. Permanent means permanent.

That's simply not true. I've used Disk Drill successfully in the past to recover some "permanently" deleted files, although I'm not sure I'd recommend it because it was a bugger to remove from the Mac afterwards. Other apps are available and another user has suggested DiskTest.

When you empty the Trash, the files are moved to the "Free Space" area of your hard drive. The "Command-R" trick can help recover deleted files by overwriting the free Space area. Here's how to recover permanently deleted files on Mac:

1. Restart your MacBook Pro in Recovery Mode:

• Press the power button until you hear the boot chime for the second time.
• Immediately hold down the Command (⌘) key and the R key.
• Release both keys when you see the Apple logo and the boot menu.

2.Open Disk Utility:

• Click on "Utilities" from the menu bar.
• Select "Disk Utility" from the list.

3.Select your startup disk:

• In Disk Utility, select your startup disk (usually named "Macintosh HD") from the list of devices on the left.

4.Check for deleted files:

• In the "First Aid" tab, click on "View" and then select "Show Deleted Files".
• You might see your deleted files listed here. If so, you can try to recover them using a file recovery tool.

SasMan1 wrote:

4.Check for deleted files:

In the "First Aid" tab, click on "View" and then select "Show Deleted Files".

Sorry, where do you see "Show Deleted Files" in Disk Utility > View menu?

No. Permanent means permanent.

If the files were deleted recently, remnants may still be accessible before the space is overwritten by new data. Try to recover permanently deleted files on Mac using the Terminal app.

Open Terminal on your Mac.

Use the following command (replace "filename" with the deleted file's name) to search for file traces.

sudo lsof | grep filename 

If file traces are identified, you can attempt recovery using the same terminal or a recovery tool.

Alisonzil wrote:

Hi! I’m using a 2023 MacBook Pro, and a couple of days ago, I accidentally deleted some important files, and even emptied the trash . These files include a few work documents and some family photos, totaling about 3GB. If I can’t recover them, I’m in big trouble.

Sorry. I'm afraid you are in big trouble. You should always back up your files, with Time Machine or another backup scheme.