How to Perform a Mac Hard Drive Recovery Easily and Quickly

Good day! I was deleting files from my Mac's hard drive this morning. Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted the files that I needed for my work. Is there a hard drive recovery on Mac? I hope you can help me with this problem. Thank you in advance!

A hard drive can be the main storage device of a Mac or an external storage device. Losing the data from this storage is inconvenient because you cannot access it when needed. Don't worry. This article has 4 easy methods to help you retrieve the data from a Mac hard drive. Please continue browsing this post to see the full details.

Part 1. Immediate Triage: Diagnose the Failure

A data recovery on your Mac hard drive can be done easily. However, it will be even easier if you identify where and how the failure occurred. There are several possible causes for the hard drive data loss. It could be logical data loss, where the data was accidentally deleted.

Also, it could be file system corruption, in which case the drive may appear empty after a macOS update. Mounting and hardware issues can also be factors. If this happens, the hard drive will not be detected or appear in Finder.

Part 2. Recover Mac Hard Drive Using macOS Disk Utility (First Aid)

Macs have a First Aid method that can be used to recover or fix hard drive data issues. Disk Utility is the feature used for this. The method is best when the hard drive won't mount properly. It can also be used when the files or folders in the storage cannot be accessed. Additionally, macOS startup issues can be fixed using the feature.

However, Disk Utility cannot recover permanently deleted files on your Mac. It means that it cannot recover formatted hard drive on Mac. Please use the steps below to know how to use Disk Utility for retrieving Mac hard drive data.

Step 1Open Finder. Then, select the Applications folder in the sidebar. Later, click the Utilities button on the right. Launch Disk Utility on the main screen afterward.

Step 2Click the View button. Choose the Show All Devices button. Select the problematic hard drive. Click the First Aid button. Choose the Run button to fix the issue.

Part 3. Recover Mac Hard Drive Files via Time Machine Backups

Time Machine is another good option to recover data from external hard drive on Mac, including the built-in one. It supports different recovery scenarios, including accidental deletion, corrupted files, failed macOS updates, and more. The Mac hard drive data recovery with this tool is simple and beginner-friendly. Ensure that the hard drive used for Time Machine backups is connected. Next, follow the steps below for the best guide.

Launch Time Machine. Then, select the Browse Time Machine Backups button. Later, use the arrows of the tool to locate the backup you want to retrieve. Later, please click the Restore button at the bottom of the main interface. Wait for the files to be recovered afterward.

Part 4. Recover Mac Hard Drive With Share Disk Mode (Exclusive to Apple Silicon)

The Share Disk mode on Mac is a built-in recovery feature on Apple Silicon Macs, including M1, M2, M3, and the latest versions. This feature is also useful when the Mac cannot start properly. Additionally, it can be used to fix an undetectable disk. Do you want to use the feature? Please refer to the steps below to know how to use it.

Step 1Shut down the Mac. Then, connect it to the working Mac using a compatible cable. Later, press and hold Power on the Silicon Mac. Wait for the Loading Startup Options to appear. Click the Options button and choose the Continue button to proceed. Select Utilities, then click Share Disk. Finally, click Start Sharing.

Step 2Open Finder and choose the Locations button. Select the shared disk from the Mac. Click the Connect As button. Copy your files and paste them into the other drive.

Part 5. Best Mac Data Recovery Software

Hard drive data recovery can also be done with a third-party tool, such as FoneLab Data Retriever. It can recover from different Mac locations, including hard drives, USB, SSD, and more. Besides that, it can recover various data types, including documents, databases, videos, audio, and images. The best thing about it is that it works offline! Do you want to know how to use it? The steps below will guide you.

Step 1Download FoneLab Data Retriever. Then, set up, install, and open it on your computer.

Step 2Choose the Hard Drive Recovery button at the top left. Choose a location and click the Start Scan button.

Step 3The scanning result will be promoted. Choose the data you prefer to retrieve and click the Recover All button.

Part 6. Comparison Table of Methods to Recover Mac Hard Drive

Part 7. FAQs about How to Recover Mac Hard Drive

The Mac or MacBook hard drive recovery can be done in 4 simple methods, which this article contains. FoneLab Data Retriever is also here for recovering different data types on your hard drive, including databases, videos, images, documents, audio, and more. Do you want to explore more about the tool? Download it now!