How To Retrieve Deleted Files On Mac For Free

Thus, your 'permanently deleted files' can be recovered if you know how. Here are some effective ways to recover permanently deleted files from PC, Mac, and smartphones. To recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin on Windows 10: Open the Recycle Bin by right-clicking its icon on your desktop. Select Open from the menu to view deleted files. To Recover Deleted Files from your Mac for free: Open the Trash Can on your Mac's desktop by clicking on its icon, and you can see all the deleted files there. Locate the file you want to recover. Drag deleted files to the desktop or right-click on the files you wish to restore.

By Vernon Roderick, Last updated: June 16, 2020

The Downloads folder can mean a lot to many users. It’s where most files go when you download something from the internet. And we all know that this folder is built-in, meaning it is already there before you even got your Mac.

Despite being built-in to the Mac computer, it is still as vulnerable to data loss as other folders on your Mac. In fact, quite a few users have already been complaining about losing their Downloads folder out of the blue.

This article will talk about how you can restore deleted Downloads folder Mac so you may also restore the files contained within the folder. Let’s start with what I consider the best solution.

Part 1: Restore Deleted Downloads Folder Mac with Mac Data Recovery

Our very first entry involves a third-party tool that specializes in file recovery. File recovery software is known to have the capability of recovering files and even folders altogether. As such, a data recovery tool is a must, and for that, I recommend FoneDog Data Recovery.

FoneDog Data Recovery is a tool that is capable of restoring files from their original state. It supports all kinds of files and can even include folders. Since it supports Mac, it is the perfect tool for the job. Here’s how you can restore deleted Downloads folder Mac with this tool:

Data RecoveryRecover deleted image, document, audio and more files.Get deleted data back from computer (including Recycle Bin) and hard drives.Recover loss data caused by disk accident, operation system crushes and other reasons.

Step 1: Choose File Type and Storage Drive

Open the FoneDog Data Recovery software on your computer. Now on the main page, there will be a selection of file types and storage drives. For the file type, I suggest selecting the Check all file types option since the Downloads folders are likely to have all kinds of files. For the storage drive, select the drive where the Downloads folder is located, which is most likely to be the C: drive.

Step 2: Scan for Files

Once you have configured the settings on the first page, click on the Scan button. This will initiate a Quick Scan by default. However, you may continue with Deep Scan if you want to get more results.

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Step 3: Restore Deleted Downloads Folder Mac

The scanning will start after you click on the Scan button. At that point, you will get a list of files on the next page. However, all you have to do is look for the Downloads folder and click on its box. Then, click on the Recover button.

It should be very easy to restore deleted Downloads folder Macwith this tool. However, some people may find it very difficult to trust a tool that they haven’t heard of before. If that’s you, then this solution may not be the most suitable option for you. So you may want to look elsewhere for the best solution.

Part 2: Restore Deleted Downloads Folder Mac from Trash

The keyboard of Mac is the same as of Windows’. They both have the Delete key that is used to delete items on your computer. That’s why if Windows users can unintentionally delete folders in their computer, Mac users can also do the same. If your case is an unintentional deletion, there is a high chance that you will be able to restore deleted Downloads folder Mac.

This is pretty common since there are two ways to send files and folders to the trash. The first one would be by pressing the Command + Delete, and the second one is selecting Move to Trash. Files and folders that go through this process will always be sent to the Trash, but since it is common, a solution was made immediately.

If that’s the case, you can restore deleted Downloads folder Mac by first opening the Trash by clicking on its icon on the Mac Dock. Once you are in the Trash, you can restore deleted Downloads folder Macin several ways:

  • Select the Downloads folder and press Command + Delete. This will return the selected files or folder into its original location.
  • Drag back the Downloads folder outside. This of course will not return the folder into its original location, but into the place where you drag it into.

This is a very quick solution since it won’t take long even if the Downloads folder is filled with files. However, there are many occasions where you won’t be able to use this method. You now have the Downloads folder again. Now, what if you can’t find the Downloads folder in the trash? How will you restore deleted Downloads folder Mac then?

Part 3: Restore Deleted Downloads Folder Mac from Home

Although most files that are lost get sent to the Trash, sometimes you just need to look harder since it was probably sent somewhere else and not deleted. This is the problem with some users. They often assume immediately that the files are deleted just because they can’t find it the same way they did before.

Fortunately, there is a way to automatically go to where the Downloads folder is located and possibly put it into the Dock once again. This is so you can restore deleted Downloads folder Maceasily. Here are the steps to do put the Downloads folder into your Dock again:

  1. Open a session of Finder on your Mac.
  2. On the menu bar of Finder, click on Go.
  3. From the resulting dropdown menu, select Home.
  4. Now you will see a list of folders inside the Home directory. You can now find the Downloads folder here.
  5. Simply click and drag the Downloads folder and drop it into the Dock.

The Downloads folder is now on the Dock once again. With this, you can restore deleted Downloads folder Mac by simply finding it and not recovering it from deletion. However, there are actually two possible reasons why you can’t find the Downloads folder in the Trash. The first one would be because it wasn’t deleted in the first place, which is that case you can solve it with this method.

The second reason would be if it was permanently deleted, thus explaining why it wasn’t sent to the Trash. This is often the case when the user presses Shift + Delete instead of the Delete key only.

Part 4: Restore Deleted Downloads Folder Mac with Time Machine

How do I restore my Downloads folder? If your case involves deleting the Downloads folder permanently, there is only one solution left, and that would be to revert your whole computer altogether into its original state. In other words, you have to turn back time on your computer, which will return the Downloads folder along with other files and folders.

Altogether it is quite extreme; there is an easy way to do this. And it involves a function that is literally named “Time Machine”, and you can probably guess what this function can do.

Time Machine is a built-in function in all Mac devices that allows users to turn back time on their computers. It is often used to solve any issues that may be related to the operating system.

Follow these steps if you are ready to restore deleted Downloads folder Mac:

  1. Connect the Time Machine disk into your Mac. It should be the disk that you used when creating the Time Machine backup.
  2. Go to the Applications folder.
  3. Select Utilities and open the Migration Assistant.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions until you get to the main page of Migration Assistant.
  5. Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk and click on Continue.
  6. Select the backup that you would like to use, preferably the one where the Downloads folder still exists and you already have the new files. Click on Continue.
  7. Select the files you want to include. I recommend including Applications, the option with your profile name, and Other files and folders. Click on Continue.

This will not only restore deleted Downloads folder Mac, but it will also restore other files that you have lost, regardless of whether you intend to recover them or not. The only downside of this is that you will lose some of your files, most likely the ones that you didn’t have before or the ones you have recently downloaded or transferred into your Mac.

Data RecoveryRecover deleted image, document, audio and more files.Get deleted data back from computer (including Recycle Bin) and hard drives.Recover loss data caused by disk accident, operation system crushes and other reasons.

Part 5: Conclusion

A lot of users complain about not being able to access their Downloads folder the same way they did before. This often leads to many complications, but that just goes to show how important the Downloads folder is to Mac users.

Although it is quite difficult, you can always learn how to restore the deleted Downloads folder Mac. Once you have gained such skills, you can always keep tabs on your Downloads folder and possibly retrieve it if the worst comes to pass.

>Recovery >4 Best Ways to Restore Deleted Downloads Folder Mac for Free
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How To Retrieve Deleted Files On Mac For Free Online

Three Methods to Recover Deleted Recycle Bin Files

Restore

Way 1: Restore Permanently Deleted Files from Recycle Bin with ApowerRecover

It’s a good practice that you don’t immediately delete files from your recycle bin. However, for instance, that you want to free up some memory space, you may need to empty out the recycle bin. Yet the only way to recover a deleted file when the recycle bin is empty is by using a powerful recovery tool. ApowerRecover is a great tool to recover files from hard drives allowing you to restore the recycle bin. This includes multiple files such as videos, photos, documents, and even archives. Besides, the program comes with several scan options that depending on the type of data loss that occurred. To begin the recovery, follow the instructions.

  • Download and install the software on your PC.
  • Open the program, choose a hard drive, and click the “Scan” button. Then a list of the recoverable files will appear. Put a checkmark on the “Recycle Bin” folder or double click to open the folder and choose a file you want to restore.
  • Next, click the “Recover” button to restore deleted files and specify a location to save them.
  • Finally, a panel of a successful recovery will show up. From this panel, click the “View Recovered” button to check the files.

Unlike the first way, when you click “Recover”, the software will ask you to choose a location to save the retrieved items. This is great, as you won’t spend time recalling where you put the files previously.

Way 2: Restore Deleted Files from Recycle Bin to the Original Locations

If you are using a Windows device, there are simple ways to recover deleted files from the recycle bin. As long as you haven’t permanently deleted them, you will be able to restore your files effortlessly. Below are the simple steps to recover deleted files from Windows OS.

  1. First, open the “Recycle Bin” folder. You should see all the deleted files along with other information such as their original location, the time and date of deletion.
  2. Look for the files that you want to delete. If you choose to recover just one file, right-click on the selected item, and click “Restore”. You can also recover all the deleted files by clicking the “Restore all items” at the top menu.
  3. After you restore deleted files from the recycle bin, you will be able to access your deleted files. You may locate them from the original file location where they were saved.

Way 3: Recover Deleted Files for Windows by Using Freeware

In actual fact, there are lots of available data recovery software online. However, some of them are too expensive or do not give you the results you expected. Here we will introduce two effective data recovery apps that are free and can get the job done.

Recuva

Undo Deleted Files Windows 10

Recuva is a freeware utility for Windows that can help you restore deleted files from your recycle bin, memory cards, and external devices. It can also restore different types of files such as documents, video, music, email, and the like. To use it, install the program then it will automatically open.

  • Choose the file type you want to recover. You can also recover any file type by choosing “All Files” from the selection then click “Next.”
  • Now select “In the Recycle Bin” to recover all files from the recycle bin.
  • You can choose to enable deep scan then click “Start” to begin scanning.
  • To restore deleted files from the recycle bin, select items, and click “Recover.” Once done, you will now be able to access your lost or deleted files.

FreeUndelete

You can also get better results with FreeUndelete. Similarly, it is free to use software for personal use allowing you to undelete and get back your deleted files. Moreover, it is lightweight and available in Windows OS. All you need to do is install the program on your PC then follow the guide below to continue.

How To Retrieve Deleted Files On Mac For Free Software

  • Launch the app on your computer.
  • Select your computer hard drive you want to scan. Now restore deleted files by choosing data or files to recover and hit “Undelete” at the lower corner of the interface.
  • By doing so, you should be able to get back your deleted files and access them with the same quality.

How To Retrieve Deleted Files On Mac For Free Full

Truly there are other ways to get back deleted files, but ApowerRecover works better. Masterfully developed for consumer’s convenience and comfort, this is definitely a powerful tool in data recovery. More options are available in the program, which is also an advantage for users during the recovery process. With it, you can now restore deleted files from the recycle bin with less effort.

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