Quick Summary — Best Data Recovery Software for Mac
Accidentally deleted files on your MacBook or iMac? Formatted the wrong external drive? Here are the best Mac data recovery tools tested across APFS, HFS+, Apple Silicon, and Intel Macs:
#1 Best Overall:Disk Drill for Mac — Best APFS recovery, Apple Silicon M1–M5, $89 one-time
#6 Free Open Source:PhotoRec — Unlimited free, all macOS versions
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Mac Data Recovery — What You Need to Know First
Recovering deleted files on a Mac has unique challenges that do not exist on Windows. The best data recovery software for Mac must handle Apple-specific technologies that most generic tools are not built for:
APFS (Apple File System): Used on all Macs since macOS High Sierra (2017). Very different from Windows NTFS — Mac recovery tools must specifically support APFS to work on modern Macs
HFS+ (Mac OS Extended): Used on older Macs and external drives formatted on Mac. Still common on Time Machine backup drives
Apple Silicon (M1–M5): Newer MacBooks and iMacs use Apple Silicon chips with hardware-level security features that limit what recovery software can do on internal drives
TRIM on Mac SSDs: All modern Macs have SSDs with TRIM enabled — TRIM aggressively wipes deleted data from Mac SSDs, making recovery of permanently deleted Mac files harder than on HDDs
Full Disk Access required: macOS requires explicit permission for recovery software to scan Mac drives — you must grant Full Disk Access in System Settings before scanning
In this guide, we have tested and ranked the 6 best data recovery software for Mac tools specifically for APFS and HFS+ recovery on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, covering MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Studio.
Mac Built-In Recovery Methods — Try These First
Before using any third-party software, try these free Mac built-in recovery options:
1. Mac Trash
Click the Trash icon in the Dock
Find the deleted file — right-click and select Put Back
Alternatively, press Command + Z immediately after deletion to undo
Note: Unlike Windows, files deleted from external drives on Mac go to the Trash and can be restored this way
2. Time Machine
Connect your Time Machine backup drive
Open the folder where the deleted file used to be in Finder
Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar ? Enter Time Machine
Scroll back in the timeline to before the deletion, select the file and click Restore
Limitation: Time Machine must have been set up and running before the file was deleted
3. iCloud Drive Recently Deleted
Go to icloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID
Click Drive then Recently Deleted in the left sidebar
Files deleted from iCloud Drive on Mac are kept for 30 days
If all three Mac built-in methods fail — Trash was emptied, no Time Machine backup, file not in iCloud — proceed to the dedicated Mac data recovery software ranked below. Software recovery works even without backups by scanning raw APFS/HFS+ sectors for deleted file signatures.
How to Grant Full Disk Access on Mac (Required for All Recovery Tools)
macOS requires recovery software to have Full Disk Access permission before it can scan your Mac drives. Without this, the software cannot see most of your files. Follow these steps:
macOS Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia (2022+)
Go to Apple menu ? System Settings
Click Privacy & Security ? Full Disk Access
Click the + button and add your recovery software (Disk Drill, Stellar, etc.)
Toggle it On — macOS may ask for your Mac password
Restart the recovery software if it was already open
macOS Monterey and earlier
Apple menu ? System Preferences ? Security & Privacy ? Privacy tab ? Full Disk Access
Click the padlock icon to unlock ? add the recovery software using the + button
Best Data Recovery Software for Mac — Full Ranked List
Full Apple Silicon support — tested on M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 Macs
Best APFS recovery performance of all Mac tools — handles snapshots and Sealed System Volumes
Advanced Camera Recovery (ACR) module reconstructs fragmented video from Mac-connected cameras
Byte-to-byte backup — create a safe disk image before scanning the Mac drive
Recovery Vault proactively protects Mac files by storing metadata before deletion
S.M.A.R.T. monitoring warns if Mac drive is failing before total data loss
One-time $89 licence covers both Mac and Windows versions
Works on internal Mac drives, external HDDs/SSDs, SD cards, USB drives
Cons
Free version is preview-only on Mac — 500 MB recovery limit before purchase
Higher upfront cost vs subscription alternatives
Cannot recover TRIM-deleted files from Mac internal SSDs (hardware limitation, not tool limitation)
Verdict: Disk Drill for Mac is the best data recovery software for Mac overall — the highest recovery rate (96% in independent Mac testing), full Apple Silicon compatibility from M1 through M5, and the best APFS support of any recovery tool. The $89 one-time licence covering both Mac and Windows is outstanding long-term value for Mac users.
Best Mac Data Recovery — Best for Non-Booting Macs
Free Limit: 1 GB free
Mac Support: macOS 10.13 High Sierra through macOS Sequoia — Intel & Apple Silicon
File Systems: APFS, HFS, HFS+, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS
Pros
1 GB free recovery — most generous free limit for Mac data recovery
Recover Non-Booting Mac module — recover data from Macs that won't start
Supports APFS, HFS+, FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS on Mac
Byte-level disk imaging for safe Mac recovery from failing drives
Custom file type definition — define your own file headers for unique formats
Recovers from Time Machine, Fusion Drive, and encrypted APFS volumes
Repairs corrupted JPEG and video files during Mac recovery
Cons
1 GB free limit — large Mac drive recoveries need paid plan
Deep scan slower than Disk Drill on large Mac APFS drives
Bootable recovery drive creation is more complex than on Windows
Verdict: Stellar Data Recovery for Mac is the top choice when your Mac will not boot. The dedicated Recover Non-Booting Mac module lets you access a remote version of Stellar through macOS Recovery Mode without needing a second computer. The 1 GB free limit is the most generous among all Mac recovery tools.
2 GB free recovery — highest free limit of any Mac data recovery tool
Simplest Mac interface — three-step guided recovery: scan, preview, recover
Full Apple Silicon Mac support — tested on M1, M2, M3, M4
Recovers from APFS, HFS+, FAT32 and exFAT Mac drives
Preview deleted Mac files before recovering — no wasted attempts
Recognises lost APFS partitions automatically on Mac
Cons
2 GB free limit — larger Mac recoveries need paid subscription
Subscription pricing ($89.95/year) is costlier long-term than Disk Drill's one-time licence
Deep scan speed slightly slower than Disk Drill on large Mac APFS volumes
Verdict: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is the most beginner-friendly Mac data recovery software. The 2 GB free limit is the highest of any Mac recovery tool, and the simple three-step recovery process works perfectly for non-technical Mac users who have never used recovery software before.
RAID reconstruction for complex Mac NAS and multi-drive recovery
Hex editor and disk viewer for forensic-level Mac data analysis
Broadest Mac file system support: APFS, HFS+, FAT, NTFS, UFS, EXT2/3/4
Network recovery — recover data from remote Macs over LAN
Works on external drives connected to Apple Silicon Macs
Cross-platform — scan Windows NTFS drives on your Mac
Cons
Cannot recover from Apple Silicon Mac internal drives (M1–M5) — T2/Secure Boot restriction
Complex technical interface — steep learning curve for Mac home users
Demo only previews first 256 KB of each file
No auto-resume if Mac drive disconnects during long scan
Verdict: R-Studio for Mac is the best professional Mac data recovery tool for IT experts dealing with RAID arrays, NAS devices, and complex multi-drive recovery. Important limitation: R-Studio cannot recover from internal drives on Apple Silicon Macs (M1–M5) due to hardware security restrictions. For external drives on any Mac, it is excellent.
Mac Support: macOS 10.13 High Sierra through macOS Sequoia — Intel & Apple Silicon
File Systems: APFS, HFS+, FAT32, exFAT
Pros
Patented video fragment reconstruction — best for corrupted MOV and MP4 on Mac
Recovers 1,000+ file formats from Mac drives and external devices
Clean modern Mac interface — easy to navigate for all skill levels
Supports APFS and HFS+ — both modern and older Mac file systems
Preview recovered Mac files before restoring
Good for recovering drone and GoPro footage accessed via Mac
Cons
Only 500 MB free Mac recovery limit
Video reconstruction feature requires paid upgrade
Heavier on Mac system resources during deep scan vs Disk Drill
Verdict: Wondershare Recoverit for Mac is the best choice for Mac users recovering corrupted or fragmented video files — particularly drone footage, GoPro videos, and MOV files from Apple devices. Its patented video reconstruction technology is unique and handles cases where other Mac tools return broken or unplayable video files.
Completely free and open source — unlimited Mac data recovery, forever
Works on all macOS versions — Intel through Apple Silicon M5
Recovers 480+ file types from any Mac file system including APFS
Can be run as portable from external drive — no Mac installation needed
Trusted by Mac forensic professionals worldwide
Ignores file system entirely — works even on severely corrupted Mac drives
Cons
Command-line interface only — not suitable for everyday Mac users
Does not preserve original Mac filenames or folder structure
No graphical file preview before Mac recovery
Recovered files renamed numerically — requires manual sorting after recovery
Verdict: PhotoRec is the best completely free Mac data recovery tool for technically confident users. Zero cost, zero limits, APFS and HFS+ support, and compatibility with all Mac hardware including Apple Silicon makes it unbeatable on value. However, the command-line interface and lack of filename preservation make it impractical for most Mac home users.
Apple Silicon Mac Data Recovery — Important Limitations
If you have a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 chip) — this includes all MacBooks and iMacs from 2020 onwards — there are important hardware-level restrictions that affect data recovery:
What Works on Apple Silicon Macs
Recovering from external drives connected to M1–M5 Mac
Recovering from SD cards inserted into M1–M5 Mac
Recovering from USB drives on Apple Silicon Macs
Mac Trash recovery — if Trash not emptied
Time Machine restore on Apple Silicon Macs
Limitations on Apple Silicon Macs
Internal Mac SSD recovery is hard — TRIM wipes deleted data
R-Studio cannot scan M1–M5 internal drives
T2 Secure Boot may block some recovery tools
Encrypted APFS volumes require the encryption key
Physically damaged Mac drives need professional lab
Best advice for Apple Silicon Mac users: Enable Time Machine backups immediately if you have not already. For Apple Silicon internal SSD recovery, Disk Drill and Stellar Data Recovery have the highest success rates of any Mac recovery tools. Act immediately after accidental deletion — the longer you wait, the more likely TRIM has wiped the data.
How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac — Step by Step
Step 1 — Check Mac Trash and Built-In Options First
Try Mac Trash ? Time Machine ? iCloud Recently Deleted before using any third-party Mac software (see the built-in methods section above). These are free, instant, and do not require any download.
Step 2 — Stop Using the Mac Drive
Stop saving new files to the affected Mac drive immediately. On Mac SSDs, TRIM is always active — every moment counts. The sooner you scan, the better the recovery success rate.
Step 3 — Download Mac Recovery Software to an External Drive
Download Disk Drill for Mac or Stellar Data Recovery for Mac. Install on an external drive — NOT on the Mac drive you are recovering from. If you only have the one Mac drive, use a USB stick for the installation.
Step 4 — Grant Full Disk Access on Mac
Go to System Settings ? Privacy & Security ? Full Disk Access and enable the recovery software. Without this, macOS will block the software from scanning your drives. See the full instructions above.
Step 5 — Select Mac Drive and Run Scan
Launch the Mac recovery software and select the drive or location to scan
Use Quick Scan for recently deleted Mac files
Use Deep Scan for formatted drives, corrupted APFS partitions, or files deleted weeks ago
Step 6 — Preview, Select and Save Recovered Files
Preview recovered Mac files to confirm they are intact
Select the files you need and click Recover
Save to an external drive or USB stick — not back to the same Mac drive you scanned
Frequently Asked Questions — Mac Data Recovery Software
The best data recovery software for Mac overall is Disk Drill — it delivers the highest recovery rate on Mac (96%), full Apple Silicon M1–M5 support, and the best APFS performance of any recovery tool. For the most generous free limit (2 GB), EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is the easiest option for beginners. For recovering from a non-booting Mac, Stellar Data Recovery's dedicated module is unmatched. For IT professionals dealing with RAID and complex Mac NAS recovery, R-Studio for Mac is the professional choice (note: R-Studio cannot recover from Apple Silicon internal drives).
Yes — you can recover deleted Mac files without Time Machine using data recovery software. When a file is deleted on Mac and the Trash is emptied, the data remains physically on the drive until overwritten. Disk Drill for Mac, Stellar Data Recovery for Mac, and EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can all scan the raw Mac drive sectors and recover permanently deleted files without any backup. Start by checking the Trash — if still there, restore with Put Back. If Trash was emptied, use data recovery software immediately and stop using the Mac to prevent overwriting deleted files.
Yes — the best Mac data recovery software fully supports Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4, M5) Macs. Disk Drill, Stellar, EaseUS, and Recoverit are all tested and compatible with Apple Silicon. However, there is an important limitation specific to all modern Macs: internal SSD drives on Macs are TRIM-enabled, which means deleted files are quickly wiped from the SSD. This makes recovering permanently deleted files from Mac internal SSDs very difficult regardless of which tool you use. For recovering from external drives, SD cards, and USB drives connected to Apple Silicon Macs, recovery software works normally.
The best Mac data recovery software supports all major Mac file systems. APFS (Apple File System) — used by all Macs from 2017 onwards running macOS High Sierra or later, including all Apple Silicon Macs. This is the most important for modern Mac recovery. HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) — used by older Macs, external drives formatted on Mac, Time Machine drives. FAT32 and exFAT — used by USB drives, SD cards, and external drives shared between Mac and Windows. NTFS — used by Windows drives connected to Mac. Disk Drill and Stellar Data Recovery for Mac support all of these file systems.
To recover deleted files from Mac Trash: (1) Click the Trash icon in the Dock to open it. (2) Find the deleted file — sort by Date Added or use the search bar. (3) Right-click the file and select Put Back — the file returns to its original Mac folder. (4) Alternatively, drag the file from Trash to any folder on your Mac. If you just deleted the file seconds ago, press Command + Z immediately to undo. If the Trash has been emptied, the file is no longer in Trash and you need data recovery software like Disk Drill or Stellar to scan the Mac drive and recover it.
Yes — there are two approaches for recovering data from a Mac that will not boot. (1) Use Stellar Data Recovery's Recover Non-Booting Mac module — restart your Mac in macOS Recovery Mode (hold Command + R on Intel Mac, or hold the power button on Apple Silicon Mac), access Terminal, and run a command that loads a remote version of Stellar for recovery. (2) Remove the Mac's internal drive and connect it as an external drive to a working Mac using a compatible enclosure — note this requires technical skill and voids warranty on some models. (3) For T2 or Apple Silicon Macs, option 2 may not work due to hardware encryption — professional data recovery services may be required.
Yes — reputable Mac data recovery software operates in read-only mode and does not write anything to the Mac drive being scanned. Tools like Disk Drill, Stellar, EaseUS, and Recoverit are completely safe to use on any Mac. The important rules: never install the recovery software on the same Mac drive you are recovering from (use an external drive or second partition), and always save recovered files to a different drive — not the same Mac drive you scanned. Always download from the official developer website — never from third-party mirrors.
APFS (Apple File System) is Apple's modern file system used on all Macs running macOS High Sierra (2017) or later, including all Apple Silicon Macs. APFS differs from the older HFS+ in several ways that affect data recovery. APFS uses copy-on-write technology which can sometimes allow recovery of older file versions. APFS snapshots (used by Time Machine on APFS drives) can contain earlier versions of deleted files. However, APFS on Mac SSDs with TRIM enabled wipes deleted data quickly — making recovery harder than on HDDs. The best Mac data recovery software (Disk Drill, Stellar, EaseUS) all specifically support APFS recovery on modern Macs.
Conclusion — Best Data Recovery Software for Mac
For most Mac users, Disk Drill for Mac is the best data recovery software — highest recovery rate (96%), full Apple Silicon M1–M5 support, best APFS handling, and the $89 one-time licence is excellent long-term value. For the most generous free limit (2 GB) and the easiest Mac interface, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is the top beginner choice. When your Mac will not boot, Stellar Data Recovery for Mac's dedicated non-booting Mac module is the only tool built specifically for that scenario.
Always check the Mac Trash and Time Machine first — they are instant and free. When those fail, grant Full Disk Access to your recovery software and act quickly. On Mac SSDs with TRIM, every hour that passes reduces the chance of recovering deleted APFS files. For external drives, SD cards, and USB devices on Mac, recovery success rates remain high regardless of how much time has passed.
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