A lot of Mac users have important files within their computers. These files might include music, photos, videos, PDF, documents, and sheets. These are just some file types you consider important. It will cause you a lot of distress if they suddenly disappear or if they were mistakenly deleted from your Mac. So you might need file or data recovery software for Mac to deal with the problem.
Sometimes, there might be a financial incentive to retain these important files (e.g., work documents and contracts). If these accidentally disappear, it would be costly to retrieve them. A lot of these files cannot be recreated as it would be time-consuming and tedious. That’s why the best possible solution is to use afile or data recovery software for Mac.
In this article, we will give you a list of free data recovery software for Mac. Each has its own capabilities and features.
Article GuideM3 Data RecoveryDisk DrillTestDisk Lazesoft Mac Data RecoveryiSkySoftIn Conclusion
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M3 Data Recovery
First up on our list of free data recovery software for Mac is M3 Data Recovery. It supports Mac devices running on macOS 10.7 and later versions. It can recognize and locate a huge variety of file types. It can even recognize systems such as APFS partitions that are encrypted.
Features:
This tool can be used to recover data from a wide array of storage devices compatible with Mac computers. The software gives you the option to recover removed files even from the emptied Trash. Files from deleted logical volumes can be restored as well. M3 Mac Data Recovery allows you to preview the file as it appears when it is recovered – doing so, will let you know (in virtual mode) if you can completely recover a file.
Advantages:
It supports all storages devices that are compatible with Mac computers.
Disadvantages:
The free version of this tool only allows you to restore up to 1GB of data. You have to pay for the tool to be able to restore more data.
Disk Drill
This is a complete package for data recovery. It is designed to recover partitions that have been deleted. It can also be used to restore deleted data from Mac’s internal disk drive. Plus, it gives you advanced features that help you protect your precious files.
Features:
It offers a variety of options for scanning your entire system and locating deleted files from your hard drive and even external storage. You have the options to do a Quick Scan and a Deep Scan. Disk Drill can restore files from formatted drives and the empty Trash Bin. It can recover 200 different file types including photos, documents, apps, and videos, to name a few.
Disk Drill runs on macOS 10.8 and later versions. It offers a simple, intuitive interface allowing you to filter files and choose your desired location for recovery. It offers Guaranteed Recovery and Recovery vault features which help monitor your activity when deleting files. Thus, metadata is retained and you can easily recover files next time.
Advantages:
It supports over 200 different file types. Plus, it provides a deep scanning feature for enhanced chances of recovering files. Two features, namely, Guaranteed Recovery and Recovery Vault are included within the free version.
Disadvantages:
The free version of this tool only allows you to preview the files you wish to recover. And it only allows you to recover data that was previously protected.
TestDisk
This is a freeware that is open-sourced. It supports a lot of operating systems including Mac’s. TestDisk for Mac can generate reports regarding non-bootable drives. In addition, it can be used to diagnose problems with disk drives.
Features:
This tool was originally intended to restore lost partitions. It is also used to fix problems of bootable drives that fail to boot. Aside from these functions, it can be used to rebuild or recover boot sectors. It can recognize a variety of file types as well.
Advantages:
There is no cost to using this product as it is a freeware. The TestDisk team also provides you with free customer support in case you encounter problems with the software.
Disadvantages:
It utilizes a command-line user interface which might be hard for novice users. This data recovery software can probably be used by advanced, technical-oriented Mac owners.
Lazesoft Mac Data Recovery
This tool is completely free and allows you to recover huge amounts of data without imposing limits. Developers rely on user donations for customer support and further product enhancements. Lazesoft Mac Data Recovery was specifically made for Mac operating systems. In addition, it can be used to recover files from FAT, FAT 32, EXFAT, NTFS, HFS/HFS+, and other file systems. s
Features:
It uses data recovery algorithms in order to restore files from formatted partitions. In addition, it can recover a variety of file types including applications, music, photos, and documents, among others. Aside from recovering data from internal disks, it can even recover from SD cards.
Advantages:
There is no limit to the amount of data you can recover. In addition, it is designed specifically for use in Mac’s operating systems.
Disadvantages:
It is unsure whether this software can support the latest versions of Mac’s operating systems.
iSkySoft
This is another data recovery tool for your Mac device. It supports storage devices that use exFAT, FAT 16, FAT32, and NTFS file systems. You can simply use this flexible software to restore lost photos, videos, music, and documents, among others.
Features:
You can preview the files before opting for the recovery process. Thus, you won’t waste your time recovering corrupt or invalid files. iSkysoft’s Data Recovery tool presents you with ahighly-organized user interface. Data is presented in folder trees. Filters can help you locate the file you want to recover easily.
Advantages:
The great thing about this tool is it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thus, you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the software’s paid version.
Disadvantages:
It has a slower scan functionality compared to other software. Recovery speeds are subpar as well. iSkysoft Data Recovery only allows you to recover the 1GB worth of data. Thus, you might have to go for the paid version.
In Conclusion
If you are faced with the problem of mistakenly-deleted files, then you have the option to restore them through free data recovery software for Mac devices. Don’t despair if you lose these files as the functionality of data recovery tools can help you with the problem. You can simply choose one of the options above to help you restore your data in no time.