Accidentally deleting videos on a Mac can be stressful, but various recovery solutions are available. Disk Drill is a top choice due to its features like recovering large files, supporting multiple formats, and offering a user-friendly interface. Other methods include searching via Spotlight, restoring from the Photos app, iCloud, Time Machine, or professional data recovery services. Check out our upcoming detailed tutorial for a step-by-step guide on using these methods effectively.
Hey everyone!
So, you accidentally deleted your videos on your Mac and now you’re panicking, huh? Good news! There are actually quite a few ways to recover those lost files. Whether you had a slip of the mouse or some mystery bug wiped them out, don’t worry. There are solutions!
How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos on a Mac
Macs are awesome, but they lack built-in data recovery tools. Luckily, we’ve got third-party software to the rescue!
Disk Drill is one of the best out there. Here’s what makes it great:
- Recover Big Files: Got a huge video file? No problem for Disk Drill!
- Supports Tons of Formats: Whether it’s .raw, .mov, or another format, Disk Drill’s got your back.
- File Previews: Check out the file before you recover it to make sure it’s the right one.
- Filter by File Type: Easily narrow down your search to just video formats.
- Affordable Plans: Try it for free, or go for the PRO plan at $89. If you need more, the Enterprise plan is $499.
- Quick and Deep Scans: Quick scans are fast, but if you need a thorough search, Deep Scans are available.
- Extra Features: From data protection to disk cleanup, Disk Drill has many bells and whistles.
- User-Friendly Interface: Super easy to navigate, even for beginners!
How to Use Disk Drill:
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Download it from their official website.
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Open your Downloads folder, click on
diskdrill.dmg
. -
Follow the setup instructions and launch Disk Drill.
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Select the hard drive you want to scan and click on Search for lost data.
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Wait for the scan to finish and use file type filters to find your videos.
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Preview the files to ensure they’re the ones you need.
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Select what you want to recover and hit Recover.
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Choose a new location for the recovered files and click OK.
Best 5 Alternative Methods to Recover Deleted Videos on a Mac
Not into third-party apps? No worries. Here are some built-in Mac options to retrieve videos.
Disclaimer: These methods are different from using specialized data recovery tools. Some will find files that aren’t exactly ‘deleted’ but misplaced, and others require previous backups.
Method 1: Search for Deleted Videos on Your Mac
Sometimes your files aren’t actually deleted; they might just be hiding. Let’s use Spotlight and Finder to locate them.
Find Files with Spotlight:
- Press
Command + Space
or click the Spotlight icon on your Menu bar. - Type in the file name.
Feel free to drop any questions or share your own experiences with recovering lost videos on a Mac!Hey everyone!
If you’re having trouble finding files on your Mac using Spotlight, don’t worry, there’s another method you can try with Finder!
Find Files with Finder
If you can’t remember the names of your video files, you can still locate them using Finder. Here’s how:
- Open Finder on your Mac and use the search field at the top-right corner of the window.
- Type in the format or file type of the videos you’re looking for (e.g.,
.mov
).
If you’re getting too many results or the search is taking too long, narrow it down by searching through specific folders.
Checking the Trash
When you delete a video, it doesn’t immediately vanish from your Mac’s hardware. The first place to check is the Trash. Here’s how to recover from Trash:
- Click the Trash icon on your dock.
- Look for the deleted video.
- Click Put Back.
If it’s still somewhere in your system, use the Spotlight search bar to find it by clicking the magnifier icon on your toolbar and typing the file name.
Method 2. Recover Deleted Videos from Photos App on Mac
If the video was deleted from the Photos app, you might recover it using the Recently Deleted feature:
- Open the Photos app on your Mac.
- Click on Recently Deleted on the left sidebar.
- Right-click the file you want to retrieve and select Recover.
Method 3. Recover Lost Videos from iCloud
If you use iCloud for backups, you can recover your videos from there. Here’s how:
- Go to iCloud.com and log in to your Apple ID.
- Click on Account Settings, then scroll down to the Advanced section.
- Select Restore Files.
- Check the boxes of all the files you wish to recover, or choose Select All.
- Click Restore Files.
Method 4. Restore Deleted Videos on Mac with Time Machine
Backing up with Time Machine can be a lifesaver. Here’s how to restore files with it:
- Click the Time Machine icon in your Mac’s menu bar or use Spotlight to launch it.
- There are two ways to recover your files:
- Locate your file from the backups displayed.
- Open Time Machine in the folder where the file was stored before deletion.
- Once you find your file, click Restore.
Method 5. Visit a Data Recovery Service
If nothing else works, consider reaching out to a professional data recovery service. It might cost a bit, but they can usually retrieve your data.
Final Words
Losing important video files can be stressful, but technology offers several solutions to recover them. One tool we highly recommend is Disk Drill, known for its high recovery rate and additional disk protection features. If software tools fail, consulting a professional is always a good option.
Hope this helps! Feel free to share your experiences or ask further questions below.