{"id":38145,"date":"2021-12-29T12:00:43","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T12:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=38145"},"modified":"2026-05-18T16:27:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T16:27:35","slug":"apfs-mac-data-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/apfs-data-recovery.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Recover Data on Mac When Using a APFS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple introduced APFS (Apple File System) as a replacement for HFS+, and it has since become the standard file system on macOS. It offers many advancements over older file systems and improves how data is stored and managed on a Mac.<\/p>\r\n

While all of these advancements are great, they don\u2019t mean that data loss can\u2019t happen. Files can still be deleted, volumes can run into issues, and in some cases you may need to recover your data. APFS also brings some limitations that can affect how recovery works.<\/p>\r\n

In this article we\u2019re going to talk about what Apple File System is, how it works, and how APFS data recovery works should something go wrong.<\/p>\r\n

❗ Before you choose a method to undelete APFS data, try not to use the drive too much. Avoid moving files around, installing new programs, or saving anything new to it. Keeping the drive in its current state gives you a better starting point once you decide how you can to recover your data.<\/div>\r\n

<\/span>What Is Apple File System and How Does It Affect Data Recovery?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Apple File System<\/a> is a proprietary file system that is developed and used by Apple. It is used on multiple devices such as iOS, tvOS, and of course macOS.<\/p>\r\n

In short, Apple\u2019s new file system aims to fix problems of the past. What the new file system gives us is better optimization for solid-state drives, better encryption, snapshots, increased data integrity, among other capabilities.<\/p>\r\n

To know if your Mac is running APFS, you can launch Disk Utility and it will display the data of your hard drive. You can see in my picture below that my Mac is using APFS.<\/p>\r\n

\"storage<\/p>\r\n

While all of these advancements are great, there is still a chance for data to be lost as nothing is 100% perfect.<\/p>\r\n

If you have a backup, recovering your data is much easier. You can use Time Machine<\/a> to restore your files and return them to your Mac. Additionally, APFS supports local snapshots, which can allow you to recover recently deleted files even if they weren\u2019t included in a full backup.<\/p>\r\n

If you don\u2019t have a backup, then you will need to use an APFS data recovery tool. Once a file is deleted, the data is still there, but it is marked as free space. This means that it can be recovered until something new takes its place.<\/p>\r\n

Since APFS is optimized for solid-state drives, there are a few more things to keep in mind. Solid-state drives use a feature called TRIM<\/a>, which allows the system to clear deleted data in the background. This helps with performance, but it can also make data recovery much more difficult or even not possible once the data is removed.<\/p>\r\n

In the sections below, we\u2019re going to look at different methods for APFS file recovery, including using data recovery software and backups. Before we move on, take a look at the Trash on your Mac. In most cases, deleted files go there first. If the Trash hasn\u2019t been emptied, you might still find your files inside and restore them right away.<\/div>\r\n

<\/span>How to Recover Deleted APFS Files on Mac Using Recovery Software<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

If you don\u2019t have a backup or copies of your deleted files, then your only option is to use Mac data recovery software<\/a>. These tools scan your drive and look for files that are no longer visible but still exist on the disk. That\u2019s why we mentioned earlier that it\u2019s best not to use the drive too much before starting the recovery process.<\/p>\r\n

In this article, we\u2019re going to use Disk Drill<\/a> as an example of such software. It\u2019s a well-known tool that many Mac users rely on because it works reliably and is easy to understand even if you haven\u2019t used this type of software before. Unlike many other tools<\/a>, Disk Drill can scan APFS drives and recover data from them once you allow it full disk access.<\/p>\r\n

Using Disk Drill is super easy and in the steps below I will walk you through how to scan your Mac for lost data.<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. Download Disk Drill<\/a> from the website and install it on your Mac. If possible, install it on a different drive than the one where your files were lost.
    \r\n
    \r\n
    \r\n
    \r\n \"Disk \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
    \r\n download-block-title<\/b>
    \r\n download-block-text\r\n <\/div>\r\n
    \r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/svg>\r\ndownload-block-button-text\r\n<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Launch Disk Drill from your Applications folder. If you\u2019re working with an external drive, make sure it\u2019s connected before you continue.<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Before starting the scan, give Disk Drill Full Disk Access in System Settings. This allows the app to see and scan your drives properly.<\/li>\r\n\t
  4. You will now see a list of available drives. Select the APFS drive where your data was lost and click on Search for lost data. If prompted, select the Universal scan option.\"select<\/li>\r\n\t
  5. The scan process will begin. This can take some time depending on how much data is on the drive, so it\u2019s best to wait for it to finish.\"process<\/li>\r\n\t
  6. Once the scan is complete, you can review the files that Disk Drill was able to find. You can also preview them to make sure they are the ones you want to recover.<\/li>\r\n\t
  7. Select the files that you want to recover and click on the Recover button.\"select<\/li>\r\n\t
  8. Choose a location where you want to save the recovered files and click Next. It\u2019s best to save them to a different drive to avoid any issues during the recovery process.\"select<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
    ✅ That\u2019s it! You now have recovered data using Disk Drill, as long as you have the PRO version.<\/div>\r\n

    Disk Drill can scan entire APFS partitions and recover files while preserving the original folder structure and file names. In addition, it includes tools designed for working with corrupted drives. For example, you can create a disk image and then carry out recovery from that image rather than directly from the original drive. This is a safer approach when the drive is unstable, as it reduces the risk of further data loss during recovery. It also lets you check SMART data, so you can evaluate the drive\u2019s condition before recovery or monitor its health afterward.<\/p>\r\n

    <\/span>How to Recover Deleted Files from APFS Using Time Machine<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

    If you\u2019re using the features that come with macOS and have Time Machine set up to back up your APFS drive, then this is another way to recover deleted files.<\/p>\r\n

    This method works differently than data recovery software and you\u2019re restoring files from a backup instead of scanning the drive. Because of that, things like TRIM on an SSD are not a problem here. The main thing is that the files you want to get back are in the backup.<\/p>\r\n

      \r\n\t
    1. Connect the drive that contains your Time Machine backup to your Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Open the folder where your files were stored before they were deleted.<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and choose Browse Time Machine Backups.\"browse<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Use the timeline on the right side of the screen to go back to a point in time before the files were deleted.<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. Find the files that you want to recover, select them, and click on Restore.\"restore<\/li>\r\n\t
    6. The files will be returned to their original location on your Mac.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
      ℹ️ If your Time Machine backup drive isn\u2019t connected, macOS will still create a local APFS snapshot on your system drive. These snapshots are created automatically and are usually kept for up to 24 hours, as long as there is enough free space. You can access them the same way as a regular backup \u2013 open Time Machine, go back to a recent point in time, and restore the files you need.<\/div>\r\n

      <\/span>How to Recover a Corrupted APFS Partition on Mac<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

      If your APFS partition is corrupted or no longer mounts properly, you can try to restore the partition itself and regain access to the data using TestDisk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

      It\u2019s a free tool designed primarily to repair damaged partition structures and recover lost volumes, which can make the data accessible again without a full file-by-file recovery.<\/p>\r\n

      The only thing about TestDisk that some people may not like is that it doesn\u2019t have a graphical user interface, it\u2019s text-based. So the tool requires careful attention. Incorrect actions, such as selecting the wrong partition during recovery, can make the situation worse and complicate any further attempts to restore your data. For that reason, it\u2019s best to recover important files first using Disk Drill, or at least create a full backup before making any changes.<\/p>\r\n

        \r\n\t
      1. Open Terminal and install Homebrew by running the command:
        \r\n
        \/bin\/bash -c \"$(curl -fsSL https:\/\/raw.githubusercontent.com\/Homebrew\/install\/HEAD\/install.sh)\"<\/pre>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
      2. Once Homebrew is installed, install TestDisk with command:\r\n\r\n
        brew install testdisk<\/pre>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
      3. After it, type sudo teskdisk<\/code> and then press the return key.<\/li>\r\n\t
      4. Select Create a new log file.\"create<\/li>\r\n\t
      5. Select the storage device that you would like to scan for lost data and then choose Proceed.\"select<\/li>\r\n\t
      6. Click return on your keyboard to select continue.\"click<\/li>\r\n\t
      7. Choose what data type the disk that you\u2019re scanning is.\"select<\/li>\r\n\t
      8. Select Analyse and then wait for the scan process to complete.\"analyse<\/li>\r\n\t
      9. Wait for the scan to finish and then you can look at the recovered data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
        <\/span>When to Use a Data Recovery Center for APFS Data Recovery<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
        \"When<\/p>\r\n
        A data recovery center may be a good option if your data is critical and you\u2019re dealing with an unstable or physically damaged drive. In this situation, attempting recovery on your own is not recommended, as it could cause further damage.<\/p>\r\n
        It\u2019s best to contact a professional service when your drive shows signs of physical failure\u2014for example, if it won\u2019t turn on, isn\u2019t recognized by your Mac, or has other hardware-related issues. In such cases, using data recovery software may be impossible or could put your data at further risk.<\/p>\r\n
        If necessary, you can send your drive or Mac to a service like the one offered by CleverFiles<\/a>, where specialists will attempt to recover your data. However, these services are not all-powerful\u2014if the data has already been overwritten or permanently removed, the outcome may be no different from what data recovery software can achieve.<\/p>\r\n
        <\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
        It\u2019s quite fascinating just how far computers are coming these days with things such as reliability and speed. Apple\u2019s new APFS is another step forward towards having better technology and when they create better things it pushes competitors to improve their products as well.<\/p>\r\n
        However, even with these new advancements in technology, nothing is 100% effective and there still can be issues when it comes to data on your Mac. But now you have a few ways to deal with it, whether that\u2019s restoring files from a Time Machine backup or using a tool like Disk Drill.<\/p>\r\n
        If you\u2019ve already gone through recovering deleted APFS files once, it\u2019s probably not something you\u2019d want to deal with again.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
        So you should know what can actually lead to data loss so you can avoid it in the future:<\/p>\r\n