How to Recover Files from Emptied Trash Mac | Step-by-Step Guide

Accidentally emptied your trash and lost important files? We explain the different ways to recover data from an emptied recycle bin or trash folder. Find out which recovery tools can help you restore your lost files.

By @Emma
Last Updated March 5, 2025

Can I Recover Files from Emptied Trash?

 

I was cleaning up my Maclate one night and emptied my trash to free up space. However, I suddenly realized I had accidentally deleted an important folder with weeks of work. Panicked, I wondered, Can I recover files from emptied trash?

- Question from discussions.apple.com

If you've ever found yourself in a situation likeabove user, you might be asking, Is it possible to recover files from emptied trashon Mac? Fortunately, there are several ways to attempt file recovery, even after emptying the trash or recycle bin. While the chances of retrieving files depend on a variety of factors, there are tools and methods available that can help you recover your precious data. Next, we will walk you through what steps you can take to retrieve your lost files.

How to Recover Files from Emptied Trash Bin Mac?

If you’ve accidentally emptied your Mac’s Trash, don’t panic just yet! Here are some steps you can take to try to retrieve deleted files from emptied Trash bin:

★Tip:
Once you realize you’ve emptied your Trash by mistake, avoid using your Mac for further work. This is to prevent new data from overwriting the deleted files, making recovery more difficult.

 

Method 1. Restore Files from Time Machine

Time Machine is a built-in feature on Mac that automatically backs up your files hourly, daily, and weekly. It allows you to restore your Mac from previous backups after a crash or recover specific files when needed.If you’ve been using Time Machine for backups, this is your best bet. To restore deleted files from emptied Trash using Time Machine:

Step 1. First, click on the Time Machine icon in your Mac Menu bar. Click on "Enter Time Machine".

Step 2. Open the folder where your lost files were.

Step 3. You can now scroll through previous backups to locate the version of the files you need.

Step 4. The backup timeline will appear on the right edge of your screen, showing all backups sorted by date and time.

Step 5. When you find what you need, click “Restore" to bring them back.

Method 2. Retrieve Deleted Files via iCloud Backup

iCloud Backup is a cloud backup service provided by Apple that automatically backs up data on your device, such as photos, files, apps, settings, and more. With iCloud Backup, you can restore your data if your device is lost, damaged. Here’s how to retrieve files from emptied Trash on Macusing iCloud Backup:

Step 1. Visit iCloud.com and sign in using your Apple ID and password.

Step 2. Click on the Account Icon, then select "iCloud Settings".

Step 3. In the "Data Recovery" section, click "Restore Files".

Step 4. Then it will search all recoverable files and list them. You cancheck the boxes next to the ones you want to recover. To restore all files at once, choose “Select All”.

Step 5. Click "Restore Files" to complete the recovery process and retrieve your lost data.

★Important Notes:
You can only recover files that were included in an iCloud backup before they were deleted.
Restoring from an iCloud backup will replace the current data on your device with the data from the selected backup.

Method 3. Restore Files from Emptied Trash via Professional Data Recovery Tool

If you have failed to recover files after emptyingthe Trash on Mac using the above methods, a professional data recovery tool is your best option. These tools can scan your storage device for lost data and restore files even after permanent deletion.Disk Drill or Wondershare Recoverit are two highly recommended data recovery tools that can help you retrieve deleted files efficiently.

Further Reading: How to Retrieve Deleted Files from Emptied Recycle Bin on Windows?

The above is about how to recover files from emptied Trash on Mac computer. If you are a Windows user and looking for a way to recover files from emptied Recycle Bin, then MyRecover is worth trying. This data recovery tool designed specifically for Windows users. It can help you restore files that have been permanently deleted from the Recycle Bin. Here’s how you can use MyRecover to recover lost files on a Windows PC:

MyRecover – Powerful Windows Data Recovery Solution
Recover Deleted Data– Restore files deleted normally, accidentally, via “Shift + DEL”, or by emptying the Recycle Bin.
Recycle Bin Recovery– Retrieve permanently deleted files even after emptying the Recycle Bin with ease.
Restore Data from Formatted DisksRecover lost files from formatted drives before they get overwritten.
Retrieve Data from Lost Partitions – Restore files from deleted, lost, corrupted, or formatted partitions.
Recover Data After System Crash – Retrieve files lost due to “BSOD, system freezes, or inaccessibility” after a crash.
Data Recovery After Virus Attacks – Recover files lost or hidden due to “Trojan, malware, or worm infections”.

Step 1: Download and install MyRecover.

Download FreewareWin 11/10/8/7 & Server
Secure Download

Step 2: Launch MyRecover and select the drive where the deleted files were located. click “Scan”to start the recovery process.

Step 3: MyRecover will perform a “Quick Scan”to find recently deleted files. Wait for the scan to complete, and this may take some time depending on your drive size and the number of lost files.

Step 4: Once the scan is complete, browse through the list of recoverable files.

Note: you can use the "search bar"or "filter options" to find specific file types such as documents, images, or videos.

Step 5. Click on a file to preview it before recovery. If it is the file you plan to restore, click "Restore".

Step 6. Choose a different drive or external storage device to save the recovered files safely.

With MyRecover, Windows users can easily retrieve lost files from an emptied Recycle Bin, ensuring a quick and effective recovery process.

To Conclude

This guide not only covers how to recover files from emptied Trash Bin on Mac computer, but also shows how to retrieve files from emptied Recycle Bin on Windows computer.Whether you are using a Mac or Windows PC, data loss can be frustrating, but recovery is possible with the right methods. For Mac users, you can restore deleted files using Time Machine, iCloud Backup, or professional data recovery tools.

For Windows users, MyRecover provides an efficient solution to restore files from an emptied Recycle Bin, formatted disks, lost partitions, system crashes, or virus attacks. Three different versions are available for you to choose from based on your daily requirements: Free, Professional and Technician.