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Help! I need to recover data from external hard drive on Mac
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 12, 2026, 5:50 pmOk, does anyone know how to recover deleted files from an external hard drive on a Mac? I’ve got a Seagate 4TB external HDD (almost full, lots of personal stuff), and I somehow managed to lose everything. Not sure what exactly happened, but now all files are gone. Any help would be appreciated!1
Ok, does anyone know how to recover deleted files from an external hard drive on a Mac? I’ve got a Seagate 4TB external HDD (almost full, lots of personal stuff), and I somehow managed to lose everything. Not sure what exactly happened, but now all files are gone. Any help would be appreciated!1
Quote from em_on_pc on April 12, 2026, 6:16 pmWait, what exactly is going on with the drive? Is it a case where the drive is visible, but no files show up? If yes, did you check the Trash first? Deleted files from an external drive still end up there. Or is your external hard drive not mounting, and you can’t even access it? These are two very different situations, and the approach to external hard drive recovery depends on which one it is.
Wait, what exactly is going on with the drive? Is it a case where the drive is visible, but no files show up? If yes, did you check the Trash first? Deleted files from an external drive still end up there. Or is your external hard drive not mounting, and you can’t even access it? These are two very different situations, and the approach to external hard drive recovery depends on which one it is.
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 12, 2026, 6:22 pmQuote from em_on_pc on April 12, 2026, 6:16 pmWait, what exactly is going on with the drive? Is it a case where the drive is visible, but no files show up? If yes, did you check the Trash first? Deleted files from an external drive still end up there. Or is your external hard drive not mounting, and you can’t even access it? These are two very different situations, and the approach to external hard drive recovery depends on which one it is.
The drive shows up in Finder, but it’s empty. No files at all. I already checked the Trash, it’s empty too, so now I’m looking for other ways to recover data from the external hard drive on the Mac. I did some reading, and I don’t see any obvious signs of file system corruption on Mac, so I guess I might have just misclicked or hit something on the keyboard and deleted a bunch of files by accident 😬
Quote from em_on_pc on April 12, 2026, 6:16 pmWait, what exactly is going on with the drive? Is it a case where the drive is visible, but no files show up? If yes, did you check the Trash first? Deleted files from an external drive still end up there. Or is your external hard drive not mounting, and you can’t even access it? These are two very different situations, and the approach to external hard drive recovery depends on which one it is.
The drive shows up in Finder, but it’s empty. No files at all. I already checked the Trash, it’s empty too, so now I’m looking for other ways to recover data from the external hard drive on the Mac. I did some reading, and I don’t see any obvious signs of file system corruption on Mac, so I guess I might have just misclicked or hit something on the keyboard and deleted a bunch of files by accident 😬
Quote from em_on_pc on April 12, 2026, 7:11 pmAh, got it. In that case, it’s actually one of the easier scenarios. Just type something like how to restore data from an external hard drive Mac into Google (or whatever browser you use), and you’ll get a bunch of guides right away.
Here’s one of the first ones I found.
Ah, got it. In that case, it’s actually one of the easier scenarios. Just type something like how to restore data from an external hard drive Mac into Google (or whatever browser you use), and you’ll get a bunch of guides right away.
Here’s one of the first ones I found.
Quote from em_on_pc on April 12, 2026, 7:12 pmI also checked YouTube and there are tons of guides there too. Might even be easier to follow if you prefer seeing the steps instead of just reading. Here’s the first one that popped up for me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok2zoOwJWyI&t=13s
I also checked YouTube and there are tons of guides there too. Might even be easier to follow if you prefer seeing the steps instead of just reading. Here’s the first one that popped up for me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok2zoOwJWyI&t=13s
Quote from DataRecoverExpert on April 12, 2026, 9:02 pmHey! In your case, you’ll need Mac data recovery software. These tools scan the contents of your drive and try to find traces of files that are still there but no longer visible in Finder, then rebuild them so you can recover them.
But one important rule is that your data must NOT be overwritten. If new data replaces the old one, recovery becomes impossible (that’s why erased drive recovery usually doesn’t work - the actual data is gone). So right now DON'T copy anything to that drive, DON'T move files onto it, DON'T use it until you finish trying to restore personal files.
As for software, there are plenty of options, depending on your budget and experience level. If you want, tell us free vs paid/how important the data is/ how comfortable you are with tools, we can suggest the best data recovery app for Mac for your case. Or just check this best Mac data recovery software list and pick one that fits your needs 👍
Hey! In your case, you’ll need Mac data recovery software. These tools scan the contents of your drive and try to find traces of files that are still there but no longer visible in Finder, then rebuild them so you can recover them.
But one important rule is that your data must NOT be overwritten. If new data replaces the old one, recovery becomes impossible (that’s why erased drive recovery usually doesn’t work - the actual data is gone). So right now DON'T copy anything to that drive, DON'T move files onto it, DON'T use it until you finish trying to restore personal files.
As for software, there are plenty of options, depending on your budget and experience level. If you want, tell us free vs paid/how important the data is/ how comfortable you are with tools, we can suggest the best data recovery app for Mac for your case. Or just check this best Mac data recovery software list and pick one that fits your needs 👍
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 12, 2026, 9:32 pmI’ve never used any recovery tools before, so my level is basically zero, maybe even less. I checked that list, but I don’t even understand the difference between those programs. Is there anything that can recover files from my external hard drive on a Mac for free? I’d rather not pay extra just to recover lost files on Mac if possible.
I’ve never used any recovery tools before, so my level is basically zero, maybe even less. I checked that list, but I don’t even understand the difference between those programs. Is there anything that can recover files from my external hard drive on a Mac for free? I’d rather not pay extra just to recover lost files on Mac if possible.
Quote from DataRecoverExpert on April 12, 2026, 11:23 pmWell… realistically, doing this completely free probably won’t work out. The only decent option for external HDD data recovery on Mac that is actually free is PhotoRec. But it runs through Terminal, so for someone with zero experience, it can feel confusing pretty fast. Also, it doesn’t restore original file names or folder structure, just pulls raw files it finds, so you’ll end up sorting everything manually. You can read about that in pretty much any review of it. So it’s kind of a 50/50 situation (you can try to recover files, but it won’t be easy, and the results won’t be clean)
If your goal is to properly restore personal files with names and folders intact, then paid Mac data recovery software is usually the more reliable way.
Well… realistically, doing this completely free probably won’t work out. The only decent option for external HDD data recovery on Mac that is actually free is PhotoRec. But it runs through Terminal, so for someone with zero experience, it can feel confusing pretty fast. Also, it doesn’t restore original file names or folder structure, just pulls raw files it finds, so you’ll end up sorting everything manually. You can read about that in pretty much any review of it. So it’s kind of a 50/50 situation (you can try to recover files, but it won’t be easy, and the results won’t be clean)
If your goal is to properly restore personal files with names and folders intact, then paid Mac data recovery software is usually the more reliable way.
Quote from OhioTom on April 13, 2026, 3:11 amI used PhotoRec once for formatted hard drive recovery. Technically, it did recover GBs of data, the problem started after that. I spent 4 full days sorting files, opening them one by one, and renaming everything manually and I’ve seen a lot of people mention the same thing about PhotoRec on Reddit. At first, I felt great because I thought I’d saved money, later I cursed both myself and PhotoRec so much I still remember it.
And here we’re talking about a large capacity drive recovery (4TB HDD) that was almost full. For that amount of data, the post-recovery mess could easily take you weeks, maybe more than a month. So, think twice before you go the fully free route. I’d pick something with a proper graphical interface and results that keep file names and folder structure whenever possible, like Disk Drill or something similar.
I used PhotoRec once for formatted hard drive recovery. Technically, it did recover GBs of data, the problem started after that. I spent 4 full days sorting files, opening them one by one, and renaming everything manually and I’ve seen a lot of people mention the same thing about PhotoRec on Reddit. At first, I felt great because I thought I’d saved money, later I cursed both myself and PhotoRec so much I still remember it.
And here we’re talking about a large capacity drive recovery (4TB HDD) that was almost full. For that amount of data, the post-recovery mess could easily take you weeks, maybe more than a month. So, think twice before you go the fully free route. I’d pick something with a proper graphical interface and results that keep file names and folder structure whenever possible, like Disk Drill or something similar.
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 13, 2026, 9:27 amThanks for your input. I appreciate it. But what exactly makes Disk Drill better? Is there actually a point in using it? Or do you think I’m too dumb to just follow a guide and use PhotoRec myself?
Thanks for your input. I appreciate it. But what exactly makes Disk Drill better? Is there actually a point in using it? Or do you think I’m too dumb to just follow a guide and use PhotoRec myself?
Quote from DataRecoverExpert on April 13, 2026, 9:32 amQuote from sorotkin81 on April 13, 2026, 9:27 amThanks for your input. I appreciate it. But what exactly makes Disk Drill better? Is there actually a point in using it? Or do you think I’m too dumb to just follow a guide and use PhotoRec myself?
😯😐
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 13, 2026, 9:27 amThanks for your input. I appreciate it. But what exactly makes Disk Drill better? Is there actually a point in using it? Or do you think I’m too dumb to just follow a guide and use PhotoRec myself?
😯😐
Quote from OhioTom on April 13, 2026, 10:30 amQuote from sorotkin81 on April 13, 2026, 9:27 amThanks for your input. I appreciate it. But what exactly makes Disk Drill better? Is there actually a point in using it? Or do you think I’m too dumb to just follow a guide and use PhotoRec myself?
Whoa, what’s with the attitude??? You literally said yourself your level is zero, people suggested an easier option, and I explained why PhotoRec isn’t the best choice for recovering files from an external hard drive on a Mac in your case. I might recommend it for ecover files after accidental deletion on small stuff, like USB drives where the data size is limited, but come on, you’ve got a 4TB!!!! drive. Do you realize how much data that is? If you don’t quite get what kind of mess it can turn into, just open YouTube and check around 8:39 in this video and then multiply that by your 4TB. If you want to save money, that’s your call, no one’s stopping you. People are just trying to help you actually recover data from an external hard drive without turning it into a nightmare. But if you insist on doing it the hard way, then don’t be surprised if it becomes one. Fair?
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 13, 2026, 9:27 amThanks for your input. I appreciate it. But what exactly makes Disk Drill better? Is there actually a point in using it? Or do you think I’m too dumb to just follow a guide and use PhotoRec myself?
Whoa, what’s with the attitude??? You literally said yourself your level is zero, people suggested an easier option, and I explained why PhotoRec isn’t the best choice for recovering files from an external hard drive on a Mac in your case. I might recommend it for ecover files after accidental deletion on small stuff, like USB drives where the data size is limited, but come on, you’ve got a 4TB!!!! drive. Do you realize how much data that is? If you don’t quite get what kind of mess it can turn into, just open YouTube and check around 8:39 in this video and then multiply that by your 4TB. If you want to save money, that’s your call, no one’s stopping you. People are just trying to help you actually recover data from an external hard drive without turning it into a nightmare. But if you insist on doing it the hard way, then don’t be surprised if it becomes one. Fair?
Quote from Ryan404 on April 13, 2026, 1:30 pmI came here to say that Disk Drill is one of the best data recovery apps for Mac for recovering deleted files from an external hard drive, as it’s super easy to use, and at the same time it has strong recovery capabilities and extra features that actually help in real cases of recovery. I even found a detailed Disk Drill review and some discussions on Reddit to back that up. But with this kind of attitude not really motivated to help anymore. At the end of the day, it’s your call. Just be ready to take responsibility for whatever result you get.
I came here to say that Disk Drill is one of the best data recovery apps for Mac for recovering deleted files from an external hard drive, as it’s super easy to use, and at the same time it has strong recovery capabilities and extra features that actually help in real cases of recovery. I even found a detailed Disk Drill review and some discussions on Reddit to back that up. But with this kind of attitude not really motivated to help anymore. At the end of the day, it’s your call. Just be ready to take responsibility for whatever result you get.
Quote from bryan on April 13, 2026, 2:01 pm@sorotkin81, Disk Drill isn’t the only option here. If you don’t want it, fine, just look at other tools. There’s R-Studio, Stellar, EaseUS, etc. They all fall into the same category of Mac data recovery software with a graphical interface. The main difference is that Disk Drill is easier to use, good balance between simplicity and recovery power. R-Studio is much more advanced, designed for professionals. Stellar is somewhere in the middle. It mostly comes down to how comfortable you are with tools, how much control you want and how much you’re willing to pay. They'll all recover deleted files from the external hard drive on Mac, just in different ways
@sorotkin81, Disk Drill isn’t the only option here. If you don’t want it, fine, just look at other tools. There’s R-Studio, Stellar, EaseUS, etc. They all fall into the same category of Mac data recovery software with a graphical interface. The main difference is that Disk Drill is easier to use, good balance between simplicity and recovery power. R-Studio is much more advanced, designed for professionals. Stellar is somewhere in the middle. It mostly comes down to how comfortable you are with tools, how much control you want and how much you’re willing to pay. They'll all recover deleted files from the external hard drive on Mac, just in different ways
Quote from DataNerd on April 13, 2026, 2:18 pmWow, this turned into a whole debate 😅 Not really trying to jump in the middle of it, but why is everyone only talking about how to recover an external hard drive on Mac using software? There’s also the option to go to professional data recovery services. They handle the whole external hard drive recovery process for you, and if something goes wrong, they take responsibility. But just so you know, ask about pricing upfront. Recovering a 4TB HDD can easily cost you a few thousand dollars, depending on the case.
Wow, this turned into a whole debate 😅 Not really trying to jump in the middle of it, but why is everyone only talking about how to recover an external hard drive on Mac using software? There’s also the option to go to professional data recovery services. They handle the whole external hard drive recovery process for you, and if something goes wrong, they take responsibility. But just so you know, ask about pricing upfront. Recovering a 4TB HDD can easily cost you a few thousand dollars, depending on the case.
Quote from likejennie on April 13, 2026, 2:55 pmDo you maybe have any copies of those files somewhere? I mean, it’s hard to just forget about 4TB of data, but maybe at least part of it exists somewhere else? like on another PC, old backups, or in the cloud? I’ve had situations like that myself, thought everything was gone, then realized some files were still synced or copied somewhere. might be worth double-checking before going all-in on external hard drive recovery.
Do you maybe have any copies of those files somewhere? I mean, it’s hard to just forget about 4TB of data, but maybe at least part of it exists somewhere else? like on another PC, old backups, or in the cloud? I’ve had situations like that myself, thought everything was gone, then realized some files were still synced or copied somewhere. might be worth double-checking before going all-in on external hard drive recovery.
Quote from sorotkin81 on April 13, 2026, 3:10 pmOk guys, I probably owe everyone an apology here. I don’t even know why I snapped like that. maybe full moon, maybe Mercury in retrograde or whatever 😅
Anyway, I went and tested a few tools from the list, and PhotoRec is a complete mess for my case. I get now what you all meant. I decided to try Disk Drill after all, and turns out I was wrong, it actually makes sense. super easy to use, and I can already see it finding stuff, so it looks promising for recovering data from an external hard drive on Mac. The scan is still running, so I’ll wait until it finishes. But so far, I feel like this might actually work. I’ll update once I get the results.
Upd: all files are back 🎉 Everything I needed got recovered. Huge thanks to everyone who helped here. And sorry again for earlier 🙏
Ok guys, I probably owe everyone an apology here. I don’t even know why I snapped like that. maybe full moon, maybe Mercury in retrograde or whatever 😅
Anyway, I went and tested a few tools from the list, and PhotoRec is a complete mess for my case. I get now what you all meant. I decided to try Disk Drill after all, and turns out I was wrong, it actually makes sense. super easy to use, and I can already see it finding stuff, so it looks promising for recovering data from an external hard drive on Mac. The scan is still running, so I’ll wait until it finishes. But so far, I feel like this might actually work. I’ll update once I get the results.
Upd: all files are back 🎉 Everything I needed got recovered. Huge thanks to everyone who helped here. And sorry again for earlier 🙏