Sometimes, the Downloads folder on a Mac can contain very important files. We've all had to delete a lot of folders to find space on our Mac. And the built-in system cleaning utility is really a very handy tool to deal with this kind of situation. However, sometimes it may happen that the cleaning tools start to delete the downloaded files. Which can be really annoying sometimes. And that's not all ! There are many other reasons that could lead to the deletion of the Downloads folder on your Mac, such as an operator error, an error or an interruption in the copy and paste function, etc..
There are three effective methods that can help you recover lost files from Mac when facing deletion. With the few tricks mentioned here, you will be able to restore files from Recycle Bin, recover files from Time Machine backup, quickly find lost data through third party program and of course there is no shortage of deleted Downloads recovery. call.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Downloads folder from Mac via Trash
When you use the "Delete" function or the "Command" + "Delete" key combination to get rid of the Downloads folder or the files in it on your Mac, the deleted items are automatically moved to the Trash. You can restore files deleted from the Downloads folder by removing them from the Recycle Bin or by using the copy and paste function or by using the “Reload” option..
However, things can be much more complicated if you have deleted the downloaded files or the Downloads folder by using the key combination "Command" + "Shift" + "Delete" or by emptying the Recycle Bin.
“I accidentally deleted the Downloads folder from my iMac, then emptied the Trash as I usually do. It was only after that I realized that I had very important files in this folder. Can I recover items from the Downloads folder on my Mac? "
Surely you are wondering if it is possible to recover permanently deleted downloads from Mac. In fact, when a file is deleted from a Mac, it is still on disk, it's just that the index entry has been erased. You cannot find it anymore because the system marked the file space as free and available. So, as long as you don't overwrite the file and have a good Mac data recovery tool , you will still be able to detect and recover what you lost from Downloads folder..
Method 2: Recover Deleted Downloads folder from Mac with Data Recovery Tool
What would be the best Mac data recovery tool? We highly recommend FonePaw Data Recovery, a tool that far outperforms its competition. You will surely appreciate its quick scan, deep scan, recovery quality as well as efficiency. With this tool on your Mac (macOS or Mac OS X), you will be able to recover deleted Downloads folder just in few steps and safely. Still not convinced? Here is an overview of the best functions of FonePaw Data Recovery:
- It supports recovery of over 100 types of files;
- It allows you to recover files lost due to formatting, deletion, system crash, etc. ;
- It allows you to recover lost files from your Mac, external hard drive, USB drive, memory card, SD card, digital camera and other storage devices Mac.
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Isn't this a program worth trying? Follow the directions in the guide below to recover deleted items from your Mac's Downloads folder:
1. Select the location containing your deleted important data and click on the “Scan” button.
2. The program will run quick scan and deep scan to find as many deleted files as possible.
3. The scan results will be displayed in the left panel. Select the files you want and click on the "Recover" button.
Isn't restoring deleted files on Mac with the help of FonePaw Data Recovery easy? This is the most straightforward method to recover lost downloaded files on Mac. However, this is not the only solution. Besides recovering using third-party program, you can also help Time Machine to find lost files on Mac.
Method 3: Restore Deleted Downloads from Mac with Time Machine
If you have regularly made a backup of your Mac data with Time Machine, then you will be able to easily restore your files with this tool.
Step 1: Connect the backup drive to your Mac and turn on your computer.
Step 2: If your Mac launches Setup Assistant, please configure your country, keyboard, and network connection details. Then transfer your data from the Time Machine backup to the Migration Assistant window. If your Mac starts Finder, then go to "Applications"> "Utilities"> "Migration Assistant", then transfer your data from the Time Machine backup.
Step 3: Select the Time Machine backup and then click the “Continue” button.
Step 4: If you have more than one Time Machine backup, please select the one you want to restore and then click “Continue” button.
Step 5: Choose the files to transfer and then click “Continue” button.
Step 6: When the transfer is complete, restart your computer and then log into your account. You will finally be able to review all your files.
