How to Recover Files from a Formatted Hard Drive on Mac

Formatting a Mac hard drive, whether intentional or accidental, can lead to the complete erasure of data, but there are solutions to recover lost information even in this situation. Below, we will provide a technical examination of methods and tools to recover data from a formatted Mac hard drive.

Is It Possible to Recover Data from a Formatted Hard Drive on a Mac?

First things first. You need to know how hard drive formatting works to figure out if data recovery on a Mac is possible. When you format a hard drive on a Mac, the system deletes the file directory but usually does not remove the actual data. Instead, it marks the space as available for new data. This key detail creates the potential to unformat the Mac hard drive, provided no new data overwrites the original files.

The likelihood of recovering data from a formatted hard drive depends significantly on the formatting type and the actions you take after formatting. Disk Utility is the native macOS application used for disk management tasks, and that includes formatting. It offers various security options during the formatting process, each differs in the extent to which data is erased:

• Quick erase. This option removes the file directory, which makes data invisible to the OS without overwriting the actual data sectors. Chance of recovery: High. Since the data remains intact, specialized recovery software can often retrieve most, if not all, of the lost files.
• Secure erase (1-Pass). This method writes a single pass of random data over the entire hard drive, which makes data retrieval more of a challenge. Chance of recovery: Moderate. While it significantly reduces the possibility of recovery, advanced forensic tools might still recover some data fragments.
• Secure erase (3-Pass). This option performs three passes of overwriting. It enhances data destruction by writing different patterns each time. Chance of recovery: Low. The multiple overwriting passes make it highly improbable to recover data using conventional DIY methods.
• Secure erase (7-Pass). The most thorough option involves seven passes of data overwriting to provide maximum data destruction. Chance of recovery: Impossible. Recovery from a 7-pass secure erase is virtually unattainable with current technology.

How to Recover Data from a Formatted Hard Drive on a Mac

When you deal with formatted storage (disks or partitions formatted on macOS are no exception) you essentially have two DIY options: backups (which you likely don’t have if you’re reading this article) or data recovery software. If these options aren’t viable, the last resort is to use professional data recovery services.

Method 1: Restore Formatted Hard Drive on Mac from Time Machine Backup

If you configured Time Machine to back up your hard drive before it was formatted, you can recover your files from this backup.

Time Machine starts with an initial full backup and then saves only the changes made to your files. It creates hourly backups for the past day, daily backups for the last month, and weekly backups after that, as long as the backup drive is connected. When the drive fills up, Time Machine automatically deletes the oldest backups. Because of how Time Machine operates, be prepared that some older files might not be included in the backup.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to restore files from a non-system formatted drive using a Time Machine backup:

1. Connect the external drive containing the Time Machine backup to your Macbook or Mac.
2. Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select “Browse Time Machine Backups.”
3. Use the timeline on the edge of the screen to find the date before the hard drive was formatted. Time Machine will display all backups from that date.
4. Browse through the backups and select the files or folders you wish to restore. Time Machine allows you to preview files before restoring them.
5. Once you have selected all the necessary files, right-click on files and select the “Restore to…” option to recover files to a new location.

In the event that you have formatted your system drive, restoring its full state should be performed through Migration Assistant. This tool helps you transfer all your data, including applications and system files, from the Time Machine backup to your Mac, effectively restoring the system to its previous state before the format.

Method 2: Recover Files from a Formatted Hard Drive on a Mac with Disk Drill

Disk Drill for Mac is one of the best macOS data recovery tools and a premier choice for data recovery from formatted hard drives on Mac due to its ability to detect remnants of old file systems and its support for major file systems such as HFS, APFS, and exFAT. This tool excels at file recovery through file system pointers and can perform signature recovery for about 400 file formats. This feature is especially beneficial when the disk has been reformatted in the same file system it originally used, which is usually a lot more destructive to the ‘old’ file system. Simply put, Disk Drill can restore a large amount of the most common file types, even if it can’t retrieve your data directly from the file system.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to recover data from a formatted Mac hard drive with Disk Drill:

1. Download Disk Drill from its official website and install it by dragging the application icon to your Applications folder.
2. Open Disk Drill and provide it with full disk access. This step provides the necessary permissions to locate and recover your lost files.
3. Choose the formatted hard drive that you want to scan. Click the “Search for lost data” button to initiate the scan. Be patient, as the scan duration varies based on factors such as connection type, drive size, drive condition, number of file systems, and the degree of disk fragmentation.
4. Once the scan is complete, click on “Review found items” to browse the files located by Disk Drill. Alternatively, you can choose “Recover all…” to retrieve all found data.
5. Locate the files you need using the preview option, accessible via the eye icon next to each file. This step helps to check you recover exactly what you need.
6. After selecting the necessary files, click on “Recover.” Then, choose a destination to restore the files. Choosing a location different from the original hard drive is critical to prevent overwriting existing data.
   
7. Confirm your recovery destination by clicking the “Next” button, finalizing the recovery process.

Disk Drill can recover data from both internal Mac hard drives and external storage devices, even if they were originally formatted to file systems not natively supported by macOS, such as NTFS or EXT4. However, the free version of Disk Drill can only scan and preview recoverable files but does not allow actual data recovery without upgrading to the Pro version. For more details, like the pros and cons, you can check our Disk Drill review.

Method 3: Use PhotoRec to Recover the Formatted Mac Hard Drive

PhotoRec offers a powerful alternative to recover a wide range of file types from drives that have undergone severe damage or reformatting. This free, open-source software is particularly effective because it operates independently of the file system.

It supports approximately 470 file types, but it might not be the best choice for selective recovery of a large volume of files. PhotoRec restores all files it finds without preservation of the original file names and structures. You can only specify the types of files to recover, not the individual files themselves, which might lead to an overwhelming amount of data retrieval with minimal organization.

Here’s how to perform formatted Mac hard drive recovery using PhotoRec:

1. Open your terminal and use Homebrew to install PhotoRec by typing brew install testdisk. This command also installs TestDisk, a related tool for partition recovery.
2. Type sudo photorec to start PhotoRec from the Terminal. Grant the necessary permissions if prompted, which will allow PhotoRec full access to the hard drives.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the drive from which you want to recover data. Confirm your choice and proceed to select the partition that was formatted.
4. Specify the types of files you want to recover or opt to recover all types. This step tailors the recovery process to your specific needs, albeit without the ability to select specific files.
5. Choose a recovery directory different from the formatted drive to avoid overwriting any recoverable files. This precaution is critical for a successful recovery process.
6. Begin the recovery process. PhotoRec will display the recovery status in real time, showing the number of files recovered and the estimated time remaining. The duration of this process varies based on the drive’s size and condition.

If you had a lot of data on the drive, finding what you need may take you more time than the recovery process itself. Yet, PhotoRec remains one of the best completely free tools of its kind. For those interested in other software with more features, you can check out our list of the best PhotoRec alternatives to find more options.

Don’t Want to Go DIY? Leave It to the Pros

Suppose the data loss scenario is severe or previous recovery attempts with software tools like Disk Drill and PhotoRec have not succeeded. In that case, it may be necessary to consult a professional data recovery center. Professional data recovery services are equipped with advanced technologies and cleanroom environments that are not typically available to the general public. These facilities enhance the likelihood of successful data recovery from physically damaged or heavily corrupted hard drives.

When you select a data recovery center for your MacBook or external drives, it’s important to consider factors such as the center’s reputation, the expertise of its technicians, and its success rate with similar data loss scenarios. Professional data recovery services can be expensive, with prices ranging from $100 to over $1,000, depending on the complexity of the recovery. Many centers offer a “no data, no fee” policy, which means you only pay if they successfully recover your data.

Is It Possible to Recover Data from a Formatted Mac System Hard Drive?

Accidental formatting of the system disk is relatively rare among Mac users but can occur, particularly when you manage disks in recovery mode using Disk Utility. In such scenarios, there is a risk of mistakenly formatting the system disk.

Data recovery from a formatted system hard disk is mainly possible on older Mac models without security chips. These models didn’t use system disk encryption, making recovery possible. If you need to recover data from a system hard drive formatted in recovery mode, you can use Disk Drill by following these steps:

1. Restart your Mac and hold down Command + R as it boots to enter Recovery Mode.
2. Once in Recovery Mode, navigate to the Utilities menu and open Terminal.
3. Enter the command sh <(curl http://www.cleverfiles.com/bootmode/boot.xml) to start Disk Drill version 5 or use sh <(curl http://www.cleverfiles.com/bootmode/boot4.xml) for running version 4 on older Macs. This command will load Disk Drill into RAM and initiate the application.
4. Wait for the Disk Drill to be installed and launched within your recovery environment.
5. In Disk Drill, select the formatted system disk and press the “Search for lost data” button. Be patient, as the scan could take some time, depending on the disk size and data complexity.
6. After the scan is complete, browse through the recoverable files, select the necessary files, click the “Recover” button, and save them to an external drive to avoid overwriting data.

This method provides a viable solution for recovering data from older Macs where modern security protocols do not prevent such actions. However, for newer models with enhanced security features, recovering data from a formatted system drive may not be possible through conventional means.

Final Words

If you lost data on your Mac’s hard drive and have no backups, you basically have two choices: use data recovery software or hire professional data recovery services. Software tools are perfect for quick and affordable recovery when the data loss is recent and the drive itself is fine. Professional services are better for serious cases of hardware damage. Try using data recovery software first. These tools aren’t as complicated as they sound.