How to Recover Files after Formatting Macintosh HD

• How to recover formatted hard disk in Mac

Is it possible to recover files after formatting Macintosh HD?The answer is definitely YES! In fact, hard disk formatting doesn't wipe your  files (unless the files are overwritten by other files). When you format a Macintosh HD, the file system of disk is replaced with a new empty file system. Thus, the entries of all the files and directories saved on the hard drive are cleaned so that  they're inaccessible. However, the disk maintains an index file, telling the computer's operating system the place that a particular file is stored. When you format the hard drive, links between index and file are deleted. Those lost files are still physically intact, and you can restore formatted files from Mac before they are overwritten by new files.

1Wondershare Macintosh HD Recovery Software

Since it's possible to recover formatted files in Mac, how to recover Mac files has really confused some Mac users. In brief, there are two ways: Restore and Recover.

If you have backed up your Mac files, you can restore formatted files easily from the backup files. If you don't have any valid backup, you need Mac format recovery software - Wondershare Data Recovery for Mac, to recover formatted files from Mac. Wondershare Data Recovery for Mac enables you to do it, no matter formatted, deleted or lost files due to different reasons.

Tips: Remeber not to install Wondershare Data Recovery to the same partition or place where you lost your data to avoid from overwriting your original data.

If you are a Windows user, switch to Wondershare Data Recovery for Windows.

2How to recover formatted hard disk in Mac

Step 1. Select the file type

Install and run this data recovery on your Mac. To recover formatted files from your Mac HD, slect the option "All File Type" to start

Step 2. Select the Macintosh HD for recovery

Select the Macintosh HD that you formatted accidentally, and click on "Start" to find out all lost files.

If the quick scan can't find your data, go to deep scan which will deeply search and take more time.

Step 3. Start to recover formatted files from Mac

When the scanning completes, you can preview the scanning results and check those files important to you for recovery.

3Why need to format Macintosh HD?

There is a built-in tool named Disk Utility in Mac which allows you to perform the format process by hitting on the "Erase" tab when specifying the disk or the volume. Formatting can fix some of the hard drive related logical problems, but also erase all the saved files and folders in the Macintosh HD, so usually you may not format Macintosh HD. Formatting is only performed for your certain purpose, such as:

• To remove a deadly virus, which even can't be cleared with an anti-virus software.
• Reinstall operating system to fix boot errors or restore missing system files.
• Replace damaged file system or Macintosh HD structures.
• Clear all data that you don't want from the Mac.