Top 5 Best Mac Data Recovery Software in 2025

This page answers the question of 'What is the best data recovery software for Mac?' and lists the top 5 Mac data recovery software to help you restore whatever you lost on Mac and external storage devices.

Losing essential files on your Mac can be a stressful experience. Whether it's due to accidental deletion, a formatted drive, or a system crash, a reliable data recovery solution is crucial. After thorough research and testing of popular options available in the market, we've compiled a list of the best Mac data recovery software to help you get your files back.

The best Mac data recovery software in 2025 includes EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, recognized for its balance of advanced features and user-friendliness, along with other strong contenders like Disk Drill and R-Studio. Other highly-rated options are Data Rescue, Stellar Data Recovery, and the free, command-line tool TestDisk & PhotoRec. 

This page covers the best Mac data recovery software today, with detailed information about their features. On this page, you will learn how to recover deleted or lost files from Mac or external hard drives using the best Mac data recovery software on your own in several steps.

Here's a quick comparison of the top contenders to help you decide at a glance:

Mac Data Recovery Software	Best For	Key Strength	Overall Recovery Success	Free Tier & Price
🏆EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard	Overall Ease of Use & Comprehensive Recovery	User-friendly interface, high recovery rate, Built-in repair tools, Backup feature	High	2 GB free Pro: Starts at $69.95
Stellar Data Recovery	Encrypted Drives & Time Machine Backups	Specializes in recovering data from encrypted APFS drives and Time Machine backups; includes file repair features	Varies by scenario	1GB free Pro: Starts at $59.99
Disk Drill	Data Protection & User-Friendly Features	Additional data protection & disk health tools	Medium to High	500 MB free Pro: Starts at $89
R-Studio	Advanced Users & Complex Scenarios	Powerful advanced features for RAID recovery and network drives; highly flexible for technical users.	High	No free Pro: Starts at $79.99
Data Rescue	Basic File Recovery	Provides reliable, quick, and deep scanning modes; suitable for common data loss situations.	Medium	Free trial to scan only Pro: Starts at $79

How We Chose Data Recovery Software for Mac

So, how to find the best and most suitable Mac data recovery software to protect your data in case of any unexpected data loss issues happening? The best Mac data recovery software supports restoring all types of files from various data loss situations, including deleting, formatting, virus attacks, etc., supporting recovering emptied Trash on Mac, retrieving data from corrupted HDD/SSDs, USB flash drives, and memory cards.

To find out the best Mac data recovery software, we have tested 15 software and picked out the best five Mac data recovery software. Before you make a choice, it's helpful to understand the key features that differentiate these tools:

• Supported File Systems & Devices: Ensure the software is compatible with your Mac's file system (most modern Macs use APFS) and the storage device you need to recover from (e.g., internal SSD, external HDD, USB drives, and SD card recovery).
• Scanning Modes: Good software offers multiple scanning modes. A Quick Scan finds recently deleted files, while a Deep Scan thoroughly searches the drive's sectors for lost data and is essential for formatted drives or more severe data loss scenarios.
• Preview Function: The ability to preview files like photos, documents, and videos before recovery is crucial. It lets you verify the integrity of your files and ensures you only recover what you need.
• Ease of Use: A clean, intuitive interface makes the recovery process much less stressful, especially for non-technical users.

Now, let's take a look at our ranking of the top 5 data recovery software for Mac. This post will break down everything you might want to know about Mac data recovery software, including their pros, cons, licensing options, whether it's free or paid, and any standout features.

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1. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is one of the best Mac data recovery programs, fully compatible with the latest macOS. It's best for beginners for general use, such as recovering permanently deleted files after emptying the Mac Trash bin folder, including over 1000+ file types. Small and medium companies can all use this software on Mac computers to restore all types of lost data with its Free, Pro, and Technician versions.

It performs perfectly well in data recovery with all types of Mac storage devices, including SD cards, USB flash drives, pen drives, external hard drives, SSDs, HDDs, SSHDs, etc. 

Real Reviews on Trustpilot & G2

🙋‍♂️Alex: It's a super intuitive software, very easy to use, and you can recover data fast from almost any situation and device. I've used it before with SD and MicroSD. Very effective.

🙋‍♂️Dev: Prompt reply to my query, accurate answers, and spot-on advice. My issue was solved in 2 emails, very happy, good work. Thx a million.

🙋‍♀️Jason: The software is fantastic. I own several apps, and each one performs exactly as advertised. They all have a logical, easy-to-find things interface.

🙋Gopi: The most helpful feature is that it's very user-friendly and super easy to use. The fact that it recovers almost everything from your device.

✨Pros:

• Strong File System Support: Full data recovery with all Mac file system devices: APFS, HFS+, HFS X, FAT (FAT16, FAT32), exFAT, NTFS.
• High Recovery Effectiveness: Supports cross-platform recovery, recovering lost data on both Windows and Mac computers.
• Effective for Common Scenarios: It performs reliably in standard data loss situations like accidental deletion, emptying the Trash, and formatted drives. Supports data recovery from a dead Mac that can't boot.
• Preview Functionality: Before recovery, users can preview found files (like photos, documents, and videos) to verify their integrity, ensuring they only recover the files they need.
• User-Friendly Interface:  The process of selecting a drive, scanning, and recovering files is straightforward. Also, Live Chat and Email Support are both available.
• File Repair Features: Some of its premium versions include integrated file repair tools for corrupted photos and videos, which is a unique value-add not commonly found in competing software.

⚠️Cons:

• For more than 2GB of data recovery, users need to upgrade to the Pro version to continue restoring lost data without limitation.
• Like most tools, its deep or sector-based scan, which is necessary for severe data loss, can be time-consuming on large drives.
• It prioritizes ease of use over advanced technical features that power users or IT professionals might seek for complex scenarios like RAID reconstruction.

EaseUS Mac data recovery software supports 2GB of free data recovery with its Free edition and unlimited data recovery with its Pro version. With its built-in "Quick Scan" and "Deep Scan" modes, EaseUS Mac data recovery software enables users to effectively scan and restore lost files and data in 3 practical steps:

Step 1. Select the location to scan

Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac and choose the hard drive, SSD,  SD card, USB flash drive, or TF card where you lost data. Click "Search for lost files" to start scanning.

Step 2. Filter lost Mac data

The software will automatically scan for lost data on MacBook/iMac. When the scan completes, filter wanted data through the "Type" and "Path" buttons.

Step 3. Recover lost data or files

Double-click a file to preview it. Then, click the "Recover" button to restore the lost data to another place. 

2. Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac

Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac is also well designed with its user-friendly UI. The "Recover Data" option on the welcome window straightforwardly helps users find what they are looking for by choosing this software.

And "Monitor Drive" - SMART drive monitor also stands out, allowing users to track their hard drives' performance and health status.

✨Pros:

• Specialization in Encrypted Drives & Time Machine: A key strength is its ability to handle data recovery from encrypted APFS drives and specifically to recover data from damaged or corrupted Time Machine backups.
• Wide Device Compatibility: It supports recovery from a broad range of storage devices, including Mac hard drives, SSDs, external drives, USB pens, and SD cards.
• Cloning Tool: It can create a disk image clone of a failing drive, allowing you to perform recovery operations on the clone instead of the original damaged drive, thus preventing further damage.

⚠️Cons:

• Bootable recovery is not available.
• APFS and HFS X are not supported.
• No Free or Demo version - no free recovery capacity.
• Support: Live chat only (unavailable at night), no email.

The interface, while functional, can appear busier and slightly less modern than those of competitors like EaseUS or Disk Drill.

3. Disk Drill for Mac

Besides data recovery, Disk Drill also enables Mac users to analyze disk space and free up the hard drive with its Cleanup feature. Instead of regarding it as reliable data recovery software, it's more like a Mac disk management tool with data backup, disk cleanup, and duplicate files finder features.

Of course, it's making improvements in data recovery on both Mac computers and external storage devices.

✨Pros:

• Strong Data Protection Features: It includes unique extras like "Recovery Vault," a feature that maintains a cache of file metadata to aid in recovery, and "Guaranteed Recovery," which temporarily protects files in the Trash.
• Additional Tools: It comes with free extra utilities like disk health monitoring (S.M.A.R.T. checking) and drive backup tools, adding value beyond just data recovery.

⚠️Cons:

• Only 500MB of data recovery capacity with its free version.
• Bootable recovery is not supported.
• APFS and HFS X are not supported.
• A recovery boot drive is a must for data recovery on the latest macOS 10.14/10.13.
• Support: No live chat, email only.

4. R-Studio for Mac

R-Studio is a family of powerful, cost-effective disk recovery software that delivers professional solutions for recovering deleted files.

✨Pros:

• Powerful for Advanced Users & Technicians: It is packed with advanced features, including complex RAID reconstruction, support for network data recovery, and the ability to assemble a virtual RAID from individual components.
• Highly Customizable Scans: It offers extensive control over scan parameters, file signatures, and search areas, giving experts the flexibility to tackle complex recovery jobs.
• High Recovery Accuracy: Known for its powerful data recovery algorithms, it often achieves a high success rate, especially for technically challenging cases involving severe corruption or complex storage setups.

⚠️Cons:

• The interface is technical, complex, and not intuitive for casual users. It is unequivocally designed for system administrators, data recovery specialists, and IT professionals.
• The demo version can scan and preview found files, but it does not allow you to actually recover them without purchasing a license. There is no free data recovery allowance.
• For basic file recovery from accidental deletion, its complexity can be intimidating and unnecessary.

Try EaseUS Mac data recovery software if you want to recover your deleted photos, videos, documents, etc.

5. Data Rescue for Mac

Data Rescue for Mac, with a well-designed interface, makes it easier for Mac users to follow the guidelines and complete each step of data recovery. An outstanding feature of excluding duplicate files from the recovery result indeed saves Mac users some precious minutes in finding out what they did lose and excludes unwanted data quickly.

✨Pros:

• Proven Reliability and Focus: Developed by the reputable company Prosoft Engineering, it is known for being a stable, reliable, and focused tool that does its core job well without unnecessary extra features.
• Bootable Recovery Drive Creator: A significant advantage is the ability to create a bootable USB drive version of the software, which is crucial for recovering data from a Mac that won't start up.

⚠️Cons:

• Not compatible with Time Machine on macOS 10.14.
• Doesn't support the latest macOS 10.15 Catalina.
• The APFS file system is not compatible.
• The Demo is only for a free trial, not free recovery capacity.
• Customer Service: No Live Chat, email only.

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Conclusion

To wrap things up, if you are a new Mac user with no data recovery experience, a simple tool like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac or Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac might be more accessible. If you need a fully-featured tool to repair corrupted photos and videos, both EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and R-Studio are worth trying.

Further Readings: Mac Data Recovery FAQs

This page answers the question of "What is the best data recovery software for Mac?" and lists the top 5 Mac file recovery software to help you restore whatever you lost on Mac and external storage devices. However, some of you may have further questions about Mac data recovery. Check and find answers below if you have the same questions asked by other people on Google.

1. What is the best data recovery software?

The best Mac data recovery software depends on your needs, but EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is consistently recommended for its powerful features, user-friendly interface, and excellent performance across various data loss scenarios. For free, command-line-based recovery, PhotoRec (often bundled with TestDisk) is a strong, open-source option, though it lacks a graphical interface and file previews.

2. Is Mac Data Recovery Safe? 

Basically, when you lose data on a Mac computer or on a storage device, it's not safe to continue using the device to save data and files. You should stop using the device and apply reliable data recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to restore your lost files immediately.

3. Is it safe to use a Mac data recovery torrent?

Most professional or trial versions of Mac data recovery software require an activation key or a license code for activation. Some users may want to turn to unauthorized torrents provided by other crack sites or hackers. However, this is not a wise choice. We do not recommend that you license software with a cracked torrent. 

Instead, you should use an official key to upgrade the software to guarantee your own rights.

4. How to perform external hard drive recovery on Mac?

When you lose data on an external hard drive, follow the steps below to perform external hard drive recovery on Mac:

Step 1. Don't use the external hard drive and connect it to your Mac computer.

Step 2. Install and run reliable data recovery software - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

Step 3. Select an external hard drive to scan and find all lost data.

Step 4. Preview and restore all lost data from the external hard drive to another secure location on Mac.