Deleted something important on your Mac?
You emptied the Trash, formatted a USB drive, or a partition went missing, and now you need the files back. Free Mac Data Recovery from ThunderSoft is built for that one job. It scans your Mac and other storage devices for lost files and lets you check what it found before you commit to anything.
Quick facts
- Platform: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and above
- Version on the vendor page: 4.5
- Download size: about 3.58 MB
- Language: English
- Cost to try: free to preview the recoverable data
Key features
Get back photos, music, videos, documents and emails
The program retrieves files that were lost, deleted or formatted. It covers the usual personal file types, including photos, music, videos, documents and emails.
Recover from more than the internal drive
It works with Mac-based hard drives, external hard drives and USB flash drives. The vendor also lists mobile phones, digital cameras, iPods and MP3/MP4 players.
Rescue data from damaged partitions
You can recover data from lost, deleted, resized and corrupted partitions. That helps after a partitioning mistake or a drive that no longer mounts properly.
Choose between a Quick scan and a Deep scan
Two scan modes let you start fast and go deeper only if the file doesn't turn up. The causes it covers include deletion, formatting, virus infection, improper operation, unexpected power failure and software crash.
Follow a three-step wizard
A wizard mode walks beginners through recovery step by step. The vendor says the whole process takes only 3 simple steps.
Who it's for
It suits Mac owners who lost files by accident and want a simple, single-purpose tool. It is also a reasonable first try before you consider a paid recovery suite.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Small download and a simple interface
- Quick and Deep scan modes
- Covers internal drives, external drives, USB sticks and cameras
- You can preview recoverable data for free
Cons
- Only a preview is free; saving recovered files needs a license, according to a SourceForge write-up
- The free tier limits total recoverable data, and deep scans can be slow, according to the same write-up
- It does one thing only, with no cloud recovery or backup
What users say
"Thank you, you recovered my lost data successfully, although not all of them, I still appreciate it." (Softonic user review)
FAQs
Can I try it before paying?
Yes. The vendor notes that previewing the recoverable data is free.
What can it recover?
Photos, music, videos, documents, emails and other files lost to deletion, formatting, virus infection, power failure or a crash.
Does it work on external drives?
Yes. It supports external hard drives and USB flash drives, plus other storage devices such as cameras and MP3/MP4 players.
Which Macs does it run on?
Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and above.
What should I do right after losing files?
Stop using the affected drive and save anything you recover to a different location.
System requirements
- Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and above
- About 3.58 MB for the download