Three Methods to Recover Lost Data from WD My Passport on Mac

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WD My Passport is a popular external hard drive used for data storage and backup. However, data loss can occur due to accidental deletion, formatting, corruption, or hardware failure. Losing important files can be daunting, especially if you do not have a backup. Fortunately, macOS provides several built-in methods, and third-party data recovery tools can help retrieve lost data.

In this guide, we will explore various ways to recover lost data from a WD My Passport drive on a Mac. We'll start with basic troubleshooting steps and move on to advanced recovery techniques.

Initial Troubleshooting Steps Before Recovering WD My Passport on Mac

Before recovering lost data from your WD My Passport drive on Mac, follow these basic troubleshooting steps to determine whether the data is truly lost or if the issue is with the drive's connection or recognition.

Check If the Drive Is Properly Connected:

• Ensure that your WD My Passport drive is securely connected to your Mac via a USB cable.
• Try using a different USB cable or a different USB port to rule out connection issues.
• If you are using a USB hub, connect the drive directly to the Mac.

Check if the Drive Appears in Finder and Disk Utility:

• Open Finder and look under Locations to check if the drive appears.
• If the drive is not visible in Finder, open Disk Utility from Utilities via Applications
• If the drive appears but is grayed out, try mounting it manually.

🔗 Related link: fix WD My Passport drive not showing up on Mac.

Use First Aid in Disk Utility:

Take these actions if the drive shows up in Disk Utility but cannot be accessed:

• Open Disk Utility from Utilities via Applications
• Select your WD My Passport drive.
• Click on First Aid and then Run.

• Wait for the process to complete and check if the drive becomes accessible.

If Disk Utility cannot repair the drive, move on to recovery methods.

Methods to Recover Lost Data from WD My Passport on Mac

Method 1. Recover Lost WD My Passport's Data Using macOS Built-in Tools

Before resorting to third-party recovery software, try using macOS's built-in recovery options.

1. Check the Trash Bin

Files that you unintentionally erased may still be in the Trash:

• From the Dock, open Trash.
• Search for the files that were erased.
• To restore the files, right-click on them and choose Put Back.

If your files are not in the Trash, proceed to the next method.

2. Restore from Time Machine Backup

If you had backed up your WD My Passport drive with Time Machine before the data loss, you can restore lost files:

• Connect the Time Machine backup drive to your Mac.
• Access the original folder containing the deleted data.
• Choose Browse Time Machine Backups after clicking on the Time Machine symbol in the menu bar.

• Locate your files by looking through previous backups.
• Click Restore to recover the lost data.

Method 2. Use Data Recovery Software to Recover Lost Data from WD My Passport on Mac

When built-in macOS tools like Disk Utility and Time Machine fail to recover lost files, data recovery software becomes essential. These tools specialize in scanning storage devices for recoverable data, even from formatted or corrupted drives.

Data recovery software works by scanning the sectors of your WD My Passport drive for traces of deleted or lost files.

Recovery software uses two main scanning methods:

1. Quick Scan – This method searches for recently deleted files and is faster but less thorough. It is ideal for recovering files deleted from the Trash.
2. Deep Scan – A more comprehensive scan that analyzes the entire drive for lost data, even from formatted or corrupted partitions. This method takes longer but has a higher success rate.

Donemax Data Recovery for Mac is one of the best Mac data recovery software. It can completely recover lost data from HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, memory card, digital camera, etc. If you want to recover lost data from a WD My Passport drive, just download and install this software on your Mac.

Then follow the steps below to recover lost data from your WD My Passport drive:

Step 1. Connect your WD My Passport drive to your Mac and open Donemax Data Recovery for Mac. Just select the WD My Passport drive to start data recovery.

Step 2. Click on Scan button, Donemax Data Recovery for Mac will deeply scan the WD My Passport drive and find all deleted/formatted/lost files and inaccessible files.

Step 3. After scanning, Donemax Data Recovery will display a list of recoverable files, categorized by type (Documents, Photos, Videos, etc.) or Path. Use the Preview feature to check file integrity before recovering.

Click Recover after selecting the files you wish to recover.

Important: Save the recovered files to a different location (e.g., your Mac's internal drive or another external drive) to prevent overwriting.

Once the recovery process is complete, verify that the files open correctly.

What to Do If Recovery Software Fails

If the data recovery software does not find your files or the recovered files are corrupted:

• Try a different recovery tool – Some software may be more effective for specific data loss scenarios.
• Run a Deep Scan – If you only used Quick Scan, a Deep Scan might uncover more recoverable data.
• Check if the drive is physically damaged – If the drive makes clicking sounds or is not recognized at all, professional recovery services may be needed.

If software recovery is unsuccessful, move on to Method 3: Recover Data via Professional Services for further assistance.

Method 3. Recover WD My Passport Drive's Data via Expert Services

Professional data recovery services can be your best bet if your WD My Passport disk is physically damaged or not detected at all.

When to Seek Expert Help

• The drive makes clicking or grinding noises (sign of mechanical failure).
• The drive is not recognized in Disk Utility or any recovery software.
• DIY recovery attempts have failed, and the data is critical.

Recommended Data Recovery Services

• DriveSavers – Known for handling severe data loss cases.
• Secure Data Recovery – Offers no-recovery, no-fee policy.
• Ontrack – Provides services for both physical and logical data loss.

Most professional recovery services provide a free evaluation before charging for data recovery.

Prevent Future Data Loss on WD My Passport Drive on Mac

To avoid future data loss, follow these best practices:

Regular Backups:

• Enable Time Machine and back up your data regularly.
• Use cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox for additional backups.

Safely Eject Your Drive:

• Always eject the WD My Passport properly before disconnecting.
• Go to Finder > Locations > WD My Passport > Right-click > Eject.

Monitor Drive Health Using S.M.A.R.T. Tools

• Use Disk Utility or third-party tools like DriveDx to monitor your drive's health.
• If you notice frequent errors, consider replacing the drive before it fails completely.

Conclusion

Losing important data from your WD My Passport on a Mac can be stressful, but recovery is often possible. Start with basic troubleshooting, check the Trash Bin, and restore from Time Machine if available. If these methods fail, use data recovery software like Donemax Data Recovery for Mac. For physically damaged drives, seek professional data recovery services.

To prevent future data loss, always back up your data using Time Machine or cloud storage, and safely eject your drive. By following these steps, you can protect your files and minimize the risk of permanent data loss.

FAQs About WD My Passport Drive Data Recovery on Mac

1. How to recover lost data from a WD My Passport drive on Mac?

You can try these methods to recover lost data from a WD My Passport drive on Mac:

• Recover deleted files from trash bin.
• Recover lost files via Time Machine backup.
• Repair corrupted WD My Passport drive using Disk Utility's First Aid feature.
• Recover lost data from a WD My Passport drive with data recovery software.

The best way to recover permanently deleted files or formatted data from a WD My Passport drive on Mac is using data recovery software - such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac.

• Download and install Donemax Data Recovery for Mac, open it.
• Select the WD My Passport drive to start data recovery.
• Click on Scan button to deeply scan the WD My Passport drive.
• Preview and recover lost files after scanning.

2. What is the best data recovery software for WD My Passport drive data recovery on Mac?

Here are some of the most effective WD My Passport drive data recovery tools for macOS:

1. Donemax Data Recovery for Mac

• Recover lost data from a WD My Passport drive for free.
• Supports to recover 2000+ file types.
• Recover inaccessible data from a corrupted WD My Passport drive.
• Unformat a WD My Passport drive on Mac.
• Recover permanently deleted files from a WD My Passport drive on Mac.

2. Disk Drill

• Offers both Quick Scan and Deep Scan modes.
• Supports recovery of over 400 file types, including documents, videos, and images.
• Provides a preview feature to check file integrity before recovery.
• Free version allows scanning, but recovery requires a paid version.

3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

• Supports recovery from external hard drives, SSDs, USBs, and memory cards.
• Allows users to recover up to 2GB of data for free (larger recoveries require a paid plan).
• User-friendly interface, making it suitable for beginners.

4. Stellar Data Recovery for Mac

• Outstanding at retrieving data from corrupted, encrypted, or formatted disks.
• Supports APFS, HFS+, FAT, and NTFS file systems.
• Provides a built-in drive cloning feature for failing disks.

5. R-Studio for Mac

• Designed for advanced users and professionals.
• Recovers data from RAID arrays and complex file system structures.
• Supports network-based recovery, allowing remote retrieval.

3. How to recover lost data from a formatted WD My Passport drive on Mac?

Just use data recovery software - such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac to deeply scan the formatted WD My Passport drive and get all lost data back.