Where Deleted Photos Go on Mac?

PAGE CONTENT:

In the age of digital photography, losing your photos can be one of the most frustrating experiences. Whether you've accidentally deleted them, or they've been lost due to a system crash, photos often hold irreplaceable memories. If you're a Mac user, it's important to know where deleted photos go and how to recover them.

Macs have a variety of mechanisms in place to prevent the immediate loss of deleted photos, giving you several chances to recover them. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into where deleted photos go on your Mac, how to recover them, and the steps you can take to avoid losing them permanently.

Understand the Mac Photo System

Before diving into the specifics of deleted photos, it's important to understand how macOS organizes and stores images. Photos on a Mac are generally stored in the Photos app, which acts as the central hub for all photo-related activities on the system. Here, photos are organized into albums and collections, and they can be backed up to iCloud for seamless syncing across devices.

In addition to the Photos app, macOS offers several ways to manage files, including the Finder and iCloud. Understanding these tools will help you figure out where your photos are stored and how the deletion process works.

How Photos are Stored on a Mac:

• Photos App: This app serves as the default storage for images and videos. It integrates with iCloud, so photos can be synced across multiple Apple devices.
• Finder: When you import photos from external devices like cameras or smartphones, they may be stored in Finder folders. These photos aren't automatically imported into the Photos app unless you specifically add them.
• iCloud: If you have iCloud Photos enabled, your photos are automatically backed up and synced across all Apple devices. This means that if you delete a photo from one device, it will also be deleted from all other devices connected to the same iCloud account. However, iCloud also has a "Recently Deleted" folder that offers a safety net.

With this understanding, let's now examine where deleted photos go when you press the delete button.

The Process of Deleting Photos on Mac:

Photos can be deleted in multiple ways on a Mac, whether you're in the Photos app, Finder, or directly from iCloud. Depending on where the photo is deleted, macOS will handle it differently.

1. From the Photos App:

Deleting a photo from the Photos app doesn't immediately erase it from your Mac. Instead, the photo moves to the Recently Deleted album. This album acts as a holding area where photos stay for 30 days, giving you a chance to recover them if you change your mind.

2. From Finder:

If you're deleting photos from a Finder window (such as from a folder where they were manually stored), they will move to the Trash folder. Again, they are not permanently deleted until the Trash is emptied.

3. From iCloud:

If you have iCloud Photos enabled and delete a photo from one device, it is deleted from all devices that share the same iCloud account. However, it will appear in the Recently Deleted folder within iCloud for up to 30 days.

Where Do Deleted Photos Go on Mac?

When you delete a photo, it doesn't vanish instantly from your device. Instead, macOS uses two main safety nets: the Trash folder and the Recently Deleted album.

1. Trash Folder

When you delete a photo from Finder (or another file manager), the photo first lands in the Trash. The Trash is a temporary holding area where deleted items remain until you choose to empty the trash. The reason behind this feature is simple: it gives you a safety net in case you've deleted something by accident.

How Long Do Photos Stay in the Trash?

Photos (and other files) will remain in the Trash indefinitely, until you manually empty the Trash or until the system runs out of space and starts purging old files.

How to Recover Photos from the Trash:

• Open the Trash by clicking on its icon in the dock.
• Browse through the items in the Trash to find the photo you want to restore.
• Right-click on the photo and select Put Back to restore it to its original location.

Permanent Deletion:

If you want to permanently delete a photo from the Trash, right-click on the photo and select Delete Immediately. Alternatively, you can choose to empty the entire Trash by right-clicking on the Trash icon and selecting Empty Trash.

2. Recently Deleted Album in Photos App

In addition to the Trash folder, the Photos app has a built-in feature called the Recently Deleted album. This album works similarly to the Trash folder, but specifically for photos and videos that are deleted from the app.

What Happens in the Recently Deleted Album?

• When a photo is deleted from the Photos app, it gets placed in the Recently Deleted album, where it stays for 30 days.
• During this period, the photo is not permanently deleted and can still be recovered.

How to Recover Photos from the Recently Deleted Album:

• Open the Photos app.
• In the sidebar, click on Recently Deleted under the Library or Utilities section.
• Select the photos you want to restore.
• Click Recover to restore them to their original album.

Permanent Deletion After 30 Days:

After 30 days, photos in the Recently Deleted album are automatically deleted from your device. If you want to permanently delete photos before the 30 days are up, you can select them and click Delete.

3. iCloud Recently Deleted Folder

If you're using iCloud Photos, deleted photos are also sent to the Recently Deleted folder within iCloud. This gives you an additional layer of protection, especially if you're using multiple Apple devices.

How to Recover Deleted Photos from iCloud:

• On your Mac, go to System Preferences (or System Settings) > Apple ID > iCloud and ensure that iCloud Photos is enabled.
• To recover photos, open Photos and go to the Recently Deleted album.
• You can also visit iCloud.com, log in with your Apple ID, and access the Recently Deleted album through the Photos app online.

What Happens After 30 Days?

Photos will be permanently deleted from iCloud after 30 days. Once they are gone, they cannot be recovered from the Recently Deleted folder.

What to Do if Photos Are Permanently Deleted? How to Recover Them?

Despite the multiple recovery options mentioned above, there may be instances where photos are permanently deleted - either from the Trash or the Recently Deleted album. Don't worry, there are still potential ways to recover your lost photos.

1. Use Third-Party Recovery Tools for Photo Recovery on Mac

If photos have been permanently deleted, third-party software may offer a solution. These tools are specifically designed to scan your Mac's storage for deleted files that have not yet been overwritten by new data.

Popular Recovery Tools:

• Donemax Data Recovery for Mac
• Disk Drill
• PhotoRec
• Recover it for Mac

These tools are usually easy to use and involve scanning your hard drive for deleted files. However, they can be time-consuming, and there is no guarantee that they will recover every deleted photo, especially if too much time has passed since the deletion.

Step 1. Download and install the reliable Mac data recovery software - Donemax Data Recovery for Mac.

Step 2. Open Donemax Data Recovery for Mac, select the drive (such as Macintosh HD) where you delete or lose your photos.

Step 3. Click on Scan button to deeply scan the selected drive and find all recoverable files including the deleted photos.

Step 4. Once the scan is completed, you can preview all recoverable photos and other files. Just select the photos you want to recover, then click on Recover button to save them.

2. Use Time Machine Backups to Restore Photos on Mac

If you regularly back up your Mac using Time Machine, recovering deleted photos becomes much easier. Time Machine creates incremental backups of your entire system, including your photos.

How to Recover Photos Using Time Machine:

• Open the Photos app or the folder where you delete the photos.
• In the menu bar, click Enter Time Machine or Browser Time Machine Backups.
• Navigate to the date when you believe the photo was still on your Mac.
• Browse through the backups and select the photos you want to restore.
• Click Restore.

Prevention Tips:

While it's reassuring to know that deleted photos can often be recovered, it's still best to take preventive measures to avoid data loss in the first place. Here are some tips:

• Use iCloud for Automatic Backup: Enabling iCloud Photos ensures that your photos are automatically backed up to the cloud, so even if something happens to your Mac, your photos will be safe.
• Back Up to External Drives: For an additional layer of protection, back up your photos to an external hard drive. Time Machine can do this automatically.
• Create a Regular Backup Schedule: Ensure that you back up your data regularly, whether you use iCloud, Time Machine, or another backup solution.

💡 Note: If you want to permanently delete specific photos from your Mac, you can use Mac data erasure program - Donemax Data Eraser for Mac to shred the photos or wipe free disk space of your Mac so that the photos will be lost for good, can't be recovered by any method.

Conclusion

Knowing where deleted photos go on your Mac can save you from the frustration of losing precious memories. Whether they end up in the Trash, the Recently Deleted album, or iCloud, there are multiple ways to recover them. In case of permanent deletion, third-party recovery tools (such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac) or Time Machine backups may offer a solution.

However, the best defense against photo loss is prevention. By setting up automatic backups using iCloud, Time Machine, or external drives, you can ensure that your photos are always safe and accessible. So, make sure to take the necessary steps to safeguard your digital memories!