How to Run Mac Data Recovery in Recovery Mode (Without Creating a USB Drive)

Suppose your Mac suddenly stops working and fails to boot; don't worry about losing your data! We'll introduce an effective way to perform data recovery on Mac in Recovery Mode!

There's no need to create a bootable USB drive and download the installer onto it to launch the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool on your Mac in macOS Recovery Mode. So, when your Mac crashes abruptly due to hardware issues, malware, OS corruption, or the likes, you can perform Mac data recovery in Recovery Mode.

Before you proceed to recover data from an unbootable Mac, there are two things you need to prepare in advance:

• Connect your Mac's power adapter to avoid data loss due to power failure during the recovery process.
• Prepare an external hard drive with sufficient capacity to hold the data from the non-bootable Mac.

Next, follow the steps outlined in the article Start your Mac in Recovery Mode to recover your saved data on Mac!

Step 1: Start up your Mac in macOS Recovery

The method for entering Recovery Mode varies slightly depending on the chip in your Mac. Follow the steps linked below for the specific details for your model of Mac:

For Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3):

Shut down your Mac, and then press and hold the Power button (Touch ID) until you see “Loading startup options.” Select “Options,” then click “Continue” to enter macOS Recovery mode.

Click Options.

For Intel-based Macs:

Hold down “Command + Option + R” to shut your Mac off and restart it. Keep holding the keys until you see a spinning globe appear on the screen.

For Macs with a T2 security chip:

Turn on your Mac, then immediately press and hold “Command + Option + Shift + R.” Keep holding these keys until you see the spinning globe on your Mac's screen.

Step 2: Launch the data recovery software through Terminal

After checking your internet connection, you can launch the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac in macOS Recovery Mode using the Terminal. Here's how to start the utility via Terminal:

Step 1: Click on “Utilities” in the top menu bar, and then select “Terminal” from the dropdown options.

Step 2: Type in the command below and press “Enter.”

This will open a professional Mac data recovery program. Wait for the application to open; this may take a few minutes.

If your Mac won't start up at all, or if Mac Recovery Mode isn't working, you'll need to make a USB installer to access your data. We also have an article on how to recover data from a dead Mac, in case you need it.

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Step 3: Use the tool to recover data from Mac in recovery mode

Wait for the utility window to appear on your Mac screen, where you can see different storage locations on the left sidebar. Follow these steps to recover data from your Mac:

Step 1: Choose the location.

Select the disk where your Mac's data was stored, then click “Search for Lost Files.” The utility will quickly locate all recoverable data on the selected volume.

Step two: Find the data you want

The utility categorizes the recoverable data by file type and storage path. You can find the needed data by clicking "Type" or "Path" on the left panel. Check the box before the data you want to retrieve.

Select the files you wish to restore.

Step 3: Restore and save your data

When you click “Recover,” a window will prompt you to choose where to save the files. Designate the external hard drive as the new location to save your recovered data.

Bonus Tip: How to Use a USB Drive to Recover a Non-Bootable Mac

If your Mac won't start up or you can't get online in macOS Recovery, don't worry! Here's how to recover your data by creating a USB installer:

Step 1: Install and run tools Data Recovery Wizard on another accessible Mac computer, and choose "Unbootable Mac".

Step 2. Next, select the USB drive that you have prepared to create a bootable disk. Click “Next” to start creating the bootable disk.

Step 3: The program will now create the 2GB partition and save the boot files. The remaining space on your USB drive can still be used to store files.

Step 4. Once done, boot the damaged Mac from the bootable drive and start the recovery process as per the instructions. We recommend that you recover your data to an external hard drive.

Boot a Damaged Mac from a Bootable Disk

Step 5. After restarting your Mac, open the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool. Select the disk location where you lost your data and files (internal HDD/SSD or removable storage device). The recovery tool will then scan for lost files automatically.

Note: It's best to create a backup of your Mac before data recovery, to prevent further loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can write new data again.

Conclusions

This article offers a complete guide on how to run Mac data recovery in Recovery Mode in 3 steps: boot Mac into Recovery Mode, launch the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool via Terminal, and use the software to recover data.

Frequently Asked Questions on Mac Data Recovery in Recovery Mode

When a Mac won't start up and you need to retrieve data from it, the questions come pouring in. Here are some of the most common ones.

1. How can I get data off a bricked Mac?

Here are some methods that have been known to work for retrieving data from a frozen Mac:

• Recover data from a specific date on your Mac with the help of our Data Recovery Service
• Use the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool to restore files from a Mac at a specific date
• Create a bootable macOS USB drive to access data from an unbootable Mac
• Remove the hard drive from an unbootable Mac and connect it to a functioning Mac for data recovery

< strong > Why can't I see Macintosh HD in macOS Recovery?

The reasons behind Macintosh HD not showing up in recovery mode are corrupt file system, damaged connector, hard drive failure of Mac, virus attack, and so on.

3. Can you recover files from a dead MacBook?

You may be able to retrieve files from a frozen MacBook. If your Mac can enter macOS Recovery mode, you can use the following steps to recover data from a Mac in this mode:

Step 1: Boot into macOS Recovery Mode and click Utilities > Terminal from the top menu.

Step 2: Copy and paste the command: sh &(curl https://d3.tools.com/mac/boot.sh), then hit “Enter.” This command will help you boot a powerful data-recovery tool without needing a USB drive.

Step 3: Wait for the software window to appear. Select the disk volume and click “Search for Lost Files.” This handy tool will find all recoverable data on your Mac.

Step 4: Get a large storage device to save the recovered data. Click “Recover” to retrieve data from Mac.

But if your Mac is completely unresponsive, you'll need to remove the hard drive from the broken Mac and install it in a working one, where you can connect an external drive and copy the data off the broken machine's drive.