Mac Update Wiped Everything [How to Recover Lost Data After macOS Update]

Have you encountered the common issue of Mac update deleting all content? Don't worry, this page has provided four viable solutions to address the problem:

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New features in macOS Catalina 10.15

Following Mojave, the latest macOS version – Catalina – is now available for download. Most Mac users will be upgrading from macOS Mojave 10.14 to Catalina 10.15. It's free, and worth upgrading your Mac to enjoy the new features of Catalina.

1. Removal of iTunes: With Catalina, iTunes is expected to be replaced by separate apps for Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts, starting from Catalina. 2. Second Screen Support: Catalina also introduces support for using an iPad as a secondary display for your Mac. 3. Sidecar – Use your iPad as a drawing board: With Sidecar, users can draw and annotate on their iPad using the Apple Pencil when connected to their Mac. 4. Screen Time: Screen Time now allows users to set app limits across all Apple devices, not just on the Mac. 5. Updated Photos app: The Photos app curates and showcases your best photos, while removing low-quality and duplicates.

However, you may encounter data loss during the upgrade. Before you proceed with the operation, make sure to back up Mac data. If you have lost data, refer to the section below.

Mac update deleted everything

"I updated my Mac to Catalina 10.15 and lost all my files. My entire hard drive is empty. Desktop, Documents, Mail, folders, everything is gone. Apps are there, but that's it. My mail is gone, and my user profile looks like it's newly created. Is there any way to recover the lost files, or am I screwed..."

There are three questions in the heart of most users who lose data after a macOS update: 1. Why does a macOS update erase everything? 2. Is it possible to recover lost data? 3. How can I get the new features and retrieve my lost data?

Frankly, there are quite a few Mac users who are unaware of the reasons that lead to data loss after macOS update. To start with Mac data recovery due to macOS update, you should first figure out the reasons and know why the data can be recovered.

Why does a macOS update delete everything?

In general, major version updates to macOS don't remove or alter user data. Pre-installed apps and settings are also preserved during an upgrade. However, you should proceed with caution and take responsibility for the safety of your data. Although it's unlikely that anything will go wrong, you could lose access to your data if an issue occurs due to:

• Hard drive failure or file system errors
• Incomplete macOS updates, failed macOS updates, or a crashed operating system
• Lack of disk space for an operating system update

To avoid the inconvenience of losing important data, it's recommended that you back up your crucial files using the Mac Data Recovery Wizard before installing or updating macOS.

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Backup Your Mac Data and Never Lose Info

Backup and restore your MacBook/iMac without Time Machine, iCloud, or external hard drive.

Can lost data be recovered?

In fact, deleted files can be recovered. When a file is accidentally (or deliberately) deleted from a Mac, the pointer to it is removed, not the file itself. The data is not actually erased from the system until new data overwrites it.

If you find your files missing after updating your Mac, stop using the device immediately to prevent any new data from being written to the hard drive. Then, follow the solutions below to recover lost data from macOS update.

Solutions to Recover Files After Updating macOS Catalina/Mojave

When a Mac update wipes out everything on your computer, try these solutions to recover all your lost files.

If you have a backup, you can retrieve your data from it. If not, you'll need to recover your data soon with a professional Mac Data Recovery tool.

Solution 1: Recover Lost Data with Mac Data Recovery Software

Mac Data Recovery Software - Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can help recover lost data after updating to macOS 10.15. Additionally, you can use this data recovery software to restore deleted or lost files if you encounter the following issues: 1. Accidentally deleted important files: Whether you emptied the Trash or directly removed a file, this tool can assist in retrieving it. 2. Hard drive failure or damage: If your hard drive is malfunctioning and inaccessible, it can attempt to recover data from the faulty disk. 3. Formatting errors: Accidentally formatted a disk or volume? Don't worry; the software might be able to restore data from before the formatting. 4. System crashes or virus infections: Data loss due to system crashes, virus attacks, or malware can be recovered with the help of this software. 5. Lost partitions: If disk partitions unexpectedly vanish, the software can scan and attempt to recover the partitions along with their contained data. 6. Incomplete file transfers: Power outages, network issues, or other interruptions that lead to failed file transfers might allow the software to retrieve the unsaved portions. 7. Failed Time Machine backups: If you rely on Time Machine for backups but encounter issues during the process, this software can serve as an alternative to help recover your data. In summary, regardless of the data loss scenario you face, Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is a powerful tool worth trying.

In these cases, data recovery software can help you recover your data.

Here's how you can recover lost data and missing files after updating your Mac:

Note: You can create a backup by first clicking "Disk Backup" on the left. You can then recover data from the backup image when the disk is damaged or data on the disk is accidentally deleted or lost.

Step 1: Choose a location

Select the disk from which you lost data after upgrading to macOS Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey/Big Sur. Then, click “Search Lost Files.”

Step 2: Scan for the lost data

Data Recovery Wizard immediately scans the disk volume you've chosen, and displays the scan results in the left pane. You can locate your desired data on Mac by file types and file paths.

Step 3: Recover Data after macOS Update

Select the target files that were accidentally lost during or after the update, and then click the "Restore" button to restore them all.

Solution 2: Restore macOS Catalina/Mojave Data from Time Machine Backup

This method only works if you have a Time Machine backup. Follow these steps to easily restore deleted, lost, or missing data:

1. Open Launchpad on your Mac, then click “Other.”

Step 2: Click the Time Machine icon to launch Time Machine.

Step 3: Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the timeline and view your backups.

Step 4: Once you locate the files, click on “Recover” to restore lost data from Time Machine on macOS Catalina/Mojave.

Solution 3: Recover Lost Files from iCloud Backup

Some Mac users are used to backing up their data and files to iCloud. For these Mac users, losing or having files disappear after a macOS update might come as welcome news.

Here are the steps to recover lost Mac files from an iCloud backup:

Step 1: In a browser on your Mac, go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.

Step 2: Go to Settings, then scroll to the bottom of the page.

Step 3. Click on “Restore files” under “Advanced” in the bottom left.

Note: To restore contacts, bookmarks, calendars, and reminders from iCloud, click the respective option under Advanced.

4. Check the files you want to restore, or click “Select All” if you need to restore everything. Then, click “Restore” to bring your files back.

Solution 4: Restore files from an APFS snapshot using macOS Recovery

Similar to System Restore in Windows, macOS (specifically High Sierra, Mojave, and Catalina) lets you restore files from an APFS snapshot using the macOS Recovery feature. This works only in macOS Catalina, Mojave, and High Sierra, though.

When the macOS install or update starts, the system automatically creates a snapshot. You need to agree to the terms to begin creating the snapshot. A snapshot contains the current state of the target disk, including files and the version of macOS. Note that snapshots are an APFS feature. If the target disk is not formatted with APFS, a snapshot is not saved.

If you don't want to roll back macOS Catalina or Mojave, go back to Solution 1 and let a reliable Mac data recovery tool help you out.

If your Mac's disk is formatted as APFS, you can accept the results of restoring files from an APFS snapshot to return macOS to a previous state:

Step 1: Restart your Mac and hold down Command + R to enter Recovery Mode.

Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo.

Step 2: Select Restore from Time Machine backup and click Continue.

Step 3: A list of disks connected to your Mac that contain APFS snapshots appears. Select the Mac startup disk, then click Continue.

A list of snapshots, sorted by date created and with an image of the macOS version, appears. Select the snapshot you want to restore from, then click Continue.

You'll see a progress bar while the recovery completes, and your Mac will automatically restart when it's done. After your Mac restarts, you can use the previous version of macOS to find and access your missing files. If you still want to update to the latest version of macOS, back up your Mac first, then try again.

Conclusions

This page encompasses 4 practical files to help Mac users restore missing or lost files after macOS updates. If the macOS Catalina or Mojave update wiped everything from your Mac, you can recover lost files from a backup:

Time Machine backup, iCloud backup, and APFS snapshot.

Don't worry if you don't have a backup. You can still recover your data with professional data recovery software, such as Disk Drill. It only takes three simple steps for it to scan and find all the files you lost after updating macOS.