How to recover unsaved/deleted QuickTime recordings in 2024?

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"I was doing a screen recording on my Mac with QuickTime, but forgot to save it before stopping. Is there any way to recover unsaved QuickTime recording?"

A user from the Apple Support Community is seeking a solution to recover a QuickTime recording. In this article, we will introduce you to two methods to recover deleted QuickTime videos.

Method 1: Recover Unsaved QuickTime Recording on Mac

When you're screen recording and capturing on your Mac using QuickTime, you might lose all your hard work in the middle. For instance, if there's a power outage, QuickTime crashes, or the QuickTime window closes accidentally. All these situations can lead to an incomplete and unsaved QuickTime recording. How do you recover an unsaved QuickTime video when your work isn't saved properly? Follow the steps below to restore your lost footage.

Step 1: Go to /Users/[username]/Library/Containers/com.apple.QuickTimePlayerX/Data/Library/Autosave Information.

Step 2: Inside, look for a package named Unsaved QuickTime Player Document.qtpxcomposition. Right-click on the .qtpxcomposition file and you should see your .m4a audio recording inside.

This method only works for recovering unsaved QuickTime videos. If you've already deleted your recording, try Method 2 instead.

Method 2: Recover Deleted QuickTime Recordings

If you accidentally deleted a video recorded with QuickTime, don't panic. First, check your Trash. Anything you delete from a Mac stays in the Trash for 30 days or until you empty it. Find the video you want in the Trash, then click “Restore” to get it back.

If you have emptied the Trash and want to recover a deleted QuickTime recording, you may need assistance from a third-party app. We recommend using the Mac Data Recovery Wizard. Let's see what it can do.

• Recovers files from empty Recycle Bins, accidental deletion, or other loss scenarios.
• Merges quick and deep scans into a single streamlined process for faster file loading.
• Enables users to preview all recoverable files and data.
• Offers simple and absolute protection to safeguard important files.

Download and use the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. Follow this 3-step guide to recover deleted Quicktime videos:

Note: You can create a backup first by clicking “Disk Backup” on the left. The software will recover the deleted files from the backup image, which can prevent further damage to your disk and data, making it safer and more reliable.

Step 1: Scan for the deleted files

Select the hard drive, external drive, or SSD from where your important data and files were deleted, and then click “Search Lost Files.”

Select the location and scan for deleted files on your Mac:

Step 2: Filter out missing files

The software will scan the selected volume quickly and thoroughly, trying to find as many deleted files as possible. Filter the required files by Type and Path options.

Step 3: Recover the deleted files

Double-click the deleted files to preview them, and then hit the “Recover” button to get them back.

Where are QuickTime recordings saved on Mac?

Go to the "Applications" folder on your Mac. If you've recorded a video before, open QuickTime, and then select "File" to view your recordings. If you haven't, you can also select "File" > "New Screen Recording" from the menu bar. Note that the "Save To" location is where files created with QuickTime X default to on a Hamilton Lab computer. On a personal computer, the default location is the "Movies" folder.

Bottom line

That's how you can recover deleted QuickTime videos. Apart from helping you recover lost and deleted files on Mac, the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool also lets users recover unsaved Word documents on Mac, reset Mac to factory settings without data loss, and restore files from formatted USB drives. Give this tool a try to better safeguard your Mac contents.