Recover Lost Data from Flash Drive on Mac OS X/macOS

Overview of the Mac USB Flash Drive

A USB flash drive is a portable device used to store photos, spreadsheets, word processing documents, movie clips, music tracks, and many other types of files. They are quite popular among users. However, since people tend to store important data on them, losing files can be a disaster. So, here, we will discuss how to recover lost data from a USB drive on Mac OS X/macOS. First, let's look at the reasons for data loss from a USB drive.

Here are some factors that may lead to data loss on a USB drive: 1. Hardware Failure: Physical damage to the USB drive, such as drops, water damage, or internal component failure, can make the data unreadable or cause it to be lost. 2. Virus Infection: Malware or viruses can infect the USB drive, resulting in deleted, encrypted, or inaccessible files. 3. Improper Ejection: Removing the USB drive abruptly during data transfer can damage the file system, leading to data loss. 4. File System Errors: Errors in the USB drive's FAT (File Allocation Table) or NTFS file system can render data inaccessible. 5. Formatting: Accidentally formatting the USB drive will erase all stored data, which is difficult to recover without a backup. 6. System Crash or Power Failure: If the computer shuts down unexpectedly or experiences a system crash while writing data, it can result in data loss. 7. Insufficient Storage Space: Attempting to save large files to a full or almost full USB drive might overwrite existing data, causing loss. 8. Malicious Deletion: Intentionally or unintentionally deleting important files without sending them to the recycle bin removes them directly from the USB drive. 9. Partial Write: Interrupting the process of writing a large file can lead to partial loss or corruption of the file. 10. Incompatibility with Devices: Using the USB drive on different operating systems or devices can sometimes cause compatibility issues, affecting data integrity and accessibility.

Data loss from USB flash drives can be caused by various unexpected factors. Here, I've listed some common reasons:

• Virus attack
• Hardware failure
• Improper shutdown
• User error
• Software corruption

So you try your best to avoid these accidents to protect your data. But what if you lose your data and want to retrieve it? Can you recover lost USB drive data from Mac? If you're suffering data loss, would you like to recover lost flash drive data from Mac? Keep reading to get the easiest and safest solutions right here.

Best USB Flash Drive Recovery Software for Mac

If you are troubled with data loss from USB drive, you can use the effective Mac Data Recovery Wizard to recover lost data. This all-in-one data recovery tool will help you handle various data loss situations with ease.

• Supports the recovery of over 200 file types, including deleted Excel / Word / PPT, photos, videos, music, and other files from Mac internal or external hard drives.
• Enables data retrieval from Mac hard drive, USB flash drive, digital camera, and external storage devices.
• Slickly installs on all Mac systems, from Mac OS X 10.9 to macOS 10.14 (Mojave).

How to Recover Data from a USB Flash Drive on Mac OS X/macOS

As soon as you realize that you need to recover data from the device, stop using the USB drive. This prevents the operating system from overwriting the files before you have a chance to recover them. Follow these simple steps to restore deleted files from a USB drive on a Mac:

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Step 1: Connect the USB drive to your Mac

Plug the USB flash drive into your Mac correctly. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool. Start by selecting the flash drive, then click “Search Lost Files” to have the software scan for lost files on it.

Select your USB drive and search for lost files

Step 2: Look for Lost Data on USB Drive

Upon completion, all files will be displayed in the left pane of the scan results.

Step 3: Recover data from the flash drive

Select the files you wish to recover, then click on the “Recover” button. To avoid overwriting data, do not save the recovered files back onto the USB drive itself.

"Tips on How to Prevent Data Loss from USB Drive"

This simple guide on how to recover deleted files from a USB flash drive on a Mac can help you out. Learning how to protect your USB flash drive or thumb drive is also an important step in keeping it secure.

Periodic Backup

Back up your data from time to time to guard against USB drive failure. Many users never back up the data on their USB drives, even though it may be the only place that data exists. Don't become one of these victims. Take the time to back up your data.

Steps to enable data protection:

Step 1: Click the lock icon to the right of the partition.

Step 2. Enable either Basic Protection or Full Protection, as needed.

Recommendation 3: Eject USB flash drives carefully

When you're done, safely remove your USB drive. To safely remove a USB drive on a Mac, do the following:

Step 1. Hold down the "Control" key on your Mac and tap the trackpad

Step 2: Select "Popup" from the menu.

Then, you can safely eject your USB flash drive.

Conclusion

USB drives and flash drives are widely used for conveniently sharing files with friends or colleagues. You can also use them to add extra storage space to your devices or isolate specific data. But if you're worried about losing data on your USB flash drive, you can always turn to a Mac data recovery software tool. With just a few clicks, it can recover deleted data from your USB flash drive, including lost photos, documents, and other file types. This fantastic tool can restore deleted files from both internal and external hard drives on your Mac.

Questions related to "Flash Drive Recovery"

Apart from pen drive data recovery, some Mac users might come across the following issues as well. Read on to resolve your problem.

How to recover deleted files from USB flash drive on Mac?

Recover deleted files from USB drive on Mac:

Step 1. Connect the USB flash drive to your Mac in right way. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool.

Step 2: Select your USB drive and click “Scan” for the software to search for the lost files on it.

Step 3. Select the files you want to recover and click the “Recover Now” button.

Can you recover deleted files from a Mac?

Yes, you can. In general, files deleted from a Mac go to the Trash, from where you can quickly restore them. If you've already emptied the Trash, you can still recover deleted Mac files without software using Time Machine backups, the Undo option, and Terminal commands.

Does my flash drive have a Recycle Bin?

Yes, but not the same Recycle Bin that you usually use. macOS creates a hidden Trash folder on every drive. It's called .Trashes, and you have to enable Hidden Files on your Mac to see it. You can access this folder on your USB drive to recover recently deleted files.

How can I fix a corrupted flash drive without losing data?

Repair corrupted USB devices:

Step 1. Insert your USB flash drive or pen drive into your computer.

Step 2: Type "cmd" into the Start menu, then press Enter. You'll see a program called cmd.exe in the list.

Step 3. Right-click on cmd.exe and Run as administrator... Read the full guide on how to fix a damaged USB drive.