Faulty partitions for disks are a common occurrence that can drastically affect the user experience of people. Partition loss occurs for many reasons, and suddenly, but with a capable Mac partition recovery software, you can handle that easily.
Before deciding on one, let's learn more about the best types of partition recovery tools for Mac, their uses, and their benefits.
Part 1. Disk Partition Types on Mac
Before learning the best partition recovery mac software options available, you should know what the partition types are—macOS devices, in particular, only support specific types of file systems.
- APFS- The Apple File System is available on devices with macOS 10.13 or later as the default file system. These come in SSDs and modern flash drives, with faster directory sizing, strong encryption, and other benefits.
- MS-DOS (FAT)/exFAT- Microsoft created both file system versions, and macOS devices support them, mainly for external storage devices with over a 4 GB storage limit.
- HFS+- Mac OS Extended is another journalling-based default file system type, this time for macOS 10.12 and older versions.
Part 2. Causes For Partition Loss on Mac
Different situations can result in partition deletion or loss on macOS devices. The common reasons include the following:
- Damaged partition table- After the disk partition occurs, the partition table forms so that users can refer to and recognize disks better. Any issues in this can cause loss of partition.
- Hardware-centric problems- Overheating of some hard disks or damage to the surface can harm the condition of the hardware. That can harm its performance.
- Virus/malware attacks- Some viruses or malware types are made to harm the disk drives. These can cause partition loss too.
- Accidental deletion- Sometimes, users get partition loss due to doing the deletion step by mistake.
- Unexpected system crashes or power down- If the system suddenly shuts down due to a power outage, many ongoing functions stop immediately. However, during the formatting or partitioning process, if this shutdown occurs, that causes significant issues like data loss.
Part 3. The 5 Best Partition Recovery Tools for Mac
Mac users can depend on specific types of software to recover deleted partitions for the best results. Here, we present the top 5 tools we found that cover this process.
1. Recoverit
Wondershare Recoverit is a high-quality data recovery software for all types of users that efficiently detects and restores a variety of items, including partitions. You can expect zero data loss, a faster selection and recovery process, and a deep scanning process benefit here, with additional preview support before restoration.
Operation Steps:
For Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11
For macOS X 10.10 or later
Step 1. Install and launch the Recoverit software.
Step 2. On the homepage, choose the hard drive with the lost partition under Hard Disk and Locations and press Start.
Step 3. The software will start scanning the system for all lost data in that partition.
Double-click on the file to see its preview, and then press Recover. Or, choose multiple files and then press the Recover button.
Main Highlights:
- Enhanced deep scanning process to find damaged, lost, and deleted files, even old ones.
- Compatible with different macOS-based SSDs, including those running with Apple T2 chipset.
- Choose any partition and recover after seeing a preview.
- Batch processing is supported for getting back multiple files simultaneously.
2. TestDisk
If you want a free data recovery tool to get back the deleted partitions, TestDisk is a capable choice. It can work to both recover the lost partitions while also fixing non-booting disks to their original status.
Operation Steps:
Step 1. Access the Terminal program on Mac.
Step 2. Type in “sudo testdisk" in the following text field and press the Enter button.
Step 3. Select No Log and hit Enter.
Step 4. A list of all connected hard drives will appear. Click on the partition to scan and press the P key.
Step 5. Select EFI GPT for a new Apple Mac device or Mac for an older PPC Mac device > Enter.
Step 6. Press Analyse and hit Enter. Choose Quick Search.
Step 7. After you see all scanning and recovered files, press the C key to copy them and paste them into another folder.
Main Highlights:
- Undeletes files on exFAT and even copies files from removed exFAT partitions.
- It can quickly recover entirely deleted partitions.
- Rectify the damaged partition table.
- Supports full-scale analysis of non-booting drives for accurate insights.
3. Data Rescue 6 for Mac
This app is suitable for adequately getting lost and removing files from internal or external drives. If you have a Mac device with macOS 10.12 or newer models, you can use this to scan your internal systems and restore files thoroughly.
Operation Steps:
Step 1. Install the software and choose the file system and files.
Step 2. Choose between the Quick Scan and Deep Scan processes, and press Next after selecting what to scan.
Step 3. After the scanning process completes, press the Recover button.
Main Highlights:
- Supports different storage types like hard drives, SD cards, flash drives, etc., and file systems like APFS and more.
- Free system analysis and then pay a cost for removed file and partition recovery.
- Select between both deep scanning and quick scanning mechanisms.
- Use multiple UI enhancements steps, like operating in dark mode.
4. PhotoRec
PhotoRec is another suitable app to restore partitions Mac users can opt for. This software works to recover lost files like documents, archives, videos, etc., from CR-ROMs, hard disks, and digital cameras, to name some.
Operation Steps:
Step 1. Open Terminal and install Homebrew using this given command- /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"
Step 2. Type in “brew install testdisk” and press Enter. TestDisk will start installing.
Step 3. Open Terminal and type in “sudo photorec”. Press Enter.
Step 4. Choose the media to scan.
Step 5. Select the storage device and file structure for scanning.
Step 6. Choose the final location for recovering and saving the lost partition data.
Step 7. The scanning process will begin. Please wait for it to complete for a full recovery and then press Quit.
Main Highlights:
- Works on various operating systems, including Linux-based devices.
- It can recover files from significant media resources without loss of quality.
- Use it to get lost files from systems like HFS+ and exFAT.
- Special optimizations related to tails are available in the integrated ReiserFS.
5. File Salvage
FileSalvage is another useful recovery software you can use to get back accidentally removed files and partitions. You can restore your partitions from unmounted and mounted devices, and it is usable on different file systems.
Operation Steps:
Step 1. Install FileSalvage from a source site, and look for recently removed files.
Step 2. Select drives where you will search for the deleted partitions.
Step 3. Choose the ones to recover and activate the command for that.
Main Highlights:
- Expect fast scanning and processing speed.
- The free space scanning feature is also introduced for Mac users using Intel-based software.
- Get the advanced Intel Mac optimization feature.
- Expert Mode is available for improved flexibility with the recovery process.
Part 4. How to Prevent Hard Drive Partition Loss?
Here are some steps you can take to avoid the issues of partition loss as a precaution.
- Backup data- One of the first things you should do is completely backup all your data using a cloud backup service, like Dropbox or Google Drive. Do this consistently just in case of sudden partition loss.
- Carefully handle steps like partitioning- Carefully double-check your steps when carrying out disk partitioning steps to avoid any errors.
- Use antivirus solutions- Yes, macOS devices have robust security protocols in place beforehand. But still, get a secondary antivirus system for double layers of protection.
- Do not multi-boot- It is best to avoid multi-booting on your system as Apple does not support it, especially in many of the older macOS versions. So, any error during the process can cause significant issues like partition loss.
FAQs
What is a disk partition?
A disk partition is a section of the primary hard disk drive that contains a section of data.
What are the common types of file systems on Mac devices?
The default file systems on Mac devices are HFS and APFS+ types. You can also analyze external file systems like exFAT here.
What is the most user-friendly Mac data recovery software for beginners?
For Mac users, Wondershare Recoverit is the best data recovery software to use if they are a beginner. It has a simple UI, a less complex download or recovery process, and preview support.
Which software can help create bootable USB drives for easier recovery?
Recoverit and Data Rescue 6 for Mac helps create bootable USB drives for data restoration.
Which software helps fix damaged storage devices like disk drives?
TestDisk can fix damaged disk drives.
Conclusion
Now that you know the best software options for recovering lost partitions on Mac try them out on your own. Then, see which option works best for you, depending on your system condition, skillset, and other factors.
For Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11
For macOS X 10.10 or later
