Skip to main content

How to recover deleted photos on Mac

Whether you recently got an MacBook, iMac, or another Apple computer or have been using for one years, read on for how to recover deleted photos on Mac.

With Apple’s Photos app on macOS there is a handy recently deleted folder that holds on to any deleted photos for 30 days. Here’s how to recover deleted photos with the Photos app.

How to recover deleted photos on Mac

  1. Open Photos
  2. On the left hand sidebar, click Recently Deleted
  3. Select the photos you’d like to recover
  4. Click Recover in the top right corner

Here’s how this process looks:

Next, click the photos you’d like to recover. You may have to scroll around a bit to find what you’re looking for depending on how many photos and videos are in the Recently Deleted folder.

As shown above, you’ll see the count of items selected in the top center, click Recover when you’re ready to move the deleted photos back to your library.

Keep in mind that the photos will return to the date they were originally taken. Also, even though Apple says users have 30 days to recover photos once they’ve been deleted, it may take up to 40 days for them to automatically be permanently deleted.

The process to recover deleted photos on iPhone is a bit different, check out our tutorial here for that.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:


Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel