{"id":18765,"date":"2018-05-22T10:58:45","date_gmt":"2018-05-22T10:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stellarinfo.com\/blog\/?p=18765"},"modified":"2023-06-02T10:08:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T10:08:13","slug":"how-to-recover-deleted-download-folder-on-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stellarinfo.com\/blog\/how-to-recover-deleted-download-folder-on-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Ways To Recover Accidentally Deleted Download Folder On Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"

6 Ways To Recover Deleted Downloads Folder on Mac<\/h2>

If you have accidentally deleted your Mac’s Download Folder and want to recover it, there are several ways to do so. Read on to find out.<\/p>

I. Check the Trash<\/h3>

First things first, let’s look for your deleted Download Folder in the Trash. You may recover the Download Folder by simply dragging it back to your desktop or a desired location. However, it’ll work under one condition: the Trash hasn’t been emptied<\/a> since you noticed the Download folder gone missing.<\/p>

To recover the <\/strong>accidentally deleted Download folder<\/strong> from Trash, do this:<\/strong><\/p>

    \n
  1. Open the Trash folder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Look for the missing folder > right-click it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In the context menu, choose Put Back<\/strong>. The folder will automatically go back to its original destination.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
    \n
    \"Put
    Put Back a folder from the Trash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

    You can drag the folder wherever you want if you need to have this folder, let’s say, on your Desktop. <\/p>

    II. Use Time Machine<\/h3>

    If you have Time Machine enabled<\/a>, you can easily use it to recover your deleted Downloads Folder. <\/p>

    Here’s how to restore the <\/strong>accidentally deleted download folder on your Mac<\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>

      \n
    1. Open Finder, and go to the folder where your Downloads Folder used to be located.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Next, click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar (if you have it pinned there). If not—use Spotlight to open it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Select a backup from before the folder was deleted and let Time Machine restore it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

      III. Use a Trusted Data Recovery Tool<\/h3>

      In our experience, many Mac users don’t have their Time Machine enabled until they encounter some deleted data issues. That’s why if you don’t have a Time Machine backup, you can use a third-party data recovery tool to scan your Mac and try to recover the deleted Downloads Folder.<\/p>

      You can easily use Stellar Data Recovery to recover accidentally deleted Downloads Folders:<\/strong><\/p>

      1. Download and install the Stellar Data Recovery software.<\/p>

      \n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>

      2. Select (or deselect) the files you want to restore in the Select What To Recover<\/strong> window and hit Next<\/strong>.<\/p>

      \n
      \"Stellar
      Stellar Data Recovery Professional > Select What To Recover<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

      3. Choose the volume in the follow-up Recover<\/strong> From<\/strong> window > click Scan<\/strong>.<\/p>

      \n
      \"Stellar
      Stellar Data Recovery Professional > Recover From<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

      4. Look through the scan results and locate the missing folder > click Recover<\/strong>.<\/p>

      \n
      \"Stellar
      Stellar Data Recovery Professional > Preview<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

      And that’s it!<\/p>

      IV. Check iCloud Drive<\/h3>

      If you have previously enabled iCloud Drive for your Mac<\/a>, your Download Folder may have been automatically synced to iCloud<\/a>. Open the iCloud website in your preferred browser and sign in with your Apple ID, then check if the folder is available there. Here’s a more detailed instruction.<\/p>

      To recover your files using iCloud Drive:<\/strong><\/p>

        \n
      1. Go to a preferred browser on your Mac > and go to icloud.com<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Sign in to your iCloud account with your Apple ID and password. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. On the welcome page choose Drive<\/strong> (it’ll be on the right side of the screen).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. In the iCloud Drive folder, go to the Recently Deleted<\/strong> folder and look for the missing folder.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
        \n
        \"iCloud
        iCloud Drive > Recently Deleted folder<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>
          \n
        1. Highlight the downloads folder and recover it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

          That’s all! Your lost files have now been recovered using iCloud Drive.<\/p>

          V. Check Your Other Backups<\/h3>

          If you have multiple backups of your Mac and not just Time Machine ones, such as a backup made with a third-party backup app, you can try to recover the folder from there.<\/p>

          VI. Contact Apple Support<\/h3>

          If none of the above-described methods worked for you to recover the accidentally deleted Mac Downloads Folder, you can always contact Apple Support<\/a> for assistance. They may be able to help you recover your deleted Download Folder, but it’s important to note that they may not be able to guarantee a successful recovery.<\/p>

          Here’s how you can contact Apple Support specialists:<\/strong><\/p>

            \n
          1. Visit the Apple Support website https:\/\/support.apple.com\/<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Next, choose the issue you need assistance with. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
          3. Wait to be prompted to opt for a support option, for instance, a chat or phone support.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

            It’s a Wrap<\/h2>

            It’s important to note that data recovery can be complex and not always successful. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to regularly back up your Mac to prevent data loss in the first place. In addition to that, do install and use a Mac data recovery app like Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac<\/a> to prevent data loss.<\/p>

            Read more:<\/strong><\/p>