How to Use 4DDiG Mac Data Recovery

Recover from Emptied Trash

To recover files emptied trash on Mac or permanently deleted files, choose 'Trash' under 'Common location' as the scan location.

Recover from Time Machine

Time Machine backs up your entire Mac by default—including system files, apps, and user data—but doesn’t support restoring individual file types (e.g., photos or documents alone).

However, 4DDiG Mac data recovery can accurately scan specific file types, support quick preview and selective recovery, and greatly save retrieval time. Follow the steps below to restore from a Time Machine backup:

• Step 1:Select the Time Machine

  Open the software and select 'Time Machine' to begin scanning. (Note: If your backup files are stored on an external hard drive, connect it to your Mac first.)

  

• Step 2:Select a Backup File You Need

  4DDiG will automatically detect available Time Machine backups on your Mac. Select the desired backup, then click 'Import' to continue.

  

• Step 3:Recover the Files

  After the scan completes, select the files you need to recover. Tip: You can click the time option at the top of the interface to select a specific backup point.

  

Recover from iCloud

• Step 1:Select the ‘iCloud’

  After launching the program, select iCloud tab from the left list After that, Click "Get Started" to prepare to scan all data on your iCloud.

  

• Step 2:Sign in to Your iCloud Account

  Enter your Apple ID and password to sign in to your iCloud account.

  

• Step 3:Scan the Selected File Types

  Select the types of iCloud data you want to recover, such as Photos, Contacts, Notes, and more, then click 'Confirm' to proceed.

  

• Step 4:Recover the iCloud Files

  Select the files you want to recover and restore them. Save deleted files from iCloud to your Mac locally or to the cloud drive.

  

Recover from Crashed Mac

To begin, click the 'Get Started' button. Then, there are two modes for your chosen option: 'USB Recovery' and 'macOS Recovery Mode'.

Option 1. USB Recovery

First, you'll need another Mac to create a bootable USB drive. Then, use this drive to install the software on your target computer.

• Step 1:Insert your USB Drive

  Launch the 4DDiG Mac on the working Mac computer. Then insert the USB drive and select the USB Recovery, click the ‘Confirm’ button.

  

• Step 2:Create a Bootable USB Drive

  Select "Recover from a bootable USB drive" and create a bootable drive using an external USB/DVD drive, then click "Create Now".

  
  Note

  The USB/DVD will be formatted to create a bootable drive. Also, do not operate the drive during the creation.

• Step 3:Boot Crashed Mac from USB Drive

  Connect the bootable USB drive or external hard drive to your crashed Mac. Start the Mac and hold the Option key to select the bootable drive from the startup menu.

• Step 4:Recover Data from Crashed Computer

  Launch 4DDiG Mac, select the internal hard drive, and click 'Scan' to find lost files. After scanning, preview and select the files to recover. Click 'Export' and choose an external drive to save them.

  

Option 2: Recover from macOS Recovery Mode

If creating a bootable USB drive seems troublesome, you can instead enter macOS Recovery Mode on your crashed Mac to recover your data.

• Step 1:Select the ‘macOS Recovery Mode’

  After your selection, click 'Confirm' to proceed.

  

• Step 2:Step 2. Enter the macOS Recovery Mode

  Follow the instructions on the interface to enter recovery mode step by step.

  

Repair Videos and Photos

Videos and photos may get corrupted due to storage errors, software issues, or other causes. 4DDiG includes a built-in video and photo repair feature that can fix nearly any video file —no matter the file size or type of corruption.

• Step 1:Select the Repair Feature

  Start the program and select Video/Photo Reapir feature from the menu on the left. Choose the ‘Video Repair’ or the ‘Photo Repair’, then click ‘Get Started’ button.

  

• Step 2:Add the Corrupted Photos

  Click the 'Add Photo' button to import the corrupted photos. Then click "Repair" in the bottom right corner. (The video repair process is the same.)

  

• Step 3:Preview and Recover the File

  You can preview the repaired photo or video and click "Export" to save it to a safe location.

  

Find Large & Old Files

Your Mac may have large, outdated files that are no longer needed. Removing them helps free up SSD or HDD space and improve performance. 4DDiG Mac can help you locate and remove unneeded files in minutes.

• Step 1:Scan the Disk

  Go to 'Large & Old Files' in the lower-left corner, then select 'Scan Now'.

  

• Step 2:Select the Unneeded Files and Remove

  Select the files and then click the ‘Remove to Trash’ in the bottom right corner.

  

  You can sort the files by Name, Size, modified date, type and path.