Disk Drill 4
This file recovery utility does so much more
Free (IAPs) From CleverFiles, cleverfiles.com
Needs OS X 10.11.6 or later, including macOS 11.0; 64–bit processor
Nothing causes us to panic faster than realizing we’ve accidentally deleted important files! Fortunately, there’s Disk Drill 4, a free utility to back up failing disks. It also scans volumes to preview and confirm which files can be successfully recovered before upgrading to the $89 Pro version. Other core features like finding duplicate files and creating bootable drives or macOS installers are free.
With the latest release, Disk Drill scans and performs limited recovery on late–model Macs, specifically those equipped with a T2 security chip (any system released since 2018). When paired with Guaranteed Recovery — which stores a hidden copy of every deleted file — the software is even capable of recovery from SSD with TRIM enabled, a feat impossible with most utilities. The only downside is that with this feature enabled you’ll consume extra disk space, but the software offers robust control over how much storage is used and how long deleted files are saved.
With support for FAT32, NTFS, HFS+, and the latest APFS file systems, Disk Drill handles just about any volume connected to your Mac, including iOS devices as well as Time Machine snapshots, so you can quickly find deleted files without having to restore an entire backup. For multimedia users, Disk Drill 4 has been tuned to more accurately identify and recover RAW images and video formats like H.263/H.264. The company boasts up to 99 percent recovery success for such files, which was confirmed in our tests.
Recovery requires patience, since deleted files must first be found before they can be salvaged. Where most software makes users wait until the entire volume’s been scanned, Disk Drill 4 previews and can even recover data while detection runs in the background.
Disk Drill receives a welcome makeover with version 4.0, adding support for Dark Mode and a more user–friendly design. One of our favorite new features is support for Quick Look, so users can preview files without having to first recover them. Last but not least, there are new tools to securely delete data, as well as erase free space prior to recycling a volume.
THE BOTTOM LINE. This is a versatile disk utility that every Mac owner should have.
JR BOOKWALTER