Can you retrieve permanently deleted files on Mac?
Apart from third-party data recovery software, the only built-in utility you can trust to recover permanently deleted files is Time Machine. Time Machine is the backup utility on Mac, it saves the selected files to a backup disk. You can recover both the single file and the OS when needed.
Where do all permanently deleted files go?
When you delete files from the recycle Bin or permanently delete them using the Shift + Delete command, the file name entry is removed from the Recycle Bin folder. The part of the disk where the file was located initially is then modified or overwritten but still contains the file data.
Are permanently deleted files actually deleted?
But apparently, permanently deleting all your files and other important data even in the Recycle Bin is not enough. It is not technically "deleted." Although the operating system can't find it anymore, a copy of it is still accessible through your hard drive.