It’s a common misconception that Windows-based computers are more prone to data loss than Macs. This mainly arises from the fact that Windows has been the most widely used operating system for a long time, making data loss cases on Windows appear more common.
However, this overlooks the reality that data loss is often unpredictable and can happen on any operating system, including macOS. In the blink of an eye, your cherished photos, videos, and documents might disappear forever from your Mac, leaving you frustrated.
In this blog, we will explore the causes of data loss on Mac and the steps you can take to recover lost data.
Are Macs more secure than Windows PCs?
In general, the security architecture of both Windows and macOS is highly sophisticated and features robust access control. However, Apple releases less frequent security updates for macOS, which might make it more vulnerable to cyber threats.
According to the threat research firm Elastic Security Labs, roughly 6% of all data breaches occurred on macOS. The study outlines that attackers used third-party applications, like MacKeeper to execute cyberattacks. Such apps obtain a wide range of potentially exploitable permissions and access to the macOS.
How does data loss occur on Macs?
Despite its cutting-edge hardware and robust operating system, you can still lose data on Macs. Apart from cyber threats, this may come in many other forms. Here are some of the most common examples of data loss on Macs:
Hardware failure
Hardware malfunction, such as HDD failure, is one of the biggest causes of data loss on older Macs. Hard drives are among the most fragile parts in a computer, and like any other mechanical component, they have a finite lifespan. While most hard drives crash due to mechanical problems like presence of bad sectors, some of it may also result from physical damage, or even overheating.
Here are some of the symptoms of a failing hard drive on Mac:
- Your system starts to crash frequently.
- Unusually high device temperature
- Your computer keeps crashing while booting up or frequently freezes.
- Mac producing clicking or grinding noises
Newer Macs are equipped with Solid-state Drives (SSDs), and although they tend to be more durable than traditional HDDs due to the lack of moving parts, even they can fail. SSDs have limited write cycles, and over time, their memory cells can wear out, leading to a potential failure. Additionally, issues with an SSDs firmware can also cause it to malfunction and put your Mac’s data at risk.
Human error
Human error accounts for about 20-25% of all data loss incidents, making it the second biggest cause behind data loss on Macs. A study conducted by Tessian and Stanford University shows that 52% of people clicked on a phishing email after mistakenly assuming it to be from an authentic source.
Similarly, while deleting unnecessary files or formatting your hard drive, you might accidentally delete important files without realizing it. In such cases, time becomes crucial in deciding whether the lost files can be recovered.
Deleted files are moved to the Trash folder on Macs, if you’ve enabled the auto-empty feature, the system will automatically empty Trash after 30 days. Once the Trash is emptied, your files will be permanently deleted and you will need to install a licensed recovery software to recover your data.
File corruption
You may have thousands of files stored on your Mac; some of them can become corrupted due to insufficient storage, file system error, or other reasons. But how would you identify a corrupt file? Well, it’s not that hard. If a file exists on your system and you’re unable to access it, it’s most likely corrupted.
Additionally, if the file opens but its content remains inaccessible, it suggests that specific data within the file has gone corrupt. Once you find out that a file has been corrupted, immediately stop accessing it, as it could overwrite the existing data and make recovery difficult, or even impossible. Instead, use a Mac data recovery software to recover the corrupted file.
System crashes or sudden power outages
If you’ve heard of kernel panic attacks, you might be familiar with their consequences, including potential data loss. If you’ve lately faced this issue, it’s possible that the lost files you’re searching for have been deleted from your Mac.
Additionally, sudden power cuts abruptly shut down your computer, and if the data has not been saved, it may be permanently lost. If your Mac shuts down while writing data to the hard drive, it may even corrupt your existing files, making them inaccessible.
Missing files on Time Machine
There are instances when you can’t locate specific system files within the Time Machine backup. Sometimes, Time Machine skips backing up certain files in its incremental backups and may continue to skip them in the future.
To check this, you can use the tmutil compare command in Terminal to compare your Time Machine backup files with those on your Macintosh HD. If it shows that many of your backup files are missing, you can take either of the following actions:
- Use the Terminal command sudo tmutil delete to erase the last backup. Continue deleting backups until you find one containing missing files using tmutil compare.
- Erase the Time Machine backup drive, set it up again, and then back up your Mac to fix the issue.
Note: Use the above method cautiously, as deleting backups can’t be reversed.
How does data recovery differ between Windows and macOS?
Windows typically use NTFS or FAT32, while Macs use APFS or HFS+. This difference in file system directly impacts the choice of data recovery tools.
While deleted files on Windows can often be recovered until the space occupied by them is overwritten, APFS on Macs can reclaim deleted space significantly faster and remove references to deleted files, complicating the recovery process.
Therefore, a professional Mac data recovery software designed specifically for APFS and HFS+ greatly improves the odds of recovering lost data on Mac. To improve your chances of recovery, consider using Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac. It is a simple yet powerful DIY tool to recover lost or deleted files from any storage drive, emptied Trash, and crashed or non-booting Mac.
Bottom line
Data loss is common and mostly unpredictable, regardless of your operating system. Understanding the causes behind data loss on your Mac can greatly help you avoid them in future. We recommend taking regular backup of your data on an external storage drive or cloud. Additionally, keep your Mac up to date by installing the latest software updates and use reliable antivirus software to protect your system from any outside threats.
FAQ
Can you restore Mac without losing data?
Yes, you can use macOS Recovery, the built-in recovery feature on Mac, to reinstall the macOS, as it keeps your files and user settings intact when reinstalling the OS.
Can you recover data from a Mac that won’t turn on?
If your Mac doesn’t boot up, you can still restore your data using the APFS snapshot feature to roll back your Mac to a previous state before the crash. Additionally, you can use Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac to retrieve files through Recovery Mode, without the need of any external booting device.
Will I lose everything if I reset my Mac?
Yes, a factory reset deletes all the data on your Mac, including documents, photos, videos, and other files, apps, settings, and user accounts. However, this deleted data can still be recovered using specialized Mac data recovery software.