[7 Fixes] How to Recover Permanently Deleted Emails on Mac

7 Ways to Recover Deleted Emails on Mac Effortlessly

How to recover permanently deleted emails on Mac, and is Mac email recovery possible for them? Losing an important email can send anyone into a panic. That sinking feeling when you’ve permanently deleted a critically important email from your Mac can be all too familiar. But the good news is that there’s still a glimmer of hope. In this guide, we’ll unveil seven solutions to recover those seemingly lost emails. So, let’s get your emails back pronto!

Part 1: Is it Possible to Recover Deleted Emails on Mac?

When you delete emails on your Mac, they aren’t instantly wiped from your computer but go to the “Trash.” Even if you’ve emptied the Trash, they remain on the hard drive but are invisible. However, you can easily recover deleted emails on Mac if you have a backup or they are present on the hard disk and not overwritten.

You can also recover them if they are stored on a cloud server. If none of these conditions are met, retrieving deleted emails is impossible. However, if these conditions are met, you may wonder, “How to recover deleted emails on Mac.” So, let’s find out!

Part 2: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Emails on Mac?

Start the recovery process promptly; the less time passes, the better your odds of avoiding data overwriting. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to recover permanently deleted emails on Mac using seven effective solutions.

Solution 1: Restore Deleted Emails from Apple Mail Trash

The easiest Mac email recovery method is to check your Apple Mail Trash. If you haven’t emptied it yet, you can simply recover your deleted emails from there. However, the ability to recover them depends on the time limit you’ve set for the Trash.

If it’s set to “never,” you can retrieve the emails anytime. However, if you’ve chosen a specific time frame, like a day, week, or month, and that time hasn’t elapsed, you can quickly get your emails back. Here’s how to recover deleted emails on Mac from Apple Mail Trash:

Step 1: Open the Apple Mail app, click “Trash” in the sidebar, and find the deleted email you want.

Step 2: Right-click on the email and pick “Move to.” Choose where you want to save the email.

Solution 2: Recover Permanently Deleted Emails With 4DDiG

What if you don’t find the emails in the Apple Mail Trash? How to recover permanently deleted emails on Mac? You don’t need to worry. Tenorshare 4DDiG can help you recover deleted emails on Mac even if you don’t have a backup. Take a look at what 4DDiG can do for you:

• Recover data lost due to corruption, formatting, lost partitions, accidental deletion, system crashes, virus attacks, and more.
• Restores 2000+ file types, covering emails, documents, videos, audio, images, and more.
• Supports on T2-secured, M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max-equipped, and macOS Sonoma-based Mac devices.
• Offers a high recovery rate.
• User-friendly interface and simple operation process.

Below is the step-by-step guide to recover deleted emails with this reliable tool:

Step 1: Choose a Location

Download, install, and open the tool on your Mac, pick the storage where your emails are stored, and hit “Start.”

Step 2: Scan for Deleted Emails

The tool will scan for permanently deleted emails, and you can pause or stop them anytime.

You can choose categories like “Deleted Files” or “Lost Location” to preview emails in the Tree View. On the right side, use the Filter to narrow your search or look for specific files.

Step 3: Export Recovered Emails

Finally, select where to save the recovered emails and click “Recover.” Avoid keeping them on the same partition where you lost them to prevent permanent data loss.

Solution 3: Recover Emails From Time Machine Backup

Mac email recovery is also possible with a backup of your emails on Time Machine. However, for a successful recovery, you must have a recent backup of your emails before their deletion. Here’s how to how to recover deleted emails on Mac with Time Machine:

Step 1: Open the Apple Mail app, click the Time Machine icon in the top “Menu,” and select “Enter Time Machine.”

Step 2: Use the timeline on the right and the arrows to go back in time until you find a backup with your deleted emails. Click “Restore” to get them back.

Solution 4: Use iCloud to Restore Deleted Emails

You can easily recover deleted emails Mac if you use iCloud services. However, deleted emails on the server are only stored in the Trash for 30 days. So, hurry up and recover them if the time limit hasn’t been exceeded. Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Visit icloud.com, sign in to your account, and open “Mail.” Choose “Trash” from the left sidebar and select the email you want to recover.

Step 2: Hit the arrow up in the upper-right corner. Choose “Move Message” and pick the location to save the email. Confirm by clicking “Move.

Solution 5: Locate Deleted Emails In Local Cache

If you are still wondering how to recover permanently deleted emails on Mac, consider checking the Apple Mail’s local cache. The Mail app on Mac keeps temporary copies of emails and attachments to save you from the hassle of re-downloading. It is indeed a good source for Mac email recovery. Here’s how to locate your missing emails:

Step 1: Open “Finder” and select “Go to Folder.” Type in “~/Library/Mail” and hit “Enter.”

Step 2: Look for a subfolder with “.mbox” and subfolders with “.elmx” extensions. These subfolders contain message source code. Search for your desired email there.

Solution 6: Recover Apple Emails from Gmail

We’ve talked about Apple Mail. But what about Gmail? How to retrieve deleted emails from Gmail Macbook? If you’ve added a Gmail account to your Apple Mail and enabled IMAP even long after deleting emails in Apple Mail, you can recover them from Gmail Trash.

However, you can do this only if your Apple Mail setup aligns with your Gmail settings. For instance, if Apple Mail moves deleted emails to Trash and clears them after a specific time, Gmail should do the same. Here’s how to retrieve deleted emails from Gmail Macbook:

Step 1: Open your Gmail account and sign in with your username and password.

Step 2: You’ll find the deleted emails in the “Trash” folder. Choose the email you want and put it back in your inbox.

Solution 7: Hire Reputable Data Recovery Services

When the solutions mentioned earlier don’t work, here’s how to recover permanently deleted emails on Mac:

You might need professional data recovery services. These services employ various methods, often using advanced software tools to scan storage media for traces of deleted emails. But remember that these services can be pricier than data recovery software. Still, they have higher success rates and can tackle more challenging recovery situations.

Mac Email Recovery FAQs

Q1: Where are deleted emails stored on Mac?

Deleted Mac emails usually end up in the “Trash” folder within your email client, like Apple Mail. You’ll locate them in your email account’s “Trash” or “Deleted Items” section, depending on which service you use. These emails remain in the trash for a while, often about 30 days, before they vanish for good.

Q2: Are permanently deleted emails gone forever?

Permanently deleted emails aren’t gone forever. But it becomes much harder to get them back. Typically, deleted emails go to a “Trash” or “Deleted Items” folder, where they can be recovered. However, if you manually delete or empty the trash, the email might remain on your device and recoverable until new data overwrites its space.

Q3: How to recover permanently deleted emails in Outlook on Mac?

To get back a deleted email in Outlook, follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Open Outlook, head over to “Deleted Items,” and click on “Recover recently deleted items.”

Step 2: Pick the email(s) you want to recover and click “OK” or select all and then press “OK” to bring them back.

Final Words about Email Recovery Mac

Now, you can say goodbye to the worries about how to recover deleted emails on Mac. Deleted emails on your Mac are recoverable from the trash within 30 days. However, if they’re permanently deleted, a backup, their presence on your hard disk without overwrites, or the use of cloud storage can be your saving grace.

But if you’re looking for the quickest, easiest, and most effective solution for Mac email recovery, 4DDiG Mac Data Recovery is the way to go. No technical know-how is needed, just high recovery rates and peace of mind.