Getting files back
Photos has more safety nets than people expect, and one trap that looks exactly like deletion.
Photos keeps deleted items for around 30 days: sidebar → Recently Deleted (it may require unlocking with Touch ID on recent macOS). Select → Recover.
Photos "missing" without being deleted are often hidden — easy to do accidentally with a right-click. View → Show Hidden Photo Album, then check the Hidden album in the sidebar. It also locks behind Touch ID on modern versions, which is why people forget it exists.
With iCloud Photos on, deletion syncs everywhere — but Recently Deleted syncs too, and is also reachable at iCloud.com → Photos, which sometimes shows items during the window even when the Mac is being difficult.
The whole library is one package (~/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary) and Time Machine backs it up. Restoring individual photos means restoring the whole library to a temporary location and opening it while holding Option (the library chooser), then exporting the photos you need — not overwriting your current library.
Photos imported from an SD card may still be on the card — imports do not delete unless you asked. And SD cards are the best case for recovery software: no TRIM, large files, high success rates. Stop using the card first.
There is no per-photo version history, and edits are non-destructive only while the photo exists — Image → Revert to Original works on a present photo, not a deleted one.
About 30 days in Recently Deleted, on the Mac and synced through iCloud Photos.
Usually hidden rather than deleted — check the Hidden album under View → Show Hidden Photo Album.
Everywhere keeps track of every file on your Mac — including the folders Spotlight hides and drives you have unplugged. Free for a day, then $19 once.
Download for Mac