How do I recover deleted files from the trash?

Report · Jun 16, 2012

Hi guys,

I accidently threw a few photos into the trash in LR4. How do I recover them? I can't find them anywhere. Thank you.

David

Report · Jun 16, 2012

Open your Recycle Bin / Trash Can.

You will see a list of all files that are in the trash.

Highlight the ones you want to recover ( you can use Ctrl + click to select several files) and - still in the Recycle Bin go >File >Restore.

This is in Windows; it might be somewhat different on a Mac but the principle should be the same.

<Restore> puts the files back into the folder where they were before you trashed them.

After <Restore> your images will not be automatically displayed in Lr, since by sending them to the Recycle Bin they also were removed from the catalog.

You have to do a <Synchronize folder> to re-import them into Lr.

Also, since the images were removed from the catalog, your images will have lost all edits that you made previously in Lr.

Report · Jun 16, 2012

I am using a Mac. When I go into my trash, I don't find the files I deleted. Could these deleted photos be somewhere else in LR4?

Report · Jun 16, 2012

david,

Photos are not "in" Lr in any way. Photos are on your hard drive and Lr links to them.

Since Lr is not a browser based program, i.e. it does not automatically "see" what is on your hard drive, you cannot use Lr to find the photos in your case.

You have to use Mac Finder to find the photos. If Mac Finder cannot find them then the sad conclusion is that they are gone for good.

If Mac Finder finds them, note down the exact location where they are. Or, if you want, move the photos via Mac Finder to a new location, and note that location.

Then open Lr and re-link Lr to the photos.

See here how the re-linking is done: http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

PS:

Actually, since the photos have been removed from Lr, the re-linking won't work.

You have to do the <Synchronize folder> for re-importing these photos into Lr.

Synchronize folder will work only if you have found /moved the photos in a folder that is being displayed in Lr already.

If you have found / moved the photos in a folder that's not displayed in Lr, you have to import them and navigate to the folder in question in the Source panel (left side0 of the Import dialog.

Message was edited by: web-weaver (PS added)

Report · Jun 16, 2012

Did you delete masters or virtual copies?

Sent from phone.

Report · Aug 21, 2013

IF you indeed deleted from disk (not just catalog), they are indeed gone. There are some disk utilities that can attempt to recover deleted files if you haven't over-written new data in those areas of the drive. IF you just deleted from the LR database (not the disk), then you can re import (sync folder is easiest).

Report · Sep 05, 2013

HI. David, the deleted files are still intact on your Mac as long as long as the space those files used to occupy was not overwritten by new files. Click the Trash to open it; drag the files you want to restore to wherever you want them to be restored to. If you have emptied the Trash, and want to 'restore' files that were in the Trash when you did so, you're actually asking about data recovery. If you're trying to recover deleted files, stop using the computer in question (as you may overwrite them) and post back. Good Luck!!