How to use TestDisk/PhotoRec to recover lost data from APFS drive?
APFS file system
Apple File System (APFS) is a file system for macOS, iOS, tvOS and watchOS, developed and deployed by Apple Inc. It aims to fix core problems of HFS+ (also called Mac OS Extended), APFS's predecessor on these operating systems. Apple File System is optimized for flash and solid-state drive storage, with a primary focus on encryption.
TestDisk
TestDisk is a powerful free data recovery software. It was primarily designed to help recover lost partitions and make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software, certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally deleting a Partition Table). Partition table recovery using TestDisk is really easy.
Does TestDisk support APFS file system?
According to TestDisk official document from: https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk, TestDisk supports lots of file systems, including FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, HFS, HFS+ and HFSX, but up to now, it doesn't support APFS file system and encrypted APFS.
Can TestDisk recover lost files from APFS drive?
TestDisk doesn't support APFS file system and encrypted APFS, so TestDisk cannot recover lost data from corrupted, unreadable, unmounted, failed, crashed APFS hard drive, external drive.
Can TestDisk recover deleted/lost APFS partition?
TestDisk can find deleted/lost partitions for all of these file systems, including FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, HFS, HFS+ and HFSX, but up to now, it doesn't support APFS file system and encrypted APFS.
APFS data recovery software
APFS data recovery requires us to find a APFS data recovery software, there are a few software which can support APFS Data Recovery in market due to technical difficulty, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac is such a APFS data recovery software which can undelete files from APFS drive, recover lost data from corrupted, unreadable, unmounted, crashed, failed APFS drive, recover lost data from deleted/lost APFS partition, etc. on macOS Ventura 13/Monterey 12/Big Sur 11/10.15 Catalina/10.14 Mojave/10.13 High Sierra/10.12 Sierra and Mac OS X 10.11.
Tutorial to recover lost data from formatted, corrupted, crashed, unreadable, unmounted APFS drive
Step 1: Download and install this APFS Data Recovery software on your Mac computer.
Step 2: Run this APFS Data Recovery software - iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.
Step 3: Select the formatted, corrupted, crashed, unreadable, unmounted APFS drive.
If APFS partition is not found, please click "Find Lost APFS Partitions" to find previously existing APFS partition and then recover lost data from APFS partition.
Step 4: This APFS Data Recovery software is scanning the lost data from corrupted APFS drive.
Step 5: Select the found data and then click Recover to save them.
Tutorial to recover lost data from deleted/lost APFS partition
Step 1: Download and install this APFS data recovery software: iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac on your Mac computer.
Step 2: Run this APFS data recovery software: iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.
Step 3: Please click "Find Lost APFS Partitions" at the right upper corner.
Step 4: Select the hard drive where deleted/lost APFS partition and click Next to start the scan.
Step 5: After the deleted, lost, missing, disappeared APFS partition is found, please select it and then click Next to scan lost data.
Step 6: After the lost data is found, preview the documents, photos, videos, audios, or select the files and click Recover to recover them.
Tutorial to recover lost data from encrypted APFS drive that is formatted, corrupted, crashed?
Step 1: Download and install this APFS Data Recovery software on your Mac computer.
Step 2: Run this APFS Data Recovery software.
Step 3: Select the encrypted APFS drive.
If APFS partition is not found, please click "Find Lost APFS Partitions" to find previously existing APFS partition and then recover lost data from APFS partition.
Step 4: Click Next to enter the password for encrypted APFS drive.
Step 5: This APFS Data Recovery software is scanning the lost data from corrupted APFS drive.
Step 6: Select the found data and then click Recover to save them.