{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "Restoring something from the Recycle Vault",
  "slug": "restoring-from-the-recycle-vault",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restoring-from-the-recycle-vault",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restoring-from-the-recycle-vault.md",
  "category": "Safety & undo",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/safety-and-undo/",
  "tags": [
    "recycle vault",
    "restore",
    "safety"
  ],
  "summary": "Open the Recycle Vault, select what you want back and click Restore to return it to where it came from, or choose a folder instead. Nothing is ever overwritten — if the name is taken, the restored copy lands alongside it.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:18:37.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:37:08.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Step by step",
      "id": "step-by-step"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Undoing the most recent removal",
      "id": "undoing-the-most-recent-removal"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "When something is already there",
      "id": "when-something-is-already-there"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Messages you might see",
      "id": "messages-you-might-see"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Before you delete for good",
      "id": "before-you-delete-for-good"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "recycle-vault",
      "label": "The Recycle Vault",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe",
      "label": "How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe"
    },
    {
      "slug": "duplicates",
      "label": "Finding and removing duplicates",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/duplicates"
    },
    {
      "slug": "uninstalling-an-app",
      "label": "Uninstalling an app completely",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/uninstalling-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "restore-points",
      "label": "Restore Points",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restore-points"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "emergency-space",
      "title": "Emergency Space: when the disk is full right now",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/emergency-space"
    },
    {
      "slug": "duplicates",
      "title": "Finding and removing duplicates",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/duplicates"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-deletions-work",
      "title": "How Storage Studio deletes things",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-deletions-work"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe",
      "title": "How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe"
    },
    {
      "slug": "missing-moved-apps",
      "title": "Missing moved apps: hide, recover or remove",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/missing-moved-apps"
    },
    {
      "slug": "restoring-from-a-backup",
      "title": "Restoring from a backup",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restoring-from-a-backup"
    },
    {
      "slug": "reviewing-a-clear-up",
      "title": "Reviewing, stopping and checking a clear-up",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/reviewing-a-clear-up"
    },
    {
      "slug": "compared-with-empty-trash-automatically",
      "title": "Storage Studio and emptying the Trash automatically",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/compared-with-empty-trash-automatically"
    },
    {
      "slug": "temporary-files",
      "title": "Temporary files you can't see",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/temporary-files"
    },
    {
      "slug": "recycle-vault",
      "title": "The Recycle Vault",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault"
    },
    {
      "slug": "uninstalling-an-app",
      "title": "Uninstalling an app completely",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/uninstalling-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "which-copy-is-kept",
      "title": "Which copy Storage Studio keeps",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/which-copy-is-kept"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "What happens when you restore an item",
      "outline": "- Select an item and click Restore\n  - leads to Is it stored on your external drive?\n- Is it stored on your external drive?\n  - Yes, and the drive is not connected: leads to Nothing happens - connect the drive and try again\n  - No, or the drive is connected: leads to Is the name already taken in that folder?\n- Is the name already taken in that folder?\n  - No: leads to Put back under its own name\n  - Yes: leads to Put back alongside, with restored added to the name\n- Put back under its own name\n  - leads to Removed from the vault list\n- Put back alongside, with restored added to the name\n  - leads to Removed from the vault list\n",
      "source": "%% caption: What happens when you restore an item\nflowchart TD\n  A[Select an item and click Restore] --> B{Is it stored on your external drive?}\n  B -->|Yes, and the drive is not connected| C[Nothing happens - connect the drive and try again]\n  B -->|No, or the drive is connected| D{Is the name already taken in that folder?}\n  D -->|No| E[Put back under its own name]\n  D -->|Yes| F[Put back alongside, with restored added to the name]\n  E --> G[Removed from the vault list]\n  F --> G"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The Recycle Vault window with one item selected and the Restore button highlighted in the toolbar",
      "caption": "Restoring an item from the Recycle Vault"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "To get something back, open the Recycle Vault , select the item and click Restore . It goes back to the folder it came from. If something with the same name is already there, nothing is overwritten — the restored copy lands alongside it with \"(restored)\" added to its name. Step by step Open the More menu → Recycle Vault… . Find the item. The list is newest first; type in Search to narrow it. Each row shows where the item came from, how it was removed and how many days are left. Select it. Hold ⌘ or ⇧ to select several. Choose how to bring it back: Restore puts it back in its original folder. The button beside Restore (\"Restore the selected items to a folder you choose\") asks for a folder; pick one and click Restore Here . A short message confirms the result — for example \"Restored 3 items.\" Restored items leave the vault list, because they're back on your disk. What happens when you restore an item Flowchart outline: What happens when you restore an item Select an item and click Restore leads to Is it stored on your external drive? Is it stored on your external drive? Yes, and the drive is not connected: leads to Nothing happens - connect the drive and try again No, or the drive is connected: leads to Is the name already taken in that folder? Is the name already taken in that folder? No: leads to Put back under its own name Yes: leads to Put back alongside, with restored added to the name Put back under its own name leads to Removed from the vault list Put back alongside, with restored added to the name leads to Removed from the vault list Undoing the most recent removal Undo last removal brings back everything from the most recent removal in one step — for example every file belonging to an app you just uninstalled, or the copies you just removed from one duplicate set. You don't need to select anything first. When something is already there Restoring never replaces a file. If the original folder already has an item with the same name, the restored one is renamed — \"Report (restored).pdf\", then \"Report (restored 2).pdf\" and so on — and both are kept. Compare them and remove the one you don't want. Messages you might see Message What it means Restored N items. Everything you selected is back Connect your external drive to restore those items — their contents live on the drive. The items are stored on your external drive, which isn't connected. Plug it in and try again Couldn't restore those items. None of them could be put back. Try Restore with a different folder Some couldn't be restored. Added to the count when only part of the selection came back An item marked needs drive in the list is stored on your external drive. Its magnifying-glass button, which reveals the recoverable copy in Finder, is unavailable until the drive is connected. Before you delete for good If you're not sure whether you'll need something, restore it first and delete it in Finder later — once you use Delete permanently in the vault, there's nothing left to restore. Items are cleared automatically after about six months, and sooner if the vault runs out of its share of the drive. See The Recycle Vault . See also: How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible · Finding and removing duplicates · Uninstalling an app completely · Restore Points",
  "markdown": "To get something back, open the **Recycle Vault**, select the item and click **Restore**. It goes back to the folder it came from. If something with the same name is already there, nothing is overwritten — the restored copy lands alongside it with \"(restored)\" added to its name.\n\n## Step by step\n\n1. Open the **More** menu → **Recycle Vault…**.\n2. Find the item. The list is newest first; type in **Search** to narrow it. Each row shows where the item came from, how it was removed and how many days are left.\n3. Select it. Hold ⌘ or ⇧ to select several.\n4. Choose how to bring it back:\n   - **Restore** puts it back in its original folder.\n   - The button beside **Restore** (\"Restore the selected items to a folder you choose\") asks for a folder; pick one and click **Restore Here**.\n5. A short message confirms the result — for example \"Restored 3 items.\"\n\nRestored items leave the vault list, because they're back on your disk.\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: What happens when you restore an item\nflowchart TD\n  A[Select an item and click Restore] --> B{Is it stored on your external drive?}\n  B -->|Yes, and the drive is not connected| C[Nothing happens - connect the drive and try again]\n  B -->|No, or the drive is connected| D{Is the name already taken in that folder?}\n  D -->|No| E[Put back under its own name]\n  D -->|Yes| F[Put back alongside, with restored added to the name]\n  E --> G[Removed from the vault list]\n  F --> G\n```\n\n*Flowchart — What happens when you restore an item. Outline:*\n\n- Select an item and click Restore\n  - leads to Is it stored on your external drive?\n- Is it stored on your external drive?\n  - Yes, and the drive is not connected: leads to Nothing happens - connect the drive and try again\n  - No, or the drive is connected: leads to Is the name already taken in that folder?\n- Is the name already taken in that folder?\n  - No: leads to Put back under its own name\n  - Yes: leads to Put back alongside, with restored added to the name\n- Put back under its own name\n  - leads to Removed from the vault list\n- Put back alongside, with restored added to the name\n  - leads to Removed from the vault list\n\n## Undoing the most recent removal\n\n**Undo last removal** brings back everything from the most recent removal in one step — for example every file belonging to an app you just uninstalled, or the copies you just removed from one duplicate set. You don't need to select anything first.\n\n## When something is already there\n\nRestoring never replaces a file. If the original folder already has an item with the same name, the restored one is renamed — \"Report (restored).pdf\", then \"Report (restored 2).pdf\" and so on — and both are kept. Compare them and remove the one you don't want.\n\n## Messages you might see\n\n| Message | What it means |\n|---|---|\n| Restored N items. | Everything you selected is back |\n| Connect your external drive to restore those items — their contents live on the drive. | The items are stored on your external drive, which isn't connected. Plug it in and try again |\n| Couldn't restore those items. | None of them could be put back. Try **Restore** with a different folder |\n| Some couldn't be restored. | Added to the count when only part of the selection came back |\n\nAn item marked **needs drive** in the list is stored on your external drive. Its magnifying-glass button, which reveals the recoverable copy in Finder, is unavailable until the drive is connected.\n\n## Before you delete for good\n\nIf you're not sure whether you'll need something, restore it first and delete it in Finder later — once you use **Delete permanently** in the vault, there's nothing left to restore. Items are cleared automatically after about six months, and sooner if the vault runs out of its share of the drive. See [The Recycle Vault](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault).\n\nSee also: [How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe) · [Finding and removing duplicates](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/duplicates) · [Uninstalling an app completely](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/uninstalling-an-app) · [Restore Points](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restore-points)\n"
}