Recover Files Locally on MacBook Pro after Signing Out of iCloud

data recovery
1

I signed out of my Apple ID on my MacBook and iPhone to fix a Continuity Camera issue, but in the process, I accidentally deleted several important local files (photos, work docs, etc.).

Unfortunately, I don’t have a Time Machine backup or iCloud copies — they were only stored locally.

Is there any reliable way to recover files from a MacBook without backups or iCloud, and without getting lost in all those sketchy “recovery tool” sites?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

2

Since the files weren’t backed up or in iCloud, your best shot is data recovery software — but use your Mac as little as possible until you try one, because new data can overwrite what’s deleted.

Try a reputable data recovery tool like iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac. Install it on a different drive if you can, then scan your Mac’s internal disk. If the data’s still there, you should see previews before recovery.

  1. Download iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac, install and open it on your Mac.
  2. Select your Mac’s internal hard drive and click Search for Lost Data.
  3. After scanning, check the results, preview the found files, select them, and click Recover to save them better to an external drive.
3

Just to clarify, signing out of your Apple ID shouldn’t normally delete local files, unless they were tied to iCloud Drive or Desktop/Documents sync. Double-check your Users > [Your Username] > Documents/Desktop folders — sometimes macOS moves them into an “iCloud Drive (Archive)” folder.