Data recovery after macOS corruption or a failed update
A Mac stuck on the Apple logo, a progress bar that never finishes, or a folder with a question mark after an update. In most cases your files are still on the drive – the operating system around them has broken.
What usually goes wrong
A macOS update rewrites system files and the APFS container that holds them. If power drops, the disk is already failing, or the update is interrupted, the volume can be left in a state macOS will not mount. The Mac then loops at start-up, shows a prohibitory sign, or boots into Recovery and offers to reinstall.
Your documents, photos and mail sit in a separate data volume, so they are often intact even when the system will not start.
How we recover it
We image the internal storage first and work only on the copy. On the image we rebuild damaged APFS or HFS+ structures, mount the user data volume and extract your home folder, Photos library and application data. Where the Mac uses a T2 or Apple silicon chip, we work through the Mac itself because the storage is encrypted to that machine.
What it costs
Every job starts with a professional evaluation (£94.80). You then get a fixed quote and a list of recoverable files before any recovery work is charged. As a guide, logical recoveries of this kind usually fall in our £250–£550 band; cases with an underlying hardware fault are quoted after evaluation.
Frequently asked questions
Will reinstalling macOS delete my files?
A reinstall from Recovery is designed to keep user data, but on a damaged volume it can fail part-way and overwrite areas that held your files. Get the data off first, then reinstall.
My Mac boots to Recovery and asks me to erase the disk. Should I?
No. Erasing removes the file system that points to your data. Shut the Mac down and contact us before trying anything else.
Can you recover data if the update also failed on an external backup drive?
Yes. We can work on both the Mac and the backup disk and recover from whichever holds the most complete copy.
Related services
Deleted or Formatted Mac FilesEmptied Trash, erased disks and accidental reformats.
Mac SSD & Fusion Drive FailureFusion Drive, Apple blade SSD and soldered storage failures.
MacBook Liquid DamageCoffee, water and drink spills on MacBook Air and Pro.
Mac Not Powering On or BootingDead Macs, black screens and boot failures.
FileVault-Encrypted Mac RecoveryFailed encrypted Mac drives, unlocked with your credentials.
iMac & Mac Pro Hard Drive CrashClicking and failed hard drives in iMac and Mac Pro towers.
Mac Logic Board & NAND DamageBoard-level repair to reach soldered, encrypted Mac storage.
Talk to an engineer
Describe the problem and the make and model if you know it. We will reply with a price and the fastest way to get it fixed, usually the same working day.
020 7237 6805 London repair centreUnit 1, 80 Willow Walk, London SE1 5SY
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm
Ready to send it in? Book online and get your job number by email straight away.