Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery

Data Recovery is a challenging task altogether, and it is even more so on a Mac. Though data loss can strike and paralyze any machine and OS, recovery software are more easily available for Windows based devices as compared to Macs and other iOS based devices. In this rather miserly supply of good quality data recovery software for Mac, there is one very competent one that can put an end to almost all data loss problems which Mac users face - Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery.

Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery injects a fresh feel of hope in the dismal world of data loss on Mac and that’s what makes this software stand out from its competition. It continues the strong legacy of Stellar data recovery software by offering quite a sure-shot way of restoring almost all files which have been accidentally deleted or formatted from a Mac. Here’s our detailed product review.


Interface and Basic Working

At its core, the ideology of Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery resembles other data recovery software in its league. It has a relatively simple user interface that is easy to understand and follow. Clicking on the Recover Data button on the interface’s main window kicks off the process. On the same main interface, the user is also given a choice to Create Image, but it is advisable to go ahead with this option only if you fully understand what it means and does.

Coming back to the flow. Once a user kicks off recovery, the highly focused software offers 4 options in a tab styled panel from which the user can select the one most suited to his needs. These options include Drive Recovery, Photo Recovery, CD/DVD Recovery, Time Machine Recovery, Encrypted Drive recovery and Raw Recovery. Each of these options has further sub-options listing down the method in which you wish to recover your data. After the user has made all appropriate selections, the software displays a list of all recoverable files in a tree styled structure in the left hand side panel. This list is populated with the help of advanced searching algorithms that scan the Mac’s volumes for files that can be recovered. A progress bar that is updated in real-time helps in tracking how far the scanning process has reached at any point.

The user has the option to select any file from the recoverable items and preview it. Thereafter, if he wants to recover that file, he can select it (or multiple files) and click on the Recover button to restore what he had lost.




The Good

There are many features of this software that make it a very good candidate when it comes to Mac data recovery. Here they are in a list-based fashion to facilitate easy understanding:

1. The software can successfully recover different types of files including documents, images, music and movies from any HFS, HFS+, FAT, ExFAT and NTFS file system based storage media.

2. It covers data recovery on iMac, MacBook Pro, Air, Mac Mini and Mac Pro.

3. It recovers files with their original file name and with no modifications to original data.

4. It also enables RAW data recovery from the entire Mac hard drive.

5. It is available on a bootable system startup DVD and hence it acts as a data rescuer even when your system fails the boot process. It is here that it finishes miles ahead of its competition.

6. Tree-styled quick preview of recoverable files after scanning helps the user in deciding which files he wants to recover - another significant advantage over other Mac data recovery software.

7. As an additional feature, the software enables the user to create a complete drive image that can act as a backup in time of need.




The Not-so-Good

Among the myriad of awesome features the software offers, there are one or two instances that can be improved.

1. While a detailed level of categorization (device options and then recovery method options) helps the software in carrying out the Mac data recovery process with high precision, it might seem quite confusing to the user and sometimes un-necessary. As a user, a person would rather want to simply select the device from which to recover the data and just go ahead from there.

2. After the scanning is completed, the user can preview the files only by individually selecting and clicking them. What would have been better would be an auto-preview feature by simply moving up and down with arrows.

3. After scanning file names of recoverable files are not displayed so you might have to open all the files to find the ones you are looking for.




Final Verdict



Although you might find some areas where Stellar Data Recovery Mac falls slightly short, on the whole, it is a pretty good choice for recovering lost data on Mac. The file previewer and its availability on a bootable DVD are two very strong reasons your might want to pick this software instead of some other.

If you’re unsure, our suggestion would be to download the demo version of Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery and give it a try. In the demo version you’ll be able to reach up to the point where you can view the recoverable files after the scan completes. Once you reach that step, if you find the files you want to restore in the previewer, go ahead and buy the full version of the software. Even if it has a few glitches, at the end of the day if it able to recover your files and end your desperation, you won’t mind it in the least!