If you are using macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, or Mojave, then most likely, your internal storage drive is partitioned in APFS format. In case your Mac is running on macOS Sierra or OS X Lion, the internal drive partition may be in the HFS+ format. Many users, these days, are upgrading their macOS and moving to APFS to be on par with the current technology.
If your APFS or HFS partition is not functioning properly due to aging or usage, repair the partition immediately to avoid data loss. The next section describes how to fix an APFS or HFS+ partition.
You must be using Disk Utility in your system to perform disk management tasks. You can also use it to repair your logically damaged APFS or HFS partition.
To fix your APFS or HFS partition using Disk Utility, do the following:
- Press Command + Space Bar to launch Spotlight, and then type ‘disk utility’ and press Return. The Disk Utility window will open. Or else, navigate to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. Double-click the Disk Utility icon to launch it on your Mac.
- Select an APFS or HFS partition from the left pane of the Disk Utility window. From the top pane, click the First Aid tab, then click Run. Disk Utility will analyze the partition and repair any logical errors.
- If Disk Utility can’t repair the partition, it suggests the next action course. For instance, “Disk Utility fails to repair the startup disk. Backup as much data as possible and erase this drive.”
To repair “Macintosh HD,” the partition that stores your macOS, perform the following steps:
- Start or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold Command + R keys; release the keys when the Apple logo appears. Your Mac will boot into macOS Recovery mode.
- From macOS Utilities, select Disk Utility, then click Continue. From the sidebar of Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD the startup disk, then click the First Aid tab. Next, click Run to initiate the repair process.
- When the repair is unsuccessful, recover data from the drive using a data recovery software for Mac (as explained next). Next, erase the drive and reinstall macOS. Finally, restore the recovered data.
When your non-startup Mac APFS or HFS volume is severely corrupt or inaccessible, you won’t be able to back up its data as you would typically do. In such a scenario, you need to recover your data using a data recovery software for Mac. The recovery steps are as follows:
- Download and install the *trial version of Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac on your MacBook Pro/Air, iMac, or Mac mini.
- Launch the software, and from the “Select What to Recover screen,” specify the type of file that you wish to recover, then click Next.
- From the “Select Location” screen, select the non-startup APFS or HFS partition, toggle on Deep Scan, and then click Scan. Allow the software to scan your drive.
- Preview the scanned files, select the required ones, then click Recover. Specify a different drive location, then click Save. Navigate to the save location to check all your recovered data.
*Trial version of Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac allows free scan and preview but needs activation to recover data. Activate the software with complete assurance as it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.*
In case your Macintosh HD is severely corrupt or inaccessible, your Mac won’t boot. In such a case, use a working Mac to run the activated software, then create a recovery USB drive. Connect the recovery drive to your non-booting Mac and access your data. Read More.
Apart from recovering data, Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac helps you repair your corrupt photos and videos. Use the file repair feature in case you find some of your recovered photo and video files corrupted due to bad sectors on the Mac partition.
Conclusion
This blog focused exclusively on repairing a corrupt Mac startup or non-startup APFS or HFS partition. But if macOS can’t fix your disk, you need to use Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac to salvage your data. The software has four unique features to provide you with data recovery, drive monitoring, and repair module for photos and videos. For any query related to APFS or HFS partition repair and recovery, ask us in the comment box below.
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