# Is it possible to recover a deleted database?

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Created:** [October 4, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772 "2026-10-04T21:48:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/amelchi)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/1 "2026-10-04T21:48:01Z")

</div>

I accidentally deleted a whole database…is it possible to recover it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 9:50pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/2 "2026-10-04T21:50:08Z")

</div>

Sure, from the last backup before you deleted it

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/amelchi)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 4:59am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/3 "2026-10-05T04:59:09Z")

</div>

From TimeMachine?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![suavito](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@suavito](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/suavito)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 5:20am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/4 "2026-10-05T05:20:29Z")

</div>

From _TimeMachine_ or any other backup method you used.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 5:52am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/5 "2026-10-05T05:52:29Z")

</div>

Did you delete it in DEVONthink via the _File_ menu or the sidebar’s menus? Then it might be still in the Finder’s trash.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/amelchi)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 6:07am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/6 "2026-10-05T06:07:16Z")

</div>

AFAIK I dont remember (🥸), but it is not in the trash…

A question: is it possible to recover only that single database?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 6:08am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/7 "2026-10-05T06:08:36Z")

</div>

> [@amelchi](#):
>
> is it possible to recover only that single database?

This depends on your used backup method. DEVONthink can’t recover it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 6:24am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/8 "2026-10-05T06:24:22Z")

</div>

> [@amelchi](#):
>
> is it possible to recover only that single database?

It is the same process as it is with every other folder. The details depend on the backup software you’re using.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@amelchi](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/amelchi)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 7:27am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/9 "2026-10-05T07:27:08Z")

</div>

solved by CCC, thanks to all

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DTLow](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/dtlow/32/18161_2.png) [@DTLow](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/DTLow)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 11:43am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/10 "2026-10-05T11:43:06Z")

</div>

> [@amelchi](#):
>
> is it possible to recover only that single database? … solved by CCC

Each database is contained in a single file package, identified with the extension .dtBase2  
and can be recovered from backups.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 7:12pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/is-it-possible-to-recover-a-deleted-database/87772/11 "2026-10-05T19:12:25Z")

</div>

> [@amelchi](#):
>
> solved by CCC

I am thankful you have any kind of backup. I run into too many people every year with no backups at all. And yes, that’s why I continually harp on the topic. 🙂