Use Local Time Machine Snapshots to Recover Lost Files
Time Machine is a great way to back up your computer, and How-To Geek points out that if you are using a Mac laptop with Time Machine enabled, there is a local backup file packed with previous versions of the files that might be helpful if you get confused. something interesting when you’re on the go.
When your laptop is away from a Time Machine backup, it creates a local file to back up later. These local snapshots contain deleted files and previous versions of files, just like a regular Time Machine backup. This is great when you’re traveling or not using a Time Machine backup because you can restore data from your laptop even if you’ve never actually backed up. Simply log into Time Machine and restore the file as if you were connected to an external hard drive. This does not work on the desktop versions and you need to set up Time Machine to do this, but it is convenient nonetheless.
How to Free Up Space Used for Local Time Machine Backups on Your Mac | How-To Geek