How to Look at Deleted Photos: Your Guide to Photo Recovery

Accidentally deleting precious photos is a common digital mishap. Whether it’s a slip of the finger or a moment of decluttering gone wrong, the sinking feeling of lost memories is universal. Fortunately, if you’re using Apple’s ecosystem with iCloud Photos, those deleted images aren’t necessarily gone forever. There’s a grace period and a specific place where these photos reside before permanent deletion. This guide will show you exactly How To Look At Deleted Photos and recover them across your iCloud account, iPhone, and Mac.

Understanding the “Recently Deleted” Album

Think of the “Recently Deleted” album as a safety net for your photos and videos. When you delete a photo from your iCloud Photos library on any of your devices, it doesn’t immediately vanish. Instead, it’s moved to this special album, acting like a recycle bin for your visual memories. This album holds onto your deleted items for 30 days. This timeframe gives you ample opportunity to realize a mistake and restore your photos.

It’s important to remember that iCloud Photos syncs across all your Apple devices. This means when you delete a photo on your iPhone, it’s also moved to the “Recently Deleted” album in your iCloud account and on your Mac, and vice-versa. Any recovery action you take will also be reflected across all devices linked to your Apple ID. After 30 days, photos in the “Recently Deleted” album are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered from the album itself.

How to Recover Deleted Photos on iCloud.com

If you’re using a computer or prefer to manage your photos via the web, iCloud.com provides a straightforward way to access and restore your deleted photos.

1. Navigate to iCloud.com in your web browser and log in with your Apple ID credentials.
2. Once logged in, click on the “Photos” app icon.
3. Look for the sidebar on the left side of the Photos interface. If you don’t see it, click the sidebar icon, which is typically located in the top corner.
4. In the sidebar, you will find the “Recently Deleted” album. Click on it.
5. You will now see all the photos and videos you’ve deleted within the last 30 days.
6. Select the photos or videos you wish to recover by clicking on them. You can select multiple items.
7. After selecting your desired photos, click the “Recover” button, usually found at the top of the window.

Your recovered photos will be restored to your main Photos library and will reappear on all your devices connected to iCloud Photos.

How to Recover Deleted Photos on your iPhone

Recovering photos directly from your iPhone is just as simple and convenient.

1. Open the “Photos” app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the “Albums” tab, located at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll down to the “Utilities” section and tap on the “Recently Deleted” album.
4. If you are using iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1, or later, you might be prompted to use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock the “Recently Deleted” album for security purposes.
5. Once inside the album, tap “Select” in the top right corner.
6. Choose the photos or videos you want to recover by tapping on them. A checkmark will appear on selected items. If you want to recover everything, you can often find a “Recover All” option.
7. Tap “Recover” at the bottom right corner, and then confirm by tapping “Recover Photo” (or “Recover Photos” if you selected multiple).

The recovered photos will be immediately returned to your iPhone’s photo library and synced back to your iCloud Photos.

How to Recover Deleted Photos on Mac

For Mac users, the recovery process within the Photos app is similarly intuitive.

1. Open the “Photos” app on your Mac.

2. In the Photos app sidebar, find and click on “Recently Deleted”. You may need to scroll down to see it.

   Recover deleted photos on Mac: Navigate to the 'Recently Deleted' album in the Photos app sidebar, as shown, to find and restore your pictures.

3. If the “Recently Deleted” album is locked (indicated by a lock icon), you will need to use Touch ID or enter your password to unlock it.

4. Select the photos or videos you wish to restore. You can select multiple items by holding down the Shift or Command key while clicking.

5. Click the “Recover” button, located at the top right of the window.

Just like on iCloud.com and iPhone, your recovered photos will be placed back into your main Photos library on your Mac and synced across all your iCloud devices.

Conclusion

Knowing how to look at deleted photos is a valuable skill for anyone using iCloud Photos. The “Recently Deleted” album provides a crucial buffer against accidental photo loss. By regularly checking this album if you realize you’ve mistakenly deleted photos, you can easily recover your cherished memories within the 30-day window. Don’t wait too long, though! After that period, those photos are gone from the “Recently Deleted” album, emphasizing the importance of timely recovery.