Can You Recover Photos Deleted from Recently Deleted? Yes, Here’s How!

Losing precious photos can be a distressing experience. Whether it’s a moment captured with loved ones, a stunning landscape, or important memories, accidentally deleting photos can lead to panic. Many users wonder, “Can You Recover Photos Deleted From Recently Deleted?” Fortunately, if you act quickly, especially within the Apple ecosystem, the answer is often a resounding yes. Apple devices and iCloud offer a safety net in the form of a “Recently Deleted” album, giving you a window of opportunity to restore your mistakenly deleted images and videos. This article will guide you through the simple steps to recover your photos from the Recently Deleted album on iCloud.com, your iPhone, and your Mac, ensuring you don’t permanently lose those valuable memories.

How to Recover Photos and Videos on iCloud.com

If you manage your photos using iCloud Photos, recovering deleted items via iCloud.com is straightforward. Follow these steps to get your photos back:

1. Navigate to the iCloud website and sign in with your Apple ID credentials.
2. Once logged in, open the “Photos” app within iCloud.
3. Look for the “Recently Deleted” album in the sidebar on the left. If you don’t see the sidebar, click the sidebar icon to display it.
4. You will see thumbnails of all the photos and videos you’ve deleted within the last 30 days.
5. Select each photo or video you wish to recover by clicking on them. You can select multiple items.
6. After selecting all the desired photos and videos, click the “Recover” button that appears.
7. The recovered photos and videos will be restored to your main iCloud Photos library and will sync back to all your devices connected to iCloud Photos.

Image alt text: Screenshot of iCloud Photos interface showing the Recently Deleted album option in the sidebar.

How to Recover Deleted Photos or Videos on Your iPhone

Recovering photos directly on your iPhone is just as simple. Here’s how you can retrieve your deleted memories:

1. Open the “Photos” app on your iPhone.
2. Tap 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, your iPhone will require Face ID or Touch ID to unlock and access the Recently Deleted album for security reasons.
5. Once inside the Recently Deleted album, tap “Select” in the top right corner.
6. Choose the specific photos and videos you want to recover by tapping on each one. A checkmark will appear on selected items.
7. Tap “Recover” at the bottom right corner.
8. Confirm your action by tapping “Recover Photo” or “Recover Video” (or “Recover All” if you want to restore everything in the album).
9. The recovered items will be immediately restored to your main “Library” album in the Photos app.

How to Restore Recently Deleted Items in Photos on Mac

If you primarily use a Mac, you can also easily recover photos deleted from the Photos app. Here’s how:

1. Open the “Photos” app on your Mac.
2. In the sidebar of the Photos app, locate and click on “Recently Deleted.” It’s typically found under the “Albums” section.
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. Browse through the deleted items. Select the photos and videos you wish to restore. You can select multiple items by holding down the Shift or Command key while clicking.

Photos app on Mac showing Recently Deleted album with items ready to be recovered

Image alt text: Screenshot of the Photos application on macOS, highlighting the Recently Deleted album in the sidebar and displaying recoverable photos.

5. Once you have selected all the items you want to recover, click the “Recover” button located at the top right of the Photos window.
6. The recovered photos and videos will be immediately moved back to your main Photos Library on your Mac.

Important Notes on Recently Deleted and Data Backup

Remember, the Recently Deleted album is a temporary holding place. Photos and videos remain in this album for 30 days from the date of deletion. After this 30-day period, they are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered from the Recently Deleted album.

To prevent permanent data loss, it’s always a good practice to regularly back up your photos and important data. For Apple users, iCloud Photos is a convenient option for syncing and backing up photos across devices. Additionally, consider using Time Machine on Mac or other backup solutions to safeguard your digital memories beyond the 30-day Recently Deleted window.

By understanding how to use the Recently Deleted feature, you can have peace of mind knowing that you have a window to recover accidentally deleted photos and videos, ensuring your precious moments are not lost forever.