Recovering deleted photos on your iPhone can be stressful, but it’s often possible. This guide outlines how to view and potentially recover deleted photos from your iPhone.
Where to Find Recently Deleted iPhone Photos
Your first stop should be the Recently Deleted album. When you delete a photo, it isn’t immediately erased from your device. Instead, it moves to this album for 30 days. Think of it as a safety net.
To access this album:
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap Albums at the bottom of the screen.
- Scroll down to the Utilities section and tap Recently Deleted.
Inside, you’ll find photos and videos deleted within the last 30 days. Each item displays a countdown showing how many days are left before permanent deletion.
Recovering Photos from the Recently Deleted Album
If you find the photo you’re looking for:
- Tap Select in the upper right corner.
- Choose the photo(s) you want to recover.
- Tap Recover in the bottom right corner.
- Confirm by tapping Recover Photo (or Recover [number] Photos). The photos will be restored to their original albums.
What If the Photo Isn’t in Recently Deleted?
If the photo isn’t in the Recently Deleted album, it likely means one of two things:
- More than 30 days have passed: After 30 days, photos are automatically deleted from the Recently Deleted album.
- You emptied the Recently Deleted album: You might have manually deleted the photos from this album.
In these situations, your options are limited:
Restoring from a Backup
If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud or a computer, you might be able to restore your device to a point in time before the photos were deleted. This will overwrite your current data with the backup, so proceed cautiously.
Third-Party Data Recovery Software
Some third-party software claims to recover permanently deleted photos. However, success rates vary greatly, and there’s no guarantee. Using such software can also pose risks to your device’s security and data. Proceed with extreme caution and research thoroughly before trying this option.
Preventing Future Photo Loss
The best way to avoid the stress of losing photos is to prevent it in the first place:
- Enable iCloud Photos: This automatically backs up your photos and videos to iCloud, making them accessible across your devices.
- Regularly back up your iPhone: Create regular backups to your computer using Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (macOS Mojave or earlier and Windows).
Conclusion
While you can view and recover recently deleted photos on your iPhone, permanently deleted photos are generally gone for good. Regular backups are crucial for protecting your precious memories. Remember to always back up your device to ensure you don’t lose important data.
