Losing photos on your iPhone can be stressful, but don’t panic! If you’ve recently deleted images, they’re likely not gone forever. This article will guide you on how to find your recently deleted photos on your iPhone and recover them.
iPhone showing Recently Deleted album
Locating the Recently Deleted Album
Your recently deleted photos aren’t immediately erased from your iPhone. Instead, they’re moved to a special album called “Recently Deleted.” Think of it as a safety net, giving you a grace period to recover accidentally deleted photos. Here’s how to find it:
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Open the Photos app: Tap the Photos icon on your iPhone’s home screen.
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Navigate to Albums: At the bottom of the screen, tap “Albums.”
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Scroll down to Utilities: Under the “Utilities” section, you’ll find the “Recently Deleted” album.
iPhone showing multiple photos selected in the Photos app
Recovering Deleted Photos
Once you’ve located the Recently Deleted album, recovering your photos is a simple process:
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Open the Recently Deleted Album: Tap on the “Recently Deleted” album. On newer iOS versions (16 and later), you might need to use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock this album.
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Select the Photos to Recover: Tap “Select” in the top right corner. Choose the individual photos you want to recover or tap “Recover All” to restore everything.
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Recover Your Photos: After selecting your photos, tap “Recover” at the bottom right of the screen. Confirm your choice by tapping “Recover Photo” or “Recover Photos” in the pop-up window.
How Long Do Photos Stay in Recently Deleted?
Deleted photos remain in the Recently Deleted album for 30 days. After this period, they are automatically and permanently deleted from your device. A counter beneath each photo indicates how many days are left before it’s permanently erased.
Permanently Deleting Photos
If you need to immediately remove photos from your iPhone, you can permanently delete them from the Recently Deleted album:
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Open the Recently Deleted Album: Follow the steps above to access the Recently Deleted album.
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Select the Photos to Delete: Tap “Select” and choose the photos you wish to delete permanently. You can also choose “Delete All” to empty the entire album.
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Delete Permanently: Tap “Delete” and confirm your action by choosing “Delete [number] Photos” or “Delete All Photos”. This action bypasses the 30-day recovery period.
Important Considerations
Remember that deleting photos from your iPhone also removes them from other devices synced with your iCloud Photos. Always back up important photos and videos before deleting them.
By understanding how the Recently Deleted album works, you can safeguard your precious memories and easily recover accidentally deleted photos on your iPhone.
