It can be very painful to lose all the beautiful memories you had saved on your iPhone as photos. The good news is that you can get back all your photos whether you deleted them mistakenly or intentionally
iPhones have a feature that works just like the recycle bin of your computer that helps you recover your deleted files easily. Follow the detailed step-by-step guide below to learn how to recover deleted photos from iPhone.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone with the Photo app
When you take photos with your iPhone, it is saved to the device’s Photo application. The photo is then moved to the Recently deleted folder after you delete it. You have about 30 days to recover it from this folder before it is permanently removed from your device.
To retrieve photos from the Photo app,
- Launch the iPhone Photo app from your app menu. You’d see a collection of Albums.
- Select the Recently deleted album. A list of photos you deleted within 30 days will appear along with days left for them to be permanently deleted.
You may be asked to open the album with a Face ID or Touch ID. Comply accordingly.
- Click on Select at the right-top corner and tap on the photos you want to recover.
- Click on Recover to confirm
How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone iCloud
If you cannot find the photo you are looking for in the recently deleted folder, there is no need to panic as you can still recover your files using iCloud. Apple iCloud is a built-in backup service by Apple Inc. to save your documents, photos, videos, contacts and so much more.
There are other backup options like iTunes and Finder used to store iPhone photos, but this section will focus only on iCloud. Here is a step by step instructions on how to recover deleted photos from iPhone iCloud:
- Visit Apple iCloud webpage.
- Log in using your username and password.
- Select Photos once you gain access to your dashboard.
- Select the Recently Deleted album.
- Tap on all the photos you want to get back. Click on Recover to complete the process.
You will see all the photos in your iPhone photo album once again.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone on Finder
Finder has been used for iPhone backups and recovery since the production of macOS Catalina. If you want to recover photos using Finder, make sure to use the recent backup. Now let’s go ahead and recover those photos together.
- Launch finder
- Connect your iPhone to your computer
- From the options on the left side of your screen, click on your iPhone.
- In the General tab, click on the Restore iPhone button.
- Let Finder backup your iPhone first before you restore.
- Click on Restore from the pop-up box that appears on your screen to confirm the process.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone on iTunes
MacOS Mojave is the last version to come with iTunes. So if you are using an older version of Mac, you can recover your iPhone photos using iTunes. Follow the easy guide below to recover your deleted iPhone photos.
- Open iTunes
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using an original Apple cable.
- Click on Restore Backup.
Make sure to use the most recent backup
- Click on restore, and allow the software to complete the restore process.
Can this be done if the photo was deleted at any time?
The methods we have listed only work for files that were deleted within 30 days. After 30 days, they will be cleared from your phone memory. However, it can be recovered from iCloud within a period of 40 days. Some special software like Disk Drill can be used to retrieve photos that have been deleted on an iPhone for more than 30-40 days but you would have to start the process early.
How to prevent iPhone photo loss
It is better to avoid losing your photos in the first place than to panic when you lose them. Always be on the lookout for any slip that may make you lose all those memories of yourself and your loved ones.
1. Backup your device
This is the most important step to preventing photo loss on your iPhone. Have the habit of uploading your files to iCloud once in a while, especially after you have taken new photos.
Apple iCloud gives you access to 5GB storage capacity, after which you can upgrade to premium services for a fee. Part of the services offered by iCloud includes “Find my phone” which enables you to easily locate your phone after it has been stolen or misplaced.
2. Use an additional backup service
It doesn’t hurt to take extra measures to make sure your photos can be easily recovered. Services like Google photos or Mega can be used to back up your iCloud in case of any unexpected issues with Apple iCloud.
Mega offers a generous storage space of 50GB and awards users more space after they take on and successfully finish challenges.
3. Protect your iPhone
Kids or anyone else that has access to your device may mistakenly delete photos from your iPhone. To prevent this from happening, protect your iPhone with a Face ID or Touch ID. If you need to give anyone access to your photo album, help them navigate the device if that is their first time using an iPhone.
4. Don’t Jailbreak your iPhone
The moment you jailbreak your iPhone, you are vulnerable to unauthorized access to your device by third-party apps. This means your photos may be tampered with without anyone actually deleting them.
Except you have a good reason, then don’t jailbreak your phone. For those not familiar with this term, jailbreaking your iPhone means removing certain restrictions that were placed by the manufacturer.
Wrap up
With more than one way, you can get your hands on the photos you deleted some days ago. You can use the iPhone Photo app, iCloud, Finder, or other software to achieve this. You can also prevent photo loss in the first place by taking some necessary steps.
