How to Recover Deleted Photos on Your iPhone?

Losing photos from your iPhone can be a distressful experience, especially when those images hold sentimental value or are of significant importance. There are several reasons like accidental deletion, improper transfer, formatting, etc. why photos get deleted from your iPhone. Luckily, Apple provides several built-in methods, as well as third-party solutions, for easy and quick photo recovery from the iPhone. 

This comprehensive guide describes various iPhone photo recovery methods to help you learn how to recover deleted photos from iPhone. 

Understanding Why Photos Get Deleted on iPhones

As mentioned above, there are many reasons why any file or folder, including photos, gets deleted from your iPhone. Understanding the exact cause helps you to find the adequate iPhone photo recovery method to handle such data loss scenarios. Some common reasons for photo deletion are:

• User Mistake: One of the main causes of photo deletion on iPhone is simple user error. You may have accidentally selected and deleted photos while organizing or viewing them in the Photos app.
• Software Glitches: There may be some glitches or bugs during or after an iOS update which lead to the loss of photos. 
• System Instability: Jailbreaking an iPhone to install unauthorized apps or modify system settings can lead to system instability and cause the deletion of photos.
• Hardware Issues: Problems with the iPhone’s hardware, such as a failing storage chip, can lead to data corruption and the loss of photos.
• Malware Attacks: Though iPhones are generally secure, downloading unauthorized apps or content from untrusted sources can introduce malware, which can corrupt or delete data, including photos.

How do I Recover Deleted Photos on iPhones?

Irrespective of the causes for photo deletion on your iPhone, there are several iPhone photo recovery methods as well that can help you to easily restore your pictures. Let’s discuss these methods in detail:

Method 01: Recover Photos on iPhone From Recently Deleted Album

When you delete any photo on your iPhone, it is not permanently removed from your device. Instead, it is moved to the “Recently Deleted” album, where it stays for 30 days. During this period, you can recover the photo without any additional tool for photo recovery from the iPhone. Follow the below steps to recover deleted photos from the “Recently Deleted” album in the Photos app:

• Firstly, open the Photos app on your iPhone.
• Scroll-down and click on Albums from the bottom. Then, click on Recently Deleted.

• Browse through the deleted photos and select the ones you need to recover.
• Click the Recover button to save selected photos to their original location.

Method 02: Recover Photos Using iCloud Backup

If the photos are not available in the “Recently Deleted” album, then they might have been permanently deleted from your iPhone. In such cases, you should check previously created backups to recover deleted photos. You can use iCloud backup to restore your iPhone to a previous state, which may include the deleted photos. All you have to do is:

• Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Click on iCloud and then go to Photos.
• Toggle the button next to iCloud Photos to enable it.

Now when iCloud backup is enabled, follow the below steps to restore photos from iCloud:

• Visit the iCloud Website and enter your Apple credentials to log in to your account.
• After logging in, select Photos from the app list.
• Go to the Recently Deleted folder from the left navigation pane, select photos you need to restore and click the Recover button.

Method 03: Recover Deleted Photos Using iTunes Backup

If you regularly back up your iPhone to your computer using iTunes, you can recover deleted photos by restoring your iPhone from an iTunes backup. For this:

• Firstly, connect your iPhone to your Mac with macOS Mojave or an earlier version.
• Now, click the iPhone icon located at the upper-left corner of your iTunes window.
• After that, click on the Summary tab from the left pane.
• From the Backups section, click the “Restore Backup” button.

• Choose the backup version you need to restore and wait till the restoration process is complete.
• Once done, check the Photos app to see if the deleted photos are restored.

Method 04: Use Third-Party iPhone Data Recovery Software

If you’ve tried all the above methods and still can’t recover your photos, it might be worth using an iPhone photo recovery software. There are several third-party iPhone photo recovery tools available online, but Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is known for its simple user interface and just three steps recovery process. Whether your photos are deleted due to accidental deletion, formatting, system errors, or any other reason, this versatile software can recover them easily. 

Key Features of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone:

• Recover deleted photos, videos, documents, text, contacts, and other types of files.
• Compatible with iPhone Series 15/14/13/12/11/X and below.
• Supports the latest iOS 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, and below.
• Allows you to preview the recoverable files after completion of the storage scanning process
• 100% safe and secure tool to recover every bit of lost or deleted data.
• The software is available in multiple versions, varying in features and prices.

Here’s how to recover deleted photos on your iPhone using the Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone tool:

Step 1: Download and install the Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone software on your Windows/Mac device. Also, connect your iPhone to that device. Launch the software and from the homepage, select “Recover from iPhone” and then choose the type of data you need to restore. Click Next to continue.

Step 2: Wait till the scanning process is complete. Once it is complete, preview the recoverable photos and select the ones you need to restore. 

Step 3: Lastly, click the Save button to save recovered photos at the desired location. 

Wrapping Up

Recovering deleted photos from an iPhone is possible using a variety of methods, ranging from simple recovery through the “Recently Deleted” album to more advanced techniques like using third-party iPhone photo recovery software. The key to successful recovery is acting quickly, especially if the photos have been recently deleted, and having regular backups to fall back on. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can recover your cherished memories and prevent future data loss.