Recovering deleted data from an iPhone is a common question for many iPhone users. With iPhones being so prevalent and containing so much personal data, accidentally deleting something important can be frustrating. The good news is that there are several methods that may allow you to recover recently deleted data from your iPhone.
Can Apple itself recover deleted data from iPhones?
Unfortunately, Apple does not provide any official methods for recovering deleted data from iPhones. When you delete something from your iPhone, either by accident or on purpose, that data is not stored or backed up by Apple. Once it’s deleted, as far as Apple is concerned, it’s gone for good.
Some people believe that because iPhones back up to iCloud, Apple must have access to or store that data, even after it’s been deleted. However, this is not the case. iCloud backups do not store previous versions of your data indefinitely. Those backups get overwritten as you continue to use your iPhone and back up new data.
So in summary, Apple itself does not have any special tools or services to recover deleted data from an iPhone. If you’ve deleted something important, Apple won’t be able to get it back for you.
Can you use iPhone backup data to recover deleted files?
If you’ve been regularly backing up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes, then you may be able to recover deleted files using one of those backups. However, this depends largely on when the last backup was made compared to when you deleted the data.
iCloud and iTunes backups capture a snapshot of your iPhone data at the time of the backup. They do not continuously backup every change you make on your iPhone. So if you delete a file, then make a new backup, that file will no longer be part of the backup. It’s only if the backup was made before you deleted the data that it has a chance of being recovered.
To recover deleted files from a backup you need to restore your entire iPhone to that backup point. This will erase any new data added after that backup was made. If you can pinpoint the backup made right before deletion, then you can restore from it to get the deleted files back. But finding the right backup can be tricky.
Using iCloud backups
iCloud allows you to store multiple device backups, but only keeps a limited number of previous backups: generally your current backup, plus the last 2-3 backup versions. So if you’ve made multiple backups since deleting data, the backup containing it may have already been overwritten.
You can check your iCloud backup history on your iPhone by going to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. This will show your current backup plus previous ones if available. You may be able to identify and restore from the backup made before deletion.
Using iTunes backups
iTunes backups give you a little more flexibility, as you can save multiple backup versions on your computer rather than just the latest few. However, you still need to identify the correct backup containing the deleted data.
In iTunes you can find your iPhone backups in the Preferences window under the Devices section. Select your device and you’ll see your backups listed with the date created. Look for the most recent backup before the data was deleted and restore from it.
Can you recover recently deleted iPhone data?
If you’ve just recently deleted data from your iPhone, and haven’t made a new backup since then, you may be able to recover it using data recovery software.
Deleting files on your iPhone doesn’t completely erase them right away. Initially the files are just marked as deleted, but they still exist on your device for a short window of time. Data recovery software can scan your iPhone and retrieve these recently deleted files.
Some things to keep in mind when trying to recover recently deleted iPhone data:
- Act quickly – the longer you wait, the more likely the deleted data will be fully overwritten by new data.
- Don’t save anything new to your iPhone that could overwrite the deleted files.
- Recovery success depends on the type of data and how it was deleted.
There are a few recommended data recovery apps to try recovering recently deleted files:
| App | Main Features |
|---|---|
| PhoneRescue | Recovers up to 31 types of deleted data. Easy to use interface. |
| iMyFone D-Back | Advanced scanning for deeply deleted files. Preview files before recovery. |
| FoneDog Toolkit | Retrieves deleted data even from damaged devices. Has free trial version. |
Can you recover iPhone data without backups?
It is possible in some cases to recover deleted iPhone data without an existing backup to restore from. As mentioned above, data recovery apps may be able to retrieve recently deleted files before they are overwritten. However, these apps have limitations.
If you deleted data long ago and have been actively using your iPhone since then, the chances of successfully recovering without a backup diminish. The more time that passes and the more new data added, the less likely recovery becomes.
Without backups, your options are limited to professional data recovery services. These services essentially dismantle the iPhone and attempt to read any remnant data still left on the physical storage chips. This is an expensive, labor-intensive process with no guarantee of success.
So while it can sometimes be done, recovering lost iPhone data without backups is difficult and not always possible. That’s why it’s critical to maintain regular iPhone backups so you always have another copy of your data.
Should you avoid using your iPhone after deletion?
If you’ve just deleted important iPhone data and want the best chance at recovery, it’s recommended to avoid using your iPhone until you can attempt file recovery.
As mentioned previously, deleted files aren’t immediately erased from your iPhone. They are marked as deleted but still exist in the storage space temporarily. However, continuing to use your iPhone normally can overwrite these deleted files making recovery difficult or impossible.
Here are some tips for avoiding overwriting deleted data:
- Don’t take or save new photos/videos.
- Don’t download or add any new data to your iPhone.
- Don’t connect your iPhone to iTunes.
- Turn off iCloud backups.
- Put your iPhone in Airplane Mode.
Basically you want to halt any activity that could continue modifying data and storage space on your device. This helps preserve the deleted data still residing there.
Once you’ve attempted recovery, you can start using your iPhone normally again even if some files remain unrecovered. Continued use will eventually overwrite any trace of the deleted data.
Is deleted iPhone data gone forever?
In most cases, any data deleted from your iPhone without an existing backup is essentially gone for good. However there are some exceptions where recovery could be possible:
- Very recently deleted data – As explained previously, you may have a limited window of time to recover recently deleted files using data recovery tools before they are overwritten.
- iCloud Photo Library – If you had the iCloud Photo Library enabled, then any photos/videos deleted from your iPhone may still be stored in iCloud for up to 30 days. You can login to iCloud.com during this window to try recovering them.
- Sync services – If you were syncing iPhone data like contacts or calendars with another service like Google or Outlook, you may be able to retrieve deleted items from the synced copy there.
- Professional data recovery – While expensive and not guaranteed, professional recovery services can sometimes retrieve data even if no longer accessible by conventional means like backups.
Barring those options, once iPhone data is deleted without an existing backup, it’s likely gone for good. This is why it’s so important to cultivate good backup habits for your iPhone.
How can you be proactive about iPhone data protection?
While you can’t always prevent accidental data loss, there are ways to prepare in advance just in case it happens:
- Enable iCloud and iTunes backups – Maintaining regular backups of your iPhone is the best insurance against data loss. Enable automatic backups via iCloud and/or iTunes.
- Back up data locally – In addition to iCloud backups, you may want to occasionally back up iPhone data like photos and messages to a computer or external hard drive for extra protection.
- Update backups frequently – Don’t just backup your iPhone once. Configure backups to run automatically on a regular basis so they stay current.
- Offload unused apps – Remove unused apps and data to both free up storage space and reduce the amount of data at potential risk.
- Know your cloud data – Be aware of apps that sync data to their own cloud systems, like photos to Google Photos or notes to Evernote.
Conclusion
While Apple itself does not store or recover deleted user data from iPhones, there are several techniques that offer a chance to retrieve your lost data:
- Restore from an iTunes or iCloud backup made before deletion.
- Use data recovery software to retrieve recently deleted files.
- On a short term basis, some deleted data may be recoverable from iCloud Photo Library or synced services.
- In rare cases, professional recovery services may be able to recover data even without backups.
But these recovery methods don’t always work, so the best way to protect your data is being proactive. Maintain consistent backups, don’t save data only on your iPhone, and act quickly if you need to try recovery tools.
Following these tips will help ensure you always have access to your important iPhone data, even if accidental deletion occurs.