Yes, it is possible to recover deleted files from an iPhone, but the process can be tricky. When you delete a file on your iPhone, it is not immediately erased from the device’s storage. Instead, the space it occupied is marked as available to be overwritten by new data. As long as that space has not been overwritten, recovery software can scan the iPhone’s memory and restore deleted files.
How does file deletion work on iPhone?
When you delete a photo, video, app, or other data from your iPhone, the operating system does not immediately erase it. The space it occupied is simply marked as available to be written over. This is done for performance reasons – it takes less time to simply flag data as deleted rather than erasing it right away.
The files remain in the iPhone’s storage until that section of memory is overwritten by new data. This could take anywhere from minutes to weeks, depending on how much available space you have and how heavily you use your device. The more free space, the longer deleted files tend to remain recoverable.
What are the chances of successful iPhone file recovery?
The odds of recovering a deleted file depend on two key factors:
- How soon you attempt recovery after deletion
- How much your phone has been used since deletion
If you try to recover the file immediately after deletion and have not added any significant new data to your iPhone, the chances of complete recovery are good. The longer you wait and the more new data is written, the lower the odds become.
For the best chances, you’ll want to recover deleted files from your iPhone as soon as possible. The less your normal iPhone use patterns are disrupted, the better. Immediately stopping all new data writes can further increase your chances if you know deletion was recent.
When is iPhone file recovery impossible?
There are a few circumstances where it becomes impossible to recover deleted files from an iPhone:
- You have overwritten the storage space occupied by the deleted files. If new data uses the same memory sectors, recovery is impossible.
- You have restored your iPhone from a backup. iOS wipes all user data when restoring, overwriting deleted files.
- You have performed a factory reset of your iPhone. Wiping the device clears all data.
- Your iPhone is damaged and cannot power on properly. This makes data inaccessible.
- Your iPhone uses full disk encryption. When enabled, instantly erases files after deletion.
Aside from these situations, at least some recovery is possible in most cases. But the odds decrease steadily over time without prompt action.
How can you recover recently deleted files from iPhone?
If you just deleted a file from your iPhone and want to get it back immediately, follow these steps:
- Stop using your iPhone right away. Put it in airplane mode and do not launch any apps. Disconnect from wifi.
- Download reputable data recovery software on your computer. Options like iMyFone D-Back or EaseUS MobiSaver are popular.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and allow the recovery software access. Do not override prompts asking for permission.
- Scan your iPhone storage using the data recovery software. It will detect deleted but recoverable files.
- Select the deleted files you want to restore and recover them to your computer.
- Once recovery is complete, you can transfer the restored files back onto your iPhone.
This process works best right after deletion, before much new data writes to your iPhone. Keep usage to an absolute minimum during recovery for best results.
How can you recover deleted files from iPhone backup?
If you have an iPhone backup from before the files were deleted, you can restore them from there. Here is the process:
- Locate your latest iPhone backup. This is typically found in iTunes or iCloud.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer if using an iTunes backup.
- Launch the iPhone restore process using your backup. In iTunes, use Restore Backup. For iCloud, erase then restore your iPhone.
- Once restoration is complete, your deleted files should be present again. You can now transfer them back to your iPhone.
This relies on having a backup from before the files were deleted. If you have only backed up since deletion, the files will not be present to restore.
What iPhone file recovery software options exist?
Some top data recovery software choices for iPhone include:
| Software | Key Features |
|---|---|
| iMyFone D-Back | Recovers up to 30+ file types from iPhone or backup, easy to use, affordable |
| EaseUS MobiSaver | Free version available, recovers photos, messages, contacts, notes, and more |
| Stellar Data Recovery | Advanced scanning and deep recovery abilities, suitable for severe data loss |
| Disk Drill | Recovers from iPhone directly or iTunes and iCloud backup files, fast scans |
These are all reputable paid recovery apps with different strengths. Free software is also available but typically offers limited scanning capabilities.
Can you recover permanently deleted iPhone files?
It is possible to recover even permanently deleted files from your iPhone in some cases. This requires advanced data recovery software.
When you permanently delete a file from your iPhone, its entry in the file system is erased. So it is no longer visible to basic scans by normal recovery software.
However, the data itself often still physically remains on the device storage until overwritten. Advanced software can scan for these deeply deleted files based on patterns rather than file listings.
The chances of recovering a permanently deleted file depend on:
- How soon recovery is attempted after permanent deletion
- Whether the storage sectors have been overwritten
- The recovery capabilities of the software and skill of the user
If you accidentally permanently erase important iPhone files, recovery should be attempted as quickly as possible before permanent loss.
Can you recover deleted iPhone messages?
Yes, with the right data recovery software, it is possible to retrieve deleted text messages, iMessages, MMS messages, and attachments from your iPhone.
The built-in Messages app stores SMS/iMessages in an SQLite database on the iPhone. When messages are deleted, they are simply marked for overwrite within the database – the data still remains.
Recovery software can scan this database directly and restore message details, text, attachments, and other data. Contact lists, call logs, voicemails, and WhatsApp messages may also be recoverable.
As always, the sooner restoration is attempted after deletion, the better the outcome. Significant new data added to your iPhone lowers chances of recovery.
Can you recover deleted iPhone photos?
It is often possible to recover deleted photos from your iPhone as long as storage sectors have not been overwritten since deletion.
When you permanently delete a photo on your iPhone, its entry in the Photos app database is removed. But the image file itself remains on the storage until replaced by new data.
Photo recovery apps can scan the raw storage and restore deleted image files. This won’t replace the Photos app thumbnails, but it does allow full restoration of the photos themselves.
Deleted photo recovery works even if you cleared the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app. Those thumbnail listings are gone but files may still persist.
Can you recover deleted Notes on iPhone?
The Notes app data on an iPhone is stored in an SQLite database similar to Messages. When you delete a note, it is simply marked for overwrite in this database.
Data recovery tools can often restore deleted notes by recovering the full Notes database. All note content, lists, images, and other data can be retrieved.
Things get more difficult if you delete the entire Notes app storage in Settings or perform a factory reset. But even then, advanced deep scanning tools may find remnants of notes that help with some level of restoration.
Conclusion
While not foolproof, recovering deleted files from an iPhone is often possible if attempted promptly before storage sectors are overwritten. The right recovery software increases the chances, particularly advanced tools that can restore deeply deleted data.
To optimize success:
- Act quickly after any deletion and avoid adding new data
- Use reputable recovery software and follow best practices
- Prioritize recovery of critical data in case some files are unrecoverable
Following iPhone file deletion, avoid restores, backups, factory resets or anything else that overwrites storage until after recovery. With the right approach, you can likely restore lost photos, messages, notes and other valuable iPhone data.