Quick Summary
Here are some quick answers to common questions about getting deleted music back on an iPhone:
How can I recover deleted music on my iPhone?
The best way is to use iPhone data recovery software like iMyFone D-Back or dr.fone. These tools can scan your iPhone and recover deleted music files.
Can you get back deleted music on iPhone without a computer?
Unfortunately no, you need to connect your iPhone to a computer and use data recovery software to retrieve deleted music files.
Is deleted music gone forever from iPhone?
No, even when you empty the Recently Deleted folder, deleted music can still be recovered as long as it hasn’t been overwritten by new data.
Does iCloud keep deleted music?
No, iCloud does not keep copies of music you delete from your iPhone. You need data recovery software to get deleted music back.
What Happens When You Delete Music from iPhone
When you delete a music file from your iPhone, it isn’t immediately erased from the device’s storage. Instead, iOS places the deleted music file into a temporary holding spot called the “Recently Deleted” folder, where it will remain for up to 40 days.
During this window, you can recover deleted music from the Recently Deleted folder in the Photos app quite easily. Simply go to the folder, find the music files you want back, and tap to restore them. The music will return to the Music app.
However, if you don’t retrieve the deleted music while it’s in the Recently Deleted folder, iOS will permanently erase the files after about a month. At this point, the space taken up by the deleted music gets marked as available storage and can be overwritten by new data.
Why Deleted Music Can Still Be Recovered
Even when the deleted music is no longer in the Recently Deleted folder, data recovery software is often still able to get it back. This is because iOS doesn’t completely wipe the data right away – it simply removes the links pointing to the files.
The actual music file contents remain intact until they get overwritten. As long as the deleted music hasn’t been replaced by new data, specialized software can scan the iPhone storage and rebuild the links to retrieve the “lost” music files.
Review: Best Software to Recover Deleted Music
To recover deleted music files on your iPhone, you’ll need to use third-party iOS data recovery software. This specialized software is designed to thoroughly scan iOS devices and find deleted data that can still be recovered.
Below we review the top 3 data recovery apps for retrieving deleted iPhone music:
1. iMyFone D-Back – Best for Ease of Use
iMyFone D-Back is one of the most popular data recovery apps for iOS devices. It’s able to recover 30+ types of lost iPhone data, including messages, photos, contacts, notes, and of course – music files.
We like iMyFone D-Back for its simple interface and recovery process. After installing and launching the software, you just need to connect your iPhone via USB and select the type of scan you want to run:
- Smart Recovery Scan – Quickly finds recently deleted files that can still be easily recovered.
- Deep Recovery Scan – Thoroughly scans the iPhone storage for music and other media that was deleted further back.
Once the scan is complete, iMyFone D-Back neatly sorts all the recoverable music files by category. You can preview files to check their content before choosing which ones to restore.
Overall, iMyFone D-Back makes it super easy for anyone to get back their lost iPhone music. It also has very high recovery success rates, allowing you to rescue music even from older iPhone models.
2. dr.fone – Best for Advanced Features
dr.fone from Wondershare is another top choice for iOS data recovery. It comes packed with advanced features that make it easy to dig deep and recover deleted files from your iPhone.
After connecting your iPhone, dr.fone provides several options for music recovery:
- Scan selected music genres or artists to find deleted songs faster.
- Extract iTunes backup data and recover deleted music from there.
- Recover from iCloud backup if you have music synced there.
dr.fone also has tools to fix various iOS system issues, making it an all-in-one iPhone recovery toolkit. With its powerful scanning and wide range of options, dr.fone is a great choice for retrieving deleted music from iPhones.
3. iSkysoft Toolbox – Best for Ease of Use
iSkysoft Toolbox is designed specifically for iOS data recovery and repair. Like iMyFone D-Back, it provides an intuitive interface and guided music recovery process.
After picking Music Recovery, iSkysoft Toolbox provides two options:
- Restore iTunes Backup – Recover deleted music from an existing iTunes backup file.
- Recover from iOS Device – Scan the connected iPhone directly to find lost music.
We like that iSkysoft Toolbox allows you to target music files by artists and albums. You can select only the deleted music you want to restore, instead of recovering everything found.
Overall, iSkysoft Toolbox is extremely easy to use for iPhone music recovery. Its simplified options make it a great choice for beginners.
How to Recover Deleted Music on iPhone
Now let’s go through the step-by-step process of using iOS data recovery software to retrieve deleted music files on your iPhone:
1. Download and install the data recovery app
First, download the recovery software like iMyFone D-Back on your Mac or PC. Follow the on-screen instructions to fully install the app. Make sure you have enough storage space for the software and recovered music files.
2. Connect iPhone to computer
Use the USB cable that came with your iPhone to connect it to your computer. This allows the recovery software to scan the iPhone storage and read deleted data. Make sure to enable USB debugging on your iPhone beforehand.
3. Select file types to scan
In the recovery software, you’ll be prompted to pick which type of files to scan for. Make sure to select “Music” or audio file formats like MP3, M4A, etc. Selecting only music saves time compared to scanning everything.
4. Scan iPhone for deleted music
Click the Scan or Recover button in the software to start looking for deleted music files on your iPhone. This process can take a while depending on how much data needs to be scanned.
5. Preview and restore music
Once the scan completes, the software will display all the deleted music files found on your iPhone. You can listen to previews to ensure they are the tracks you want to recover. Then select the music to restore and click Recover.
6. Save recovered music files
Finally, you’ll be prompted to choose where to save the recovered music files. Select a folder on your computer or external hard drive. Avoid saving back to the iPhone, or the music could get deleted again.
Tips for Successful iPhone Music Recovery
Follow these tips to ensure the data recovery software can fully retrieve your deleted iPhone music:
Act quickly
Don’t wait too long after deleting music to run the recovery. The sooner the better, before newer data overwrites the deleted files.
Use a trustworthy app
Stick to well-known, reliable software like iMyFone D-Back and dr.fone for iOS data recovery.
Disable iCloud syncing
Pausing iCloud Music Library syncing can prevent deleted tracks from being removed from other devices.
Update your iPhone
Having the latest iOS version minimizes bugs that could interfere with the recovery process.
Make space for recovered files
Check that your computer and iPhone have enough storage for the music you intend to recover.
Create a backup first
Back up your iPhone before recovery in case the software causes issues or data loss.
Reasons Music Gets Deleted from iPhone
There are several common reasons why you might find yourself needing to recover deleted music files from your iPhone:
Accidental deletion
It’s easy to accidentally swipe and delete the wrong music file in the iPhone Music app. Restoring these deleted tracks is usually quick and easy.
iOS bugs or crashes
Glitches in iOS can sometimes lead to music library corruption and data loss. Recovering the music is the best solution.
Restoring iPhone
Performing a hard reset or restoring iPhone from an old backup can wipe out recent music additions.
Unauthorized access
Someone else accessing your iPhone could maliciously delete music as a prank or form of sabotage.
Updating music libraries
Syncing with iTunes or Apple Music doesn’t always properly transfer over existing music.
Alternative Ways to Get Deleted Music Back
Using iPhone data recovery software is by far the most effective method for retrieving deleted music files. But here are a few other options that may work in certain scenarios:
Restore from iTunes or iCloud
If the music was deleted recently, restoring iPhone from a recent iTunes or iCloud backup may work. But this also erases other new data.
Re-download purchased music
If the deleted tracks were purchased from iTunes or Apple Music, you may be able to download them again for free.
Use file managers and digging tools
Some advanced users have success using file manager apps to dig into the iPhone file system and recover deleted data.
Recover from auto-backups
Some apps like Google Photos auto-backup your media and allow restoring deleted files through them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover music after a factory reset?
Yes, data recovery software can often retrieve music even after a full factory reset. As long as the storage hasn’t been overwritten yet, the music file contents still exist.
How far back can iPhone music recovery go?
Most data recovery apps can dig deep and recover iPhone music deleted months or years ago. But the older the deletion, the lower the chances before overwriting.
Will restoring iPhone from backup bring back deleted music?
Only if the deleted music is still contained in the backup being restored. iTunes and iCloud backups don’t permanently store music deleted from iPhone.
Can you recover music after resetting iPhone without backup?
Yes you can! As long as no new data has overwritten the storage, recovery software can get back your music library even with no backup.
How do I get music back without Time Machine?
On Mac, you don’t need Time Machine to recover deleted iPhone music. Just use data recovery software like iMyFone D-Back to extract the lost music files from your iPhone.
Conclusion
Retrieving accidentally deleted music from your iPhone is possible with the right data recovery software. Apps like iMyFone D-Back make it easy to scan your iPhone storage and restore music files that otherwise would be lost forever.
The key is to act fast before the deleted data gets overwritten by new content. As long as your music hasn’t been permanently replaced, it can be recovered – even months or years later in many cases.
Just be sure to use a trusted recovery app like dr.fone or iSkysoft Toolbox. Avoid untested software that could damage your data. With the right tool, you’ll have your lost tunes back in no time.