With the vast amount of data stored on iPhones, from photos and videos to contacts and text messages, the ability to recover lost or deleted data is extremely important. Data recovery tools enable users to retrieve accidentally deleted files or data lost due to software issues, hardware damage, or even wiping their iPhone.
Why would someone need a data recovery tool for iPhone?
There are several common scenarios in which an iPhone user might need data recovery:
- Accidental deletion – By mistake, you delete an important photo, video, note, or other data on your iPhone.
- iOS software issues – A bug, glitch, or crash results in data loss.
- Hardware damage – Physical damage to the iPhone leads to data being inaccessible.
- Wiping the iPhone – Resetting your iPhone to factory settings erases all data unless you have a backup.
- Stolen devices – Remote wipe is activated after your iPhone is lost or stolen.
In these cases, data recovery software provides a way to retrieve and restore missing files and information that may otherwise seem irrecoverable.
What types of data can be recovered from an iPhone?
Data recovery tools can retrieve many different types of files from iPhones, including:
- Messages – iMessage, SMS text messages, MMS, WhatsApp, etc.
- Contacts – Names, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.
- Call logs
- Photos and videos – Camera roll files, WhatsApp media, etc.
- Notes and voice memos
- Calendars and events
- Safari browsing history and bookmarks
- App data
- Media files – Music, ebooks, podcasts, etc.
The exact types of data recoverable depends on the recovery software used, as well as factors like the health of the iPhone and whether encryption is enabled. But most tools aim to retrieve as many file types as possible.
How does data recovery software work for iPhone?
iPhone data recovery tools use different techniques to retrieve lost and deleted data. Here are some of the main approaches:
- Scanning the iOS file system – Software scans the raw file system, searching for data remnants from deleted files. This works like digital forensics.
- Extracting device backups – iOS backups stored on iCloud or iTunes can be recovered to restore data.
- Communication with iOS API – Some tools use Apple’s data APIs to read files off an iPhone. However, access is limited.
- Analyzing device cache – The iPhone cache may contain recoverable copies of data.
- Bypassing security – On locked devices, specialized hardware/software can get around passcodes and encryption to pull data.
In all cases, data recovery aims to gain access to raw, deleted data before it gets completely overwritten by new data on an iPhone.
What are the best data recovery apps for iPhone?
Some top data recovery apps for iPhone include:
1. EaseUS MobiSaver
MobiSaver is able to recover up to 20+ data types from iOS devices and iTunes or iCloud backups. It can recover data after accidental deletion, iOS upgrade, system crash, device damage or loss. The software is available for both Windows and Mac.
2. iMyFone D-Back
D-Back can recover deleted data from iOS devices directly or via backups. It supports all data types and the latest iPhone models. Advanced features can unlock disabled iPhones and decrypt iTunes backups.
3. iSkysoft PhoneRescue
iSkysoft can recover many types of lost data from iOS devices and iTunes and iCloud backups. It allows previewing recoverable data. Various scan modes aim to maximize recovery success.
4. Tenorshare UltData
UltData iPhone recovery software provides thorough scanning for recoverable data. It decrypts and extracts data from iTunes and iCloud backups. The tool also unlocks disabled iPhones.
5. Disk Drill
Disk Drill enables recovery of deleted data directly from an iPhone or iPad. It can also extract data from local and cloud-based iOS backups. Recovery is available on Mac only.
Which files can be recovered without backup?
Some types of files that may be recoverable directly from an iPhone without a backup include:
- Photos and videos
- Contacts
- Text messages
- Call history
- Notes
- Voice memos
- Calendar data
- Safari history and bookmarks
- App data files
However, direct iPhone data recovery depends on various factors:
- Time since data was lost – Less time means more recoverability.
- Whether the iPhone was used after data loss – Using the iPhone overwrites deleted data.
- Device integrity – Hardware damage affects recoverability.
- Encryption – Enabled encryption limits access to lost data.
So backup-based recovery is often more successful. But advanced data recovery tools can still pull surprising amounts of data directly from an iPhone.
Can you recover data after factory reset iPhone without backup?
Recovering data after factory resetting an iPhone without a backup is difficult but sometimes possible. When an iPhone is reset to factory settings, the user data is marked as deleted rather than being immediately erased. Data recovery software can scan for these remnants before they get overwritten by new data.
Success depends largely on how much and what type of data existed before the reset. Less substantial things like text messages have a better chance of recovery than large files like photos and videos. Performing the iPhone factory reset also matters – recovery is most likely if the reset was done through Settings rather than a full firmware restore.
Without backups, there is no guarantee. But reputable iOS data recovery tools advertise some ability to restore data after factory resets. The most crucial factor is minimizing iPhone usage after the reset before running recovery software.
Can you recover permanently deleted photos from iPhone?
It is possible in some cases to recover photos even after they have been permanently deleted from an iPhone. When photos are deleted, they are not immediately removed from the iPhone’s storage. Data remnants remain until being overwritten by new data.
iPhone data recovery software can scan for these remnants of deleted image and video files. The likelihood of recovering permanently deleted photos depends on:
- How long ago they were deleted.
- Whether the iPhone was used significantly after deletion, adding new data.
- Whether those areas of iPhone storage have been overwritten.
- Whether backups existed that can restore the photos.
Due to storage management on iOS devices, recoverability declines over time. But advanced recovery tools often make it possible to retrieve permanently deleted photos, especially if action is taken quickly after deletion.
Can deleted WhatsApp messages be recovered on iPhone?
Yes, in many cases it is possible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, photos, videos, and attachments on an iPhone. Even after being deleted from the WhatsApp app, data remnants of this content often remain on the iPhone’s storage until being overwritten.
By scanning the raw iPhone storage, data recovery software can find these deleted WhatsApp message remnants and extract them. Backup-based methods can also retrieve deleted WhatsApp data from iCloud or iTunes backups. The likelihood of WhatsApp message recovery depends on timing and whether device data has been overwritten.
It’s important not to sync an iPhone to iCloud after WhatsApp message deletion, as this could permanently remove any remaining traces. Advanced iOS data recovery tools provide the best chances of retrieving deleted WhatsApp content from iPhones.
Can you recover unsaved or deleted Word documents on iPhone?
It’s often possible to recover unsaved or deleted Word documents, or other files created with iOS apps, from an iPhone. When a file is deleted or a Word app crashes before saving, data remnants frequently remain until being overwritten.
An iPhone data recovery tool can scan for these remnants of unsaved and deleted documents. It recognizes associated metadata to identify the originating app and file type. The actual recovery likelihood depends on normal factors like time since deletion and device usage.
For stronger recovery chances, it’s recommended to avoid opening the document’s app after data loss. This prevents any chance of the app overwriting file remnants. Overall, advanced data recovery software provides the best ability to retrieve unsaved and deleted documents from any apps on an iPhone.
Can you recover phone call history if deleted?
If your iPhone’s call history is accidentally deleted, recovery is often possible. The call logs and details are not immediately erased when deleted on iOS. Data recovery software can scan for the remnants before they are overwritten.
Success rates for call log recovery are generally good, since call histories are small in size compared to media files. As always, minimizing iPhone usage after deletion and acting quickly are important. Making no additional calls gives the highest chance to retrieve deleted call histories.
Both direct iPhone recovery and backup extraction can potentially restore lost call logs. However, syncing the device to iCloud after deletion could eliminate the remaining call history data remnants. Overall, acting fast with data recovery software offers the best ability to recover deleted iPhone call history information.
Can you recover deleted text messages on iPhone?
Recovering deleted text messages on an iPhone is typically very possible using data recovery software. When the messages are deleted, the data is marked for overwrite but still resides on the device until replaced by new data. iOS data recovery tools can fetch these deleted remnants before they are gone for good.
Success rates for text message recovery are generally high. iOS stores messages efficiently, so with minimal iPhone usage after deletion, most messages can be salvaged. Both direct iPhone scans and backup extractions can recover deleted texts.
However, restoring from an iCloud backup after deletion can permanently remove messages. Avoiding this scenario and using data recovery as soon as possible after deletion provides the best results for retrieving deleted iPhone text messages.
Is data recovery successful if iPhone is water damaged?
Water damage can significantly complicate iPhone data recovery efforts but does not necessarily make successful recovery impossible. The level of water exposure matters – a brief splash may not harm data, while device submersion often causes issues.
If an iPhone is still operable after water exposure, data recovery software has a strong chance of retrieving files and data. But with hardware damage that leaves the iPhone unusable, the outlook is worse. Advanced recovery methods may still pull data by repairing components or directly accessing storage chips.
Backups are always the best sources for recovery from water damaged devices. However, even a water-exposed iPhone that won’t turn on may still yield surprising data recovery success. Professional iOS recovery services can employ specialized techniques like chip-off forensics when DIY software fails.
What data can’t be recovered from an iPhone?
Some key limitations on iPhone data recovery include:
- Severely damaged devices – Major hardware damage affects physical data access.
- Insufficient data remnants/overwrites – New data writes over deleted files.
- Heavily encrypted data – Encryption protects lost data from unauthorized access.
- Synced iCloud data – iCloud sync can remove deleted data remnants.
- iOS 15 Screen Time – New security measures affect some data.
- Remote wiped devices – Activation lock bypasses can be very difficult.
Additionally, apps may take extra steps to prevent data recovery. So most tools warn that while they strive for high success rates, full recovery cannot be guaranteed.
Conclusion
Data recovery for iPhone gives users an excellent chance to reverse many types of accidental data loss. From deleted photos and messages to disabled devices and even severe water damage, advanced iOS recovery software and services can often retrieve vanished data. Success depends greatly on the situation, but properly used tools yield surprisingly effective restoration of lost iPhone data in many cases.