How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone: 3 Proven Ways 2025

Q: Can you get photos back after deleting them from recently deleted?

No, Photos that have been removed in the recently deleted folder are most of the time permanently deleted and cannot be restored.

Q: Are permanently deleted photos really deleted on iPhone?

YES! Your photos are deleted forever from your iPhone after 30 days. But in the case you have made a backup of the same, then you can readily retrieve it.

Did you accidentally delete photos from your iPhone? Are you unsure how to recover them?

If yes, just keep your mind relaxed! Recovering deleted photos is simple, whether you have taken a backup of the data or not.

To recover deleted photos within 30 days or without backup, open Photos, scroll up, and click the Recently Deleted option. Then, choose which photos you want to recover. That’s all! By following these steps, you’ll be able to retrieve them.

So, if you want to know more methods for retrieving them with backup as well as a third-party app, read our detailed guide.

TL;DR: Recover Deleted iPhone Photos Quickly

Use Recently Deleted: Open Photos → Utilities → Recently Deleted → select photos → Recover.
30-Day Window: Photos stay recoverable for 30 days before permanent deletion.
Enable Backups: Turn on iCloud Photos and iCloud Backup to safeguard images.
iTunes Backup: Connect to a computer → Restore via iTunes backup.
Cloud Backup: Retrieve from iCloud or Dropbox in seconds.

How to Prevent Losing Photos on Your iPhone

These are some key points that will help you recover if you lose your photos.

Configure automatic backup with Apple iCloud.
You can also back up using Google Photos.
Back up your iPhone via iTunes.
As an iPhone user, protect your device by setting either Touch ID or Face ID and locking your phone. In case you have children or minors who can access your device without your permission.

Also Read :- How To Sign Out Of Google Account

Why Have My Pictures Disappeared from My iPhone?

Several reasons can help you answer why your photos are missing.

Accidental Deletion: Sometimes, you have to delete the photos that you think are irrelevant. But you can easily retrieve them on your iPhone within 30 days.

Shared Library hiding photos? If Shared Library is enabled, images moved there won’t appear in your main album. Re-enable Shared Library in Settings → Photos.

Hidden Album: By moving photos to hidden albums, you can’t able to see them in your gallery. In fact, if you have hidden images on a device, it will automatically hide from other devices. In simple words, if you’ve registered with the same email ID and password on other devices, it will mean that your other images will also be hidden.

How to Find Deleted Photos from iPhone?

Learn the steps to find out where your deleted photos are saved on your iPhone. In fact, these steps will be beneficial for you even if you have not taken a backup.

Open the Photos app and find the Albums on your iPhone.
Then, you’ll see the Recently Deleted option at the bottom.
Open the specific image you want to recover.
Click the Recover button.

How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone?

This part will talk about three major techniques using which you will be able to recover a deleted photo on your iPhone.

#1. Restore via iTunes Backup

All of us want our data to have a second copy in case of an accidental deletion. If your data is current and you are taking backups, again and again, your data will become a duplicate. So, make sure to avoid backup, not more than once.

Connect your iPhone to your Apple laptop or desktop via a USB cable.
Open iTunes.
Tap the device icon when it shows iTunes.
Hit the Restore Backup… option.
Select the backup you desire to retrieve, and hit Restore.

Note: You need to keep both devices linked until this process is successfully completed. Your iPhone device will reboot and then sync.

#2. Recover Photos via iCloud or Dropbox Backup

If you’ve taken a backup, you can follow these procedures.

Option 1: Using iCloud Photos

Log in to iCloud.com on your Mac.
Mention the login credentials of your Apple ID and move to the Photos section.
Tap on the Recently Deleted button under the library.
Choose the photo(s) and then hit the Recover button.
Pick the number of photos by pressing down the Command + Click keys simultaneously on a Mac.

Option 2: Recover via Dropbox Backup

Dropbox is a safe cloud storage system as well as a third-party source. It allows synchronizing, storing, and sharing files and folders on different devices. Moreover, it offers the possibility to make backups of the important information and share it with others. Consequently, it makes your work available from any place where there is internet.

Sign in to your current Dropbox account.
Here, click the Deleted files option.
Now, you have two options:
Single or multiple folders from which you want to recover a deleted photo from your iPhone.
Choose the selective ones, and hit the Restore button

4 Mistakes That Block iPhone Photo Recovery

Here are several mistakes that users may make while performing the process of recovering deleted photos from iPhones:

Ignoring the “Recently Deleted” Album: If you are not able to retrieve your photos within 30 days, you need to opt for the advanced approach.
Forgetting iCloud Backups: Not remembering to activate iCloud backup settings in your iPhone, you can not recover the images after an accidental deletion.
Recovering Lost Photos that Were Not Saved Elsewhere: If you have not backed up your images for once, it is not possible to retrieve them.
Making Beliefs about the Backup Process: Ensure that while backing up your data, you have a stable internet connection. If you are connected to a weak network, you won’t be able to back up.

Also Read:- How to Reverse Image Search?

Final Thoughts: Recovering Deleted iPhone Photos

Deleted photos can almost always be recovered within 30 days via the Recently Deleted album or a backup. If one method fails, move to the next until your images are restored

iPhone Photo Recovery FAQs (Quick Answers)

Understand the following questions, too, so you can progress forward in solving your problem.

Q. Can you get photos back after deleting them from recently deleted?

Ans. No, Photos that have been removed in the recently deleted folder are most of the time permanently deleted and cannot be restored.

Q. Are permanently deleted photos really deleted on iPhone?

Ans. YES! Your photos are deleted forever from your iPhone after 30 days. But in the case you have made a backup of the same, then you can readily retrieve it.

Q. When you delete photos from iPhone, are they still on iCloud?

Ans. iCloud Photos is turned on, and this detail means that deleting photos on your iPhone would delete them in iCloud and on all other devices synchronized with your iCloud account.

Q. Why don’t my deleted pictures return on my iPhone?

Ans. Sometimes, you face some software glitches. That’s the reason you can’t find your deleted photos on your iPhone.

Q. How long can you retrieve deleted photos on your iPhone?

Ans. In your Photos library, there is a 30-day rule. In other words, you recover or retrieve your targeted photos within 30 days. After the completion of 30 days, your images will automatically be permanently deleted.