If you’ve accidentally deleted a photo on your iPhone or iPad, there are several methods you can try to recover it. Here are the steps you can take to attempt photo recovery:
Method 1: Check the Recently Deleted Album (for iOS 8 and later)
- Open the “Photos” app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on the “Albums” tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Scroll down and look for the “Recently Deleted” album.
- Tap on the “Recently Deleted” album to open it.
- In the “Recently Deleted” album, you’ll find photos and videos that were deleted within the last 30 days. Browse through the photos to find the one you want to recover.
- To recover the photo, tap on it to view it in full screen.
- Tap on the “Recover” button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Confirm the recovery by tapping “Recover Photo.”
The photo will be restored to your “All Photos” album, and you’ll be able to access it like any other photo.
Method 2: Restore from an iCloud Backup (for all iOS versions)
If the photo is not available in the “Recently Deleted” album, and you have an iCloud backup that was created before the photo was deleted, you may be able to restore the photo by following these steps:
- Go to “Settings” on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on your Apple ID at the top of the Settings menu.
- Tap on “iCloud.”
- Select “Manage Storage” or “Storage & Backup,” depending on your iOS version.
- Tap on “Backups.”
- Choose the most recent backup that was created before the photo was deleted.
- Tap on “Restore” and confirm the restoration process.
Keep in mind that restoring from a backup will revert your device to the state it was in at the time of the backup. Any data created or modified after the backup date will be lost.
Method 3: Use a Data Recovery Tool (for more advanced recovery)
If the above methods do not work, you may consider using a data recovery tool specifically designed for iOS devices. There are various third-party applications available that claim to help recover deleted photos and other data from iPhones and iPads. However, be cautious when using such tools, as they may not always be reliable and could potentially cause data loss.
To increase the chances of successful recovery, it’s essential to act quickly, as deleted photos may be permanently overwritten by new data. Additionally, regularly backing up your iPhone or iPad using iCloud or iTunes can help prevent data loss in the future.