Accidentally deleted important photos or messages from your iPhone? Don’t panic. Apple provides several ways to recover lost data, and even if you don’t have a backup, there’s still hope. In this guide, you’ll learn how to restore deleted photos and iMessages step by step – both with and without iCloud or iTunes.
Recover deleted photos on iPhone
1. Check the “Recently Deleted” album
When you delete a photo, it doesn’t disappear right away. It goes to the Recently Deleted folder and stays there for 30 days.
how to check:
- Open the Photos app
- Tap Albums
- Scroll down and select Recently Deleted
- Select the photos you want to recover
- Tap Recover
If the photo was deleted less than 30 days ago, you can restore it easily from here.
2. Use iCloud Photos
If you use iCloud Photos, your images sync across devices. Check iCloud.com:
- Go to https://www.icloud.com
- Sign in with your Apple ID
- Click on Photos
- Check Recently Deleted again from the browser
- Restore the photos you need
This also works if you don’t have your iPhone with you.
3. Restore from iCloud backup (if enabled)
If the photos aren’t in Recently Deleted, but you have iCloud Backup, you can restore a previous version of your device.
warning: this will overwrite your current data
steps:
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings
- During setup, choose Restore from iCloud Backup
- Select a backup from before the photos were deleted
Only works if iCloud Backup was turned on before deletion.
4. Use a third-party recovery tool
If you don’t have a backup, specialized software may help.
popular tools:
- iMobie PhoneRescue
- Tenorshare UltData
- Dr.Fone – Data Recovery
how it works:
- Install the software on your Mac or PC
- Connect your iPhone via USB
- The program scans the device for recoverable photos
- You preview and restore selected items
Note: recovery without a backup is not guaranteed, especially if the data has been overwritten.
Recover deleted messages (iMessage or SMS)
1. Check the Messages app’s “Recently Deleted” section
As of iOS 16, deleted messages stay recoverable for 30 days.
how to access:
- Open the Messages app
- Tap Edit in the top-left corner
- Choose Show Recently Deleted
- Select messages and tap Recover
This works for both individual texts and entire conversations.
2. Restore from iCloud backup
If the messages aren’t in Recently Deleted, and you had Messages in iCloud turned off, they may be included in your iCloud device backup.
steps:
- Erase your iPhone (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase)
- Choose Restore from iCloud Backup
- Select a backup dated before the messages were deleted
messages will return to the state they were in at the time of the backup
3. Restore from iTunes or Finder backup
If you’ve backed up your iPhone to a Mac or PC:
- Connect your iPhone
- Open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (older macOS or Windows)
- Click Restore Backup
- Choose the backup you want to use
Like with iCloud, this replaces current data with the older backup.
4. Use third-party message recovery tools
If you didn’t make a backup, try recovery software:
- iMyFone D-Back
- PhoneRescue
- Enigma Recovery
These tools work similarly to photo recovery apps, scanning your device for deleted iMessages or texts.
Final tips
- Act fast: the longer you wait, the less likely you’ll recover lost data
- Enable iCloud Backup for future safety (Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup)
- Turn on Messages in iCloud to sync and protect conversations
- Consider using Photos > iCloud Photos with “Optimize iPhone Storage” to avoid future loss
