Q: Can I access iCloud photos from a stolen device?
Long story short, my iPad mini was stolen.
It was backed up to iCloud, although I have no idea what the operating system level was.
i have a new iPad mini, with the same account as the stolen one.
i was wondering if I can access/download the photos on the stolen device?
And if so, how would I go about doing that?
Thank you
iPad Mini, iOS 9.3
Posted on Mar 27, 2016 10:47 PM
First, check if you still have the backup in your iCloud account. Head to icloud.com and under Settings, your backup should still be there.
If you didn't remove the device from your iCloud account, head to the Find my device app and see if you can turn lost mode on.
Unfortunately, restoring from an iCloud backup will basically restore your device to whatever state the device was in, so whatever you have on your current iPad will be lost.
However, if you just want the pictures, and you do not need the iPad for urgent use, you can backup your current device, restore the old backup, get your photos out of there, then restore back into the current device backup.
Here are some articles by Apple that might help you:
How to back up your devices using iCloud or iTunes - Apple Support
Restore your device from an iCloud or iTunes backup - Apple Support
If you need help restoring your device from an iCloud backup - Apple Support
iCloud: iCloud storage and backup overview
Please note that if the last backup from your original iPad is more than 180 days old, Apple can remove them from your account.
To restore from an existing backup, make sure you have backed up your existing data on your current iPad to iCloud or iTunes. (I recommend iTunes, and encrypting the backup, to ensure everything is transferred and backed up)
The only way to restore from an iCloud backup is through the setup assistant. To get to the setup assistant on a device you already set up, you'll need to erase all the content on your device and set it up again:
- Tap Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. (Back up existing data!)
- Then follow the steps in the setup assistant to set up your device using an iCloud backup.
I hope this is helpful to you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.
Cheers!
Posted on Mar 28, 2016 1:58 AM