do you need wifi to recover your iphone

"Recover"? As in "place the iPhone into Recovery Mode"?

Well, you do need a computer. Must that computer be connected to Wi-Fi at Recovery time? Very likely.

If you can't update or restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Yes, if you iPhone has gone into recovery mode you are going to need a computer that is connected to the internet.

Please be more specific on what do you mean by recover? What is currently happening with your iPhone? What are you seeing on the screen?

Axel F.

No.

Unless you lost it.