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How can I recover deleted photos and messages from my device

How can I recover deleted messages apps photos Location app history and other

iPhone 11, 14

Posted on Apr 15, 2021 2:06 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 15, 2021 2:21 AM

Tylerroberts1990 wrote:

How can I recover deleted photos


If you have deleted it from iCloud then it is gone from iPhone too.


Where was it backed up? iTunes or iCloud?


Your post does not specify exactly the process adopted by you to take a backup.


If it is not in the Recently Deleted Album then either you have deleted them 30 days earlier or have never deleted any.


Please check the following

  1. If you have restored your iPhone with a backup that does not contain the Photos that you are looking for then please look for correct backup on your PC/Mac --> Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple ...
  2. If you have restored from iCloud backup, then note the following
    1. iCloud backup doesn’t include information that is synced and stored in iCloud, like Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Mail, Notes, Voice Memosshared photosiCloud Photos*, Health data, call history, and files you store in iCloud Drive.
    2. *-If you had turned on iCloud Photos, your content is automatically stored in iCloud. 
  3. Probably you may have un-synced photos with Mac / PC, sync them again
    1. For PC: --> Sync photos in iTunes on PC with devices - Apple Support
    2. For Mac --> Sync photos between your Mac and iPhone or iPad - Apple ...
  4. Have you ever imported your photos to Mac/PC and used Delete after Import --? Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...
  5. Do you have a backup (iTunes) --> Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup ...
  6. Have you ever uploaded them to any Cloud Drives (iCloud Drive, Google Drive, One Drive, Dropbox, Flickr, box, Amazon Drive, Adobe Creative Cloud etc.?)
  7. At last but not least, check the Apple ID that you have signed in to your device.


4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 15, 2021 2:21 AM in response to Tylerroberts1990

Tylerroberts1990 wrote:

How can I recover deleted photos


If you have deleted it from iCloud then it is gone from iPhone too.


Where was it backed up? iTunes or iCloud?


Your post does not specify exactly the process adopted by you to take a backup.


If it is not in the Recently Deleted Album then either you have deleted them 30 days earlier or have never deleted any.


Please check the following

  1. If you have restored your iPhone with a backup that does not contain the Photos that you are looking for then please look for correct backup on your PC/Mac --> Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple ...
  2. If you have restored from iCloud backup, then note the following
    1. iCloud backup doesn’t include information that is synced and stored in iCloud, like Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Mail, Notes, Voice Memosshared photosiCloud Photos*, Health data, call history, and files you store in iCloud Drive.
    2. *-If you had turned on iCloud Photos, your content is automatically stored in iCloud. 
  3. Probably you may have un-synced photos with Mac / PC, sync them again
    1. For PC: --> Sync photos in iTunes on PC with devices - Apple Support
    2. For Mac --> Sync photos between your Mac and iPhone or iPad - Apple ...
  4. Have you ever imported your photos to Mac/PC and used Delete after Import --? Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...
  5. Do you have a backup (iTunes) --> Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup ...
  6. Have you ever uploaded them to any Cloud Drives (iCloud Drive, Google Drive, One Drive, Dropbox, Flickr, box, Amazon Drive, Adobe Creative Cloud etc.?)
  7. At last but not least, check the Apple ID that you have signed in to your device.


Apr 15, 2021 2:22 AM in response to Tylerroberts1990

Tylerroberts1990 wrote:

How can I recover deleted messages

Delete a message or conversation

When you delete a message or conversation, you can't get it back. So make sure that you save important information from your messages.




Though restore from iTunes backup is an option but you need to restore the entire iPhone (only messages restoration option does not exist) including all apps, Photos, Videos, Voice Memos, Notes on your iPhone etc...


The question is when did you backup on iTunes and when did you delete it...Read on...


Let us assume...

Date1: Backup date

Date2: Message Deletion Date

Date3: Current Date / Restoration Date


Given that --> Date1 < Date2 < Date3 

  1. Risk of restoring on Date3:
    1. You may lose data between the Date1 & Date 3
    2. By default, iTunes creates incremental backup over the existing backup such that you only will have one backup per device on iTunes
    3. If you have taken another backup between Date2 and Date3, then the messages that had deleted on the device on Date 2 is also deleted on the backup.
    4. If point no. 3 is true the messages or lost completely.
  2. Else you have a mitigation process: Create Multiple back-ups on iTunes for the same device.




How to create Multiple Backup for the same device.

  1. On iTunes Click on Manage Backups
  2. Right Click on a Backup and Click Archive
  3. Click Backup Now.
  4. You will see a fresh backup will get created See the GIF below



  1. Restore from Backup dated Date1 (Archived)
  2. Retrieve the message and store it separately
  3. Restore from Current Backup Date3

 

Apr 15, 2021 2:24 AM in response to Tylerroberts1990

Tylerroberts1990 wrote:

How can I recover other


Update to iOS 14.4.2, if not done


iOS 13.6.1 --> Addresses an issue where unneeded system data files might not be automatically deleted when available storage is low


  • Other: Non-removable mobile assets, like Siri voices, fonts, dictionaries, non-removable logs and caches, Spotlight index, and system data, such as Keychain and CloudKit Database. Cached files can't be deleted by the system.
  • System: Space taken by the operating system. This can vary based on your device and model.


About cached files in "Other"

Finder and iTunes categorize cached music, videos, and photos as Other instead of actual songs, videos, or photos. Cached files are created when you stream or view content like music, videos, and photos. When you stream music or video, that content is stored as cached files on your device so you can quickly access it again.


Your device automatically removes cached files and temporary files when your device needs more space.


If storage on your device differs from what you see in Finder or iTunes

Since Finder and iTunes categorize cached files as Other, reported usage for Music or Videos might differ. To view usage on your device, go to Settings > General > [Device] Storage.


If you want to delete the cached files from your device

Your device automatically deletes cached files and temporary files when it needs more space. You don't need to delete them yourself.


In short --> IGNORE, if you are not convinced, Restart the device. You will see that Others Storage will reduce but total storage will remain more or less the same.


Watch the demo in the GIF below made on my iPhone 6 iOS 12.4.7

How can I recover deleted photos and messages from my device

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