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User profile for user: RaphSai
RaphSai Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

How to retrieve synced Photos from iPhone after accidentally deleting them from Computer?

This is what happened:


I have my iPhone set up to sync certain photo folders. I accidentally deleted and trashed the folder on my computer, but the pictures are still on my iPhone. I'm pretty sure that once I connect my iPhone (5S) back up to my MacPro that whilst syncing, it will just delete those photos on my phone since they are no longer on my computer. Is there anyway to send those photos back to my computer? Mind you it is 1 folder, but it has about 1,500 photos in it, so going to an email and pressing "Insert photo", choosing the photo, then pressing below that uploaded photo and repeating this process 1,500 times is not going to happen.


Now, I did go through and selected each photo on my iPhone and created a new album (on my phone). I have a feeling this MIGHT work (as iPhoto might prompt me to import the "new" album), but I don't want to take the chance and have it not work, then be screwed once my phone syncs. Has this happened to anyone before? If not, I would be stoked if any of you with the 5S could test this out really quick.


All you would have to do is create a folder in Places>(YourComputerName)>Pictures

Add some pictures to it.

Set up iTunes to sync this folder with your iPhone.

Sync.

Disconnect your iPhone, check to make sure the folder has synced, then delete that folder from your computer.

Go in your iPhone, and select each photo in that album, and create a new album with those pictures, basically duplicating them on your iPhone.

Connect your iPhone back up to your Mac.

See what happens.


I assume the original album will be wiped since it is no longer on the computer, but does iPhoto ask to import the "new" album?

If so, AWESOME! If not, do any of you know how I can get these photos back?!?!?!?! I NEED THEM!!! They are photos of life from years and years (hence 1,500 photos) and all of them are good. Like they are ones I've picked through and chosen over the years passed from computer


PLEASE HELP!!!!!!


-RaphSai

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.0.3

Posted on Nov 5, 2013 6:31 PM

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8 replies
User profile for user: RaphSai
RaphSai Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Nov 6, 2013 11:04 AM in response to RaphSai

I know none of you who are viewing this know the answer, it is a very unusual situation. Even though it is unlikely you have gone through the same thing, you can help me figure it out by following the steps I have outlined. If you do so, and it works, you will get the 10 Points for solving, but even if you try and it does not, you will still get the 5 points for helping. Just follow those steps. I'll explain again:


You must have a Mac (preferrably running 10.6.8 Snow Leopard)

You must have an iPhone (preferrably 5S running iOS 7.0.3)


1. Create a folder in Places>[your username]>Pictures

2. Add a few photos to it.

3. Connect you iPhone to you Mac and open iTunes.

4. Select your "iPhone", go to the "Photos" section, and set it up to sync the folder you just created in Step 1.

5. Sync your iPhone, then disconnect it.


Make sure the photos have been synced.


6. On your Mac, open "Finder", find the folder you created in Step 1 (Places>[your username]>Pictures>[Folder]) and Delete it.

7. On your iPhone, select the "Photos" icon, choose "Albums" on the bottom of the screen, then find and select the album.

8. Above the thumbnails in the right corner, press "Select", and checkmark each of the photos.

9. Press "Add To" on the bottom right corner of the screen.

10. Scroll to the bottom and select "New Album". Type a new name for the album and press "Save".


You should now have an album identical to the one created in Step 1.


If you haven't completed Step 6, which is deleting the folder created in Step 1 yet, do so now.


11. Connect your iPhone to your Mac.


This is where I need you to record what happens.


iPhoto and iTunes should open automatically like usual...


iPhoto

- Did it ask you to import the photos from the album you created and named on your iPhone?

- Explain what happened.


iTunes

- Did it remove the original album from your iPhone after the sync? (The one created in Step 1 and deleted in Step 6)

- Did it remove the duplicate album created in Steps 8 through 10?

- Was the new duplicate album saved anywhere on your Mac?


What else happened? Do you have any suggestions? I would really appreciate it if anyone would do this for me. If I had another iPhone I could do it myself, but I don't.

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User profile for user: iOS -08-__
iOS -08-__
User level: Level 2
252 points

Nov 9, 2013 5:59 AM in response to RaphSai

wjosten is right. You may also try this iExplorer - http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/.


iTunes: Syncing photos http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4236


You can't reimport pictures synced from your computer to your device back to your computer. You can only import pictures in the Camera Roll or Saved Photos from your device to your computer. If you need to retrieve synced photos from your device:

  1. Email them from the device to yourself.
  2. Copy them from the emails to your computer.
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User profile for user: wjosten
wjosten
User level: Level 10
95,321 points

Nov 9, 2013 6:11 AM in response to RaphSai

As already provided:


Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the only way you're gonna get these photos back on your Mac is to use third-party software, like this, to extract them from your phone:


http://www.ecamm.com/mac/phoneview/


Bear in mind, these photos were reduced in resolution when synced to your phone. There is no way to recover their full resolution.

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User profile for user: RaphSai
RaphSai Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Nov 10, 2013 8:33 PM in response to wjosten

Ok. Thanks guys. I was hoping it would work, but truly, I didn't expect it to. THANKS FOR REPLYING! I appreciate it. I will look into the software.


Question:


Even with that software, how do I get my iTunes to not automatically sync when I connect my phone to my Mac? Or am I good just to quickly stop it when it starts?

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User profile for user: Eraller5
Eraller5
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 4, 2014 7:47 PM in response to RaphSai

If you sync your iPhone with iTunes every once in a while, there’s a strong chance that the last backup that iTunes took



of your iPhone has those special photos that you want back. In case you regularly backup your iPhone with iTunes, you



probably recover deleted photos from iPhone.



You can try restoring from the latest backup to get the photos back. To do this:



Step 1: Connect your iPhone to the computer



Step 2: Open iTunes



Step 3: In iTunes 11, enable the sidebar through View -> Show Sidebar



Step 4: Right-click on your device and press ‘Restore from backup…



Step 5: Choose the latest backup and proceed.



By the time the restore is done, your Camera Roll might mostly recover the deleted iPhone photos you’re looking for.



Get more detail from Apple: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1766

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How to retrieve synced Photos from iPhone after accidentally deleting them from Computer?

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