How to Retrieve Lost Photos on iPhone Easily?

iPhones are personal photo albums, storing countless memories captured in the form of pictures and videos. However, despite their convenience, iPhones are not impervious to the occasional mishap, leading to the loss of valuable photos. Whether it's accidental deletion, a software update gone wrong, or a damaged device, the heart-sinking feeling of losing cherished images is something we've all experienced at one point or another.

The good news is that your lost photos on iPhone may not be gone forever. With the right techniques and tools, it's often possible to retrieve and restore those precious memories. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through various methods to help you recover lost photos on your iPhone, ensuring that you can relive those moments once again. So, let's dive into the world of digital photo recovery and discover how to turn your despair into joy as you retrieve your lost photos on your iPhone.

Part 1. How to Recover Lost/Deleted Photos on iPhonePart 2. Best Tool to Recover Lost/Deleted Photos on iPhonePart 3. How to Avoid Losing Photos on iPhonePart 4. The Bottom Line

Part 1. How to Recover Lost/Deleted Photos on iPhone

Method 01. Retrieve Lost Photos through iCloud

Losing photos from your iPhone can be distressing, but if you've been diligent about backing up your device using iCloud, there's a good chance you can recover your lost pictures. iCloud is Apple's cloud storage service that automatically backs up your photos, allowing you to restore them when needed. Here's how to retrieve lost photos on iPhone using iCloud:

Step 1: Check Your iCloud Backup

Before you proceed, it's essential to ensure that you have an iCloud backup containing the photos you want to recover. To do this, go to your iPhone's settings, tap on your Apple ID, then navigate to "iCloud" and finally "Manage Storage" or "Storage & Backup," depending on your iOS version. Here, you can view the date of your last iCloud backup. If your photos were lost after this date, they may not be in the backup.

Step 2: Restore Your iPhone from iCloud Backup

• Go to the "Settings" app on your iPhone.
• Scroll down and tap on "General."
• Select "Reset," and then tap "Erase All Content and Settings."
• Your iPhone will restart and display the initial setup screen. Follow the on-screen instructions until you reach the "Apps & Data" screen.
• Choose "Restore from iCloud Backup."
• Sign in to your iCloud account using your Apple ID and password.
• Select the most relevant backup based on the date you confirmed in Step 1.
• The restoration process will begin, and your device will reboot once again.

Step 3: Wait for the Restore to Complete

During the restoration, your iPhone will download and install the data from your selected iCloud backup, including your lost photos. The time this takes depends on the size of the backup and your internet connection speed. Ensure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and a power source during this process.

Step 4: Check Your Recovered Photos

Once the restoration is complete, your iPhone should contain the recovered photos. Open the Photos app and check if your lost pictures are back in your gallery.

Method 02. By Restoring iTunes Backup

If you've been regularly backing up your iPhone to iTunes on your computer, you can restore your lost photos from a previous iTunes backup. This method can be particularly useful if you don't have an iCloud backup or if your lost photos are not in the iCloud backup. Follow these steps to recover lost photos on iPhone using iTunes:

Step 1: Connect Your iPhone to Your Computer

Connect your iPhone to the computer where you have your iTunes backup. Ensure that you're using the same computer that you used to create the backup.

Step 2: Open iTunes

Launch the iTunes application on your computer. If you're prompted for a password to unlock your device or allow access, enter it.

Step 3: Choose Your Device

In iTunes, select your iPhone when it appears in the upper-left corner.

Step 4: Restore Your iPhone from iTunes Backup

• In the iPhone summary panel, locate the "Restore Backup" option.
• Click on "Restore Backup" to access a list of available backups. Choose the backup that contains the photos you want to recover.
• Click "Restore" and wait for the process to complete.

Step 5: Check Your Restored Photos

Once the restoration process is finished, your iPhone will restart, and the lost photos from the selected iTunes backup should be back on your device. Open the Photos app to verify that your precious memories have been successfully recovered.

Method 03. Restore Photos through Finder on Mac Computers

If you own a Mac computer running macOS Catalina or later, Apple has replaced iTunes with Finder for device management, including backups and restores. You can use Finder to recover lost photos on iPhone by following these steps:

Step 1: Connect Your iPhone to Your Mac

Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to your Mac computer.

Step 2: Open Finder

Launch Finder on your Mac. You can do this by clicking on the Finder icon in your Dock or by opening a new Finder window.

Step 3: Locate Your iPhone

In the Finder window, you'll see your iPhone listed in the left-hand sidebar under "Locations." Click on your iPhone's name.

Step 4: Choose Your Backup

In the main window, you'll see information about your iPhone. Click on the "General" tab, and you'll find the "Restore Backup" option. Click on it.

Step 5: Select the Backup

A window will appear showing you the available backups. Choose the backup that contains the photos you want to recover and click the "Restore" button.

Step 6: Wait for the Restore to Finish

The restore process will begin, and your iPhone will reboot when it's completed.

Step 7: Check Your Restored Photos

After the restart, open the Photos app on your iPhone to check if your lost photos have been successfully recovered.

Method 04. Check Recently Deleted Folder (Later iOS Versions)

In later iOS versions, Apple introduced a "Recently Deleted" folder within the Photos app. This folder serves as a safety net for deleted photos, giving you a chance to recover them before they're permanently removed. Here's how to use this feature to retrieve lost photos on iPhone:

Step 1: Open the Photos App

Unlock your iPhone and open the Photos app from your home screen.

Step 2: Access the "Recently Deleted" Folder

• At the bottom of the screen, tap on the "Albums" tab.
• Scroll down and locate the "Recently Deleted" album. Tap on it.

Step 3: Review and Recover Photos

Inside the "Recently Deleted" album, you'll find photos that have been deleted in the last 30 days. Here, you can perform the following actions:

• To view individual photos, tap on them.
• To select multiple photos, tap the "Select" button in the upper right corner.
• To recover photos, tap the "Recover" button. This will restore the selected photos to your main photo library.

Step 4: Check Your Recovered Photos

After you've recovered the photos from the "Recently Deleted" folder, they will be restored to your main photo library. Open the Photos app to verify that your lost photos are now safely back on your iPhone.

Method 05. By Checking Threads on Messaging Apps

If you've shared the lost photos with friends or family through messaging apps like iMessage or WhatsApp, there's a chance you can retrieve them from the chat threads. Follow these steps to check and recover lost photos on iPhone from messaging apps:

Step 1: Open the Messaging App

• Open the messaging app through which you shared the photos (e.g., iMessage or WhatsApp).
• Locate the chat or conversation where you shared the photos.

Step 2: Scroll Through the Chat

Scroll back through the chat history to find the conversation where you shared the photos. If you remember when you sent them, this will make the process easier.

Step 3: Find and Save the Photos

• Once you've found the photos, tap on the image to open it.
• Look for an option to save or download the photo to your iPhone. In most messaging apps, you can tap and hold the photo to access the save/download option.
• Save the photo to your camera roll or photo library.

Step 4: Check Your Photo Library

After saving the photos, check your iPhone's photo library to ensure they have been successfully recovered. They should now be accessible in your Photos app.

Part 2. Best Tool to Recover Lost/Deleted Photos on iPhone

If you don’t have a backup or your backup doesn’t include the photos you need, third-party tools like FoneDog iOS Data Recovery can help. FoneDog is designed to recover deleted data directly from your iPhone, even if it's permanently deleted from the Photos app. Even iPhone contacts disappearing randomly, it can help you.

iOS Data Recovery Recover photos, videos, contacts, messages, call logs, WhatsApp data, and more. Recover data from iPhone, iTunes and iCloud. Compatible with latest iPhone and iOS. Free Download Free Download

In this part of our guide, we'll introduce you to this handy tool and show you how to use this iPhone photo recovery software to recover lost photos on iPhone.

Steps to Recover Lost Photos with FoneDog:

Step 1: Download and Install FoneDog iOS Data Recovery

Start by downloading FoneDog iOS Data Recovery on your computer. Install the software following the on-screen instructions.

Step 2: Connect Your iPhone to the Computer

Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable. Launch FoneDog iOS Data Recovery, and it should detect your device automatically.

Step 3: Select a Recovery Mode

Choose one of the three recovery modes based on your situation:

• "Recover from iOS Device" if your device is operational.
• "Recover from iTunes Backup" if you have an iTunes backup.
• "Recover from iCloud Backup" if you have an iCloud backup.

Step 4: Scan Your iPhone or Backup

The software will initiate a scan of your iPhone or the selected backup. This process may take a few minutes, depending on the amount of data.

Step 5: Preview and Recover Lost Photos

Once the scan is complete, you'll see a list of recoverable data. Select "Photos" from the list, and you can preview the lost photos. Choose the photos you want to recover, and then click the "Recover" button.

Step 6: Save Recovered Photos

Specify a location on your computer to save the recovered photos, and FoneDog will export them to your chosen folder.

With these steps, FoneDog iOS Data Recovery provides a reliable and user-friendly solution for recovering lost photos on your iPhone, ensuring that your cherished memories are never truly lost.

Part 3. How to Avoid Losing Photos on iPhone

Losing photos on your iPhone can be a devastating experience, but there are several measures you can take to safeguard your precious memories. Here are some effective strategies to avoid losing photos:

1. Regular Backups:

• iCloud Backup:Ensure that iCloud Backup is enabled on your iPhone. This automatically backs up your device, including photos, to iCloud when it's connected to Wi-Fi, locked, and charging. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup to enable it.
• iTunes or Finder Backup:Connect your iPhone to your computer and perform regular backups using iTunes (for Windows) or Finder (for Mac). This creates a local backup that you can restore from if needed.

2. Use iCloud Photos:

1. Enable iCloud Photos to automatically sync and store your photos across all your Apple devices. This ensures that even if one device is lost or damaged, your photos are safely stored in the cloud.
2. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos and turn on iCloud Photos.

3. Google Photos or Other Cloud Services:

Consider using third-party cloud services like Google Photos, Dropbox, or OneDrive to back up your photos. These apps offer additional storage options and can automatically sync your photos to the cloud.

4. Transfer Photos to Computer:

Regularly transfer your photos to your computer using a USB cable. This provides an additional local backup and frees up space on your iPhone.

5. Avoid Deleting Photos Too Quickly:

Be cautious when deleting photos. Ensure that they are safely backed up before deleting them from your device.

By implementing these measures, you significantly reduce the risk of losing your precious photos on your iPhone. Prevention through regular backups and smart usage practices is key to maintaining a secure and reliable photo library.

Part 4. The Bottom Line

In this comprehensive guide, we've explored various methods to help you retrieve lost photos on iPhone. Whether you've accidentally deleted your precious memories, experienced a system malfunction, or faced any other data loss situation, there are multiple options available to recover your photos.

Each of these methods offers different options for retrieving your lost photos, depending on your specific circumstances and available backups. Choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences, ensuring that your cherished memories are safe and accessible once again.