Can I Recover Permanently Deleted Photos from iCloud? Tips and Methods

Dealing with permanently deleted photos on iCloud can be frustrating, but there are still some steps you can take to try and recover them. This article provides detailed guidance on how to recover deleted photos from iCloud, including methods involving iCloud, third-party software, and backups.

General Tips for Recovering Photos from iCloud

If you permanently deleted photos from iCloud, here are some steps you can follow to potentially recover them:

Check the Recently Deleted Album

After deleting photos, they should first appear in the Recently Deleted album in iCloud. Accessing this album can potentially save your deleted photos:

Log in to your iCloud account on the internet. Locate and open the Photos section. Check the Recently Deleted album to see if your deleted photos are still there. Select the photos you wish to recover and click Recover.

Restore from a Backup

If you have a backup from before the deletion, you can restore your device from that backup. Note that this will replace all current data with the data from the backup:

To restore from an iCloud Backup, follow these steps: Go to Settings General Reset Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the prompts to set up your device and choose to restore from an iCloud backup. To restore from an iTunes Backup, connect your device to your computer, open iTunes or Finder on macOS Catalina or later, and choose the option to restore from backup.

Third-Party Recovery Software

There are third-party software options available that claim to recover deleted photos from iPhones. However, use these solutions with caution, as they may not always be effective and could compromise your data security.

Contact Apple Support

If the photos are irreplaceable, contacting Apple Support might offer additional options or guidance:

Reach out to Apple Support and explain the situation. Follow their advice and recommendations.

Regularly backing up your photos is crucial to avoid permanent loss in the future.

Advanced Methods for Photo Recovery

The chances of recovering permanently deleted photos from iCloud depend on several factors, such as the time since deletion, the amount of new data added to your device, and whether a backup is enabled. Here are some advanced methods to try:

Check if Photos Are Synced to iCloud

Syncing your photos with iCloud significantly increases your chances of recovering them. Ensure your photos are backed up to iCloud.

To check if your iPhone data is backed up to iCloud:

Go to iPhone Settings [Your Name] iCloud. Check if the iCloud backup or Photos app backup is turned on. If it is enabled, try to retrieve your permanently deleted photos from iCloud.

Recovering from Recently Deleted Albums on iCloud Website

Here's how to recover photos from the Recently Deleted album on the iCloud website:

Go to the iCloud website. Log in to your account. Open Photos and click on the Recently Deleted album in the sidebar. Look for the photos you want to retrieve, select them, and click on Recover.

Using Data Recovery Tool

Data recovery software, such as Advanced File Recovery, can help you recover deleted photos by using advanced algorithms to search for traces of deleted files. These traces might be fragments or metadata associated with the deleted photo, which can then be reassembled.

Recovering from iTunes Backup

If you've backed up your photos on iTunes, you can restore them to your iPhone using the following steps:

Connect your device to the computer that holds your iTunes backups. Open iTunes or Finder on macOS Catalina or later. Select your device and click Restore from Backup. A backup list will appear. Choose the one that contains the photos you want to restore. Click Restore to confirm the restore process.

Remember that regularly backing up your photos on iCloud or another reliable service is essential to prevent any potential loss.