How to Recover Deleted Files from iPhone — accidentally deleted important photos, messages, or documents? Don’t worry. Even files that seem permanently lost can often be recovered. In this 2025 guide, we’ll show you all the proven ways to get your deleted iPhone files back, with or without a backup, and introduce a reliable tool that makes the process simple and safe.
Part 1: Can You Recover Deleted Files from iPhone?
Yes, you can, even if the files have been permanently deleted from your iPhone. Before discussing the various methods, such as using backups, synced data, or recovery tools, let’s understand iPhone data deletion and what happens to permanently deleted files.
Q. What Happens When You Delete Files on iPhone
Files can be deleted manually or accidentally. Your iPhone has a unique mechanism to ensure that deleted files can be recovered. But before discussing where these files go when deleted, let us first understand the different causes of deletion.
Causes of deletion (accidental, bugs, updates, etc.)
Files on an iPhone can be deleted in various ways.
- Accidental deletion – Mistakenly tapping “Delete” while organizing files, photos, messages, or notes.
- App-specific deletion – Some apps like Snapchat or WhatsApp auto-delete content, or clearing app data/uninstalling apps removes associated files.
- iOS updates or downgrades – Updating or downgrading iOS without backups can cause data loss, especially with beta versions.
- Factory reset – Resetting the iPhone without backup erases all content.
- iCloud sync conflicts – Issues between devices or turning off iCloud for apps like Photos or Notes can remove synced files.
- Storage optimization – Features like “Optimize iPhone Storage” offload full-resolution media to iCloud, making them appear deleted locally.
- Third-party app bugs or crashes – Malfunctioning apps, file managers, or cleaners can corrupt or delete files unexpectedly.
What happens to the files before and after 30 days
First, the deleted files are moved into the “Recently Deleted” folder, where they remain for 30 days. Recovering your files from this folder is easy.
After 30 days, the files are permanently deleted from your device and iCloud Drive. You cannot access them, but they can be recovered using backups or third-party tools.
Part 2: Recover Deleted Files from iPhone with Backup
Backing up your data is the best way to ensure its preservation. It becomes easier to recover deleted data from an existing backup.
Method 1. Restore via iCloud Backup
Step 1: Check for available backup. Go to Settings > {Your Name}> iCloud > iCloud Backup. Tap “Manage Storage” and then “Backup” to view the date and size of your latest backup.
Step 2: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Erasing your phone data is necessary to start the restore process.
Step 3: Your iPhone will restart and display the “Hello” screen. Follow the instructions on the screen until you reach “Apps and Data.”
Step 4: Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup.” You will have to sign in with your Apple ID. Select the most relevant backup based on the date.
Step 5: The restoration process takes time, depending on the backup size and internet speed.
Step 6: After completing the setup, check your apps to confirm that the deleted files have been restored.
• This method works only if the deleted files existed at the time of the backup.
• This method replaces current data with the backup. So, any new files created after the backup are lost forever.
Method 2. Recover Using iTunes/Finder Backup
This method requires using a computer. If you work on Windows or macOS Mojave (or earlier), use iTunes. If you work on macOS Catalina or later, use Finder.
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable. Depending on your OS, open iTunes or Finder.
Step 2: In iTunes, click the device icon in the top-left corner. In Finder, select your iPhone from the sidebar under “Locations.”
Step 3: Click “Restore Backup” in the Summary tab (iTunes) or the General tab (in Finder). You will see a list of available backups.
Step 4: Choose a backup dated before the files were deleted from the device. Click restore. If prompted, enter your Apple ID and password.
Step 5: The backup will take time. Once complete, your iPhone will automatically reboot and sync with the restored data.
Step 6: Check your apps to confirm that the restoration is successful.
• This method works only if the deleted files are present in the backup.
• Since this method overwrites existing data, any new files added after the backup will be lost.
Method 3. Retrieve Notes or Files from the Recently Deleted Folder
Step 1: Open the Files app on your iPhone and tap the Browse tab.
Step 2: Under Locations, tap Recently Deleted.
Step 3: Tap the More button (button with three dots), and then tap Select.
Step 4: Select the files you want to keep. Tap Recover. To recover a single file or document, touch and hold the file, then tap Recover.
Method 4. Recover Deleted Files from iCloud Drive
Step 1: Open a browser and go to iCloud.com. Sign in with your Apple credentials.
Step 2: Depending on your interface, click “iCloud” or “Files.” Browse through the folders to locate your missing file.
Step 3: Check the “Recently Deleted” folder.
Step 4: Choose the files you want to recover. Click “Recover” to move them back to their original location in iCloud Drive.
Step 5: Ensure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi and log in with the same Apple ID that you used for the setup. Open the “Files” app and navigate to “iCloud Drive” to access the restored files.
• This method works only if you store the files in iCloud Drive. Photos, messages, and app-specific data cannot be recovered using this method.
• The deleted files must be in the “Recently Deleted” folder. Otherwise, restore via iCloud or iTunes/Finder Backup methods.
Part 3: Recover Deleted Files from iPhone without Backup
You can recover deleted files from an iPhone, even without an existing backup. If you use Snapchat, you can recover deleted files from your iPhone without a Backup using the Snapchat My Data method.
Snapchat My Data
Step 1: Go to Snapchat My Data and log in with your Snapchat ID and password.
Step 2: Scroll down and click “Submit Request.” You get a downloadable archive of your account data.
Step 3: Snapchat will send an email to your registered address once the archive is ready.
Step 4: Click on the link provided in the email. Download the ZIP file, which contains HTML and CSV files with your account history.
Step 5: Open the ZIP file on your iPhone or computer. You get data such as Chat history, Snap metadata, Friends list, memories, and Account activity logs.
Step 6: While you may not recover the actual deleted snaps, you can recover metadata, timestamps, and chat logs that can help you to reconstruct lost interactions.
• This method works only for data shared or stored via Snapchat.
• Photos and videos that were not saved to Memories or Chat Media will not be recovered.
Recover from Cache or File Manager Apps
Some file manager apps store cached versions of deleted files. Apps like Documents or FileApp can help recover content.
Part 4: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on iPhone
What to do if the 30-day window has passed? Your files will be permanently deleted from your iPhone. No worries. We introduce a tool, Eassiy iPhone Data Recovery, that can recover data even after they have been removed from the “Recently Deleted” folder.
Download the Eassiy iPhone Data Recovery software from the official website. Connect your iPhone to your computer. Open Eassiy and select “iPhone Data Recovery > Recover from iOS device.”
Click “Start Scan” to begin scanning your device for missing or deleted files.
Once the scan is complete, preview the lost files displayed on the screen. Select the files you want to recover and click “Recover.”
Part 5： Comparison Table
Let’s make a quick comparison of all the methods discussed above.
FAQs
Conclusion
A slip of your finger can delete important data and files from your iPhone. But you need not worry because the files are stored in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days. Recovering these lost files is easy. We have discussed alternative methods for recovering lost files on your iPhone, provided a backup is available. Tools like Eassiy can also help recover permanently deleted files. So, if you have lost your important files on your iPhone, you know how to recover them.