I accidentally deleted some important videos from my iPhone and I’m desperate to get them back. The videos contain precious family memories that I really don’t want to lose. I’m not sure where to start or if it’s even possible to recover them. Has anyone been in a similar situation or can offer some advice on how to get them back?
Hey, losing important videos can be a real nightmare, but don’t despair yet. There’s still hope to get those precious memories back.
First off, check your “Recently Deleted” album in the Photos app. When you delete a video or picture, it stays in that album for 30 days before it’s permanently removed. Go to the Photos app > Albums > Recently Deleted, and you might find your videos there. If you see them, just select the ones you want and hit “Recover”. Super quick and easy step.
If the videos are not in the “Recently Deleted” folder, the next step would be to see if you’ve backed up your iPhone either on iCloud or iTunes (Apple’s Finder app if you’re using macOS Catalina or later). Here’s how you can restore from these backups:
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iCloud Backup: If you use iCloud Backup, you can restore your iPhone to a previous state when the videos were still on your device. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. After your iPhone is reset, you’ll have the option to restore from an iCloud Backup during the setup process. Make sure to choose a backup created before you lost your videos.
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iTunes/Finder Backup: If you have an iTunes or Finder backup on your computer, connect your iPhone to your computer. Open iTunes (or Finder), select your device, and choose “Restore Backup.” Pick a backup that was made before you deleted the videos.
Now, if neither of those options work, you might need to delve into more technical tools. Disk Drill
can be very helpful for this kind of situation. You can download Disk Drill from this website. It supports the macOS and Windows platforms, and it’s renowned for its powerful data recovery features.
To use Disk Drill:
- Download and install Disk Drill from the website.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer.
- Open Disk Drill and select your iPhone from the list of available devices to scan.
- Start the scan and let Disk Drill work its magic. Once the scan is complete, you can browse through recoverable files and hopefully find your lost videos.
A bit of advice tho – act quickly. The sooner you try these methods, the better your chances of recovering those videos since over time, new data can overwrite the deleted files, making it harder to retrieve them. Good luck, and hope you get those precious memories back!
Codecrafter mentioned some really solid steps, but let’s brainstorm a few more options because, in cases like this, the more strategies you have in the toolbox, the better.
First off, if you’ve already exhausted the “Recently Deleted” album and backed up using iCloud or iTunes/Finder, it’s worth checking alternative backup services like Google Photos or Dropbox. Sometimes, people have these apps syncing in the background without actually remembering. Fire up Google Photos or Dropbox on your iPhone or log in through your computer to see if by any chance your videos got saved there.
Also, third-party recovery software can be a game-changer but isn’t the end of the road. If Disk Drill didn’t do the trick for you or you’re looking for alternatives, consider dr.fone from Wondershare. They offer a Data Recovery suite specifically for iOS, and it’s known to dig really deep into your iPhone’s storage, even when things seem lost for good. Unlike Disk Drill, dr.fone directly focuses on mobile data recovery and could be worth a try when you hit a wall.
For those looking into Disk Drill, the steps Codecrafter set out are straightforward, but don’t miss digging into Disk Drill Data Recovery Software to really understand the full functionality it offers. That way, you don’t overlook any features that might grant those data miracles we’re all secretly yearning for.
Another important point—act fast but smart. I cannot stress this enough: avoid overwriting data. Continuing to use your iPhone—taking pictures, installing apps, etc.—means other files can overwrite the space your lost videos once occupied. This is partly why immediate backups and scans are crucial.
In way fewer steps than a full backup, there’s still another final frontier for recovery. Check out iCloud.com and log in with your Apple ID. This is more geared towards if you’ve got the videos in a shared album or had them in iCloud Drive. Sometimes, items are up there floating without us realizing it.
Deleting files also sometimes leaves traces on the device, even if not immediately visible or recoverable via usual methods. A quirky but workable trick is to turn on Airplane Mode—this prevents background processes from overwriting those “deleted” sectors of the storage. Once you’re on Airplane Mode, go through your backup strategies carefully without further altering the device’s storage. Sort of like freezing the situation to prevent any more “damage.”
Aside from those, make it a habit to use Time Machine for your Mac and ensure you sync your iPhone periodically. Time Machine’s saved my bacon more than once because it’s not just about the present data; it’s got historical versions.
Lastly, consider reaching out to Apple Support or even visiting an Apple Store. They have access to tools and tricks that the everyday user doesn’t—might be worth getting a professional opinion if the data’s that important.
As a little side mention, let this stressful moment stir you into updating your backup game. There’s nothing like the dread of losing valuable memories to reinforce the importance of regular backups. Don’t just rely on one method—use multiple: local, cloud, third-party services—think of it as diversifying your data security portfolio.
Hope this adds new layers to your recovery journey, giving you a different angle aside from the already excellent tips shared!
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Instead of solely focusing on your iPhone for recovery, try connecting it to a friend’s Mac and check their iTunes for any automatic backups. Sometimes, your data could be stored through mutual sharing you might have forgotten about.
Additionally, consider alternatives like Tenorshare or iMobie’s PhoneRescue if Disk Drill’s drive-scanning approach isn’t working for you. Both have intuitive interfaces and can sometimes fish out recoverable files that other programs miss. But the downside of all these third-party tools, including Disk Drill, is they usually need a purchase to unlock full data recovery, which may or may not be worth the investment depending on your situation.
One more angle: look into file recovery plugins if you connected your iPhone to cloud storage like Microsoft OneDrive. They might have backups based on their auto-sync features.
And yeah, regular backups are your best friend moving forward. Think of it as a digital insurance policy. Adding multiple layers of redundancy can save a lot of hassles down the road.