How to Recover Deleted Photos on iPhone in 2026

TL;DR

• Check Recently Deleted first, you have up to 30 days
• If it’s not there, the next best option is a backup made before deletion
• If you want to recover photos without wiping your iPhone, AltTunes can help you pull photos from a local backup on a Windows PC

Deleted photos feel like a punch in the stomach, especially when they were important. The good news is you still have a few real options, and the fastest one takes under a minute.

Below is the exact order to try, plus what to do when the 30-day window is gone.

What photo recovery on iPhone really means

When you delete a photo, iPhone does not always erase it right away. In many cases, it moves it into Recently Deleted, then removes it later.

After it gets removed from Recently Deleted, your best chance is a backup made before you deleted it. If you keep using the iPhone, new data can take the space where old files were, and that lowers the odds of recovery.

If you want a deeper breakdown of what happens after deletion, this article explains how to recover permanently deleted photos.

Step 1, recover from Recently Deleted

Open PhotosTap AlbumsScroll to UtilitiesOpen Recently DeletedUnlock it with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcodeSelect the photos, tap Recover

What to know about the 30-day timer

• The countdown starts the moment you delete the photo
• You can delete items from Recently Deleted too, that is final
• Shared Photo Library has extra rules, only the uploader can recover some items

If your photo is not there, move to backups.

Step 2, recover from iCloud or computer backups

Backups work only if the backup was created before the photo was deleted.

iCloud backup recovery

This usually requires a full restore, which means you wipe the iPhone and restore from a backup.

Also note that iCloud Photos and iCloud Backup are not the same thing. If iCloud Photos was on, photos might be synced, not stored inside the backup file.

Mac backup recovery with Finder

If you backed up to a Mac, Finder manages iPhone backups.

Restore puts the phone back to the backup date. Anything created after that date may not come back.

Windows backup recovery with iTunes or Apple Devices

On Windows, backups are usually stored locally through iTunes or the Apple Devices app.

If you need a simple refresher on the full process, this article explains how to back up and restore iPhone.

What most people get wrong

1) They keep taking new photos first

New photos and app data can reduce your chances because storage space gets reused over time. If you think a backup restore is needed, stop filming and stop downloading stuff until you decide.

2) They assume iCloud backup contains iCloud Photos

If iCloud Photos is on, your photos might be synced separately. That can change what is inside an iCloud backup.

3) They restore a backup and lose newer data

A backup restore is not selective. It is a full rollback.

If you want a safer path, use a tool that lets you pull photos out of a backup without wiping the iPhone.

Key takeaways

• Recently Deleted is the fastest win, act within 30 days
• After that, a backup made before deletion is the main option
• A full restore can bring photos back, but it can also roll back newer data
• If you want to recover photos without wiping your iPhone, pull photos from a local backup instead

Next step

Recover photos from an iPhone backup using AltTunes

If you have a local backup on a Windows PC, AltTunes can help you recover photos without doing a full iPhone reset. This is useful when you want your current iPhone data to stay as is.

AltTunes is also a solid alternative when iTunes feels limiting and you want more control. If you want a broader overview, this article covers common options around iTunes replacementshttps://softorino.com/blog/itunes-alternative

What you need before starting

• a Windows PC
• an iPhone or iPad
• a USB cable
• a local backup made before the photos were deleted

Download AltTunes

Step 1, install AltTunes on Windows

Download AltTunes from the page above and install it like a normal Windows app.

Open AltTunes after install.

Step 2, connect your iPhone once

Connect your iPhone to the PC with a cable. Unlock the iPhone and tap Trust if you see the prompt.

AltTunes should detect your device.

Step 3, pick the backup and preview photos

In AltTunes, open the backup section and choose the backup date that was created before you deleted the photos.

Preview the photos first, then select what you want to recover.

Step 4, save the recovered photos to your PC

Export the selected photos to a folder on your PC.

After that, you can import them back to Photos on iPhone if needed, or just keep them safely on your computer.

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