Have you ever accidentally deleted a folder on your iPhone that contained important files and then panicked because you didn’t know how to retrieve it? Or maybe you’re just curious whether it’s possible to recover deleted folders on your iPhone. If that’s the case, you’re in the right place. This blog post will guide you through several methods to find recently deleted folders on your iPhone.
Video Tutorial:
The Challenge of Finding Recently Deleted Folders on iPhone:
When you delete a folder on your iPhone, it doesn’t immediately disappear. Instead, it gets moved to the "Recently Deleted" folder, which is located in the "Albums" section of the Photos app, and it will remain there for 30 days. After 30 days, it will be permanently deleted from your phone and you won’t be able to recover it. However, if you’re like many iPhone users, you may not know where to find the "Recently Deleted" folder, or you may not know what to do once you’ve located it. This is where this guide comes in handy.
Things You Should Prepare for:
Before diving into the methods, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Your iPhone’s iCloud backup must have been turned on before you deleted the folder, otherwise, none of the following methods will work.
- If you use the "Optimize iPhone Storage" feature in iCloud, the photos in the "Recently Deleted" folder may be already deleted from your iPhone to save storage space. In this case, none of the methods below will work.
- If you already emptied the "Recently Deleted" folder, unfortunately, none of the following methods will work.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Folders on iPhone Via the Photos App:
Method 1 Pros:
- It’s an easy and straightforward method.
- You can preview the items before restoring them.
Cons:
- This method does not guarantee you can find the deleted folder.
Step 1: Open the "Photos" app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on "Albums" at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Scroll down and find the "Recently Deleted" folder.
Step 4: Tap on the folder to open it.
Step 5: Select the folder you want to recover.
Step 6: Tap "Recover" at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Step 7: The folder will then be restored to its original location.
Method 2: Recover Deleted Folders on iPhone Via iCloud With Photos Library Enabled:
Method 2 Pros:
- It’s useful if your iPhone is stolen or lost.
- It’s a more reliable and effective way to recover deleted folders.
Cons:
- You need to have an iCloud account and have enabled the Photos Library feature before losing the folder.
- You need a stable and fast Wi-Fi to restore deleted folders via iCloud.
Step 1: Go to iCloud.com on a computer and log into your iCloud account.
Step 2: Click on "Photos."
Step 3: Select "Albums."
Step 4: Go to "Recently Deleted" folder.
Step 5: Select the folder you want to recover.
Step 6: Click on "Recover" at the top right corner.
Step 7: The folder will then be restored to your iCloud account and to the Photos app on your iPhone.
Method 3: Recover Deleted Folders on iPhone Via iCloud Backup:
Method 3 Pros:
- You can retrieve your deleted folders even after 30 days.
- You can recover other deleted data from your iPhone too.
Cons:
- You need to have enabled the "iCloud backup" feature in your iPhone.
- You may lose some recent data due to restoration of the backup.
Step 1: Go to "Settings" on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on "General."
Step 3: Tap on "Reset."
Step 4: Select "Erase all content and settings."
Step 5: Confirm that you want to erase your iPhone and wait for it to reset.
Step 6: During the setup process, select "Restore from iCloud backup" and select the most recent backup you have.
Step 7: Wait for the restore process to complete.
Step 8: Check if the folder has been restored to your iPhone.
Why Can’t I Find Recently Deleted Folders on iPhone:
Reason 1: You have already empty the "Recently Deleted" folder. In this case, the deleted folder is permanently deleted.
Fix 1: There’s no way to recover the folder, unless you have an iCloud backup that you can restore. In the future, be careful before emptying the "Recently Deleted" folder.
Reason 2: The photos in the "Recently Deleted" folder have been already deleted from your iPhone to save storage space.
Fix 2: Unfortunately, there is no way to recover them if you use the "Optimize iPhone Storage" feature. You need to turn off this feature in Settings > Photos if you want to prevent this from happening in the future.
Reason 3: Your iPhone’s iCloud backup was never turned on.
Fix 3: If you haven’t backed up your iPhone before, there’s no way to recover the deleted folder.
Additional Tips:
– If you have other iPhone device that contain the same iCloud account, the deleted folder will be synced to those devices as well.
– If you’re trying to recover a deleted folder that contains important data, it’s always a good idea to make regular backups of your iPhone. This way, you can restore your iPhone without losing important data.
5 FAQs about Finding Recently Deleted Folders on iPhone:
Q1: How long does the "Recently Deleted" folder keep my deleted folders?
A: The "Recently Deleted" folder keeps your deleted folders for 30 days, after that, the deleted folders will be permanently deleted from your iPhone.
Q2: What should I do if the folder I want to recover is not in the "Recently Deleted" folder?
A: In this case, you can try restoring your iPhone from an iCloud backup or a local backup using iTunes.
Q3: Can I recover a deleted folder if I didn’t have iCloud backup enabled?
A: Unfortunately, if you didn’t have an iCloud backup enabled, there is no way to recover the deleted folder.
Q4: Can I recover a deleted folder if I have never synced my iPhone with iTunes?
A: Yes, you can recover a deleted folder if you have iCloud backup enabled, even if you have never synced your iPhone with iTunes.
Q5: Are there any third-party apps that can help me recover deleted folders on my iPhone?
A: Yes, there are many third-party data recovery apps available. However, most of them require you to pay for the service and may not be as effective as the methods we’ve outlined above. It’s always a good idea to do research before trying any third-party app for data recovery.
In Conclusion:
Accidentally deleting an important folder on your iPhone can be a frustrating experience. However, as you can see from the methods outlined above, there are ways to recover deleted folders on your iPhone, as long as you have iCloud backup enabled. Remember to always make backups of your iPhone and to double-check before deleting any important files.