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How to Recover a Recently Deleted Photo on iPhone or iPad

Restore a photo or video before it is permanently removed from Recently Deleted.

Quick Answer

Open Photos → Recently Deleted, authenticate if required, select the item, and choose Recover.

Step by Step

  1. Open the relevant Apple app or Settings section on the iPhone or iPad.
  2. Open Photos → Recently Deleted, authenticate if required, select the item, and choose Recover.
  3. Review the result before deleting data, removing an account, or changing synchronization settings.
  4. For important data, confirm a current backup exists before making a major storage, account, or device change.

If That Doesn't Work

  • Apple occasionally moves settings between iOS/iPadOS versions, so exact menu wording can differ by software version.
  • iCloud synchronization is not the same as a separate backup of every item; deleting synchronized content can propagate to other devices.