It happens. Your phone blacks out, your toddler is discovered happily pressing the buttons, or you dropped it overboard. Maybe you just accidentally deleted a file or folder. You stand to lose valuable information.

Data recovery methods must be customized to work with the type of damage or problem your electronic device is experiencing. There are other, traditional ways to recover Aunt Yvonne’s address and phone number from your cellphone if you’re desperate.

But what about photographs? You can never recreate those valuable moments.

How Photos Get Lost/Deleted

If you accidentally deleted photos on your iPhone, iPad or tablet, you can find them in your Recently Deleted folder. They’ll be there for 30 days before they are truly, permanently deleted. Recovering photos from your Mac or Windows hard drive is tricky but doable.

Reasons why your photos “disappear” can include:

• App crash
• Damaged SD (secure digital) card
• Malware
• Photo editing
• Software update glitch
• System crash
• Wrong operation/function entered

How To Recover Deleted Pictures

I used to like doing karaoke until cellphone cameras came along. – Fred Schneider

In a perfect world, all electronics would utilize one operating system. In the real world, everyone agrees. Except many think the one operating system should be Windows. Others say Apple’s macOS. No, make that iOS. Some say Google Android. Or Linux, Symbian…

To understand how to recover deleted pictures, you need to know which operating system drives your electronic device. If your device isn’t waterlogged or missing pieces, a DIY (do-it-yourself) approach is worth it.

Recovering Deleted Photos: Mac

Recovery Step 1

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Go to the Recently Deleted folder (far left).
3. There, you can see retrievable photos and the time left to retrieve them.
4. Select the photos you want retrieved.
5. Click Recover.

Recovery Step 2 – Cloud Recovery:

1. Go to iCloud.com.
2. Click the Recently Deleted folder in the sidebar.
3. Select the photos you want retrieved.
4. Click Recover.

Recovery Step 3

1. Go to your Trash folder.
2. Right-click on the photos you want to retrieve.
3. Click Put Back.

You can also drag-and-drop.

Recovery Step 4

1. Open your Photos folder.
2. Click Time Machine (menu bar).
3. Click Enter Time Machine.
4. Use the arrows to scroll “back in time.”
5. Select the deleted photos.
6. Click Restore.

Recovery Step 5 – Free Software:

1. Download/install Disk Drill for Mac.
2. Launch the application.
3. Locate your device.
4. Click Recover.
5. Review selected files to retrieve and choose another location for them.
6. Click Recover again.

Recovering Deleted Photos: iPhone

Recovery Step 1 – See Mac instructions. The Recover button is in the lower-right corner. You can also select Recover All.

Recovery Step 2 – Cloud Recovery:

1. Click the Recently Deleted folder in the sidebar.
2. Select the photos you want retrieved.
3. Click Recover.

Recovery Step 3 – Backup Recovery:

1. Open Finder. 
2. Connect iPhone to computer/laptop.
3. Click iPhone.
4. Click the Restore iPhone.

Recovery Step 4 – Free Software:

1. Download/install Gihosoft.
2. Launch the app.
3. Select the photos you want to retrieve. You can also choose Select All.
4. Click Next.
5. Connect to your computer/laptop.
6. Click Recover Data.
7. Review the files then click Recover again.

Recovering Deleted Photos: Android

Your phone and cloud storage have Recycle bins. Look there first.

Recovery Step 1 – Cloud Recovery:

1. Login to cloud app.
2. Re-download.
3. Go to Google Photos.
4. Select photo(s).
5. Click Save to Device (or Export > Save To Device).

Recovery Step 2 – OneDrive:

1. Open OneDrive.
2. Click Photos.
3. Select photo(s) you want to retrieve.
4. Click More (…)
5. Click Save.

Recovery Step 3 – Dropbox:

1. Open Dropbox app.
2. Open Camera Uploads folder.
3. Select photo(s).
4. Click More (…)
5. Click Save To Device.

Recovery Step 4 – Google Drive:

1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Select photo(s).
3. Click More (…)
4. Click Download.

Recovery Step 5 – Free Software:

1. Download/install Disk Drill.
2. Launch the application.
3. Connect your SD card to computer/laptop.
4. Scan and using the Preview selection, locate photo(s) you want to retrieve.
5. Click Recover.

Recovering Deleted Photos: Windows 10

Your device and cloud storage have a Recycle bin. Check that first.

Recovery Step 1 – Windows Backup:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Select System and Maintenance.
3. Click Backup and Restore.
4. Click Restore My Files.

Recovery Step 2 – Free Software:

1. Download/install EaseUS.
2. Launch the application.
3. Select the location (folder) where you want to retrieve the deleted photos.
4. Click Scan.
5. Select photo(s) you want to retrieve.
6. Click Recover.

Gadget Genie: The Direction You Take for Fast, Affordable Fixes

Think of how to recover deleted pictures as if you’re inside a maze. When you’re trying to fix a problem, every wrong turn slows you down. But there’s almost always a way out of the maze.

That’s what we do for you. We take the direction that works best for you. Gadget Genie professionals will work hard to find the fix. And if there’s no fix, there’s no charge.

Ask questions. Because when you know more, you make better decisions. Call 206-249-3442 or contact us if you’re faced with a problem you can’t fix.