Start with these three steps
Look in Recently Deleted
Open Photos and find Recently Deleted. Review the items and their remaining time, then recover any photos or videos you want to keep.
Check the library you are viewing
Review Hidden and any Shared Library views. Confirm which Apple Account contains your photos before changing account or sync settings.
List independent copies
Check computer imports, exported folders, message attachments and copies shared with family. Record which dates or events are missing.
The 30-day recovery window
Apple keeps deleted photos and videos in Recently Deleted for 30 days. After that, Apple describes them as permanently deleted. If the items are still there, recovery from Photos or the relevant iCloud.com library is the first route to use.
For a large set, make a short checklist of the dates and events you need. After recovering, open several items and check that videos play. This helps distinguish an incomplete selection from a different missing-photo problem.
Sources: [1] Apple Support
Check hidden items and library views
Apple recommends checking Hidden, Recently Deleted, Shared Library and iCloud Photos when images appear to be missing. Use the same account that held the originals. An image hidden on one device can also be hidden on other devices using iCloud Photos.
Start with a specific example: approximate date, subject and the last place you saw it. Check that example across the available views before treating the whole library as lost. Avoid making several settings changes at once; it becomes harder to tell which change affected what you can see.
On an iPhone already running iOS 18 or later, also look for Recovered under Utilities in Photos. It appears only when Photos finds eligible items still on the device but absent from its library. Choose Restore to Library for wanted items. Permanently Delete removes them immediately, without a Recently Deleted step. Do not update a damaged phone just to try this feature.
Sources: [2] Apple Support [6] Apple Support
Understand the available copies
When iCloud Photos is enabled, its synchronised photos and videos are not also included in the daily iCloud device backup. A backup date alone is therefore not evidence that it contains a deleted image.
If iCloud Photos was off, a device backup may include camera photos. Check the settings used at the time and the backup date. A full iCloud restore involves erasing an already configured device, so first protect current content and check simpler sources such as computer imports.
Sources: [3] Apple Support [4] Apple Support
When the phone itself is inaccessible
If photos exist only on a damaged phone, the question becomes whether access to that phone can be restored while preserving its data. Before a service appointment, explain which images matter and what copies you have already checked.
Apple warns that a device returned from service may have been erased. Agree on the data objective before authorising work, and make a backup first if the phone is usable.
Sources: [5] Apple Support
A realistic view of recovery
- There is no supported Recently Deleted recovery after an item is permanently removed; check separately retained copies.
- A photo's presence on a device does not prove that an independent backup of it exists.
- A damaged-phone assessment cannot promise that the original photos will be accessible.
Your questions, answered
Can I recover photos after 30 days?
Are photos in another album a second copy?
Should I restore the iPhone to an older backup?
Need help with the original iPhone?
Describe the model, what happened and which data matters. Data Recovery Lab NZ is an external specialist; ask it to confirm the assessment route for your exact device.
Sources & further reading
Primary and specialist guidance checked 27 October 2026. Features and instructions depend on the model and operating system.