A photo you deleted by mistake is not gone right away. The iPhone keeps it for 30 days, and then it is removed for good. How to find recently deleted photos on iPhone takes a few taps, but the album is locked and tucked away.
This guide shows where to look in the Photos app and on iCloud.com, what to do when the album seems missing, and what is left after 30 days.
1. How to Find Recently Deleted Photos on iPhone and Recover Them
Your deleted photos live in two places: the Photos app and iCloud.com. Both follow the same 30-day window, so start with whichever is closer.
The steps below for how to find recently deleted photos on iPhone.
Find Recently Deleted Photos in the Photos App
- Open the Photos app and scroll down to the Utilities section.
- Tap Recently Deleted, then tap View Album.
- Unlock the album with Face ID or Touch ID.
- Tap the photo or video you want back, then tap Recover.
- For several items, tap Select, choose them, tap the More button, and tap Recover.
- Confirm the recovery.
The photo goes back to your library. With iCloud Photos on, changes appear on every device signed in with the same Apple Account. Each item has its own 30-day countdown, so check soon.
Check Recently Deleted Photos on iCloud.com
If you are away from your iPhone, the same recovery works from a browser. This is another way to follow how to find recently deleted photos on iPhone when the phone is not in your hands.
- Go to icloud.com/photos and sign in with your Apple Account.
- Select Recently Deleted in the sidebar. If you do not see the sidebar, tap the Open Sidebar button.
- Tap Select, choose the photos or videos you want back, then tap Recover.
The same album lets you choose Delete to remove items before the 30 days end. Deleting from iCloud.com also removes them from every device with iCloud Photos turned on, so be careful with that button.
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2. What If You Can’t Find the Recently Deleted Album?
Before you decide a photo is lost, check that you are looking in the right place.
Open Photos, go to Collections, and scroll all the way down to Utilities. The album sits there, not near your main albums, and it opens only after Face ID or Touch ID unlocks it. That is the part of how to find recently deleted photos on iPhone people miss most often.
If the album opens but the photo is not inside, a few reasons are common:
- The 30 days have passed. The photo is permanently removed and cannot be recovered from the album.
- It was deleted early. Items removed by hand from the album are gone at once.
- The Apple Account differs. Check that you are signed in with the account that held the photo.
The Recovered collection is another place to look when it is available. In iOS 18 and later, a Recovered album appears under Utilities when the iPhone finds photos or videos that are on the device but not in your library.
It does not show up for everyone, because it appears only when such items exist. Unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID, select the items, and choose Restore to Library. Permanently Delete there skips Recently Deleted and cannot be undone.
Finally, verify your Apple Account and iCloud Photos settings. Open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, and tap Photos, then make sure Sync this device is on. Every device should use the same Apple Account.
3. How to Find Your Recently Deleted Photos on iPhone After 30 Days
Once the 30 days are over, neither the album nor iCloud.com can bring the photo back. Your options now depend on whether a copy still exists elsewhere, so the steps for how to find your recently deleted photos on iPhone shift to other sources.
Check iCloud.com and Your Other Devices
Sign in to icloud.com/photos and look through your main library, in case the photo was moved rather than deleted. Then check the Recovered collection and any other device that carries your pictures.
A device that does not use iCloud Photos does not receive the deletion, so an old iPad or a computer that never synced may still hold a copy.
Restore From a Backup
A backup is the last resort once the window has closed, and it works only if the backup was made before the photo was deleted. Restoring replaces the data on the iPhone, so photos taken after the backup can be lost unless you save them first.
To restore from an iCloud backup:
- Erase the iPhone if it is already set up.
- Turn it on and follow the setup screens until you reach Transfer Your Apps & Data.
- Tap From iCloud Backup and sign in with your Apple Account.
- Review the date and size of each backup, and choose the one made before the deletion.
- Keep the iPhone on Wi-Fi and power until the progress bar ends.
To restore from a computer backup, use Finder on a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, or the Apple Devices app on Windows 10 or later. Connect the iPhone by USB, select it, click Restore Backup, choose the backup, enter the password if it is encrypted, and click Restore. Keep the iPhone connected until it restarts.
One warning applies to both methods: setting up the iPhone as new creates iCloud backups that replace the saved ones. If you plan to restore, do it before you set up as new.
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4. FAQs
Where is Recently Deleted on iPhone?
Open the Photos app, go to Collections, and scroll down to Utilities. Tap Recently Deleted, then View Album, and unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID. Items stay there for 30 days.
How to find recently deleted photos on iPhone 17?
The steps are the same on iPhone 17: open Photos, scroll to Utilities, tap Recently Deleted, unlock it, and tap Recover. The Recovered album needs iOS 18 or later. How to find recently deleted photos on iPhone 17 beyond the album: use iCloud.com or the backup steps above.
How to find recently deleted photos on iPhone 15?
The process does not change on iPhone 15. Go to Collections, Utilities, Recently Deleted, then use Face ID to open the album and recover the photo. If the album is empty, check your Apple Account.
Can I find recently deleted photos without Face ID?
Yes. On an iPhone with Touch ID, the fingerprint unlocks the album instead. If biometrics fail, the iPhone usually offers your passcode. You can also sign in at icloud.com/photos, where Recently Deleted needs only your Apple Account.
5. Final Thoughts
Deleted photos are not always gone for good, but the recovery window is limited.
For more practical iPhone tips like how to find recently deleted photos on iPhone, and guides to everyday phone features, explore the latest articles on the AirTalk Wireless blog.