How to Recover Deleted Videos From an iPhone

One of the features that have helped iPhones stay ahead of the curve in the competitive smartphone market is their high-quality videos. The latest models are known for crisp videos and smooth playback that make capturing memories just as enjoyable as watching the recorded files.

But imagine you’re scrolling through your iPhone, reminiscing on old memories, when you accidentally delete one of your favorite videos. This can be a real bummer, especially if you had only one copy of the video.

Does that mean your precious memories are gone for good? The simple answer is no.

This tutorial will show you how to recover deleted videos from your iPhone.

Method 1: Retrieving Deleted Videos From the Recently Deleted Folder

Developers have praised the iPhone as a well-thought-out device, and it’s easy to see why. Whenever you delete a photo or video, it doesn’t disappear from your device immediately. Instead, it goes to the “Recently Deleted” folder. After 30 days, the file is permanently removed from the folder, making it impossible to recover.

The Recently Deleted folder can therefore be considered a safety net that ensures you can still recover files you delete by mistake.

To retrieve an item from the folder, here’s what you need to do:

1. Grab your iPhone and open the Photos app.
   
2. Tap on “Albums” and scroll down to the “Recently Deleted” tab. This should open a folder with a list of all the photos and videos you have deleted within the past 30 days.
   
3. Scroll through the list to find the videos you’d like to retrieve. To recover a file, give it a long tap and then hit the “Recover” button in the lower right corner of your screen.
   

Method 2: Recovering Deleted Videos From an iCloud Backup

Apple has always advertised iCloud as a convenient tool that can help you to transfer all of your data from an old device to a brand new one. However, it’s also a great tool when you delete files erroneously. But how exactly do iCloud backups work?

When activated, iCloud backups periodically upload your files to the cloud while retaining the originals on your device. When the original is deleted either by mistake or design, the uploaded copies remain on the cloud. Therefore, you can always recover your files as long as you’re connected to the internet.

When attempting to recover deleted files from your iCloud backup, it’s important to remember that you might end up losing any files that weren’t part of the most recent backup. For example, if the most recent upload happened three days ago, any files you may have created or received since then won’t be part of the backup. For this reason, you should ensure you’ve saved all your current files before restoring the system to an earlier state.

Here’s how to recover your files using iCloud backups:

1. Reset your device by tapping on the “Reset” button in the Settings app.
   
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your device afresh.
   
3. When you get to the “Apps & Data” screen, tap “Restore from iCloud Backup.”
4. Sign in with your Apple ID.
5. Choose the version you want to return to and then wait as your device loads the corresponding files.

At the end of this process, you should be able to find the video you’re looking for in the Photos app.

The only disadvantage of iCloud backups is that you may end up with files you no longer need. That’s because rather than recovering specific files, restoration is a “blanket” data retrieval process that brings back all the files that were on your device at a particular time. For instance, you can end up recovering files that you had deleted in order to free up space on your iPhone.

Method 3: Recovering Deleted Videos From iTunes Backup

One of the best things about Apple devices is that they offer multiple ways to back up your files just in case you need to retrieve them at a later date. iTunes backups work pretty much like those on iCloud, but unlike the latter, they are saved on your computer.

To recover files from iTunes, first plug in your iPhone to your computer using a compatible USB cable and then proceed as follows:

1. Double-click your iPhone on the navigation menu on the left side of your computer’s screen.
   
2. Click on the “Sync Settings” button in the top right corner.
3. Press the “Restore Backup” button and select the version you want to use.
   

Method 4: Utilizing a Third-Party Recovery Tool

Apple has gone out of its way to provide multiple built-in recovery tools should you need to recover a photo or video. But if these tools don’t work for you, you can always try third-party recovery systems.

There’s a thriving market for third-party data recovery solutions, but we always recommend due diligence before choosing your preferred software. Some tools – especially those available for free – may not recover all the files deleted from your device. In addition, some can include malicious code designed to relay your personal data to the developer.

To ensure you choose the best, ensure you do proper research on the software and its developer. You should select a tool with fairly positive ratings and reviews from reputable sources like tech blogs, forums, and social media. It’s also important to choose software with a user-friendly interface and clear instructions. The data recovery process should be straightforward to execute, even for non-technical users.

Some of the most popular data recovery tools for iPhones include Disk Drill, Dr. Fone, PhoneRescue, and EaseUS MobiSaver.

Don’t Give Up on Your Memories

Deleting a video from your iPhone doesn’t amount to removing it physically from your device. Apple has been credited with designing a well-thought-out backup system that ensures you have multiple retrieval systems should you delete a file by mistake. From the Recently Deleted folder to iCloud backups and external backups on your Mac, there’s always a way to recover the memories you treasure the most.

But even if these tools don’t work, there are plenty of third-party solutions that can scan your iPhone and recover recently deleted items.

Have you tried to recover your files using any of the tools discussed in this article? How was your experience?

Let us know in the comments section below.