Step 1

Check the “Recently Deleted” album in Photos/ Open the Photos app on your iPhone or Mac, go to Albums → Recently Deleted, select your missing photos, and tap Recover. Photos stay here for up to 30 days

Step 2

If the photos aren’t in Recently Deleted, use an iCloud backup (via Settings > [your name] > iCloud Backup) or a Finder/iTunes backup on Mac to restore the phone. This replaces current device data with a past backup that contains your lost photos.

Step 3

Use a dedicated recovery app. Connect your iPhone to your Mac and use iBoysoft Data Recovery (available in Setapp) to scan and restore permanently deleted photos that aren’t in backups

Step 4

Set up cloud or local backups. Configure automatic backups with cloud services (iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive) so new photos are always stored safely outside the iPhone

Step 5

Clean duplicates and keep storage healthy. Use tools like CleanMy®Phone to remove similar photos and free space — reducing accidental deletions and clutter

Step 6

Use CloudMounter to connect Dropbox or OneDrive as local drives on your Mac so you can manage and restore items from Finder

Step 7

Tools like ChronoSync Express or Get Backup Pro help you automate regular backups between your Mac and devices — protecting memories before they’re lost