How to Recover Deleted Photos on Different Devices

SD card or accidentally press that delete all button on your digital camera. In an instant, you can obliterate precious memories of an event such as a wedding or graduation that can never be replaced.

How to Recover Deleted Photos on Windows

We now present four ways to restore deleted photos for Windows users. They may not all be appropriate for your particular situation, but one of them should do the trick. In some cases, you can get your images back through the tools built into the operating system. If that fails, there are more reliable ways to restore your files, even if they have been deleted some time ago. Let’s take a closer look at your options.

Method 1. From the Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is the first place to look for deleted images on a Windows computer. It’s a special folder that the operating system uses to temporarily store recently deleted photos. Files remain in the Recycle Bin for a predetermined length of time or until the bin is emptied.

Try these simple steps to recover deleted photos from the Recycle Bin:

1. Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking on its icon.
2. Locate and select the images you want to recover.
3. Take note of the Original Location of the files as that is where they will be restored.
4. Right-click on your selection and choose Restore. You can also drag and drop files from the Recycle Bin to a folder of your choice.
5. Wait for the process to complete and verify your files are back.

Method 2. From Backup Files

You should be backing up your computer regularly to protect your important data. It’s in data loss scenarios such as lost photos that the value of these backups is demonstrated. The Windows OS comes with a backup and recovery tool. Here’s how to retrieve deleted photos with it on a Windows 10 machine.

To recover deleted photos from backup you need to:

1. Connect the storage media containing the backup to your computer.
2. Right-click the Windows Start button and then Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.
3. Choose either to Restore my files or Restore all users’ files.
4. Search for your lost photos by using the Browse for files or Browse for folders option. You cannot see individual files when browsing for folders.
5. Select your files and click Restore to recover them.

Method 3. Via a Data Recovery Service

You may run into situations that demand you use a professional data recovery service. These services may be able to recover data when all other available methods have failed. The key is finding the right service and getting the storage media delivered to them.

Here are some general guidelines to follow when searching for a local data recovery service:

1. Type “data recovery services near me” in a Google search to review your options.
2. Use Google Maps and customer reviews to make your selection.
3. Follow the steps outlined by the recovery service you select.

One recommendation is ACE Data Recovery which can be contacted through their website at https://www.datarecovery.net/. After contacting the company and shipping your device, you will receive a quote on the recovery service that you can approve or reject. If approved, the company will recover your data and return your disk in a few days.

How to Retrieve Deleted Photos on Mac

You can retrieve deleted photos on Mac using a variety of methods. If the files were recently deleted, you might be able to recover them instantly by looking in the Trash Bin. Apple also offers multiple ways to back up your pictures so they are protected and can be recovered if the need arises.

Method 1. From the Trash

Your Mac’s Trash Bin is the first place you should look for deleted photos or files. When a deletion occurs, macOS moves the deleted file to the Trash Bin temporarily to make it available for a quick recovery. Items roll off the bin after a set amount of time, when it gets full or when you empty it.

Here’s how to restore a deleted image from the Trash:

1. Open the Trash Bin by clicking on its icon.
2. Locate the photo you want to recover.
3. Right-click on the item and select Put Back. The photo will be restored to its original location.

Method 2. From a Time Machine Backup

Time Machine is the built-in backup and recovery tool that comes with Mac’s operating system. If you are using it to make backup copies of your data, you can attempt to retrieve photos that were lost from your computer.

To use Time Machine for photo recovery, use the following steps:

1. Connect the backup disk to your Mac.
2. Open a Finder window in the folder where the photos were located.
3. Open Time Machine by clicking on the clock icon on the Mac’s menu bar and select Enter Time Machine.
4. Locate the items you want to recover.
5. Click Restore to recover the selected photos.

Method 3. From an iTunes Backup

This recovery method is only valid if you have previously created a backup of your iTunes library to an external drive.

Use this procedure to restore your photos from the backup:

1. Close iTunes.
2. Click on the external drive and select the iTunes folder.
3. Right-click and choose Copy.
4. Paste the iTunes library to your chosen location.
5. Open iTunes while holding down the Option key.
6. Click Choose Library when prompted.
7. Select the location where you copied the iTunes folder.
8. Click Open.
9. Choose the iTunes Library.itl file.