How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos on iPhone

What happens when you delete a video

When you delete a video from the Photos app, it is not erased immediately. It moves to the Recently Deleted album, where it sits for 30 days. During that window, recovery is straightforward. After 30 days, or if you manually empty the album, the video is permanently removed from that folder. At that point, your only options are a backup or third-party recovery software.

Method 1: Check the Recently Deleted album (within 30 days)

This is always the first place to look.

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Tap Albums at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll down to Utilities and tap Recently Deleted.
4. Tap the video you want to restore, then tap Recover.

If you use iCloud Photos, the Recently Deleted album syncs across all your Apple devices, so you can also check it at icloud.com/photos by signing in and opening the Recently Deleted section from the left panel.

Note: If you do not see the Recently Deleted album, it may be hidden. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos, or scroll down in Albums to check under Utilities.

Method 2: Restore from an iCloud backup

If the 30-day window has passed and you had iCloud Backup enabled before the video was deleted, you may be able to restore it this way.

Before you start: Check when your last backup was made. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups and confirm a backup exists from before the deletion.

Warning: Restoring from an iCloud backup wipes your iPhone and replaces everything with backup data. Any changes made since the backup will be lost. Back up your current device first.

1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings and confirm.
3. Follow the setup screens until you reach Apps & Data.
4. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup.
5. Sign in with your Apple ID and choose the backup that predates the deletion.
6. Wait for the restore to complete.

Method 3: Restore from an iTunes or Finder backup

If you regularly back up your iPhone to a computer, this method may recover your videos without touching iCloud.

Warning: Like iCloud restore, this replaces all current content on your device with the backup. Back up your current data first if possible.

1. Connect your iPhone to the computer you used for backups.
2. Open iTunes (Windows or older macOS) or Finder (macOS Catalina and later).
3. Select your iPhone when it appears.
4. Click Restore Backup and choose the most relevant backup from the list.
5. Click Restore and wait for the process to finish.

Method 4: Recover without a backup using third-party software

If you have no usable backup, dedicated iOS recovery tools can scan your device's storage for traces of deleted files that have not yet been overwritten by new data. This is more likely to succeed the sooner you act, since new data gradually replaces deleted files.

Stop using your iPhone as much as possible until you have attempted recovery. Every new photo, video, download, or app install risks overwriting the data you are trying to get back.

Popular tools for this include:

• iMyFone D-Back (Windows/Mac): scans the device directly, lets you preview deleted files before paying to recover them.
• Tenorshare UltData (Windows/Mac): supports 35+ file types, works without a backup or jailbreak.
• Disk Drill (Mac): reliable scanner with a clean interface; free to scan, paid to export.

General process for most of these tools:

1. Download and install the software on your computer.
2. Connect your iPhone via USB and trust the computer on your device.
3. Select iPhone Recovery or equivalent mode, then choose Videos as the file type.
4. Run the scan and preview results.
5. Select the videos you want and click Recover.

Most tools are free to scan and preview but charge for the actual export. Always check what is recoverable before purchasing.

Method 5: Check Google Photos or other cloud services

If you had Google Photos, Dropbox, OneDrive, or any similar app installed and set to auto-backup, your videos may have been uploaded before deletion. Open whichever services you use and search for the missing footage.

Tips to avoid losing videos again

• Enable iCloud Photos (Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos) to keep a continuous cloud copy.
• Turn on iCloud Backup and ensure it runs regularly over Wi-Fi.
• Back up to a computer via iTunes or Finder periodically as a second layer.
• If you must delete large batches of videos, check the Recently Deleted album is clear before assuming they are gone for good.

Quick comparison

Permanently deleted videos can sometimes be recovered, but success is never guaranteed and becomes less likely the more time passes and the more you use your device afterward. Acting quickly and trying methods in order gives you the best chance of getting your footage back.