How to Recover Deleted Photos: Best Apps & Tools for iPhone, Android, PC & Mac

Accidentally deleted photos are not necessarily gone forever.

Whether you tapped the wrong button, lost your phone, or suffered a system crash, there are reliable tools that can bring your memories back. Here's a complete guide to the best photo recovery apps and software for every device — many of them free.

🔑 Before You Start — Do This First

Stop using the device immediately. The moment you realize photos are gone, stop taking new photos, downloading apps, or doing anything that could overwrite the deleted files. The faster you act, the better your chances of recovery.

Check the obvious places first:

• iPhone: Photos app → Albums → Recently Deleted (photos stay for 30 days)
• Android: Gallery app → Trash or Recycle Bin (usually 30 days)
• Google Photos: Library → Trash (60 days)
• iCloud.com: Photos → Recently Deleted
• Windows: Recycle Bin
• Mac: Trash

If the photos are already gone from those folders, move on to the tools below.

📱 iPhone & iPad Recovery

1. iCloud.com — Check First (Free)
If iCloud Photos is enabled on your iPhone, deleted photos are kept in iCloud's Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days. Log in via browser and check before trying any third-party tool.
icloud.com

2. Dr.Fone by Wondershare
One of the most trusted names in iOS data recovery. Scans your iPhone directly, or extracts photos from iCloud and iTunes backups without overwriting your current data. Lets you preview photos before recovering — so you pick exactly what you want back. Free scan; paid plan required for full recovery.
drfone.wondershare.com

3. Tenorshare UltData
A top-rated iPhone recovery tool with three recovery modes: direct device scan, iTunes backup extraction, and iCloud recovery. Supports over 35 data types beyond photos — including messages, WhatsApp data and contacts. Free scan and preview; recovery requires a license. Works on both Windows and Mac.
tenorshare.com/products/iphone-data-recovery.html

4. EaseUS MobiSaver
Well-established recovery software with a high success rate. Recovers photos, videos, messages, and contacts from iPhones, iPads and iPods. Offers a free version for basic recovery; paid version unlocks bulk recovery and deeper scans.
easeus.com/iphone-recovery

5. iMobie PhoneRescue
User-friendly 3-step recovery process for iPhone and iPad. Supports all three recovery methods (device, iTunes, iCloud) and works on both Mac and Windows. High success rate, no tech knowledge required.
imobie.com/phonerescue

6. Disk Drill (Mac)
Originally a Mac disk recovery tool, Disk Drill also handles iPhone photo recovery by scanning iTunes backups. Recovers up to 100 MB of data for free — a solid batch of photos without spending anything.
cleverfiles.com

🤖 Android Recovery

7. DiskDigger (Free — Android)
The most popular free photo recovery app on Android. Available directly from the Google Play Store — no computer needed. The Basic Scan works without root access and recovers recently deleted photos. A Full Scan (requires rooted device) goes deeper into internal storage. Free version recovers photos and videos; Pro version removes ads and adds more features.
diskdigger.org

8. Google Photos — Trash (Free)
If you use Google Photos, deleted images are kept in the Trash for 60 days. Open the app, tap Library → Trash, and restore with one tap. The easiest and most overlooked solution for Android users.
photos.google.com

9. EaseUS MobiSaver for Android
Connect your Android to a PC and let EaseUS scan the internal memory for deleted photos, videos, messages and contacts. Free version recovers one file at a time; Pro version handles bulk recovery. Lifetime license available.
easeus.com/android-recovery

10. Dr.Fone for Android
The Android counterpart to Dr.Fone for iPhone. Connects via USB and scans internal storage and SD cards for deleted photos. Supports photo recovery from WhatsApp, Messenger and other apps. Free scan and preview.
drfone.wondershare.com/android-recovery.html

💻 Windows PC Recovery

11. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard (Windows)
One of the most widely used data recovery tools in the world, trusted since 2005. Recovers deleted photos from laptops, desktops, external hard drives, SD cards, USB drives and digital cameras. Supports JPG, PNG, GIF, RAW (CR2, NEF) and dozens of other formats. Free version recovers up to 2 GB of data.
easeus.com/datarecoverywizard

12. Disk Drill for Windows (Free up to 500 MB)
Simple 3-click recovery: select a drive, scan, preview, and recover. Works on internal drives, external drives, SD cards, USB sticks and memory cards. Recovers up to 500 MB of data completely free — enough for hundreds of standard photos.
cleverfiles.com/disk-drill-windows.html

13. Recuva by Piriform (Free)
A long-standing favorite for Windows users — made by the same team behind CCleaner. Scans hard drives, memory cards and USB drives for deleted photos and other files. The basic version is completely free and works well for most casual recovery needs.
piriform.com/recuva

14. Stellar Photo Recovery (Windows & Mac)
Purpose-built for photo recovery, with support for RAW formats from DSLRs, drones and action cameras. Scans up to 6 TB of data and is one of the few tools that handles large professional photo libraries. Free to scan; one-time purchase of around $50 to recover files.
stellarinfo.com/photo-recovery.php

🍎 Mac Recovery

15. Disk Drill for Mac (Free up to 500 MB)
The Mac version of Disk Drill handles recovery from internal drives, SD cards, USB drives, external hard drives and iPhones connected via cable. Generates photo previews before recovery so you can confirm what you're getting back. Free up to 500MB.
cleverfiles.com/disk-drill-mac.html

16. Stellar Photo Recovery for Mac
Same powerful RAW format support and large-library scanning as the Windows version, with a native Mac interface. Great for photographers recovering images from memory cards or external drives.
stellarinfo.com/photo-recovery-mac.php

17. PhotoRec (Free — Windows, Mac & Linux)
A completely free, open-source recovery tool that works across all platforms. Less user-friendly than the others, but extremely powerful — and it's entirely free with no file size limits. Great option for technically-minded users or anyone who needs to recover a large number of photos without paying.
cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

📷 Memory Cards & Camera Storage

18. Stellar Photo Recovery
The best tool for recovering photos from SD cards, CF cards, micro SD cards and camera internal storage. Works with photos from DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, GoPros and drones. Supports all major RAW formats (Canon CR2, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW and more).
stellarinfo.com/photo-recovery.php

19. Disk Drill
Also handles memory card recovery. Connect your camera's card via a USB card reader, run a scan, and preview recoverable images before restoring.
cleverfiles.com

20. Recuva
Free and effective for SD card recovery on Windows. Plug in your memory card, point Recuva at it, and scan for deleted photos.
piriform.com/recuva

💡 Pro Tips

• Act fast. Deleted photos can be overwritten by new data at any time. The sooner you run a recovery scan, the higher your chances of success.
• Free tools first. Check your device's built-in trash folders, Google Photos Trash and iCloud Recently Deleted before spending money on anything.
• DiskDigger is the best free option for Android users — no computer needed, just download from the Play Store and scan.
• Recoil is the best free option for Windows PC and memory card recovery — no limits on how much you can recover.
• Disk Drill is the best free option for Mac users — up to 500 MB free, with photo previews before recovery.
• For professional photographers: Stellar Photo Recovery handles RAW formats and large libraries better than any other tool on this list.
• Avoid using the device until you've completed recovery — every new photo, app download or update risks overwriting your deleted files permanently.

Written by Daniel

Updated on April 2, 2026