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Is There a Way to Recover Deleted iCloud Photos? Best Methods in 2025

By Jenefey Aaron

2025-12-05 / iOS Data Recovery

If you're suddenly searching "is there a way to recover deleted iCloud photos," you're not alone. Many iPhone users find that photos disappear after an iCloud sync issue , accidental deletion, switching devices, or clearing storage. And because iCloud doesn't always clearly show what's recoverable, it's easy to panic.

The encouraging news is that "deleted" iCloud photos aren't always gone forever. Some remain inside hidden sync folders, older iCloud backups, or cached locally on your device. And when none of the built-in Apple options work, tools like Tenorshare UltData can scan your iPhone and iCloud data directly to recover photos that seem permanently erased. Below are the most reliable 2025 solutions you should try.

Part 1: Why Deleted iCloud Photos Can Still Be Recovered in 2025

Most users asking is there any way to recover deleted photos from iCloud assume that once a photo disappears online, it's permanently erased. But iCloud actually uses multiple layers of storage — sync copies, device caches, and temporary retention. That means even "old" deleted photos may still exist until they're overwritten.

Apple also stores versions of your photo library across devices, which creates additional recovery paths if you act quickly.

Part 2: Quick Ways to Recover iCloud Photos (Try These First)

Sometimes the simplest checks solve the problem — especially if you think all your iCloud photos are missing or not showing across devices.

Recently Deleted (30-Day Recovery)

Photos deleted within the last 30 days stay in Recently Deleted on both iPhone and iCloud.com.

Go to: iCloud.com → Photos → Recently Deleted

You can restore them instantly if they're still inside the retention window.

Check iCloud Sync and Device Storage Settings

If your iCloud Photos aren't showing up on your iPhone, the issue could be related to iCloud sync or local storage settings. Start by checking whether iCloud Photos is correctly enabled across your devices and if your device is properly syncing with iCloud.

Here’s what to check:

• iCloud Photos Sync Status: Go to Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Photos and ensure that iCloud Photos is turned on. If it's off, turn it on and wait for the sync process to finish.
• Storage Space: Ensure you have enough iCloud storage available. If you're running out of space, some photos may not sync properly. Check your available space in Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Manage Storage.
• Device Storage: Make sure there’s enough local storage on your iPhone to allow iCloud to sync photos. You can check storage by going to Settings → General → iPhone Storage.
• Network Connectivity: Ensure that your iPhone is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Poor network connectivity can cause sync delays or prevent photos from appearing across devices.

These simple checks may resolve issues with iCloud Photos not syncing properly across devices.

Part 3: Effective Methods to Recover Deleted iCloud Photos

If your photos are missing from iCloud.com and the Recently Deleted folder, they might still be retrievable through a few other effective methods. Here are some of the most reliable recovery methods you should try:

Method 1: Check iCloud Backup for Lost Photos

iCloud Backup might still contain your deleted photos if you had a backup created before they were erased. Here’s how to check for and restore photos from an iCloud backup:

• Go to Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → iCloud Backup on your device to check the date of the most recent backup.
• If the backup date is before the photos were deleted, you can restore the backup to your device.
• Go to Settings → General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings to erase your iPhone. Afterward,

• Select Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process.Choose the backup that contains your missing photos and restore it to your iPhone.

If you don’t mind losing recent data, this method can be an effective way to recover older photos that were erased.

Method 2: Retrieve Photos from iTunes or Finder Backup

If you’ve ever connected your iPhone to a computer and created a local backup, you can try restoring photos from iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later). Here’s how:

• Connect your iPhone to the computer you used to back it up.
• On macOS Catalina or later, open Finder. On earlier macOS versions or Windows, open iTunes.
• Select your device and look for the Backups section.
• Choose a backup created before the photos were deleted and click Restore Backup.
• Wait for the restore process to finish and check if the photos are back on your iPhone.

Restoring from an iTunes or Finder backup can be a great option when iCloud isn't available, but this method will erase any current data on your device, so be sure to back up anything important before proceeding.

Method 3: Use Third-Party Tools to Scan iPhone for Deleted Photos

When no backup is available or the photos were permanently deleted from iCloud, you can use a third-party recovery tool like UltData iPhone Data Recovery to scan your iPhone’s internal storage. UltData can access photos that may still exist in hidden caches or fragments, even if they’ve been deleted from iCloud.

• Download and install Tenorshare UltData on your computer.
• Connect your iPhone to the computer and launch UltData.
• Select Recover from iPhone to begin scanning for deleted photos.
• Preview the recovered photos and restore them to your computer or back to your iPhone.

This method works when all other options fail, offering the best chance of recovering photos that seem permanently deleted.

Part 4: Best Method — Recover Deleted iCloud Photos with Tenorshare UltData

When iCloud cannot restore your photos, Tenorshare UltData remains the most reliable method in 2025. It can scan the iPhone deeply — including hidden system caches and photo fragments — and recover images that no longer appear in iCloud.

Why UltData Recovers Photos iCloud Cannot

UltData works because it reads:

• local storage sectors
• outdated photo database entries
• partially synced iCloud files
• hidden system caches

This allows recovery even when iCloud says the photos are "permanently deleted."

Step-by-Step Guide to Recover Photos with UltData

• Install Tenorshare UltData on your computer.

• Connect your iPhone and choose ''Recover Data From iCloud'' button.Sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID.

• Select Photos and run a deep scan to locate deleted files.Preview the found images and restore them to your computer.

• Preview the found images and restore them to your computer.

Users often recover photos that disappeared months or years earlier.

Part 5: Final Tips to Prevent iCloud Photo Loss in the Future

To avoid the stress of wondering is there a way to recover old deleted iCloud photos again:

• Keep iCloud Photos enabled on all devices
• Back up your iPhone regularly (iCloud or Finder/iTunes)
• Avoid deleting photos while iCloud is syncing
• Download important albums to local storage

Taking small precautions helps ensure your photos stay safe.

Conclusion

If you've been asking is there a way to recover deleted iCloud photos, the answer is yes — often more times than you expect. While iCloud can restore recently deleted items or older backup versions, deeper recovery may require scanning your iPhone directly. When iCloud fails, Tenorshare UltData gives you the best chance of retrieving lost or permanently deleted photos .