How to recover deleted photos from years ago?

Photos hold immense sentimental value, and losing them can feel like losing a piece of our history. Whether you accidentally deleted an image, lost it during a device failure, or suffered data corruption, recovering old photos may seem like an impossible task. Fortunately, with the right tools and methods, it is often possible to retrieve deleted photos, even after several years.

This process of recovery can vary depending on the storage medium, file system, and whether the photo data has been overwritten by new files. The good news is that when files are deleted, they are not immediately gone; instead, they are marked as free space by the system. Until that space is overwritten with new data, it remains possible to recover the deleted photos.

1. Photo Deletion

When you delete a photo, it doesn’t completely disappear from your device right away. Instead, the space it occupies is marked as “available” for new data. However, unless that space is overwritten by new files, the photo remains recoverable. The key to successful recovery lies in acting quickly to avoid overwriting the deleted data.

Key Factors Affecting Recovery:

Storage Medium: The type of device or medium (phone, hard drive, SD card, etc.) from which the photo was deleted.

File System: The structure used to store data on your device, such as FAT32. NTFS, or HFS+.

Time Elapsed: The longer the time since deletion, the greater the chance that the deleted data has been overwritten.

Device Usage: The extent to which the storage medium has been used since the deletion will impact the recovery process.

2. Recovery from Smartphones (iOS and Android)

Smartphones are one of the most common devices where photos are stored, and thankfully, recovery is often possible on both iOS and Android platforms.

iOS Devices (iPhone and iPad)

A. Using the Recently Deleted Folder

The iOS Photos app offers a “Recently Deleted” album, where deleted photos are stored for 30 days before being permanently erased. If your photos are still in this album, you can easily recover them.

Steps to recover photos from the Recently Deleted album:

Open the Photos app.

Go to Albums and scroll down to find Recently Deleted.

Tap on the photos you want to recover and select Recover.

B. iCloud Backup

If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you may be able to restore deleted photos from a previous backup.

Steps to restore from iCloud:

Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

Check the date of the last backup and ensure it was before the photos were deleted.

To restore, reset your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

After resetting, choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process.

C. Third-Party Recovery Tools

If the photos are not in the Recently Deleted folder or iCloud, third-party apps like Dr. Fone, iMobie PhoneRescue, and Tenorshare UltData can help recover deleted photos from iOS devices.

Android Devices

A. Google Photos

Google Photos offers automatic cloud backup, meaning deleted photos may still be recoverable through the service, even after they are deleted from your phone.

Steps to recover photos from Google Photos:

Open the Google Photos app.

Tap on the Library tab, then select Trash.

Find the deleted photos and select Restore.

B. File Recovery Apps

For Android devices, third-party apps like DiskDigger and PhotoRec can scan the internal storage or SD card for deleted photos.

Steps to recover photos with DiskDigger:

Install DiskDigger from the Google Play Store.

Launch the app and select your device’s internal storage or SD card.

Scan for deleted files and recover any photos found.

3. Recovering Photos from Memory Cards and External Storage

Memory cards (SD, microSD) and external storage devices like USB drives are popular for storing photos. These devices have a higher chance of data recovery, especially if the photos have been deleted recently.

SD and MicroSD Cards

A. Using Data Recovery Software

Panda Assistant offers powerful scanning capabilities, including deep scans that search for deleted files even in the most difficult-to-recover areas of a storage device. This makes it particularly useful for recovering files that have been deleted or lost due to accidental formatting, partition loss, system crashes, or virus attacks. The deep scan feature allows the software to search for fragments of lost data and reconstruct files, increasing the chances of a successful recovery.

Another notable aspect of Panda Assistant is its support for a variety of file types. It can recover documents, photos, videos, emails, and more, which makes it a great solution for recovering personal files, work-related documents, and multimedia content. The software also provides an option to filter results based on file types, making it easier for users to find specific files quickly.

Additionally, Panda Assistant ensures data safety by allowing users to preview files before recovering them. This helps avoid unnecessary recovery of unwanted or corrupted files, saving time and effort. Panda Assistant also provides a secure recovery process that does not overwrite or damage existing data on the device, making it safe to use.

B. Avoid Using the Memory Card

If you accidentally delete photos from a memory card, stop using it immediately. Any new data written to the card could overwrite the deleted photos, making them harder to recover.

4. Photo Recovery from Hard Drives (External and Internal)

If you’ve lost photos from a computer or external hard drive, several tools and techniques can help.

Recovering Photos from a Windows PC

Windows PCs may use the Recycle Bin as a temporary holding area for deleted files, including photos. If the photo is in the Recycle Bin, you can restore it quickly.

Steps to recover from the Recycle Bin:

Open the Recycle Bin.

Locate the deleted photos and right-click on them.

Select Restore.

If the photos are not in the Recycle Bin, or you’ve emptied it, use data recovery software like Panda Data Recovery or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

Steps for recovery with Panda Data Recovery:

Install Panda Data Recovery on your computer.

Choose the hard drive or external storage device to scan.

Scan the drive for deleted photos and select the ones you want to recover.

Save the recovered photos to a different drive to prevent overwriting.

Recovering Photos from a Mac

Macs have a similar process to Windows for recovering deleted photos from the Trash.

Steps to recover from the Trash on a Mac:

Open the Trash folder from the Dock.

Locate the deleted photos and drag them back to the desktop or right-click to restore.

For more advanced recovery, use Disk Drill or PhotoRec to recover lost photos.

5. Cloud-Based Photo Recovery

Cloud storage services like Google Photos, iCloud, and OneDrive can automatically back up photos from your devices, making it easier to recover lost photos.

Google Photos Recovery

As mentioned earlier, Google Photos stores deleted photos in the Trash for 30 days. If you’ve used Google Photos, check the Trash folder to restore any accidentally deleted photos.

OneDrive

If you use OneDrive for backup, you can recover deleted photos from the Recycle Bin.

Steps to recover from OneDrive:

Go to OneDrive in a web browser.

Click on Recycle Bin in the left sidebar.

Select the photos you want to recover and click Restore.

6. Preventive Measures for Future Photo Loss

The best way to protect your precious photos from being lost is through regular backups and careful storage practices.

A. Regular Backups

Use cloud storage services (Google Photos, iCloud, OneDrive) to back up your photos automatically.

Create periodic backups to an external hard drive or NAS device.

B. Avoid Overwriting

When you delete photos, stop using the device to prevent new files from overwriting the deleted data.

C. Consider RAID for Storage

If you store important photos on an external hard drive or NAS, consider using RAID configurations to increase redundancy and avoid data loss.