How to recover deleted files on iPhone without backup
Accidentally deleted important files on iPhone and don't have a backup? Don't panic! Check these non-backup ways to recover different iPhone files, even after permanent deletion.
Jasmin Woods Updated on Jul 11, 2025 6:48 PM
There are proven non-backup solutions, allowing you to recover the files recently or permanently deleted from an iPhone.
Losing valuable files on iPhone can be frustrating, especially when you don't have a backup. Fortunately, thanks to advancements of iOS technology and third-party recovery tools, there are still ways to recover deleted files on iPhone without backup.
Whether you've accidentally deleted your files in the last 30 days or any longer, this guide will walk you through the most effective methods to recover recently and permanently deleted files on iPhone, no need for any backups.
To recover permanently deleted files on iPhone without backup, the iPhone Data Recovery tool can perform in-depth scanning on iOS devices, allowing for direct and selective file recovery.
Table of Contents
Can you recover deleted files on iPhone without backup?
Yes. When you delete iPhone files, they won't disappear immediately. Thanks to the built-in Recently Deleted folders in apps like Files, Photos, and Messages, your deleted iPhone files are stored for 30 up to 40 days before being permanently removed. During this temporary period, you can recover iPhone files directly from the Recently Deleted folder, no backups needed.
Even after permanent deletion, the files still exist on your iPhone's internal storage until they are overwritten by new data. In these cases, reliable third-party data recovery tools can help recover lost files on iPhone, even without an iCloud backup or iTunes backup.
Recover deleted files on iPhone without backup — From Recently Deleted
The core apps on your iPhone — Files, Photos, and Messages — come equipped with a built-in Recently Deletion section that makes it easy to recover deleted files without a backup, as long as you're within the 30-day recovery window.
If you've accidentally deleted your iPhone files, photos, or messages, the Recently Deleted feature offers an easy way for recovering deleted files on iPhone — no backup or extra tools required.
Recover iPhone deleted files without backup
In Files app, deleted items go to the Recently Dleted folder, recoverable in the following 30 days. After 30 days, the files are permanently deleted. Before that happens, follow these steps to recover deleted iPhone files without backup:
- Open the Files app on your iPhone and tap the Browse tab at the bottom.
- Under Locations, select Recently Deleted to view all recently deleted items.
- To recover multiple deleted files, tap the More button (three-dot icon) and tap Select; choose the files you want back and tap on Recover.
- To recover a single file, press and hold the file, then tap Recover from the expanded options.
- The deleted iPhone files will be recovered immediately and go back to their original positions.
Recover deleted photos and videos without backup
The Photos app includes a Recently Deleted album under the main Library view, allowing for recovering deleted iPhone photos without backup within 30 days.
- On your iPhone, open the Photos app and swipe up to the bottom.
- Tap Recently Deleted album under Utilities.
- In iOS 16 or later, tap View Album and unlock the Recently Deleted album using your passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID.
- Tap Select from the top-right corner and touch the photos or videos you prefer to recover.
- Press the More button > Recover, and confirm the Recover option.
- If you'd like to recover all deleted items, simply tap on Recover All.
After recovery, the deleted iPhone photos and videos will be moved back to your Library. See what to do if your iPhone photos are deleted from Recently Deleted album.
Recover deleted iPhone messages without backup
On iOS 16 and later, the deleted texts and iMessages are stored in Messages app's Recently Deleted folder where they can be recovered directly in next 30 days, without using a backup. To find and recover deleted messages on iPhone, follow the steps:
- Go the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Tap the < button to return to the conversation list.
- From the upper-left corner, tap Edit button and select Show Recently Deleted option. Or, tap Filters and choose Recently Deleted in the opening menu.
- Select the conversations you wish to get back, then tap Recover.
- Confirm Recover [number] Messages.
All selected iPhone messages will be recovered without backup instantly and re-appear in your conversation list.
Recover no backed-up files on iCloud.com
If your iPhone has iCloud Drive turned on, there's possibility that you can recover deleted files on iCloud.com if they were deleted within the last 30 days, no backups required.
Note: If you deleted files from iCloud Drive on your iPhone, they will also be removed from every device associated with the same Apple Account.
- On any network-connected computer or device, visit iCloud.com via a browser.
- Sign in to your Apple Account with the same Apple ID and password used on your iPhone.
- When you get in, go to Drive option.
- Select Recently Deleted from the left sidebar.
- From there, select each iPhone file you want to recover, then click on Recover. Alternatively, you may click Recover All to retrieve all deleted files.
- After that, open the Files app on your iPhone to access all recovered files.
After 30 days, the deleted files will be automatically removed from your iPhone. But fear not. For these permanently deleted iPhone files, the recovery without backup is still possible.
Recover permanently deleted iPhone files without backup — From internal storage
Whether you've recently deleted files or lost them permanently, Appgeeker iPhone Data Recovery offers an all-in-one solution to recover deleted iPhone files without needing a backup.
The software performs a deep scan of your iDevice's internal storage, allowing you to preview and selectively recover lost files directly from the iPhone. Moreover, It supports the recovery of a wide range of data types, including photos, messages, iMessages, contacts, call history, WhatsApp chats, app documents, and more.
If you're looking to recover permanently deleted files on iPhone without backup, this beginner-friendly tool is a reliable option—and it's fully compatible with all iOS versions.
Step 1. Install and open iPhone Data Recovery on a PC or Mac. By default, it's on Recover from iOS Device mode.
Step 2. Connect your iPhone via a USB cable and hit Start Scan button. If asked, tap Trust on your iOS device to allow data scanning.
Step 3. Select any of your desired file types from the left-side categories. For example, select Photos tab on the left to access all recoverable photo files on your iPhone.
It may take a short while to scan and load all recoverable deleted files on this iPhone.
Step 4. Choose all or specific files you want and click the Recover button. You can preview the file details before recovery.
When prompted, pick a local folder on your computer to save all recovered iPhone files that you consider permanently lost.
Extra tip: Recover iPhone deleted files if you have a backup
If you're previously backed up your iPhone using iCloud, iTunes, or Finder, there's a good chance of recovering your deleted files even they are no long in Recently Deleted folders.
Important: These recovery options will restore your iPhone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, which means any data added after that point may be overwritten. That's why it's important to review the backup date before proceeding.
Restore deleted files from iCloud backup
Recovering deleted files on iPhone can be easy if you have a recent backup existing in iCloud — whether it's made manually or automatically. With an iCloud backup available, all previously-saved files, like photos, messages, app data, documents, and other data, will be easily restored to your iPhone even after a factory reset.
- Check iCloud backups through Settings > your Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Backups.
- Under Back Up Now, confirm that there's one backup created before permanent file deletion.
- Erase your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- If asked, verify your Apple ID password to perform iPhone factory reset.
- When the device restarts after resetting, follow the onscreen prompts to set it up again.
- On Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, select From iCloud Backup.
- Log into your iCloud account and select the backup that has the files you permanently deleted.
- Wait for the iCloud backup restoration to complete.
Once done, all deleted files included in that backup will be restored to your iPhone.
Recover lost iPhone files from iTunes backup / Finder backup
An iTunes backup (on Windows or macOS) or Finder backup (on macOS Catalina 10.15 and later) can help restore your iPhone to recover all deleted files that were included the last backup. This recovers a wide range of deleted files. Here's how:
- Open iTunes or Finder on your computer.
- Connect your iPhone using a USB or Lightning cable.
- When the device icon shows up, click it from the upper-left corner on iTunes window. If you're using Finder, select your device under left-side Locations.
- Locate Summary (or General on Finder) > Backups.
- Check This computer and hit the Restore Backup option.
- From the pop-up selection box, pick the most relevant backup that contains your lost files.
- Keep your device connected until iTunes/Finder restores all backed-up files.
FAQs: Recovering deleted iPhone files without a backup
Q1: Can I recover deleted files from my iPhone without an iCloud or iTunes backup?
Yes. You can recover recently deleted files from the iPhone's built-in Recently Deleted folders, or use a third-party iPhone data recovery tool to retrieve permanently deleted files directly from the device.
Q2: How long do deleted files stay on iPhone before they're gone permanently?
Files in the Recently Deleted folders (within Photos, Files, Messages app) remain for 30 days. After that, they're permanently deleted but may still exist on your iPhone's internal storage until other new files replace them.
Q3: Is it possible to recover permanently deleted files from iPhone without a backup?
Yes. Even after files are permanently deleted, they may still reside in the iPhone's internal storage until overwritten. Powerful data recovery tools like Appgeeker iPhone Data Recovery can scan for and recover these hidden files, getting them back directly from your iPhone, with no need for a backup.
