Ever deleted something and instantly wished you hadn’t? We’ve all been there, but the good news is that iOS doesn’t immediately obliterate your mistakes. Instead, several built-in apps include a digital safety net that hangs onto trashed items for up to 30 days before permanent deletion. That gives you time to change your mind – or undo a clumsy tap.
It works for photos, notes, emails, voice memos, and even the ephemera stored in Files. Here’s how to get your lost stuff back.
How to recover photos
In the Photos app, scroll down to the Utilities section. You’ll find Recently Deleted lurking there, marked with a trash can and a padlock.
Tap it, and you’ll be asked to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. That’s because deleted (and Hidden) photos are now kept behind a privacy wall.
Once inside, you’ll see everything you’ve binned in the last 30 days, each with a countdown showing how long it has left. Tap Select, choose what you want to keep, then choose Recover from the bottom-right … menu to put it back in your main photo library.
If you’re feeling ruthless, you can wipe things permanently from here with Delete All. Assuming you use iCloud to sync your photo library, the chosen images will be deleted from all your other connected devices too.
How to recover notes
Deleted a brilliant idea? In the Notes app, tap the back button in the top-left corner until you reach the Folders view. Look for Recently Deleted.
Inside, tap Edit, select the notes you want back, and then hit Move. Choose the destination folder and you’re done.
You can also permanently Delete notes in the same way if you’re clearing house.
How to recover emails
In the Mail app, open the list of mailboxes and scroll to Trash under your email account. Emails you’ve deleted recently will hang out here, assuming your email provider hasn’t already cleared them.
Open the message, tap the folder icon at the bottom, and move it back to your Inbox or wherever it belongs.
Just note that deletion rules vary by provider – some are more eager to save space than others.
How to recover voice memos
The Voice Memos app also has a Recently Deleted section, visible right from the main screen. Recordings you trash stay here for 30 days – unless you’ve told the app otherwise.
To bring one back, tap it, then choose Recover. Want to erase it immediately? Tap Delete instead.
You can tweak how long these recordings stick around by heading to Settings > Voice Memos > Clear Deleted. Choose from Immediately, After 1 Day, 7 Days, 30 Days, or Never.
How to recover files
Deleted something stored in iCloud Drive or your iPhone/iPad’s internal storage? Open the Files app, tap Browse, and scroll to Recently Deleted. It’s tucked away at the bottom of the Locations list.
Tap Select from the top-right … menu, choose your files, and then hit Recover to return them to their original spots. Or, as ever, Delete to ditch them permanently. Files stay here for 30 days too – unless you manually remove them sooner.