No, deleted photos don't stay forever if you take the right steps; they go to a "Recently Deleted" folder for about 30-60 days, allowing recovery, but after that, they are permanently gone from your account unless backed up elsewhere, though the actual data might linger on a device's storage until overwritten, making recovery possible with special tools but highly unlikely for average users.
Delete photos or videos
After 30 days, they'll be permanently deleted. If you use iCloud Photos, and delete photos and videos from one device, the photos and videos will be deleted on your other devices.
If the photos were deleted from the storage drive years ago, you may not be able to recover them manually unless you have a backup. The only way is to use a professional photo recovery software — Stellar Photo Recovery.
Permanent Deletion (or so it seems): Once deleted from the "Recently Deleted" folder, they are no longer accessible through normal means. However, they are still on your device's storage but marked as "free space," meaning the system can overwrite them when needed.
Please note that if more than 30 days have passed since you permanently deleted the photos or if you have manually emptied the "Recently Deleted" folder, they cannot be recovered directly from your iPhone. In such cases, you may need to use data recovery software or consult a professional data recovery service.
AnyRecover is a consumer-grade data recovery tool that can be used to recover deleted photos, as well as other types of data, from iOS devices, Android devices and PC. While it is not specifically designed for forensic investigations, it may be used by police or other investigators in some cases.
When you delete a photo or video from Photos on iCloud.com, it's also deleted from all your devices that have iCloud Photos turned on. If you change your mind, you have 30 days to recover it before it's permanently deleted.
The file's entry in the file system directory is removed, which means the system no longer recognizes it as an existing file. However, the actual data remains on the disk until it is overwritten by new information.
Certainly! If dangerous hackers access your Android device, they can easily retrieve deleted photos. Hackers exploit opportunities, such as forgotten logins, to back up accounts to access lost data. Deleted images remain in storage until overwritten, making recovery possible with powerful data recovery tools.
Although it is true that sometimes, the photos could be irretrievable, depending on the situation, there are plenty of tools and methods available which would help you recover them. The important thing is to take quick action and choose the right approach if you want to maximize the chances of successful recovery.
Delete photos & videos permanently
Can You Recover Deleted Photos from Years Ago?
You can restore recently deleted photos and videos that are still in your trash. Items that are permanently deleted can't be restored. Backed up photos and videos stay in your trash for 60 days. Photos and videos that weren't backed up stay in your trash for 30 days.
Shift + Delete in Windows bypasses the Recycle Bin but does not delete the file itself. The data is still on your hard drive and could be retrieved with recovery tools. For permanent deletion, you need file shredding software that overwrites the file's data.
Summary: It is totally possible to recover old deleted photos, even ones that were deleted years ago. However, the only reliable way of going about this is to use specialized software, such as Stellar Photo Recovery Software.
Undeleter is a powerful file recovery app that can recover deleted files and data from your Android device, even if they have been permanently deleted. Undeleter can scan your device for deleted files and then recover them with just a few taps.
Yes, police can often retrieve deleted data from phones. When you delete a file, it is not immediately erased from the device; instead, the system marks the space as available for new data. Until it is overwritten, forensic tools can recover the deleted information.
Even when you delete an account, companies rarely erase your data completely. Instead, it lingers on their servers—accessible to advertisers, data brokers, and even hackers. This means your personal information can still be exploited long after you think you've erased it.
Hide your sensitive photos & videos
No, deleted iPhone photos cannot be recovered from modern iPhones (iPhone 6 and later) due to cryptographic erasure. When you permanently delete a photo, the iPhone destroys the unique encryption key, making the data impossible to decrypt.
While forensic analysts can still access data on some traditional hard drives or unencrypted devices, these cases are becoming the exception rather than the norm. In most modern devices, once data has been deleted—especially from an encrypted drive or SSD—the chances of successful recovery are minimal.
Difference Between Deleting and Permanent Deletion
This means that with the right tools, the deleted data can be recovered. Permanent deletion, however, ensures that the data is completely erased and unrecoverable.
Even if you think the photos are gone forever, they might still be in Apple's Recently Deleted album. This folder holds deleted photos and videos for 30 days before erasing them permanently. Follow the steps below to recover recently deleted photos on iPhone: Step 1: Launch the Photos app on your iPhone.
In the latest iOS versions, accessing this album requires authentication with your Apple ID or password. This added security provides that even if someone gets hold of your iPhone, they won't be able to retrieve your deleted photos.
The image is gone forever—erased from existence. But not so fast. In reality, deleted photos might not disappear right away. In fact, depending on how and when the deletion occurred, there's a good chance the data is still on your phone, just out of view.