How to recover data you erased from your phone

Nowadays, the smartphone is a device that we use in everyday life. We store huge amounts of personal data, from photos to documents. If we ever lose these data, it could mean chaos. But do not worry. There are certain ways to recover data that we erased. We must act fast in order to increase the chances of success.

It doesn’t matter if the situation seems irreversible, erased data or formatted devices can still be restored. You can try some of the tools we list here, but be patient. The recovering process may take a long time depending on why the data is lost.

Is it possible to recover data or just a scam?

The idea of recovering erased data may seem suspicious to some people. How can I recover something that I eliminated? But in fact, when we erase a file, it is not destroyed. Any operative system moves the erased files to other folders. And the space is marked as available for overwriting. If we haven’t saved any new data, the files remain in our device’s memory.

Last but not least, if you have overwritten the file, it is still possible to recover data with third party software or technicians. It is more expensive, but it all depends on the relevance of the data. The key for recovering data is to know if the device is formatted or not. If the device has been reset, the recovery may be harder.

Recover data before formatting your device

Here we’ll explain the easiest ways to restore data in devices that hadn’t been reset. These are the fastest ways, but keep in mind that won’t be effective in case of factory reset devices.

Recently erased data

Android phones and mobile phone brands tend to include limited options for data recovery. You may have access to the recycle bin to search for multimedia files, or the file manager to browse some specific folders. The recycle bin icon uses to be between the native apps, and there you will find videos and photos recently erased. Usually, these apps keep the files from 15 to 30 days before eliminating them for good.

Files from the internal storage

In order to recover erased data from the internal storage, we need to use third-party apps. The most efficient and popular ones are paid, like Dumpster. You can try the free recovery version for a few days in order to save some of your erased files. Once installed, Dumpster allows you to search all your system folders in search of recently erased files. Then we only have to select the files we wish to recover and restore them.

From the memory card

If the data erased comes from the memory card, restoring it is not that hard. Recuva is one of the most efficient recovery software for PC. You have to connect the phone using a USB cable and select the file transfer mode. Automatically, Recuva will detect your phone and show you the files to restore.

You can use the fast scan or deep scan modes. Once finished, the process lets you select the files to restore from the memory card. You only need to choose the new destination folder and save the data there.

How to recover data after formatting the device

If you reset your device to factory, the recovery process will be harder. Operativa systems like Android or iOS encrypt the data after delete. There are some methods and tools that may restore files. It’s harder but not impossible.

Step 1: don’t do anything with your phone

Stop using the device you want to restore files from. That way, you can avoid rewriting data in the storage memories. If you add new photos or download files, you may lose the previous files.

Check for a backup copy

Before checking professional software, you can try to activate a backup copy. If you had taken this security measure, you can restore contacts, messages and apps as well as passwords and settings. The best solution is to have the automatic backup creation activated all time. The copy can be saved on the internal storage, in a cloud service or even in a PC. Some users recommend having the backup available in different places simultaneously.

Step 2: recovery tools

You think you have lost important data from your phone. It’s been reset to factory, but maybe the specialized recovery tools may do the trick. To use them, you need a PC. The following list includes the most popular recovery data tools.

• Ultdata Tenorshare: a very popular software with great compatibility. You can scan and recover data from more than 6000 devices of brands like Samsung, OPPO, Huawei and Xiaomi. It can restore photos and messages erased from WhatsApp and other apps.
• Dr.fone: these software can restore music, messages, videos and several files from your phone.
• iMyFone: an app developed to restore deleted files from broken phones. Its compatible with several brands, and restores call logs, messages, audio messages, photos, contacts and WhatsApp data.
• DiskDigger: the app is focused in photo recovery. It’s compatible with rooted and unrooted deveices. You have to give permission to the app, and then choose the memory partition to search for deleted files.
• FonePaw: another popular software to restore files from several formats. From Excel and Word to HTML, PDF, RAR, ZIP o PPT. The app work in phones with SD cards problemas, bad ROM flash or even victims of a virus attack.
• AireMore: our last recommendation in this list, a tool for restoring data from internal or external memory. It can rescue data from WhatsApp, call log, photo gallery, video gallery and more.

It doesn’t matter which program you install. The steps to make them work are similar. You have to connect the phone to the PC through USB and start the program. Then you have to select the restore option to search for deleted files. Each of the software has its own limitations. You may recover more or less data.

Step 3: go to the technical service

If all the above options do not work, it’s time to think in the technical service option. First contact your phone brand technician. They are the most capable to recover important erased data. You can also ask for a professional technician of your knowledge.

Some professionals work exclusively recovering data from hard drives, laptops or smartphones. The rates of these kind of services tend to be very high. It’s important to discern if the data that we want to save, it’s relevant enough.

How much does it cost to recover data from your phone?

Recover erased data from a device is not cheap. The process is hard and it will depend on the damage of the phone. If the device has been reset to factory, it may be cheaper because the device works. Android and iOS have very complex encryption systems, and the recovery process may cost around 400 euros.

So, to recover data from a phone may cost more than a new device. You need a very good personal reason to pay a professional service to save your data. The smart move is to have your own backup stored if different places. Cloud services, other devices and your own laptop, for example. If the information is valuable and you have the money, you may try a professional approach to save your data.

Is our phone in danger?

The process of recovering data is complex. You have to follow the software indications very carefully to avoid any new damage to the internal memory. In fact, if you do not have much idea, it’s recommendable to ask for help to a more technological friend. In worst case scenario, you may go directly to a professional to choose the easiest and most efficient way to recover erased data.