How to Restore iPhone 15 without Backup

How to Restore iPhone without Backup

Summary: Have you lost your iPhone data after an iOS upgrade or accidental deletion, etc.? Learn how iPhone data recovery software helps restore your iPhone without backup.

Digital devices are at a constant risk of inadvertent data loss, this data might be critical and iPhones are no exception. As a result, understanding different approaches you can take to bounce back from iPhone data loss is crucial when there’s no recent backup.

Data loss in iPhone occurs when you accidentally delete some important data, or your device is lost or stolen or physically damaged resulting in an inability to access or use your data. The best way to prevent it is to take routine backups of your iPhone data using iCloud or iTunes.

However, many users fail to maintain regular iPhone backups and lose crucial data when dealing with a fatal error. In such cases, you can utilize the multiple practices mentioned in this guideline to restore all your iPhone data without backup and save the day.

What Causes Data Loss on iPhones?

In the world of smartphones, there are many ways to lose data. Sometimes, it happens by accident; other times, it emerges as a result of malicious activity. Some of the most common causes of data loss on iPhones include:

Human Error: Sometimes, data loss occurs when someone accidentally deletes important data. Either they were not paying attention or were distracted by something else that lead accidental data loss.
Malware Activity: Malware is a program designed to harm your phone or information. Although iOS is relatively immune to cyber-attacks, it’s still advised to stay away from suspicious websites and emails to keep your iPhone and its data safe.
Software Corruption: Software corruption occurs when a program, including an OS, fails to run properly due to internal errors like virus or malware attack, failed software updates, etc.

Although there are many other causes for data loss in iPhones, the top three mentioned above are the most common.

Can iPhone Data be Restored without Backup?

It may be possible to restore iPhone data without backup, but its success depends on certain factors. Deleting the iPhone data or factory resetting the iPhone doesn’t mean that your data is completely removed from the device. That data is still there on your device but has been moved to an unallocated folder.

To restore this deleted or lost iPhone data, immediately stop using your device to avoid overwriting. Then there is a possibility that you may be able to retrieve your iPhone data.

How Can I Restore iPhone without Backup?

The only way to restore lost data on your iPhone without a backup is by utilizing third-party recovery software. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is an award-winning recovery software that can restore deleted or lost files from your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch. It offers many amazing features to help you get back your photos, videos, audio files, documents, and other essential data in no time.

This software is powerful and easy-to-use when retrieving lost data, and you can operate it even if you have no technical background. Follow the steps below to discover how to utilize Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone and restore your lost data.

Connect your iOS-operated device to a computer
Download and install Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on your computer.
Click on the Start menu, type Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone, and press Enter.
As the software launches, enter the Activation Key you received with your purchase.
Then select the type of data you wish to recover and click Next.

Wait for the scanning process to finish.

Browse the recovered files and press Recover to save them on a storage device.

After following the instructions, the lost files are accessible on the storage device you selected.

How Do I Prevent Data Loss on iPhones?

An iPhone backup is the best way to prevent data loss; it’s a copy of your data on a storage media or any Cloud server other than your iPhone.

There are several ways to create a backup of your iPhone; the safest choices are iTunes and iCloud. Follow the instructions below to create a backup immediately.

Back up iPhone using iTunes

Follow these steps to utilize iTunes:

Download and install iTunes on your computer.
Connect your device to the computer.
Once you’re in the Device Summary page, click on Back Up Now.
Wait for the process to finish.

Back up iPhone using iCloud

Follow these steps to utilize iCloud:

Unlock your phone and open Settings.
Tap on your name at the top of the screen.
Select iCloud on the following page.
Turn on iCloud Backup.
Tap Back Up Now.
Wait for the process to finish.

You can use this iCloud backup to restore iPhone data when needed. To know more, read: How to Restore iPhone from iCloud backup .

Bottom Line

Data loss in iPhone can occur due to various reasons including accidental deletion, software malfunction, etc.

The best way to prevent such scenarios is by taking regular backups of your iPhone. So, in an emergency, you can restore all your data from the backups you created earlier.

If you need help keeping healthy backups or utilizing recovery software to restore your information, seek a professional assistant to provide more instructions.

FAQ

1. Is Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone free?

You can download a free demo of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone and test all the features. However, you must activate the product if you wish to recover files.

2. What version of iOS does Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone support?

The software supports the latest iOS and all the previous versions.

3. Does Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone require iTunes to be installed?

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone utilizes iTunes system drivers to identify your devices.

4. How to recover deleted photos, videos & music files from your iPhone?

Users may lose their photos/videos/ music files due to accidental file deletion, system resets, failed updates, etc. However, by using Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone, you can recover lost media from Camera Roll, Photo Stream, WhatsApp, Kik, Viber, Tango, and other apps.

5. How to recover deleted voice memos from your iPhone?

You can restore deleted voice memos from the Recently Deleted folder, iCloud or iTunes backup, and iPhone data recovery software.

6. How to recover deleted contacts from your iPhone?

Losing contacts is frustrating, leaving users in agony to re-enter the lost information manually. However, Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone offers professional scans to retrieve lost or missing contacts and save them in CF, CSV, or HTML formats.

7. How to Retrieve Call History on iPhone?

Call logs may become inaccessible because of an app crash, iOS update, hardware damage, etc. Use backup or Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone to restore the lost or deleted iPhone call history .

8. How to retrieve deleted text messages on your iPhone?

Messages may contain valuable information, and losing them can cause immense stress. Use the best iPhone data recovery tool like Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone to recover lost text messages and iMessages from your iPhone or iPad.

9. How to recover deleted notes from your iPhone?

If you lose access to your notes for some reason, you can use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone to run deep scans and retrieve deleted Notes and attachments .

10. How to restore iPhone from iTunes backup?

Although you can restore an iTunes backup from your computer, Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone also lets you retrieve only the preferred files from your iTunes files.

How to find lost iPhone Backup files on Windows PC?

Summary: You have to restore iPhone data. But you cannot find backup files saved on your Windows PC or the backup files are unreadable. This post guides you to find iPhone backup on Windows PC and methods to restore it on your device.

You may get into a terrible iPhone data loss situation after a factory reset, stolen iPhone, jailbreak or physical damage to your device, etc. Backup is your only resort. But another shocker is waiting for you. You cannot find iPhone backup files once saved on your Windows PC.

Your backup files are not readable, and you have no clue how to access them.

In such a situation, keep calm and do not worry. If you have ever saved your iPhone backup on a Windows computer and are now unable to locate or access it, this post guides you to find an iPhone backup on a PC and how to restore it on your device.

Where are iPhone backups stored on Windows PC?

iPhone backups are safe copies of your complete device information. iTunes saves iPhone backup in the Users folder on a Windows computer. These backup files are not in a readable format. You can copy them but should never try to move files to a different drive, edit, rename or extract content. All such activities can ruin the backup files. However, you can make copies of your backup or delete backup that you do not require anymore.

Steps to find iPhone backup files on Windows PC:

In the Search bar, enter %appdata% or %USERPROFILE% (if you downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Store)
Press Return
Double-click these folders: Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup

You can also locate iPhone backup in Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11 by following Users > (username) > AppData > Roaming > Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup.

Cannot locate iPhone backup on Windows PC? Find and Restore data with iPhone data recovery software.

If you cannot find your iPhone backup data on your PC or cannot access the backup files, take refuge in third-party software – Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

How can Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone help you?

You can find, access, and restore lost iPhone backup files with Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. It is a secure tool that efficiently scans the computer to find your iPhone backup. The recovered iPhone backup files are in readable form, and you can either save them on your PC or iPhone.

When you can use the Stellar iPhone data recovery solution

You are unable to locate your iPhone backup files
Your backup files are either lost or deleted.
You cannot access iPhone backup files on Windows PC
Not able to restore backup on your old/new iPhone

How can Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone recover lost backup files from PC?

The iPhone Data Recovery Tool by Stellar is a do-it-yourself software that quickly recovers complete iPhone data in a readable form from your Windows PC.

You can recover all your lost photos, videos, contacts, messages, Safari bookmarks, Call history, Reminders, Voice memos, Notes, WhatsApp, Kik, WeChat, Viber messages, etc.

It also offers a Deep Scan if your desired iPhone information is not recovered after the first scan. A deep scan does a comprehensive scan of the selected device or backup to recover every bit of lost or deleted backup information.

Benefits of Stellar iPhone Data Recovery

Recovery of deleted or lost backup files
Recovers data in a readable format
Option to restore only that data from backup which you want to be in your iPhone
Allows to save recovered backup on computer or iPhone

Step-by-step recovery of lost iPhone backup on Windows PC with Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch the software.

Step 2: On the home screen, select Recover from iPhone. The scanning process begins.

Step 3: After scanning, all the files on your iPhone are listed.

If you do not see the required files in the list, choose Deep Scan. It will scan for the backup stored on your computer system.

Step 4: Select and save the recovered iPhone data at your desired location. You can save it on your iPhone if you want to restore backup data on your device or save it on your computer.

Wrapping Up

Losing iPhone data after factory reset, jailbreak, being stuck in a boot loop or physical damage, etc., can get messier when you cannot find or retrieve information from iPhone backup files saved on your computer. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone significantly relieves such data loss situations.

This iPhone utility not only finds the lost iPhone backup files on Windows PC, but it also makes them readable and allows you to save/restore them to your iPhone or computer. Moreover, it lets you selectively transfer iPhone data on your iPhone rather than complete a backup.

You can download the free trial version to evaluate its performance. It is undoubtedly not going to disappoint you.

iPhone users adore its camera. Capturing priced memories using its compelling features is one of the biggest attraction of the iOS device. However, like any other phone, the digital photos may get lost from iPhone too.

And the situation can be devastating if the lost photos include your precious memories — of a vacation, wedding, your child’s first birthday or a friend’s party, which you wanted to keep with you for a lifetime.

Helping you out in such a situation, here we bring the methods to recoup your memories back into your iPhone.

Why are your photos lost from iPhone?

There could be many possible reasons for the loss of photos from iPhone. Some common reasons are listed below:

Accidental deletion
Factory reset
Camera Roll or Photo Stream crash
Failed iOS update
iPhone jailbreak
Water damaged, stolen iPhone, and others

Methods to recover permanently deleted photos from iPhone

Different situations call for distinct methods to restore lost photos from iPhone.

Since with iCloud and iTunes, Apple ensures a backup for the iPhone photos, if available, get back the lost iPhone photos from there.

Wherein in absence of backup, an iPhone photo recovery software is the best way to get back the deleted or missing photos on your iPhone and iPad. An efficient iPhone recovery software , works regardless of the reason of the photo loss.

Other methods such as photo recovery from ‘Recently Deleted’ folder or turning on iCloud Photos can also work in specific situations.

These methods can be applied on all iPhone models including series of iPhone 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, XS, XS Max, XR, X, 8 Plus, 8, 7 Plus, 7, 6S Plus, 6S, 6 Plus, 6, 5S, 5c, 5, 4S and 4.

1. Recover photos from ‘Recently Deleted’ on iPhone

The ‘Recently Deleted’ folder on iPhone keeps all the deleted photos for 30 days. Beyond this duration, the photos are automatically deleted from iPhone and this time permanently.

You can find the deleted photos from Camera Roll, Photo Stream, WhatsApp, SnapChat or Instagram etc., in this folder.

Check the ‘Recently Deleted’ folder on your iPhone. Find the required photos and move them back to your album.

Steps to restore photos from ‘Recently Deleted’ on iPhone:

Go to the Photos app > Albums > Recently Deleted
Find the missing photo and tap on it to Recover

2. Use iPhone Photo Recovery tool

In case of absence of photos backup, download and install Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on your Mac or PC. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone works with all the iPhone models including series of iPhone 6, 7, 8, X, XS, XR, 11, 12, 13, and 14. It supports latest iOS 16.

Situations when you should use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone:

No backup of photos
Permanently deleted photos from iPhone
Accidentally deleted photos
Unable to restore photos from iCloud
Unable to restore photos from iTunes
Photos lost after iOS update, Factory reset or jailbreak
Photos lost after iPhone black screen of death
Stolen iPhone, water/ liquid damaged iPhone etc.

Note: Apart from photos, Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone can recover your deleted Videos, Contacts, Texts, Calendar, text messages, Notes, and other data.

Try the Free Demo Version of the software to recover your lost and deleted photos in Mac System or in Windows Desktop/Tablet

Step-by-step: Recover deleted photos from iPhone

Connect your iPhone to the computer
Launch Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone
On the first screen select Recover from iPhone
Select Camera Roll and Photo Stream. To recover Instagram, SnapChat or other App’s photos, select Apps Library

Click Next
Preview and choose the photos you want to recover from the list

Click Save

3. Recover from iCloud backup

Do you maintain iCloud backup of your photos? Then bring back the deleted photos on your iPhone via iCloud. iCloud photos recovery is possible in situations of accidentally or permanently deleted photos from iPhone. You can also recover photos lost after your iPhone is set on factory reset, damaged, or stolen.

Steps to restore photos from iCloud on iPhone:

Click to follow Settings > General > Reset> Erase all Contents and Settings

A dialog box pops up, choose Erase Now
Follow the instructions until you get on to the Apps & Data screenTap Restore from iCloud Backup

Choose the recent backup and click Restore to get back the deleted photos on iPhone

How to recover Photos from iCloud without losing existing iPhone data

This method of iCloud photo recovery protects your existing iPhone data. It also allows you to select and recover only the lost photos from iCloud instead of complete backup data.

Follow the below steps to restore only the lost/deleted photos from iCloud:

Download and launch Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on your computer. Note: You don’t need to connect your iPhone for recovering photos from iCloud backup files.
Select Recover from iCloud Backup on main screen of software.

Select Camera Roll and Photo Stream and click Next.
Enter the Apple ID and password.

List of all available iCloud backup files appears. Select the relevant backup of your iPhone and click Scan.
Click Camera Roll and Photo Stream in the iCloud backup files list on the left window. Preview the existing and deleted photos or search for a specific photo by typing a keyword in the search box. If the desired photo is not in the recovered files list, click Deep Scan.
Click Save. In the dialog box select either computer or iPhone to save the recovered photos. To save the photos on iPhone, make sure the iOS device is connected to the computer.

4. Recover deleted photos from iTunes

For those of you who maintain iTunes backup, it is the easiest way to retrieve the deleted photos of iPhone. iTunes backup also helps to restore photos lost due to deletion or after factory reset.

Steps to restore photos from iTunes backup:

Connect iPhone to your PC/Mac
Launch iTunes
Select your iPhone under the device list
Select the recent backup date
Click Restore Backup

All your lost and deleted photos will be restored on your iPhone.

How to recover Photos from iTunes without losing the existing iPhone data

Use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone to protect your current data on iPhone. The software allows you to select and recover only the lost photos from iTunes. With this method, you can prevent unnecessary data recovery on your iOS device.

Follow the below steps to recover only the lost/deleted photos via iTunes:

Download and launch Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone software. Note: You can connect your iPhone to computer, if want to save the recovered photos in the iOS device.
Select Recover from iTunes Backup on the main screen of the application.
Select Camera Roll and Photo Stream option. Click Next.

From the list of the iTunes backup files, select the relevant iTunes backup from which you want to restore photos.

If your iTunes backup is encrypted, a dialog box will open prompting you to enter the password. Enter the password and click OK.
From the backup files list in the left pane, click Camera Roll and Photo Stream. Preview the existing and deleted photos or search for a specific photo by typing a keyword in the search box. Click Deep Scan at the bottom left side, if your desired photos are not in the list.

Click Save. A dialog box appears asking to select the location to save photos. You can save the recovered photos either onto your iPhone or computer.

5. Enable iCloud Photos

Sometimes you could see the photos on iPhone but not on your synced iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac. To view these missing iPhone pictures on the synced iOS devices turn on iCloud Photos.

iCloud Photos stores the photos in iCloud. It ensures you can view them on your synced devices. If you can’t find a photo on your synced iPad, iPhone, or Mac etc., enable iCloud Photos under Settings of the iOS device.

Steps to turn on iCloud Photos on iPhone/iPad/ iPod Touch

Click to follow Settings > [your name] > iCloud

Tap Photos
Toggle on iCloud Photos.

To turn on iCloud Photos on Mac

Go to System Preferences > iCloud.

Next to Photos, click Options

Select iCloud Photos

Next, connect to Wi-Fi and wait for some time until your photos appear again on the synced devices.

Tip: When you turn on iCloud Photos, photos upload to iCloud but they are not duplicated in your iCloud backup. So make backup of your photo library. You can download your photos from iCloud.com to your PC/Mac and store them as a separate library or store them on a separate drive.

Comparison — iPhone Photo Recovery Methods

| Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone | Recover from iCloud | Recover from iTunes | Recently Deleted folder | Enable iCloud Photos |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Success Rate | High | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Photo Recovery without backup | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Effect on iPhone’s existing photos & other data after recovery | Existing data remains in iPhone | Deletes the existing iPhone data | Deletes the existing iPhone data | Existing data remains in iPhone | Existing data remains in iPhone |
| Select Photo and restore | Yes | No | No | Yes | Not applicable |
| Preview photos before recovery | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Difficulty level | Nil | Medium | Medium | Nil | Medium |
| Recovery options | Recovers from iPhone, iPad, iCloud & iTunes | Recovers from iCloud only | Recovers from iTunes only | Recover from iPhone & iPad (within 30 days of photo deletion) | Recover on iPhone synced devices |

How to Recover deleted pictures on iPhone? 5 Best Solutions

For many iPhone users, photos are the most important data stored on their device – so losing those photos can be a disaster.

However, even if you accidentally deleted some or all of your pictures on iPhone, you can get them back.

We’ll discuss how to recover deleted photos on your iPhone with or without backup.

How to Recover Deleted Pictures on iPhone?

There are five best solutions to recover deleted pictures on iPhone. Use the solution that fits your needs and helps you recover your lost pictures.

1. Recover Deleted Pictures on iPhone from Recently Deleted Albums

Pictures taken with the iPhone Camera application are saved by default in the Photos application. If a photo or video is deleted, it’s moved to the Recently Deleted folder in the Photos app. This folder is the same as your computer’s Recycle Bin and retains the deleted photos for 30 days. Once this period expires, your photos are permanently deleted from this folder. Perform these steps if you want to recover recently deleted photos on your iPhone:

Open the Photos app.
Tap on Albums at the bottom.

Scroll down to find the Recently Deleted folder.

Tap on the Select option at the top-right corner of the screen.

Select the deleted photos you want to recover on your iPhone.

Now, tap Recover, and the pictures will be returned to their original iPhone albums.

Note – If you want to restore all the deleted photos from your Recently Deleted folder, tap on the Recover All button.

How to Recover Deleted Pictures on iPhone From a Backup?

If your photos are not in the Recently Deleted folder, you might get them back by restoring your iPhone from a previous backup. There are three ways to restore deleted photos on iPhone – iCloud website, iTunes backup, or Finder.

When recovering photos from your iPhone from backup, pay attention to the date of creation of your backups. Use the most recent backup but don’t delete all older backups. It’s always good to have multiple backups if something goes wrong.

2. Recover Photos on iPhone using iCloud via the iCloud website

Apple’s iCloud Backup helps you recover deleted photos from your iPhone to your system. For iCloud to automatically back up all your pictures and videos, you must first set up and enable iCloud Photos on your device. Here’s how to enable iCloud Photos to Backup all your photos:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap iCloud and then go to Photos.

Toggle on iCloud Photos to enable it.

To restore photos from iCloud, follow these steps:

Go to the iCloud Website and log in with your Apple credentials.

Once logged in, select ‘Photos’ from the app list.

Go to Recently Deleted Album, select the photos you wish to restore, and click Recover.

3. Recover Photos on iPhone using iTunes

Many iPhone users use iTunes backup to recover their deleted photos and videos. This Apple’s proprietary tool syncs your iPhone files to your PC or Mac. Follow the steps to recover deleted photos from iTunes backup:

Connect your iPhone to your Mac system with macOS Mojave or an earlier version.
Click on the iPhone icon at the upper-left corner of your iTunes window.

Click the Summary tab in the left pane.

Now in the Backups section, click on Restore Backup.

Select the backup you want your phone to use.

Note - macOS Mojave is the last version of Apple’s OS to ship with iTunes. In macOS Catalina and newer version, iTunes is split into different apps: Podcasts, Books, TV, and Music. Moreover, Finder is used to manage and sync content on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Once the restoration process is complete, check the Photos app to see if the deleted photos were recovered. If not, try repeating the process and return to the most recent backup or choose an older backup.

4. Recover Deleted Pictures on iPhone using Finder

To restore the pictures on iPhone using Finder in macOS Catalina 10.15 or above, follow these steps:

Open Finder on your Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or above.
Connect your iPhone to your Mac system.
Select your iPhone from the location lists on the left.

Navigate to the General tab and click Restore Backup.

Select the backup date you like to use for restoring.

Click the Restore button to confirm.

How to Recover Pictures on iPhone without Backup?

What to do if there is no iPhone backup or you cannot restore pictures using iCloud or iTunes? Use iPhone data recovery software to restore lost iPhone pictures.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone can find and restore deleted/lost pictures, videos, chat messages, audio, contacts, etc., from your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch. This software is easy to use when restoring deleted photos, and you can operate it even if you don’t have technical knowledge. Follow the steps to discover how to use software to recover deleted photos:

Connect your iPhone to your computer.
Download Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on your PC or Mac.

Select Recover from iPhone on the main screen of the software.

Select the data type and click Next. The scanning process will start.

Once the scanning is completed, preview the data. Select the recovered data you want to restore and click Save.

Choose the destination to save the recovered data.

Conclusion

The data loss issues in Apple can be resolved easily through multiple backup solutions — iTunes, iCloud, and iCloud.com. However, these native backup recovery solutions fall short when you need to recover specific data, though you can easily recover deleted photos in your iPhone from these backup options. However, you will also end up replacing every existing data on your device!

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone fills this gap quite efficiently. It recovers your deleted photos in water damage, jailbreak, factory reset, Black Screen of Death, etc. In addition, this software has an exceptionally high data recovery success rate, making it an essential utility for iPhone users.

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