3 best iPhone data recovery apps and how to use them

Three weeks ago, I had my iPhone 12 mini submerged in water. A terrible morning it was! When I tried to turn it on, the screen was all black. I immediately put the phone in a rice canister for 24 hours and tried some video tutorials. But nothing worked. 

I was upset because I hadn’t backed up my photos and data for months. So, I took my iPhone to a couple of local phone repair shops, which quoted me a lot for 100% recovery. The huge amount was, so I gave up on this option and searched for an affordable solution.

On Google, I came to know about some highly rated iPhone recovery apps that have excellent reviews. I took a trial of some of the best data recovery apps for iPhone and finally came up with the best iPhone data recovery software, which I’m going to review here.

What is the best iPhone data recovery software

Here’s a comparison table of the top 3 iPhone data recovery software I personally tested. I evaluated them based on data recovery rate, supported data types, and device compatibility. This thorough hands-on review will help you choose the most reliable option.

Let’s check out quickly:

iPhone data recovery software for Mac

Recovering your iPhone from iCloud and iTunes relies on existing backups. No backup means you can’t use these options. Also, iCloud may overwrite current data while recovering data from the backup.

That’s where third-party iPhone recovery software enters.

If you’re on a Mac, there are some great apps out there for easily recovering data from your iPhone. These tools are made just for Apple devices, which means they work really well when you need to find and recover lost data. They take advantage of macOS features to make the process smoother, like using secure connections and quickly scanning your iPhone’s internal storage.

These tools can help you recover data from iOS devices, even if you don’t have a backup. You can pick exactly what you want to recover. iPhone data recovery software is handy for digging up information from messed-up or incomplete iTunes or iCloud backups. So, if you’re wondering how to recover permanently deleted files on an iPhone, the tools below can be helpful.

Disk Drill: Complete data recovery solution

My first choice is Disk Drill because it’s easy to use and works fast. The data recovery tool for Mac lets you recover data from the device’s internal storage, iTunes backup, and iCloud backup from your iOS device via Mac. 

The tool provides huge coverage regarding data types, file systems, and recovery efforts. Even if you have no backups, the tool can restore your files by creating its own iTunes backup. Besides data recovery, Disk Drill can also discover duplicate files, detect data hoarding, and back up files to prevent accidental data loss.

Pros

• Multiple recovery methods, including Recovery Vault, scanning, hard drive data recovery
• Full compatibility with the newest iOS and macOS versions
• SD card support
• Supports different file systems

Cons

• Some users may need a broader range of file support options
• Advanced users lack pro features for manual repair

EaseUS MobiSaver: Wizard-style way to quickly recover your data

EaseUS MobiSaver is another iPhone data recovery tool that can recover unlimited contacts, photos, and other important data you may have accidentally lost or deleted.

I chose this iPhone data recovery app on my list because it’s so simple to use: choose the folder or a drive and wait for a few minutes to complete the scanning. 

EaseUS MobiSaver can recover data from iCloud and iTunes, which is helpful if your device is lost. Whether you want to recover deleted photos from an iPhone or are looking to restore messages and contacts, the tool is sure to help.

Pros

• Back up scan results to restore files later without rescanning
• Supports macOS 10.11 and later
• Preview files

Cons

• Data recovery is good, but deep scan mode is slow. So, you’ve to be patient. 
• Tailored more to businesses than individuals

Stellar Data Recovery: Best for recovering complex data

Stellar Data Recovery is an iOS data recovery tool that helps you extract lost data from iOS, iTunes, and iCloud backups. It scans your data through two scanning modes — quick and deep. Using this, you can find deleted notes and call history, but it lacks full video previews. 

Pros

• Compatible with iOS 18 and below
• Supports quick and deep scan
• Previews available
• Choose where to restore the data
• Recover data from iPhone without backup

Cons

• Lack of full video previews
• Slow deep scan

Restore iPhone from iCloud backup

There may be different reasons why you need to restore your iPhone from iCloud backup. Maybe you’ve got a new iPhone and want to transfer old data to the latest phone. Or, your iPhone is acting weird, and you need to reset it to factory settings and then restore it.

Here is how to do this:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone > General.
2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Follow on-screen instructions until the Apps & Data screen.
4. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup.
5. Log in to your iCloud account.
6. Choose backup and select the one you need.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup of your device. That’s it! You have restored your iPhone from an iCloud backup. I used this method to retrieve deleted text messages on my iPhone, and it was both easy and quick.

How to choose the best tool to recover data from iPhone and iPad

Whether you trust my recommendations or make another choice, picking the right tool matters the most. Not all iOS data recovery tools are good in all scenarios and all devices. So, let’s break it down. 

Below is the list of the most important things to consider when choosing the best tool to recover data from iPhone to Mac:

• Compatibility: Does the software work on your iPhone’s model and the iOS version? Not all tools are compatible with all iPhone models and iOS versions. So, thoroughly research and check compatibility requirements before buying the recovery software.
• Types of data recovery: What data can be recovered from your iPhone? Does the tool support iPhone photo recovery? Deleted messages? App data? Contacts and call history? There is no point in buying a tool that can’t recover the data you care about the most.
• Ease of use: You don’t need a tech degree to use iOS recovery software. It should be user-friendly, easy to use, and intuitive. It should be like — follow the easy steps and viola!
• Recovery rate: It measures the chance of retrieving your lost data. The higher the recovery rate, the higher the chances.
• Reviews from real people: Visit Reddit, Quora, and popular review sites to see real people sharing real experiences using these tools to recover deleted iPhone data.

So, there you have it — simple tips to find the right software to perform iPhone data recovery. 

What are the best iPhone data recovery software [Reviewed]

When you want to recover data from iOS devices, the most promising option is Disk Drill. It’s simple to use, can recover any data type, provides fast data backup, and is compatible with all popular devices. Most importantly, it’s a photo recovery specialist. Also, try AnyTrans for iOS to prevent data loss by safely backing up any iOS device data. 

Most importantly, don’t pass on a chance to take all the apps I’ve mentioned for a test run with the seven-day trial of Setapp, a platform of high-performance, best-in-class iOS and macOS apps. Get some practice in how to get deleted photos back on your phone, and check out more than 250 tools to boost your productivity.