Accidentally deleted a file? Try these iPhone data-recovery apps

Dr. Fone from Wondershare is a comprehensive data recovery app that offers a wide range of features, including the ability to remove Apple ID and locks, spoof GPS location for games like Pokemon Go, transfer WhatsApp data to other devices, copy data to a new phone, erase data, or recover passwords. The interface is simple but impressive, with app icons on the sidebar for easy navigation.

The “Toolbox” menu provides options to remove Apple ID and locks, spoof GPS location for games like Pokemon Go, and transfer WhatsApp data to other devices. However, users must plug their phone in, unlock it, and ensure their computer is trustworthy before performing any actions.

Dr. Fone is effective at recovering deleted files and data. In our trials it was able to recover WhatsApp images from chats dating back years. 

The package is currently available for $99.95/£78.86 a year or $115.95/£91.48 on the perpetual plan, with tax added at the point of sale and a 24-month warranty. However, users can save money by purchasing data recovery access for $59.95/£47.30 per year or $69.95/£55.19 as a one-off fee, which works for up to five devices.

Dr. Fone is an impressive software with an array of extras that may not be needed. It is an all-in-one toolbox that is impressive and expensive, but its value lies in the individual features it offers. While the app may not be perfect for every user, it is a valuable tool for those looking to recover lost files or deleted photos.

EaseUS Mobisaver is a recovery tool that can recover contacts, media, app history, and more, even when using backups rather than the actual device. It is used in repair shops worldwide (the Windows version is cheaper, of course). The app comes in at $59.95/£55.70 per month or $79.95/£74.29 per year, while a lifetime membership is $99.95/£92.87.

EaseUS Mobisaver has a unique look and feel, with a bluish/purple hue and slick animations while it’s scanning data. It took around 35 minutes to scan a phone, which was faster than expected. 

Mobisaver can recover a wide range of content types, from messages, WhatsApp, Safari Bookmarks, deleted Reminders, or Calendar appointments. The Free version allows for a smaller number of items to be recovered at once, while the Professional version removes these limits. Both versions can also recover data from iTunes or iCloud backups.

However, if you need to quickly recover something, you will need to be prepared for a long wait. In our tests, EaseUS Mobisaver finished its initial scan, then took more time to scan and showed 100% completion while still running, making it difficult to predict its duration. 

Despite its price and slow performance, EaseUS Mobisaver is a great recovery app tailored more to businesses than everyday consumers.

Stellar Data Recovery is a user-friendly iPhone data recovery tool that offers plenty of recovery potential though, including a user-friendly price tag. The app is regularly on sale for $39.99/£39.99 a year, with additional features geared towards enterprise device management included in its Toolkit options. With a license that allows users to use Stellar with a trio of iPhones, users can pay $40/£40 for a year and have their entire family covered.

Stellar has been in the recovery game for years, but compared to alternatives it has a dated-looking interface. The app’s gray color makes it feel like an app from a decade ago, but it does provide a nice scanning animation as it digs through your phone’s data.

The app is faster than some options we’ve tested, thanks to a basic scan that can find some data, acting as a sort of ‘triage’. After that, a Deep Scan is needed to find further data, which can be slower.

The app is lightweight and reliable, even on iOS 18.1 beta devices. It performs well with WhatsApp attachments, deleted contacts, and Notes, but you need to pay to recover anything other than Safari Bookmarks. Stellar also recovers from iTunes and iCloud backups, so if your device is dearly departed, your data may not be.

Although the aesthetics may be a small pain point for some users, Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone offers an impressive suite of recovery options at a solid price point.

Disk Drill from CleverFiles is a user-friendly app that prioritizes data recovery, allowing users to quickly sift through deleted files within minutes of installation. The free plan is suitable for those recovering under 500MB of data, while the Pro version costs $89/£70.56 with an additional option to add future updates for around $15/£15. Enterprise users can purchase a bundle of user licenses.

Disk Drill offers additional features beyond data recovery, such as identifying duplicate files, detecting data hoarding, and backing up files to prevent accidental deletion. Its sidebar displays all potential drive locations for recovery, including local, NAS, RAIDs, and other devices. It even factors in Time Machine data for quick data access.

In testing, Disk Drill was able to recover a large number of old WhatsApp messages and contact information from an iPhone, although it took around an hour to scan. It also has a duplicate finder that runs on local storage and cloud-based options like Dropbox or Google Drive. Data Protection stores a copy of a deleted file for future reference.

Disk Drill can create a backup macOS boot drive or a disk image of your entire hard drive, ideal for older Macs with mechanical drives that could fail. However, the only complaint with Disk Drill is its occasional issues when a phone locks itself, which may be a bug.

While Disk Drill may be expensive for one-time users, it is a reliable safety net for regular data recovery from devices or for enterprise users.

We also looked at Disk Drill Pro for Mac.

Another option with an easy-to-use interface, FonePaw offers a really great preview window that helps surface all of your content across photos, videos, notes, chat apps, and plenty more. That makes it easier to recover – pick what you need, and hit the button.

It’s also a little cheaper than some options on this list for an annual license, but it’s still not cheap and there’s no recovery without paying. There is, however, a monthly payment option if you really just want to spend the absolute minimum to recover something.

Some users have noted that it takes a long time to scan through a device, though, although it does seem to be pretty thorough.

An app that looks a lot like FonePaw, FoneLab is priced well (with regular discounts), easy to navigate, and offers a trial to see what files there are that can be recovered.

It can also peruse your PC, Mac, and iCloud backups to find lost or deleted files, and includes multiple kits. There’s one for recovering data, of course, but there’s a bespoke WhatsApp transfer option, and even one that fixes iOS system errors, making FoneLab a great all-rounder with a huge number of file formats to save to.

There’s a 1 Mac, 1 Month licence, but this will automatically renew for the year so unfortunately it’s not a way to get the features for a month and then cancel.