10 Best iPhone Data Recovery Software in 2026 (Tested & Compared)

iPhone data recovery software is a desktop tool that scans your iPhone, an iTunes backup, or an iCloud backup to pull back deleted photos, messages, contacts, and app data. If you have accidentally deleted a photo, lost messages after an iOS update, or reset a device without a backup, the right tool can often retrieve what you thought was lost. We tested ten popular options on Mac and Windows, comparing recovery success, supported data, compatibility, and price.

• The 10 Best iPhone Data Recovery Tools
• Quick Comparison: Best iPhone Data Recovery Software at a Glance
• How We Tested (and How to Choose iPhone Data Recovery Software)
• How iPhone Data Recovery Works (Device vs. iTunes vs. iCloud)
• Common Recovery Scenarios
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion: Which iPhone Data Recovery Tool Should You Choose?

The 10 Best iPhone Data Recovery Tools

Full reviews of all ten tools, ordered by overall strength.

1. EaseUS MobiSaver: Best Overall

MobiSaver was the most well-rounded tool we tested, balancing wide coverage, three recovery sources, and a usable free tier. See also our Enigma Recovery review.

We deleted a batch of camera-roll photos, then ran a device scan the next day. It took about eight minutes and surfaced 42 of the deleted images in the preview grid, color thumbnails and all. We bought the Pro license, exported a dozen, and every file opened cleanly in the Windows Photos viewer at full resolution.

Pricing

The Windows Pro license for EaseUS MobiSaver is a $59.95 one-time lifetime license. The Mac edition is sold separately as a subscription set ($59.95 monthly, $79.95 yearly, $99.95 lifetime), each covering up to five iOS devices on one computer. EaseUS offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on technical grounds.

2. FonePaw iPhone Data Recovery: Best Free Option

Where MobiSaver wins on breadth, FonePaw wins on approachability, with a clean three-mode interface, a quick scan, and a free trial that previews data before you buy. For a comparable interface, see our FoneLab review.

We ran the free trial's device scan on the same test iPhone; it finished in about five minutes and previewed 30-odd deleted texts and a handful of contacts, timestamps and all. Saving stayed behind the paywall, so clicking Recover prompted us to buy a license first. Once licensed, the contacts exported as a VCF that imported into the Windows People app without a hitch.

Pricing

FonePaw lists from $39.87, with store tiers of $49.95 monthly, $55.97 yearly, and $66.47 lifetime, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3. Dr.Fone – Data Recovery (iOS): Best for WhatsApp/App Data

Unlike the photo-and-message focus of the picks above, Dr.Fone's edge is app data: for WhatsApp chats, it reaches further than most. Our full Dr.Fone review covers the wider toolkit; here we focus on the Data Recovery (iOS) module.

We pointed Dr.Fone at an iTunes backup holding a WhatsApp thread we had cleared from the phone, chose the WhatsApp category, and let it parse the backup on the Mac. It rebuilt the conversation in full, about three weeks of messages, with the photo and voice-note attachments intact rather than broken placeholders. We exported the thread to HTML, opened it in a browser, and the images and audio all played back.

Pricing

The Data Recovery (iOS) module is priced at $44.95/month, $59.95/year, or $69.95 perpetual, with the monthly and annual prices promo-dependent. The vendor cites 35+ data types, an approximate figure, and backs purchases with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

4. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone: Best for Encrypted Backups

Where the tools above focus on device and standard backups, Stellar's distinctive trait is reading encrypted iTunes backups cleanly. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone pairs that with broad data coverage.

Pricing

Stellar's Standard plan is $39.99/year, the Toolkit $49.99, and the Toolkit Plus $149.99, with a 30-day refund if the software cannot recover your data.

5. iMobie PhoneRescue: Best for Multiple Devices

PhoneRescue licenses generously: one purchase covers unlimited devices on a computer. Our full iMobie PhoneRescue review goes deeper.

Pricing

Third-party listings put PhoneRescue at $49.99/year and $69.99 lifetime, with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Confirm these on the official iMobie PhoneRescue store first.

6. FoneLab iPhone Data Recovery: Best for Older Macs

FoneLab reaches back to Mac OS X 10.7, a fit for older hardware.

Pricing

FoneLab's $55.96 promo (20% off $69.95) is a one-time lifetime license for 1 PC and 6 devices, with a $49.95/month subscription and a $116.00 three-PC lifetime tier also available. You can find it at FoneLab iPhone Data Recovery.

7. Tenorshare UltData: Best for Broad App-Data Scanning

UltData scans a wide spread of social and chat apps, previewing everything before you pay.

Pricing

Tenorshare UltData is listed at about $49.95/year and $59.95 for a Windows lifetime license, with Mac pricing higher. The 98% success rate it advertises is a self-reported marketing claim, not an independently verified figure, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

8. iMyFone D-Back: Best for Social Apps

D-Back leans into social and messaging recovery. See our iMyFone D-Back review for the full hands-on.

Pricing

Third-party listings put D-Back at about $49.95 for a 1-month plan and $69.95 lifetime, up to $79.99 across sources, so confirm the figure on the official iMyFone D-Back purchase page. The vendor cites 38+ data types (approximate) and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

9. Disk Drill: Best All-Purpose Recovery Tool

Unlike the dedicated iOS tools above, Disk Drill is a general-purpose recovery suite that also reaches iPhone and iPad.

Pricing

Disk Drill PRO is review-quoted at about $89 one-time, sold per platform. The free Basic edition scans and previews, and on Windows recovers up to 500MB (Mac free recovery is limited to Recovery Vault data). PRO is marketed as non-refundable except where required by law, so test the free edition first.

10. Leawo iOS Data Recovery: Best for Core File Types

Leawo covers the essentials at a straightforward price.

Pricing

Leawo iOS Data Recovery costs $59.95/year and $69.95 lifetime, the same on Windows and Mac. It recovers 14 data types, including messages, contacts, call history, WhatsApp chats and attachments, notes, and the camera roll.

Quick Comparison: Best iPhone Data Recovery Software at a Glance

Prices below reflect vendor listings at the time of writing; confirm the current price at checkout.

How We Tested (and How to Choose iPhone Data Recovery Software)

We installed each tool on a Windows 11 PC and a Mac, connected a test iPhone with deleted photos, messages, and contacts, and scanned the device, an iTunes backup, and an iCloud backup where supported. We then judged each product on what it recovered, the data types it covered, and what it cost.

Recovery success: actual recovery vs. preview-only

This distinction trips up buyers. Almost every tool scans for free and previews what it found, but a free scan is not free recovery: most require a license before you can save anything.

Supported data types (photos, messages, WhatsApp, contacts)

The tools differ widely in reach. Basic options cover photos, contacts, and text messages, while stronger tools also recover WhatsApp chats with attachments, plus WeChat, Viber, and Line data.

Device & iOS compatibility (and Mac vs. Windows)

Every tool here runs on both Mac and Windows, but supported OS versions vary. EaseUS MobiSaver supports macOS 10.11 and later, Stellar runs on macOS X 10.8 and above, and Dr.Fone requires macOS 10.13 or later while supporting iOS 5.0 and later, including iOS 26. On an older Mac, confirm the minimum macOS version and that the tool supports your iPhone model.

Free trial, pricing, and refund policy

Pricing splits into yearly subscriptions, monthly plans, and one-time lifetime licenses. The refund policy matters too: most offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, though terms differ, and at least one tool is non-refundable. We note each refund window in the reviews.

How iPhone Data Recovery Works (Device vs. iTunes vs. iCloud)

Every tool here recovers from one of three sources. A device scan reads the iPhone's storage directly for deleted records not yet overwritten, which is why we tell you to stop using the phone. An iTunes (or Finder) scan reads a local backup without a full restore, and an iCloud scan pulls data from your cloud backup. With a recent backup, these routes are usually more reliable, because the data sits intact inside the backup file.

Common Recovery Scenarios

Some recoveries do not need third-party software; others call for a specific approach. Here are the three we are asked about most:

How to recover iPhone data without software (iCloud / backup methods)

Before you buy anything, check whether Apple's own tools can recover your data for free. Deleted photos stay in the Recently Deleted album and are recoverable for 30 days before permanent deletion. To restore them, open Photos, scroll to Recently Deleted, tap View Album, unlock it, then tap Recover. You can also recover them at iCloud.com/photos.

If you have a full backup, you can restore everything from it. Apple lets you restore content, settings, and apps from an iCloud or computer backup to a new or newly erased iPhone, as its guide on how to restore from an iCloud or Mac backup explains. A restore replaces the phone's current contents, so it works best on a newly erased device.

Recovering from a water-damaged iPhone

If your iPhone took water damage, a backup is usually safer than a device scan, which needs the phone to power on and connect to a computer. If it still turns on and your computer recognizes it, scan quickly before it fails again. Otherwise, recover from your most recent iTunes or iCloud backup, and consider a professional repair service if the data is irreplaceable.

Recovering from a disabled or locked iPhone

A disabled or locked iPhone cannot be scanned directly, because the software needs the device unlocked and trusted by the computer. Instead, erase the device and restore from your iCloud or computer backup. Several tools above can read an existing iTunes backup even when the phone is locked, so a local backup is the most reliable route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Which iPhone Data Recovery Tool Should You Choose?

For most people, EaseUS MobiSaver is the tool to start with: it recovers from the device, iTunes, and iCloud, covers a wide range of data including WhatsApp, and its free tier confirms it finds your data before you pay. If your lost data lives in WhatsApp or other chat apps, Dr.Fone reaches the most app data of any tool we tested, and for the simplest free scan-and-preview, FonePaw is the easiest to use.

Whichever you choose, act quickly: stop using the iPhone, check Apple's free Recently Deleted and backup options first, and scan before new data overwrites what you want back. With the right tool and a fast response, deleted photos, messages, and contacts are often recoverable.

About The Author

Katya Seryabkina

Ukrainian born, and a self-taught computer security expert. I started hacking when I was 14 and can write code in 5 languages, but have no formal technical education. The edge of technology is what keeps me interested. I cover cell phone tracking, spy apps, cybersecurity, the dark web, and certain gadgets for The High Tech Society.