Top 8 Best iPhone Data Recovery Software with Pros and Cons

All of a sudden My iPhone reset itself, and I lost all my data on it! Wanna use a program to get my photos and my text messages back? But so many data recovery apps for iPhone, how can I choose a capable one?

Some of you may have lost essential data due to iPhone lost/stolen, accidental deletion or other causes. It’s necessary to get back them using some professional program. But there are so many recovery programs, how to pick the best one from hundreds?

Everyone has their own standards on what’s the best iPhone data recovery software, so do we. After a long-term test and collecting customers’ views, we summarized the standards, did a comparison chart of most popular apps, and finally picked out this top list.

1. PhoneRescue for iOS

According to the test result, PhoneRescue for iOS is the most comprehensive solution among all those phone recovery programs. It can help get back data in most data loss scenarios, e.g. mistaken deletion, factory reset, software update failure, etc.

It has been upgraded to the version 3.7.2. By uplifting technical to a new standard, now the new version is able to retrieve up to 31 file types, which is far more than the most tool in the market. Till now, this app has already helped millions of users around the world. 

Advantages

• Find back up to 31 types of iOS files, covering messages, photos, contacts as well as other frequently used iOS contents.
• Directly recover lost data even if you have no backup with a few clicks.
• Smart Compare helps you quickly pinpoint the lost items from iPhone backup files.
• Fix iOS problems including iOS update failure, iOS crash, black screen, etc.
• Works on both Windows and Mac operating system. And it is compatible with the latest iOS 12.
• With the longest 60 days money back policy.
• Its free trial helps preview a part of data that you lost or deleted.

Disadvantages:

• You have to pay for it to recover the data back to your iOS device.
• Data scan speed could be a little slow if your iPhone stores so many data.

Video Tutorial:

Below is a tutorial for you to know how this program work to recover data and files.

2. Wondershare Dr.Fone (Recovery)

Dr.Fone developed by Wondershare, with the similar nature and feature. It is great for recovering deleted content from both iOS and Android mobile phones. It goes to work immediately when there is the problem: connect your phone to the computer, open Dr.Fone, and with a few clicks, users can scan their mobile phone and instantly see what information is recoverable and then restore it.

Advantages:

• It supports all old and latest iOS devices.
• Fitted with a small tool that can fix your cellphone to normal when your iDevice can’t get access to the operating system.
• Supports recovering Facebook Messenger and Messenger attachments.

Disadvantages:

• A little expensive.
• Most functions are locked until the upgrade to the Pro version.
• Just have 7-days money back guarantees.

More Info:

• Installs: around 153 million users.
• System requirement: Windows: Win 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP; Mac: 10.14, 10.13, 10.12, 10.11 or 10.8; iOS: 12, 11, 10.3, 10.
• Price: $69.95 for 1 PC.

3. Enigma Recovery

If you have accidentally lost or deleted an important document from your iOS device, the Enigma Recovery software is also a safe and ideal solution for you. With it, you can preview existing contents on your device, iTunes or iCloud backup. This is quite useful if you have lost your device and need access to the data on your backup file.

Advantages:

• Clear UI design and friendly user experience.
• Export files in the following formats: XML, CSV, XLS, PDF
• Restore deleted messages, contacts, calls, notes and calendar back to iPhone.

Disadvantages:

• Import restored content back to the device require another iOS app.
• The device scanning speed is relatively slow.
• The range of supported data types is relatively limited.
• Just have 30-days money back guarantees.

More Info:

• Downloads: around 92 thousand times.
• System requirement:: Windows: 8, 7, Vista, XP, 6, 5; Mac: 10.11, 10.8, 10.7; iOS: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8.
• Price: $49.99 for 1 PC.

4. Primo iPhone Data Recovery

Primo iPhone Data Recovery is made to orchestrate your files disaster retrieval plan with a super easy process. This newly released recovery tool gives great support to recover up to 25 types of content: SMS/iMessages, Notes, Contacts, Call History, Photos, Reminders, etc. It also provides three recover modes so no matter you have a backup or not you can get back deleted iOS favorites as you need.

Advantages:

• Supports a wide range of files types: media files, personal & media document.
• The iPhone retrieval workflow is easier than other candidates.
• Scanning speed is fast, and the recovering rate is relatively higher.
• Selectively Retrieval Feature- Instead of performing full retrieval on all lost files, you can recover the needed ones only.

Disadvantages:

• Does not support Viber and SnapChat restoration tool.
• The scan time is slightly longer than other software.

More Info:

• Installs: up to 20 thousand times.
• System requirement: Windows: XP/7/6/5; Mac: 10.11, 10.8, 10.7; iOS: 12, 10.14, High Sierra.
• Price: $39.99 for 1 PC.

5. EaseUS MobiSaver

EaseUS MobiSaver is a good application if data loss issues happened with your iPhone. This app enables you to retrieve information only from your backup file. You can choose any type of information you want to take back: photos, songs, contacts, messages, reminders and notes, and so on. But it might not be perfect as various problems you might encounter along the way. One problem is that even the computer OS recognizes the gadget, the free program refused to see it. The problem persisted for several minutes at our test, without performing any setting changes.

Advantages:

• Simple restoration tool for all of you.
• Support the newest iPhone system and iOS device.
• Easy to use. The whole process is just 5 clicks.

Disadvantages:

• Not always able to retrieve lost data.
• Unfair price rule: Mac users need to pay more $20 than Windows users.

More Info:

• Downloads: about 6 millions times.
• Operation system: Windows: 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista; Mac: 10.11, 10.8, 10.7; iOS: 12, 11, 10, 10.14, High Sierra.
• Price: $69.95 is for Windows users, $89.95 is for Mac users.

6. iSkysoft Data Recovery

iSkysoft data recovery seems like a good saver that enables you to recover iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch content lost in different scenarios. Including accidental deletion, device stolen, locked out of the device and file lost from factory reset, system crash, water damaged device and more. You can free download this software to preview these data you lost. After updating to the full version, you are possible to restore 20+ types of contents in total.

Advantages:

• Users are allowed to preview some iOS data before updating to the paid version. 
• 3 Retrieval Methods in total, Effective Recovery Ability. 
• Be able to selectively recover what files you want.

Disadvantages:

• Software crash occurred at some times.
• The scan time is a little bit longer than other software.
• Difficult to choose the most suitable paid service due to the redundant classify.

More Info:

• Installs: More than 4.2 million users.
• System requirement:  Win 10 and Mac OS X 10.14; iOS: 11, 10.3, 9. 8.
• Price: $69.95 for 1 PC.

7. Gihosoft iPhone Data Recovery

Gihosoft is a powerful and user-friendly software that can help you retrieve various types of contents, including contacts, SMS, photos, WhatsApp, Viber, notes, etc. It ensures you recover most of your lost data due to iOS upgrade/jailbreak, accidental deletion, device lost or broken. The easy-to-use interface is also designed to guide its computer users to correctly find the desired features.

Advantages:

• Recover Photos and Videos (including Camera Roll and Photo Stream).
• 3 Retrieval Methods in total, Effective from iCloud, iTunes, or iOS devices. 
• The scan and recovering process are safe. No need to worry about it has any unauthorized operation on your device.

Disadvantages:

• Supporting file types are very limited. Just up to 12 different types of data can you get back.

More Info:

• Installs: More than 6.7 million users.
• System requirement:  iPhone: XS/XS Max/XR/X/8/8Plus/7/7 Plus/SE/6S/6S.
• Price: $59.95 for 1 PC.

8. Tenorshare UltData

As the last tool, UltData is still popular for Mac and Windows users. No matter what scenarios that cause your content loss, such as mistaken deletion, update to the latest system, factory reset, etc., its 3 retrieval modes will help you retrieve almost essential content for you. In addition, with Tenoshare UltData owns the advanced technology that let you to selectively recover files from iOS devices, iTunes and iCloud backup.

Advantages:

• With its free trial, users are allowed to preview some of your content. 
• Much iOS content supported, such as WhatsApp, SMS, contacts, photos, Kik, etc.
• Be able to selectively recover what files you want.
• Only a few minutes will be taken to complete the whole process.

Disadvantages:

• Software crash occurred at some times.
• The scan time is a little bit longer than other software.

More Info:

• Users: More than 2. 5 million.
• System requirement: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP; Mac 10.14, 10.13,10.12, or 10.8; iOS: 12, 11, 10.3, 10.
• Price: $59.95 for 1 PC.

Comparison Chart of These Most Popular Softwares

For a clear comparison, we installed the latest version of these iOS restoration tools and tested them to recover deleted SMS, contacts, photos, and videos from an iPhone 8 plus on this April. And below are 5 programs detailed review information.

	PhoneRescue for iOS	Dr.Fone ( Recovery)	Enigma Recovery	Primo iPhone Data Recovery	EasyUS MobiSaver
Recover from iDevice
Recover from iTunes
Recover from iCloud
Selectively Scanning
Time Consuming	40 seconds	2 minutes	40 seconds	2 minutes	6 minutes
Attachments Recovery
Data Comparison
Recover back to iPhone
iOS System Repair
Cost	$49.99	$69.95	$59.99	$39.99	$69.95
Reviews (Ratings)
Availability	Free Trial

How to Choose The Best iOS Recovery Software

Files getting back process is a process of salvaging inaccessible contents from corrupted, damaged or lost iPhone device. Normally people can get reliable data recovery service from an expert or an app. But most of the people would like to try an easy-to-use program before seeking help from the expensive retrieval service nearby.

1. Basic knowledge of the data retrieval apps for iPhone?

It usually provides you with three modes to retrieve what you’ve lost, including recovering from your device, from iTunes backup, and from iCloud backup. The recovery can be processed even your mobile phone is lost, as long as the iTunes or iCloud backup has been taking in place prior to the inaccessibility of the device. Besides, some high-quality recover programs are capable of repairing common system issues.

There are many specific categories of iPhone retrieval software such as photo recovery software, iMessage recovering apps, contact restoration apps, etc.

2. The standards of the best file recovery app for iPhone?

Our principles of defining what is the TOP data saver app are as the same as how you’d like to recover the items in your lost handset. Before starting, you’d better clearly understand WHERE have you lost the content from? HOW did you lose them? WHAT types would you like to recover?

Criterion 1. Compatibility

For the first question: WHERE have you lost your iOS content, from an old iPhone 5s/6/7/8/X, or a new XS/XR? As Apple mobile product line covers over 10+ models, the first criterion we have chosen is the compatibility. One good program should be capable of supporting all existing mobile device models and popular iOS versions like version 11/12.

Criterion 2. Operation Methods

For the second question: HOW did you lose your items in your cellphone, mistaken deletion? The device is lost or badly damaged? Do iOS get stuck? Studies show hardware/software failure and human error are the two most common causes of your content loss, but a different type of information disaster requires corresponding methods.

Therefore, the second criterion is methods. The top program should have methods to recover in various situations. And most apps have some adopted cellphone file recovery approaches like recovering from the device, from iTunes backup, and from iCloud backup. And some apps can fix any issues or get back these lost documents from broken or water-damaged.

Criterion 3. Program Capability

No matter how hard you’ve tried to recover your lost iPhone items, you still have the chance that you’ll lose them forever. So the third question, WHAT types of phone content would you like to recover? Actually, this is the most crucial standard to justify if your items restoration tool is qualified. All candidates listed below support a wild range of data recovery file types.

Frequently Asked Questions about iPhone Recovery Software

We’ll collect some frequently asked questions about this topic online, as well as shared some ideas on these questions.

Question 1. Is there any free data rescue software?

We’ve reviewed all these apps, and found all of them offer free trial versions for limited use. And when users are going to recover lost data, they will charge a fee. So there is no free app in fact.

Question 2. Is there any cracked file recovery app for iPhone?

There are some cracked versions for these apps we’ve found. But it may be not secure and safe. The virus and malicious programs may be injected into these cracked files and do harm to your device, and even steal your private information.

Question 3. Is it possible to recover my data without backup?

Yes, most of the recover apps are able to recover lost content without using any backup. They will scan the device to find those items that lost but still stored on your device. Therefore, you may get back your lost items even when you have no backup available.

Question 4. Does any app support recovering data without a computer?

Some users would like to use the iOS-based app to recover those lost items from the iPhone. But as we tested, most of these apps won’t get back deleted parts, and most of them require you to use its desktop app to do the work.

The Bottom Line

Besides the apps we mentioned above, there are some other similar apps like iMyFone, FonePaw, Jihosoft, FoneLab, etc. Since they have the same features, we just reviewed some top ones above. If you are interested in these apps, you can have a try.

As the frequency of iOS item loss is increasing, it’s suggested to consider taking proper precautions to decrease the cost and impact of items loss. A regular iPhone backup plan with iTunes and iCloud is always welcome. Meanwhile, to increase your chances of recovering what you need, you’d better stop using your device until your lost content get recovered, as this will lower the chance of overwriting data on your phone disk.

Anyway, if ‘disaster’ happens, have a try with the iPhone recovery solutions mentioned above to get back your lost data.