Recovering lost photos and documents
A folder that is no longer there, a photo library that looks empty, a family slideshow nowhere to be found: before talking about loss, one has to search — and we find far more often than people expect.
What is actually going on
In most cases the files still exist. They were moved during a migration, left on an old drive, filed into a second photo library created without anyone noticing, or hidden by a display setting.
Genuine data recovery — going after data on a damaged disk — is another trade, longer and with no guarantee. We tell you straight away which situation you are in, rather than letting you hope.
What we do
- Search methodicallyOld drives, Time Machine backups, multiple libraries, forgotten import folders. We cover everything before concluding.
- Go back in time with Time MachineWhere a backup exists, we recover the state from before the disappearance without overwriting anything else.
- Bring your photo libraries togetherSeveral scattered libraries become one, without duplicates and without losses.
- Say frankly when the odds are poorA failing disk, data never backed up: we point you to a specialist laboratory rather than string it out.
Before we arrive
What helps
- Stop using the Mac or the drive concerned if the loss is a few hours old.
- Gather all your old external drives, even the ones you believe are empty.
What is better avoided
- Installing recovery software found online: it writes to the disk and reduces the chances.
- Copying new files onto the disk where something disappeared.
Your questions
Can you recover photos from a broken iPhone?
If the device still switches on, or if a backup exists, yes. Otherwise it is laboratory work, and we will tell you which one.
How long does it take?
A methodical search is usually settled during the visit. Recovery from a damaged disk takes days and is never promised.
This topic is part of I want to back up or recover my photos and documents. The main page gathers the neighbouring cases and the full process.
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