How To Recover Your iPhone Files, Photos, Contacts, Notes, SMS, Call History, Etc.

December 2, 2008 · 178 comments

in iPhone,Tutorials

If for some reason, you lost some important information on your iPhone, whether from 3rd party applications, your photos, contacts, notes, SMS, call history, calendar, etc., and doing a restore from iTunes is futile, don’t give up yet! As long as you have performed a backup in iTunes recently, your data is safely tucked away in a database in your computer—but you need another tool that can read and extract the data so you can copy it back to your iPhone.

In case you want to know, your iPhone backups are located in your Mac (~Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup) or on a PC (c:\Documents and Settings\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup).

What You Need

Download and install the following:

DiskAid for Mac or Windows (requires a jailbroken phone to access the Root Folder)
iPhone Backup Extractor for Mac (not sure if there is a Windows equivalent)

Use iPhone Backup Extractor

(1) Open iPhone Backup Extractor

(2) Click Read Backups

(3) Select from Device Name or Date where you want to retrieve your backup data and click Choose.

(4) Select the Application where you want data be restored from or scroll down and select Other Files if you want to restore data from the built-in iPhone apps such as photos, address book, notes, SMS, etc.

In this example, we will extract the Notes backup to our computer so we need to select Other Files.

(5) Click Extract and select a folder where you want to extract the Notes data in your computer (remember this location).

Use DiskAid To Copy Backup Data To iPhone

(6) Connect your iPhone to your Computer.

(7) Open DiskAid.

(8) Click the pull-down at the bottom of the screen where it says Media Folder and select Root Folder (click Go Ahead when a warning window pops up).

For this example, we will recover data from our Notes application.

(9) Click User -> Library -> Notes.

(10) Click the Copy to Device icon above.

(11) Go to the folder where you extracted the Other Files backup files (in step 5) and select “notes.db“.

(12) Click Open.

(13) Click Replace.

(14) Check your iPhone to verify the recovered data.

(15) Do the same for the rest of your data that you want to recover.

Smile! :)

Note: If you want to save and read your iPhone text files (ex. SMS) on your computer, check out my post,
“How To Save and Read Your iPhone Text Messages On Your Computer”.

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  • shaypallas

    Hi

    Just bought a new MacBook … old Powerbook or iPhone had not been backed up for over 1 year.

    Transferred everything over to the new MacBook.

    When I synced my iPhone with the New MacBook everything synced OK but I lost all the new contacts of the last year and I am left with the older contacks of more than 1 year old..

    Is there and data recovery software or data recovery companies who can recover the contacts deleted from the Phone … they were obviously not backed up on the MacBook.

    HeLp Anybody ? …. Shay Pallas

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  • Rain

    Hi Wendy, I personally use Cucusoft iPhone/iTouch/iPod to Computer Transfer for my windows 7. It helps me to transfer my songs/videos/photos/playlists etc from iPhone back to my computer directly and safely.It works well for me,you can give it a try.
    Free download it at: http://dvd-video-soft.com/ipodconverter/ipod-it…

    It even has step-by-step guide on the whole process.
    Hope it helps.

  • Aluns

    How to transfer, copy and backup iPhone SMS to Windows computer?
    Tansee iPhone Transfer SMS provides a best iPhone SMS backup solution to backup sms from iPhone to computer.

    Tansee iPhone Transfer SMS can provide you:
    * Backup SMS in iPhone to computer before iPhone reject receiving new SMS.
    * View and Manage old iPhone SMS in your computer.
    * View SMS in Text file format (.txt file), ANTS file format (.ants file), MHT file format (.mht file)on PC.
    * Password protection support (ANTS file only).
    * Edit SMS (ANTS file only).
    * Print SMS (MHT file print by IE).

    Read More: http://www.backup-iphone-sms.com
    Free Download: http://www.regnow.com/softsell/visitor.cgi?affi…

  • Supper

    Transfer iPhone songs, videos, photos, contacts and SMS to computer

    http://www.transfer-iphone.com/

  • Mark

    You can use an iPhone to Mac transfer program to help.I personally use AVCWare Mac iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer. It helps me to copy my songs/videos/photos etc from iphone to Mac directly and safely.It works well for me,you can give it a try.

    Free download it at: http://www.ipodtocomputercopy.com/macconverter/…

    Hope it helps.

  • mitchdcba

    I wish I had stumbled upon this before my last phone went dead so I could have retrieved the last voice mail I received from my mom before she passed away. Thank you!

    retrieve text messages

  • kgezhzw1

    http://www.mac-dvd-ripper-soft.com/media-conver…
    Daniusoft Media Converter is a powerful DRM media converter that supports both DRM Audio and DRM Video. This all-in-one DRM media converter allows you to convert DRM media in a fast and professional way.

  • Brian

    I have Windows XP, SP3 on one computer and Windows 7 on another and I cannot find the folder (c:Documents and SettingsApplication Data) on either one. I know it is there somewhere. I am good with computers but it is hidding well. iPhone Backup Extractor can find it on my Windows 7 computer but my data is on the XP machine. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  • cheese

    i had a video of a stripper giving me a blow job and my friend made me delete it and i need it back

  • Bobbi Jo

    Did you end up getting your contacts back? Because I have this very problem now!

  • egniknok

    stop using windows… buy a mac!!

  • Fcajohn

    I use iPhone 3gs for 6 months, and I just buy mac book pro for today.
    I want to sync contacts from iPhone to address book. but now all my contacts gone.
    no contacts in my iPhone now. anyone know how to recovery my contacts in iPhone. please

  • Steve

    Thanks. It didn't work as we didn't have the right backups done, but it would have restored the wrong backups perfectly! :-) Thanks anyway.

  • Kaka

    Transfer all iPhone data files from iPhone to computer in a few clicks!

    http://www.transfer-iphone.com/transfer-files-s…

    iPhone Tool Kits is an easy to use utility designed to help you back up all your files on your iPhone, so that you can recover any lost or missing songs, videos, books, photos and so on. It can easily backup and transfer iPhone songs, videos, photos, SMS, call list, contacts and books(you purchased via iBook Store) to computer. And even enable your iPhone as a removable hard disk.

    “iPhone Tools Kits” Transfer is a must-have utility to keep your iPhone safe if you have an iPhone. It supports iPad, iPod touch as well.

    Download iPhone Tools Kits directly from: http://www.regnow.com/softsell/visitor.cgi?affi…

  • http://howtogetmyexbackways.com/ Ex Back

    there are so many good tips!

  • Su464837421

    i am quite agree with the author that Its really important to take a Backup on our handset.
    but my device is HTC HD2 .i found a software called [b][url=http://www.godswmobile.com.html]“GodswMobile Windows Mobile Transfer Suite 1.1″[/url][/b],It contains a computer app to Backup and restore contacts, including sim card contacts and mobile contacts.it is fast to backup ,restore and easy to use!

  • Me

    why would someone do a ridiculous thing like that??

  • http://mobilesyncbrowser.com Vaughn

    MobileSyncBrowser saves your data in formats you can actually use, not the raw phone databases.

    MobileSyncBrowser.com

  • Udit

    nO need to work hard…..
    Use iPhone backup extractor….YOu can extract your contacts, mails, messages and everything from your iPhone…

    http://sharecash.org/download.php?file=877730

  • Rawny

    Here are some tips for windows users to backup their iPhone photos to PC:
    I used Tansee iPhone Transfer Photo.
    http://www.gutensoft.com/Utilities/Tansee_iPhon…
    It can help copy both iPhone Library Photo ( the photos sync with iTunes) and iPhone Camera Photo ( the photos taken with iPhone Camera ) to your selected folder on your computer completely and safely. The whole process needs just a few simple clicks.

    Here is a step-by-step guide on how:
    http://www.gutensoft.com/Guide/How-to-Transfer-…

    Best luck!
    You can also search more others at http://ask.com

  • Stevens

    Here is an easy way. Simply use this iPhone contacts backup software to help you transfer all contacts and contacts photos from your iPhone to your computer

    I've used it when I changed my computer. It works perfectly fine. I recommend you give it a try.

    Here is detailed guide on how to do it:
    http://www.gutensoft.com/Guide/how-to-backup-ip…

    Hope this can help you.

  • Baby_keith

    MAy i know how to recover my missing data like photo , contact after i update to iso4 from 3.13. I forgot i got backup b4 update , But now i cant find back any restore , do u hv any idea to solve it ? if u got pls email me baby_keith@hotmail.com
    Thx

  • ThankYou

    This is awesome! Thanks for sharing this.

  • south africa

    can someone please help me?
    my iphone broke.
    i had all my information saved on my mac.
    I bought a new iphone and tried to put the computers info on the phone but managed to sync the computer with the phone instead. now all my information is gone!
    please could someone help explain to me how to get it back (as as i understand this post explains the reverse, i.e. how to find info that was stored on the phone rather than info that was on the mac). thanks!

  • http://mobilesyncbrowser.com Vaughn

    If you synced your first phone on that computer, the data should still be there. Its unlikely a second phone overwrote it.

    MobileSyncBrowser (MSB) can show you what data has been backed up on your Mac.

    MobileSyncBrowser.com

    Cheers

    Vaughn

  • beysin

    Hello Guys,

    I have lost all my contact number. I have been tried to reserve my contact number with outlook and unfortunately i lost all my contact after i synced.

    Fortunately i have been saved my backup file i mean “documents and SettingsusernameApplication DataApple ComputerMobileSyncBackup-this file.

    i would like to fix my Iphone. what should i do?

    thanks in advance.

    b.yasinkutlu@gmail.com

  • http://twitter.com/afit Aidan Fitzpatrick

    Download the iPhone Backup Extractor for Windows (http://www.iphonebackupextractor.com) — that'll get your contacts extracted so that you can easily import them into your contacts client and sync with your iPhone.

  • John

    thank alot……made my day…..

  • Akmalsiddiqui

    This post was really helpful I could retrieve all my contacts and notes from the backup.

    THank you so much

  • Lex

    Hello, My question is… Can you recover contacts from an Iphone that has never been synced before to a computer? My phone took a dump and I have never synced up… 3 days searching for a tool that can just pull my contacts from the phone. Apple says I have to restore and will lose everything… Anyone have a clue? Thanks in advance…

  • Neotd4

    Lost all my contacts from my iphone when I synced with my new mac please help. I had not backed upmy contacts with the old mac.

  • Connie

    hi I tried to import photos from my iphone 3G to my windows xp 2002 version and did the restore . Unfortunately I can fnd my photos on my iphone anymore how can i reclaim them again

  • Ms

    iphone sucks!!!

  • Chanzor

    Any mac program for this?

  • Chanzor

    Were did you find the contacts file? I'm having trouble finding it.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OSWXJ3L45XHEA45DFMHFG6BMDU Larry

    Contacts are gone???????????

  • Johnjack_87

    Thanks

  • Alimalik22

    i transfer all the contacts number from my iphone to I tunes ? i dont know how to get my conatcs ? cannt see them …cannt find them either ? to worried as all my friends number etc

  • Alimalik22

    Help me pllzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    i transfer all the contacts number from my iphone to I tunes ? i dont know how to get my conatcs ? cannt see them …cannt find them either ? to worried as all my friends number etc

  • R20

    Amazing!! Thank YOU!!!

  • Louisbissiw

    just go to this site and download the program. After just import to address book the sync with itunes.

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  • Miss you mom

    That really sucks man. My mom called the iPhone first so she didn't leave a message but her second call was to the house phone so I managed to recover her last coherent words from their. I wish you could have your mom's VM too.

  • dumba$$ kid

    im 13 yrs old and i accidently restored my moms iphone trying to update it and i didnt back up it so now she has no contacts or nothing so can som1 help me on what to do?????????? email me sk8er_boi85@hotmail.com

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IAFNHLDUTXLBUN7XSWK2NLZ4EA Sara

    I sync my calendar to my laptop on the 10th and so I placed a checkmark in the sync calendars box to “Outlook.” (I don’t have outlook on my computer, don’t know what I was thinking) Still thinking my calendar information was saved on my laptop, on the 11th, I opened my calendar and NOTHING was in it. I thought maybe I could sync it back to iTunes and get it all back, but come to find out it was another bad move because it did an override on my old backup in iTunes. Is there anyway I can get all of my calendar stuff back from before the 10th. Please help me! Please email me at sarajones02@yahoo.com if you know how I can get my calendar information back.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_J6ZAZSMHF43JNAVVXNJNPJCZEQ KK

    can some one help me plzzzzzz
    I format my macbook pro and after that 2nd step was i update my iphone software and now i lost my last 2 year data can some one help me plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Please please

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  • Rousseau

    My iPhone died while I was on vacation. The Apple store couldn’t fix it so they replaced it. I took over 500 pictures on the new phone. When I got home, I stupidly clicked RESTORE instead of SET UP AS NEW PHONE and it deleted all of my pictures. Is there any way to get them back? I’m desperate here!

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