Is It Possible? How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos Fast

Preface

You’ve accidentally deleted a video, and not just to the recycle bin, but for good. How to recover these permanently deleted videos easily? While the term "permanently deleted" sounds terrifyingly final, it’s often a bit of a misnomer. In many cases, your videos are still lurking on your device, waiting to be rescued before they get overwritten by new data.

This comprehensive guide is your lifeline, walking you through everything you need to know, from immediate first aid for your device to step-by-step tutorials on how to recover permanently deleted videos from Android, iPhone, and PC, ensuring you have the best possible shot at getting your digital memories back.

What Does "Permanently Deleted" Really Mean?

When you delete a file, your device doesn't immediately wipe the video data from its storage. Instead, it simply marks the space that file occupied as "available for use".The video's bits and bytes remain sitting on the hard drive or flash storage until the system needs that space to save something new. This is the critical window of opportunity for recovery.

So, while the file is gone from your view, its physical imprint remains, making the process of how to recover videos from permanently deleted folders a race against time rather than an impossible task.

The "recovery window" is the period before that new data takes its place. This window isn't set in stone; it could be minutes, days, or longer, depending on how actively you use your device.

Stop Using Your Device Immediately

Alright, it’s time to prepare your video recovery. Jumping straight into recovery without this prep work is like making things worse.

This point is so vital: Stop all activity on the device that held the deleted videos. If the video was on your phone, set it aside. If it was on your PC's main drive, avoid saving anything new to it. This is the non-negotiable first step for anyone figuring out how to recover permanently deleted videos.

Preparation Before Recovery

Before firing up any software, do a quick mental inventory.

• Where was the video stored? Was it on your internal phone memory, an SD card, or the C: drive on your PC?
• Next, think about backups. Do you have automatic cloud backups with Google Photos, iCloud, or Dropbox running? Did you manually back up to an external hard drive recently? Checking these obvious places first can save you a world of hassle. A quick look in your cloud trash or a backup restore could be the instant solution you need.
• You'll need data recovery software if you don’t have a backup copy for your permanently deleted videos.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos from Android

Android recovery can be tricky due to its varied ecosystem, but there are clear paths to explore, from simple built-in features to more powerful software solutions.

Way 1. Recover Permanently Deleted Videos from Trash Folder

Sometimes, you just deleted and can’t find your deleted videos, it not means that your videos are permanently deleted, so you can check your Trash folder on Android phone. Here is how to recover deleted videos on Android phone:

1. Open the default Gallery or Photos app and look for a "Trash","Recently Deleted", or "Bin" folder. Items here are typically kept for 30 to 60 days.

2. If you find the video, hit Restore/Recover to recover permanently deleted videos on Android.

Way 2. Recover Permanently Deleted Videosfrom Google Photos

If you use Google Photosto backed up your videos, you can recover permanently deleted videos from Google Photos.

1. Open the Google Photos app, tap "Library" and then "Trash". Deleted items stay here for 60 days before being purged forever.

2. If your video is there, simply select it and tap "Restore".

It’s the easiest answer to how to recover permanently deleted videos from android, but it only works if the video was uploaded to Photos and you deleted it from within the app.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos on iPhone

Apple's walled garden has its own set of rules, but it also provides some robust and user-friendly recovery options that can be a real lifesaver.

Way 1. Restore from the Recently Deleted Album

iPhones have a "Recently Deleted" album built directly into the Photos app. This is your first and best port of call.

1. Open your Photos app, go to "Albums",and scroll down to "Utilities" to find "Recently Deleted"

2. Here, you'll find videos and photos deleted within the last 30 days.

3 You can select your videos and tap "Recover", sending them right back to your main photo library.

It’s the simplest method for how to recover permanently deleted videos on iPhone.

Way 2. Recover Permanently Deleted Videos from iCloud Photos

After deleting videos from an iPhone, they are moved to the Recently Deleted album on iCloud.com for 30 days before being permanently erased. You can recover them within 30 days with this guide:

1. Go to iCloud Photos (iCloud.com/photos) on a browser, then sign in to your iCloud account.

2. Select the Recently Deleted album, find the videos you need.

3. Choose Recover.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos from PC

If your videos have been permanently deleted from your Windows computer, you can first check a backup service if they include the videos, like Windows File History. You can try a professional data recovery software if you don’t have a backup.

Way 1. Restore Permanently Deleted Videos from File History

1. Input Restore your files with File History in the Windows search box, and select it.

2. Use the navigation pane to browse through previous versions of your folders and locate the deleted videos.

3. Select the files and click the green Restore button.

Way 2. Restore Deleted Videos from Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is a command-line tool, so it may be more difficult to use.

1. Search for "Windows File Recovery" in the Microsoft Store and install it.

2. Open the Start Menu, type cmd, and select "Run as administrator" or "Windows Terminal (Admin)".

3. Type the following command using the syntax: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: /mode /switches and press Enter.

• source-drive is the drive where the videos were deleted (e.g., C:).
• destination-drive is a different drive to save the recovered files to (e.g., E:).
• /mode is the recovery mode (e.g., /extensive).
• /switches are filters, such as /n *.mp4 to find MP4 files.

For example: winfr H: D: /r /n *.mp4

4. Confirm the recovery process if prompted by typing Y and pressing Enter.

Way 3. Recover Permanently Deleted Videos via MyRecover

If above solutions are not working, it’s time to turn to a professional data recovery software. MyRecover stands out in the crowded field of data recovery software by offering a combination of power, simplicity, and reliability that is specifically designed for this critical task.

Key Advantages of Using MyRecover:

Comprehensive File Format Support: MyRecover isn't picky. It supports a wide array of video formats—from common ones like MP4, MOV, and AVI to more professional formats like MTS and 3GP.

User-Friendly, Intuitive Interface: MyRecover provides a clean, guided interface that allows anyone, regardless of their technical skill, to navigate the recovery process with confidence.

Powerful Deep and Quick Scan Technology: MyRecover employs a dual-scan approach. The Quick Scan rapidly finds recently deleted files, while the essential Deep Scan meticulously searches the drive sector-by-sector for older or more severely deleted videos, ensuring a thorough search that maximizes your chances of success.

Accurate File Preview Function: Before you commit to recovering gigabytes of data, MyRecover lets you preview found videos to verify the file's contents and quality, ensuring you're only restoring the videosyou actually want, saving time and storage space.

Broad Storage Device Compatibility: It can recover videos from a vast range of storage media, including internal hard drives (HDD/SSD), external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, PS4/PS5, etc.

High Recovery Success Rate: MyRecover is engineered with advanced algorithms to reassemble fragmented video files and recover them intact.

Here is how to recover permanently deleted videos with MyRecover on Windows computers:

1. Download and Install MyRecover on your computer.

2. Launch MyRecover, tap Deleted Files Recovery, choose the drive where your videos stored before deletion, and hit Scan.

3. Wait for it to complete, then hit OK.

4. Choose the videos you need, and hit Recover, then choose a safe location to keep.

Tips:✎...

You can perform a deep scan if the quick scan did not find your videos. And the deep scan costs much more time because it scans sector by sector.

You can use a filter to find your videos quickly, like inputting the video name, file size, file type, etc.

To recover files from unlimited computers, upgrade to MyRecover Technician to enjoy.

Besides, you can also recover files from any complex situation, like recovering files from a crashed computer, a RAW partition, an unformatted drive, etc.

Q&A

Q: Is it really possible to recover permanently deleted videos?

A: Yes, it's often possible, but not guaranteed. When a video is deleted, its data remains on the storage until overwritten by new files. Your chances depend entirely on how much the device has been used since deletion. Immediate action is critical to prevent overwriting.

Q: What's the best way to recover permanently deleted videos from Android without a backup?

A: Using dedicated data recovery software like MyRecover is the most effective method. This typically involves connecting your Android to a computer for a deep scan. While success isn't guaranteed, this approach offers the highest likelihood of finding video remnants invisible to the normal operating system.

Q: Can I recover a video I deleted a year ago?

A: The chances are extremely slim for a daily-use device. On a regularly used phone or computer, the storage space has likely been overwritten many times over the year. Recovery is only plausible if the storage device was immediately retired and never used again after deletion.

Q: Are free data recovery software programs safe?

A: Caution is essential. While reputable companies offer legitimate free trials, many malicious programs pose as recovery tools. Always download from official developer websites, read trusted reviews, and have antivirus protection active. A program that demands payment before scanning is a major red flag.

Q: How does recovery differ for an iPhone versus an Android?

A: The core principle is the same, but the methods differ due to operating system design. iPhone recovery often relies on the "Recently Deleted" album, iCloud, or scanning a computer backup due to its closed system. Android's openness more readily allows software to perform a direct, deep scan of the internal storage.

Q: What should I do if my hard drive is physically damaged and making noises?

A: Power it down immediately and do not attempt software recovery. Clicking or grinding sounds indicate mechanical failure. Repeated power cycles can cause irreversible damage. Your only option is a professional data recovery service, which operates in specialized cleanrooms to physically repair drives—a costly but sometimes necessary last resort.