Complete guide to recovering deleted and purchased items on your iPad

  • Purchased items can be re-downloaded without paying again if you use the same Apple ID.
  • Native apps and services like Photos, Files, and Notes have recoverable folders for 30 days.
  • iCloud allows you to restore lost files, contacts, and settings if they were synced.
  • Family Sharing features allow you to retrieve items purchased by other members at no cost.
Rodrigo CortiƱa

7 minutes

Recover Deleted Items on iPad

Have you accidentally deleted an app, file, or purchased content from your iPad? It is possible to recover it, as the Apple ecosystem offers several tools to restore that content, as long as you act within an appropriate timeframe. In this article, I will guide you through All the steps needed to recover deleted or previously purchased items on your iPad.

From how to redownload previous purchases to what to do if you've lost photos, notes, emails, and more. Everything is explained in a simple and practical way, so you don't have to search through multiple different sites.

Redownload purchased content on iPad

When you buy an app, book, movie, or song on iPad, that content is linked to your Apple ID.. Therefore, even if you delete it from your device, you can download it again without paying again.

You only need:

  • Open the app where you made the purchase, such as the App Store, Apple TV, Books, or iTunes Store.
  • Tap your profile in the top right corner.
  • Enter section "Purchased".
  • Find the item you want to recover and tap the download icon (a cloud with an arrow).

If you are part of a family group, you can also access purchases made by other members from the same section.

Recovering Deleted Apps

Sometimes an app is accidentally deleted or disappears for reasons such as automatic space release.iOS allows you to easily restore these apps from the App Store, as long as they are still available in the store.

The options are:

  • Go to the App Store and access "Purchased".
  • Choose ā€œNot on this iPadā€ to view apps that are no longer installed.
  • Download the apps you want to recover at no additional cost.

It may also happen that they have only been hidden from the home screen and remain accessible from the Application library, at the bottom of the home pages.

Restore content from the Files app

The Files app on iPadOS lets you manage documents stored in iCloud Drive or locally.. When you delete files, they move to the folder ā€œRecently removedā€, where they remain for 30 days.

  • Open Files and select the ā€œExploreā€ tab.
  • Go to ā€œRecently removedā€.
  • Select the files you want to recover and press "To recover".

After this period, the files are permanently deleted. Therefore, it's important to act quickly.

How to drag and drop items on your iPad 0

How to Restore Deleted Photos and Videos

The Photos app also allows you to recover images or videos deleted by mistake.. When you delete something, it automatically goes to the folder ā€œDeletedā€, where it is kept for 30 days.

  • Open Photos and go to ā€œAlbums.ā€
  • Scroll to the bottom and select ā€œDeleted.ā€
  • Using Face ID or Touch ID, select items and tap ā€œRecover.ā€

After 30 days, the photos and videos will disappear and cannot be recovered unless you have a backup..

Retrieve notes and reminders

The Notes app saves everything you delete in its ā€œRecently Deletedā€ folder.They remain there for 30 days before being lost forever.

  • Open Notes and locate the ā€œRecently Deletedā€ folder.
  • Select the notes you want to recover and press ā€œMoveā€ to return them to another folder.

As for remindersIf you accidentally marked them as completed, you can view them under "View Completed" from the three-dot menu. If they've been deleted, there's no way to recover them unless they're synced to iCloud and you can restore them from there.

How to recover deleted emails

Emails deleted in the Mail app remain in the ā€œTrashā€ or ā€œDeletedā€ folder, depending on the provider.They remain there for a while before being permanently deleted.

  • Look for that folder in the Mail sidebar.
  • Select the messages and choose ā€œMoveā€ to return them to your Inbox.

If you can't find them, check your "Archived" folder or consult your email provider's settings (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) to confirm their retention policies.

Recovery from iCloud.com

If you can't find your files in any trash or temp folder, you can still try to recover them from iCloud, as long as they were synchronized.

  • Accede to icloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
  • In the recovery section, select the files, contacts, or settings you want to restore.
  • Restore them from there.

This option is very useful if you no longer see the files on your iPad but they are still in the cloud.

Restore all content from a backup

When you can't find the lost file in temporary folders, iCloud or in the files section, the last option is to restore from a backup..

  1. Make sure you have a recent backup in iCloud or on your computer.
  2. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content and Settings.
  3. Follow the instructions and select ā€œRestore from backup.ā€

Please note that by doing this you will lose any data generated after that backup.. Evaluate whether this action is worth it for you.

Recover in-app purchases

Apps that include in-game purchases usually have an option called ā€œRestore Purchasesā€ in their settings menu or within the game.This allows you to access levels, premium features, coins, etc. again without paying again.

It's important that you use the same Apple ID you used to initially make the purchase.

Features of 'Family Sharing'

Apple's Family Sharing system allows you to share purchased content with up to five members of the same family group.This means you can download apps, TV shows, books, and other content purchased by other group members.

  • Open the App Store and go to Purchases.
  • Select the family member you want to recover content from.
  • Download at no additional cost, as long as the content remains available in the store.

How to manage storage space on your iPad 6

Useful tips to avoid losing your files

To avoid problems in the future, you can follow several good practices:

  • Turn on automatic iCloud backup by going to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
  • Periodically review content in folders such as ā€œDeletedā€ or ā€œRecently Deleted.ā€
  • Turn off the option to automatically uninstall apps you don't use by going to Settings > App Store.
  • Before switching devices, make a full backup and sign out of your old Apple ID.

You can also consult specialized resources such as the Internet Security Office (OSI) and INCIBE's 017 telephone number for more information on data protection and file recovery..

What if you use Google Photos or WhatsApp?

If you keep your photos in Google Photos, you have 60 days to recover them from the trash if they were backed up.However, if not, you only have 30 days. Access the trash from the app or website, select the images, and tap "Restore."

In the case of WhatsApp, you can restore chats and files if you have a backup in iCloud. Just uninstall and reinstall the app, and during setup, enable restoration from the previous backup.

Recovering deleted items on your iPad requires speed and knowledge of the tools available.From apps with their own trash cans to cloud services and backups, Apple offers several solutions to protect your data. Maintaining a backup routine, knowing where to look, and using your Apple ID correctly are key to avoiding accidental loss.

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