Family and Friends Forum

I can't speak from experience, only what I have read online, but the answer is that it depends. Images from older phones without encryption can be recovered I believe, but newer phones encrypt deleted data by default and when the phone is reset the code to unencrypt the data is deleted too. I think that means that it's pretty much impossible to recover anything. Who knows what specialist software the police have though, perhaps they have something that can bypass this but I very much doubt it as the phone companies would probably get sued as it would be putting peoples personal data at risk (for instance if they sold their phone and someone recovered all the data, it would look terrible for the companies who claim to their users that the deleted data is unrecoverable).

I hope this makes sense! I really am no expert but ever since my person got the knock I've had OCD about researching everything and everything... it is driving me absolutely mad! I believe it's much easier for images to be recovered from a computer but phones cause the police more hassle.

I haven't however I know that police forensics can go back years and get stuff off reset phones. It doesn't matter if they are reset or not, one of the many reasons I don't buy second hand phones.

iPhones if factory reset I don't believe they will be able to recover anything.

The police cannot recover anything from a factory reset device. This is why the police are so cautios as to retrieve devices without you touching them, or giving you the opportunity to reset them (early raids, not divulging the reasons for their visits until they're inside, etc).



Once that device has been factory reset there is no chance of recovery, once it's been wiped - it's gone. Furthermore, phone companies, Apple, Samsung, etc simply don't have the information to supply and even if they did - they wouldn't as they are under GDPR laws. in fact. Many social media companies give the police limited information.



There is a really good documentary on daily motion that was shown on Channel 4. If you simply google Undercover Police - Hunting Peadophiles Dailymotion the documentary will show. On one of the episodes it has a case where an individual was pre-warned by the officer visiting a family members address and the alleged suspect wiped his phone and laptop device. The documentary shows the police stating that because he had wiped his devices there was nothing they could recover.



Same with if a person has viewed material on an online messenging app, has not saved the material to their device and has logged out/and or deleted the app then there is no way of recovering any material from this either. The only way the police can recover such material is if when your phone is seized and that material is just sat on your phone gallery as normal, in your deleted folder (not fully deleted) or on an app you have remained logged into and is there on the phone for when the police review it.


I hope this supply's some assistance and provides reassurance - but this is how people who receive no further actions occur. Unless that material is physically on that phone when it's seized then there is no chance it will be recovered or any charges brought if the devices have been reset. This is why a good, quality solicitor will always tell you to go no comment on your first interview until the police have downloaded the device to put the evidential proof onto the police. The police know they cannot recover any data from factory reset phones or where the images aren't stored locally so they will go into a first interview attempting to gain a confession.

What you do have to be careful of is them using the fact they can't get into it ie rest or no password given. They have alluded to what could have been on there but just couldn't prove it! No they shouldn't say it but they do! Plus can give extra time if don't give/remember passwords!