You’re not alone—thousands of Reels are deleted each day. The good news is that deleted Reels can be recovered, even if Instagram states that the Reel is “Gone Forever.”
In this 2025 recovery guide, you will discover 5 effective ways that actually work, ranging from checking “Recently Deleted” folders to using recovery software like Socialpave Recovery, which has the ability to retrieve lost videos even outside of the 30-day period.
Let’s bring your Reels back.
Instagram Reels Deletion vs. Archiving Explained
The Difference Between Deleting and Archiving Instagram Reels
To organize your videos on Reels, you are able to archive or delete them. Similar concepts exist for restoring Instagram photos. Here is a quick rundown:
ARCHIVING: Hiding Your Reels, But Not Losing Them
- What happens: Your Reel is not visible on your profile, but it is still archived on Instagram.
- Recovery: It can be recovered from the Archive without losing any data.
Deleting: Permanent Removal with Limited Recovery
- What happens: The Reel will be deleted from the Instagram server.
- Recovery: You will have 30 days to recover it using the app. Otherwise, you would have to resort to third-party solutions with no guarantee.
Quick Comparison: Archiving & Deleting
- Archiving: Hidden content but completely retrievable; stored in the Instagram archive; always retrievable from the app; no data loss.
- Deleting: The content is completely removed from the server; 30-day recovery period; after 30 days, external tools may be required; loss of data is irreversible after 30 days.
Thus, the feature of archiving the Reel is the best way to conceal the Reel for a short time without deleting it. In case the Reel gets deletedunintentionally, there is a small window to recover it.
Can a Deleted Reel Be Revived?
Yes—but timing matters.
Instagram allows a 30-day recovery period through the Recently Deleted feature. After that, the material is deleted from the cloud storage of Instagram. However, your Reel video could still be on your device, or it may be in cloud backup or cache, where professional software can assist.
Five options for recovery—ranging from simple fixes to complex solutions.
Instagram Reel Recovery Methods Comparison Table
| Method | Success Rate | Time Required | Technical Skill | Cost | Best For |
| Recently Deleted | Very High | 2 minutes | None | Free | Within 30 days |
| Socialpave Recovery | Very High | 10-30 minutes | Low | Free scan + preview | No backup needed, beyond 30 days |
| Drafts Recovery | High | 1 minute | None | Free | Unpublished |
| Data Download | Medium | 48+ Hours | Low | Free | Metadata Recovery |
| Cloud Backup | Medium-High | 5-10 minutes | Low | Free | Original recordings |
Method 1 – Instagram Recently Deleted Folder
If your reel has been deleted in the past 30 days, you may find it in “Recently Deleted.” It will be there for up to 30 days.
steps:
- Open the Instagram app, access the profile.
- Touch the menu (☰) in the top right corner.
- Then, go to Settings > Privacy > Account Center.
- In Account Center, click Your Information and Permissions > Recently Deleted.
- Locate your Reel and tap Restore.
Notes
- Available for iOS and Android devices.
- 30-Day Retention.
- It will be deleted from Instagram after 30 days.
- You can screen shot the folder as a guide.
What if Recently Deleted is empty?
Possible Reasons:
- Content already permanently deleted after 30 days.
- Error Codes.
- Used the wrong account or permissions.
- A system glitch.
Pro tip: If it’s empty, try method 2.
Method 2 – Professional Recovery Software Solution (Socialpave Recovery)
Socialpave Recovery
If the Recently Deleted folder does not work, there’s hope with the Socialpave Recovery tool to recover the lost Reels even with no backup.
Why it’s a good choice:
- No backup needed: Extracts from the storage of the device.
- Free scan and preview: Before making payments, see what data is recoverable.
- Beyond 30 days: May assist regarding older deletions.
- Deep scan: In-depth examination of your device.
- Easy to Use: It requires no technical knowledge.
- High success rate for recently deleted content.
- Retrieves reels, draft messages, and deleted messages.
Free Trial Benefits:
- Unlimited free scanning
- Preview recoverable content
- success rate risk free
- No credit card required
How to Recover Deleted Reels/Drafts on iPhone with SocialPave Recovery
- Download and install Socialpave Recovery software on Windows or Mac.
- Open the software, select the type of data to scan, select Instagram.
- Begin the free scan.
- Preview recoverable Reels and check dates.
- Identify Reels for recovery and select locations for saves.
Method 3 – Recover Deleted Reels Drafts on Instagram
If your draft copies were deleted or lost, don’t worry! You can recover them through the Instagram app or Socialpave Recovery.
How to Revert Drafts in the Instagram Application
iPhone:
- Open Instagram, tap + to create a Reel, or access Drafts from the Reels page.
- If there is an available draft, either publish or save the draft again.
Android:
- Tap + to start a Reel.
- Check Drafts at the bottom (which may vary).
- Open Drafts to view and restore.
If Drafts Don’t Appear Try:
- Cloud back-up (iCloud/Google Drive) – when syncing is enabled.
- Check Instagram cache.
- Carefully re-install Instagram.
- In case drafts are actually lost, then employ SocialPave Recovery (Method 2).
Method 4 – Utilize Instagram Data Download
If you do not have a backup, you can request a data archive from Instagram. It will provide information and metadata to search for your deleted data.
Requesting Your Instagram Data Archive
- In Instagram, navigate to the following: Settings > Your Activity > Download Your Information.
- Pick JSON (for detailed data) or HTML (for easy viewing).
- Choose a date range and Request Download.
- Wait for the Instagram Email (Typically Within 48 Hours).
Extraction of Reels from the Data Archive
Videos might not always be included, especially when they are deleted.
- Archive may supply metadata but not necessarily the video.
- It depends on when Reels were removed, if they were removed permanently, Reels will not appear.
- usefulness is moderate and sometimes helpful for metadata but not for the recovery of the video.
- Note: This will frequently obtain the metadata rather than the file itself.
Method 5 – Check Cloud Backups & Device Storage
Before quitting the application, always check the backup. Reels are either stored online or locally.
- iPhone: iCloud Photos: Open Photos and go to Recently Deleted (30-60 days). Locate the Reel, fix it, upload again to Instagram.
- Android: Google Photos: Launch Google Photos and navigate to Trash/Bin. Filter by video. Restore the original Reel and re-upload.
- Local Device Storage: If not in cloud, check:
- Instagram Cache (Android): search for cached videos.
- DCIM: original recordings.
- Third-party Gallery Apps: Any saved Instagram video files.
- File Manager: Search for the general folders DCIM, Downloads, and Instagram.
How to Prevent Losing Reels in the Future
- Archive instead of deleting: Hide Reels while saving them. Click on three dots in a Reel and select Archive.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
- Frequently Backup Your Data: Access data downloads through Settings > Security > Download data.
- Employ Third-Party Backup Applications for added security.
- Monitor Device Storage to avoid automatic deletion based on low storage space.
FAQs About Recovering Deleted Reels
Will I be able to recover after the first 30 days?
Yes, by looking at the device’s memory and the tools provided by Socialpave Recovery. This would need to happen within the first 90 days.
Are Reels removed from Instagram permanently immediately?
They are in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days after which they are removed.
How to recover Drafts on iPhone without backup?
By using Socialpave Recovery, one can scan his/her iPhone for deleted Drafts.
What is the difference between deletion and archiving?
Deletion will remove the data after 30 days, whereas archiving will make it invisible while retaining it on Instagram.
How long are drafts retained?
There isn’t a limit; they are stored locally on your device and may be removed through software changes. Just save to the camera roll or use the Socialpave Recovery if needed.
Can Socialpave Recovery locate Reels without backup?
Yes; it searches your device storage and allows you to view what can be recovered.
It is currently empty because…
…it might be more than 30 days old, app is not updated, or because of policy violation removal. You can try another device or update the app.
Will the likes and views on the restored Reels be preserved?
Only in the case when it’s restored from the “Recently Deleted” or “Archive.” The restored files won’t recover engagement metrics either.
Can you recover posts from other accounts?
No, just your own posts.
What if nothing works?
Make sure to check Recently Deleted, drafts, backups, and a deep scan using Socialpave Recovery. You can also check shared copies in Facebook posts or stories, or check the help guide on recovering deleted messages.