Security camera recordings were deleted: can they be recovered?

What actually happens when a camera recording is deleted?

When a recorder deletes a recording, it usually does not destroy the footage itself right away. It removes it from the recording list on the disk and marks that area as 'free'. The footage can remain on the disk until a new recording is written to that area. If the situation is important and critical, you can send us your security camera recorder's disk for professional work in which we can reach even the smallest data remnants.

Switching the device off without delay is the step that affects the outcome the most.

How might the recordings have been deleted?

• Someone deleted the recordings manually from the device menu
• The disk was full, so the device wrote over the oldest recordings (loop recording)
• The disk had to be formatted, 'initialized' or reset to factory settings
• The device failed, was replaced or the disk was put into another device, and the recordings do not show in the list
• The IP camera's memory card was formatted or the camera reinitialized the card

Which of these happened affects both the method and the outcome. In the first conversation, it is enough to tell us what happened as far as you know.

When are the recordings most likely not to come back?

When other recordings are written over the deleted area, skipped sectors and sectors with no new data written to them can be left in between. Without carrying out data recovery work, it cannot be known how much remnant data is left on that disk or what can be recovered. If data has been written completely over it, recovery is not possible. Not seeing the video does not mean other data has been written over it. Which sectors the new videos were written over, and whether remnants were left in between, also cannot be known without doing the work.

The longer the device runs after the deletion, the lower the chance of recovery. Even so, data recovery work may make it possible to reach data from very old dates. If recovering data from security cameras were not possible, the professional tools used by law enforcement would not exist either. We have these tools too, from many different manufacturers and built solely for recovering security camera recordings, and we carry out our work with them.

If the disk is also physically faulty, the job becomes harder, because the disk first has to go through a physical data recovery process so that the data becomes readable.

What should you do based on the symptom?

Situation	Possible outcome	What should you do?
Recordings were deleted manually from the menu and the device was switched off shortly after	Most of the recordings may still be on the disk	Keep the device off and call us
After the deletion the device kept recording for days	Some of the old recordings may have been overwritten	Have an analysis done anyway; how much is left can only be seen from the disk
The disk was formatted or 'initialized'	The structure of the recordings may be damaged, but the data may still be on the disk	Bring the device without touching it
The memory card was formatted	Depending on how often the card was used, recordings may remain	Do not let new recordings be written to the card; remove it and bring it to us
The device will not turn on and the recordings were also deleted	A disk failure and a deletion problem may exist together	Do not take it apart yourself; bring the device as it is

Will a recovery program do the job?

General programs made for computers mostly look for photos, documents and standard video files. Camera recorders often store footage in the manufacturer's own format, and the program may not recognise these recordings. On top of that, installing the program or running a scan writes to the disk and puts the deleted area at risk.

If the recorder's disk also has a mechanical problem, scanning can make the fault worse. In that case it is safer to have an analysis done before putting strain on the disk.

What is done in the lab?

First we look at the condition of the disk. If the disk is intact, we take a copy of the whole disk and carry out the work on the copy, so the original disk is not damaged. If the disk is physically faulty, it is opened in a Class 100 (ISO 5) clean environment and copied to a healthy disk.

On the copy, we try to decode the recording format and separate the deleted recordings by camera, date and time. After the analysis we tell you in writing what can be recovered.

Related pages

• Security camera recorder is broken
• Corrupted security camera video
• My files were deleted: can they come back?
• The first 10 minutes after data loss
• Data recovery by courier

How long does it take and how much does it cost?

Standard jobs take 10 business days on average, urgent jobs 24 business hours on average. The actual time depends on the type of fault, sourcing the parts needed and the capacity of the disk. Some jobs are completed within a few hours, while others can take months.

The price depends on the type of fault, the parts needed and the time the work takes. After the analysis we send you the exact price in writing. If you do not accept the quote, you get your device back without paying. Not every case falls within the free analysis scope. For requests outside the free analysis scope, you receive written information about the analysis fee before any work begins. For details, see what determines the price and how long it takes.

Can the data always be recovered?

No, not in every case. If new recordings have been written over the deleted area, that footage will not come back. Whether the new recordings were made exactly over the sectors holding the old recordings, and whether any remnants are left, cannot be known without an analysis. If the disk is badly damaged, some or all of the recordings may not be recoverable. We cannot know the outcome without carrying out an analysis. After the analysis, you will be informed about the situation.

Frequently asked questions

After how many days does a deleted camera recording become unrecoverable?

There is no set number of days. It depends on the device's disk size, the number of cameras and how long the device ran after the deletion. If the device has been switched off, the clock stops; if it stayed on, new recordings are written over old areas every day, but remnants may still be left.

How can I tell whether the device deleted the recordings or I did?

The menu can show whether the device uses loop recording and deletes the oldest recordings when the disk is full. Even so, rather than browsing the menu, we recommend switching the device off and bringing it in for analysis, because we can read the situation more clearly from the disk.

Can recordings deleted from a memory card be recovered?

If no new recordings have been written to the card, some of them can be recovered. If the card is still in the camera and it is recording, remove the card immediately and bring it to us.

Do I pay anything if I don't accept the quote?

No. The analysis fee is communicated in writing at the start; if you do not accept the quote, no work begins.

Let's assess your situation together: call 0212 909 56 19 or write to us on WhatsApp. See our contact page for the address and opening hours.