Documents gives you full control over where your files are stored. Since Readdle values your privacy, all files within the app are stored locally on your device by default. If the app is deleted, those files may be lost — unless they were backed up or synced elsewhere.
Step 1: Check the Cloud Storage
You can manually save or sync your files to third-party services (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive). Another great and easy-to-use option is to store your data in iCloud. We have a specific folder for this, Documents in iCloud - these files will be accessible to you in the Files app as well.
If your data was stored on the cloud storage accounts, you will be able to reaccess it once you re-add your connections to Documents: https://support.readdle.com/documents/synchronization/sync-files-using-cloud-storage.
If you didn’t back up or upload your files elsewhere, we unfortunately cannot recover them on our side.
Step 2: Check for a Device Backup
If your iPhone or iPad was backed up before the app was deleted, your files might still be recoverable from that backup.
These are the sources you can use:
- How to restore your device from a backup > https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204184
- How to locate backups of your device > https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204215
This will return your device to its previous state, so be sure to back up your current data first.
Step 3: Use iMazing to Extract Backup Files
To view and possibly retrieve files from a previous backup, we recommend using iMazing:
- Download and install iMazing.
- Follow the steps in their guide: https://imazing.com/guides/how-to-extract-files-and-data-from-an-encrypted-iphone-backup.
Step 4: Need Help?
If you need further assistance or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at rdsupport@readdle.com - we’re happy to help you personally.