# Defending against forensics data recovery -- delete file or restart phone

**URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/defending-against-forensics-data-recovery-delete-file-or-restart-phone/27946
**Category:** Questions
**Created:** 2025-05-31T02:49:48Z
**Posts:** 3
**Showing post:** 2 of 3

## Post 2 by @any1 — 2025-05-31T18:04:13Z

> [@naoyaokamoto](#):
>
> Delete the photo from the Apple Photos app. Then, go in to the Recently Deleted album and delete that photo. Phone is in AFU at time of seizure.

[Deleting specific files does not guarantee that they are not recoverable.](https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2022/05/25/secure-data-erasure/#erasing-specific-files)

> [@naoyaokamoto](#):
>
> Shut down iPhone by pressing and holding side button and either volume button then dragging Power Off slider. Phone is in “Before First Unlock” (BFU) at time of seizure.

If time is very limited, I would always try to achieve BFU state to attain the highest level of security possible, since AFU iPhones have been exploitable in the [not so distant past](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/updated-cellebrite-iphone-support-matrix-leak/19578).

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