Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery Alternatives: When It Works and When It Doesn’t

Fast Fixes with Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery for Deleted Contacts & NotesLosing contacts or notes on your iPad is stressful — especially when you need important phone numbers, business contacts, or reminders fast. Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery (also called UltData for iOS in some versions) presents itself as a tool designed to recover deleted data quickly and with a minimum of technical fuss. This article walks through what the software does, when it’s useful, step-by-step quick fixes for recovering contacts and notes, tips to improve success rates, limitations and risks, and alternatives you should consider.

What Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery is and when to use it

Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery is desktop software (Windows and macOS) that claims to retrieve lost or deleted files from iOS devices by scanning the device directly, extracting data from an iTunes/Finder backup, or pulling data from an iCloud backup. It targets common data types such as contacts, notes, photos, messages, call history, and more.

Use it when:

• You accidentally deleted contacts or notes and don’t have a recent cloud sync or backup.
• Your iPad is physically working but data has been removed.
• You prefer a tool that performs a direct device scan rather than only relying on backups.

Do not expect guaranteed recovery — success depends on whether deleted data has been overwritten and on whether backups exist.

Preparations before attempting recovery

• Stop using the iPad: Continued use writes new data to storage and can overwrite deleted items, reducing recovery chances.
• Charge the device: Ensure the iPad has enough battery or is connected to power during the process.
• Install the desktop app: Download and install the official Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery (UltData for iOS) from Tenorshare’s site on a trusted Windows or macOS machine.
• Have account credentials ready: If you’ll check iCloud backups, know your Apple ID and password (and be ready for two-factor authentication).
• Make a fresh local backup: If possible, create a non-encrypted iTunes/Finder backup now — this preserves current state before attempting any recovery. (Tenorshare can read backups, and having one avoids additional changes.)

Quick step-by-step: Recovering deleted contacts

1. Connect and select mode

   • Launch Tenorshare on your computer. Connect the iPad with a USB cable. From the app’s main screen choose the recovery mode: “Recover from iOS Device” for direct scans, or choose “Recover from iTunes Backup” / “Recover from iCloud” if you have backups.

2. Scan the device or backup

   • For direct device scans, start the scan and wait. For backups, select the correct backup file or sign into iCloud and let the tool list available backups. Scanning time varies with data size.

3. Filter to contacts

   • Once scanning finishes, use the app’s category filters to show Contacts only. This speeds review and reduces noise.

4. Preview results

   • The app shows recoverable contact entries — names, phone numbers, emails. Preview to confirm which items are the deleted ones you need.

5. Recover and export

   • Select the desired contacts and click Recover. Tenorshare typically offers options to restore contacts back to the device or export them as vCard/CSV to your computer. Export as vCard if you want to import into Contacts app later.

6. Import to iPad (if exported)

   • If you exported a vCard, email it to an account on the iPad or use iCloud Contacts import on iCloud.com to merge them back into your Contacts.

Quick step-by-step: Recovering deleted notes

1. Choose recovery mode

   • As with contacts, choose “Recover from iOS Device,” “Recover from iTunes Backup,” or “Recover from iCloud.”

2. Scan and filter to Notes

   • Run the scan. After completion, filter results to Notes.

3. Preview note content

   • Many recovered notes are presented with their content and timestamps. Verify which ones you want.

4. Recover and save

   • Select notes and click Recover. Tenorshare usually lets you save notes to your computer as readable files. Some versions allow restoring notes back to the device, but exporting is the safer initial approach.

5. Re-import notes

   • To return notes to the iPad, copy the recovered text into the Apple Notes app manually or use compatible import methods (e.g., sync via iCloud, or paste into a new note).

Tips to maximize recovery success

• Act quickly — the sooner you attempt recovery after deletion, the higher the chance items are intact.
• Prefer scanning backups first if they exist; backups often contain older data that’s not yet overwritten.
• If iCloud sync was enabled, check iCloud.com Contacts and Notes before using recovery software — the deleted items might be in “Recently Deleted” there.
• Use a high-quality, original or certified cable to avoid disconnections during scanning.
• If Tenorshare finds many recoverable items, export them to standard formats (vCard for contacts, .txt/.html for notes) so you keep data even if subsequent steps fail.
• Consider trying the software’s free trial to preview recoverable items before purchasing a license.

Limitations, risks, and things to watch for

• No guaranteed recovery: If the storage sectors where deleted data lived have been overwritten, recovery is impossible.
• iOS system updates and encryption: Encrypted backups or newer iOS security features can limit what third‑party tools can extract.
• Privacy and trust: You’ll be providing Apple credentials if you want to access iCloud backups; ensure you download the official Tenorshare release and verify checksums where available.
• Cost: Full recovery often requires purchasing a license; trial versions typically only preview recoverable items.
• False positives or duplicates: Recovered items may include duplicates or partial records; review carefully before importing back to avoid clutter.

Alternatives and complementary approaches

• Check iCloud.com > Contacts and Notes and the “Recently Deleted” folder first — often the fastest solution.
• Restore from an iTunes/Finder backup (full device restore) if you have a dated backup that definitely contains the missing items — this returns the whole device state to that backup’s date.
• Use Apple Support and Genius Bar if the data is critical and hardware issues complicate recovery.
• Other third-party recovery tools (Dr.Fone, iMobie PhoneRescue) offer similar features; compare free previews and supported file types.

Comparison of common recovery approaches:

Final practical checklist

• Stop using the iPad immediately.
• Try iCloud Recently Deleted and iCloud.com first.
• Make a fresh local backup (iTunes/Finder) if possible.
• Use Tenorshare’s free scan/preview to see recoverable contacts and notes.
• Export recovered items to vCard/text before attempting restores.
• Restore/import recovered data carefully to avoid duplicates.

Tenorshare iPad Data Recovery can be a helpful, relatively quick option for retrieving deleted contacts and notes, especially when backups aren’t available. It’s most effective when used promptly, combined with safe export practices, and after checking native iCloud recovery options.