[iMore Question]

Ok, so should have backed up BEFORE downloading and installing iOS7 but didn't so I need not know what to do in future. What I need to know is how to bypass having to fully restore the iPhone 4 and erasing all data in order to recover the images stuck in the phone. Thank you.

[Just_Me_D]

Ok, so should have backed up BEFORE downloading and installing iOS7 but didn't so I need not know what to do in future. What I need to know is how to bypass having to fully restore the iPhone 4 and erasing all data in order to recover the images stuck in the phone. Thank you.

Depending on the method you used to install the update, a backup might have been made unknowingly. Having said that, if you had photostream enabled prior to the update then more than likely they will be re-synced to your device afterwards. In the future, get in the habit of creating both an iCloud and an iTunes backup at least weekly. Now to answer your primary question, without having a method to extract the data off the phone while stuck in recovery, there is no way to bypass it - at least not to my knowledge.