Whether you're snapping photos for fun or clicking some of the most precious memories of your life, keeping them safe is a must if you value them. But, what if you have accidentally or inadvertently deleted them? Can they be recovered? Yes, you can! In this tutorial, we will explore some of the best ways to recover deleted photos on an Android phone. Some of these methods can be completed using Android default features and apps, while others may require a third-arty application. Whatever the case, the end goal is to recover a deleted photo. So, grab your phone and start the recovery process.
Remember, if the photos you want to recover were purged a long time ago and your phone's storage is regularly used up to its limit, recovery may not be possible at all. A lot of free space helps!
The location of deleted photos (internal storage or an SD card) doesn't matter. If the storage is accessible by Android, all of the methods discussed below will work without any issues. Let's get started!
1. Check Google Photos Trash (Recycle Bin)
This option only works for users who are using the Google Photos app to manage all their snaps. Whenever you delete a photo through this app, it is sent to its trash bin.
Here, the photo is kept for at least 60 days before purging it permanently.
To recover a photo through Google Photos, go to the Collections tab. Here you'll find the Trash option.
Click it to enter the trash bin where you can find all the deleted photos. Simply tap on the photos you want to recover and press the Restore button at the bottom. Remember, the photos will be restored to the same location from where they were deleted.
2. Check the "Recently Deleted" Folder in the Gallery App
If you're using a gallery app, a recovery option is available there as well. No matter if the app is provided by your phone's brand or you're using the one built by Google, the photo recovery process is more or less the same.
You can access the recovery option by either going into the Albums or by clicking the three dots of the dropdown menu. Here, you'll either find the Recently Deleted or the Trash option.
Click it and you'll get the Restore button. Simply, select the photos you want to recover and press the Restore button. Most gallery apps keep the deleted photos for up to 30 days before deleting them permanently.
3. Use a File Manager App
The advantage of using a phone's built-in file manager app is that it not only provides a recovery option but also provides access to folders—that apps generally cannot access.
Most file managers have a Recently Deleted option where all the deleted files are stored before they're purged after 30 days. Access it to recover your deleted photos. In most cases, the deleted files are stored in separate folders based on file type.
Similarly, the DCIM folder in your phone's storage is where you find several types of deleted files. There's no harm once browsing this folder as well.
If you are using a dedicated photo backup application, using a file manager can give you direct access to the backup folder which in turn can be used to move the desired photos to their original location.
4. Use Data Recovery Software
What if the photos from the Recently Deleted and Trash folders have been permanently deleted? Here's where data recovery applications come in handy. I've picked the best one available for Android phones.
DiskDigger Photo Recovery
It's one of the most stable and reliable photo recovery apps. Even without rooting, it is able to search a large number of recoverable files, if available.
The scan time may last a few minutes if the number of files is large. So, be patient while it's scanning the entire storage. Its major features are:
- Run a limited or basic scan (non-rooted devices) or a full scan (rooted devices) to search for files.
- Recover to local storage, to an app (Google Drive, WhatsApp, etc), or an FTP/SFTP server.
- Both the local storage as well as an SD card can be scanned by this recovery app.
5. Enable Google Drive Backups for Future Recovery
Now that you're learning different ways to recover photos on Android, why not take a precautionary measure to automate photo backups to avert such situations in the first place?
And for that, we'll use Google Drive. Configuring this backup system is dead simple. Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Open the Google Photos app and go to its Settings menu.
Step 2: Select the Backup option and switch it on using the toggle button.
Step 3:Scroll down and select the Backup device folders option. Here, you can select the folders you want to backup.
And, that's it! From now on, the photos or files in the selected folders will be automatically backed up in your Google Drive account.
6. Avoid Taking New Photos Immediately After Deletion
If possible, do not take new photos or save big files immediately after deleting a photo—accidentally. First start the recovery process to increase the chances of success.
Immediately adding new files to the device after photo deletion may result in permanent photo loss as new data may get overwritten on the deleted photo data.
Final Thoughts
Recovering deleted photos on Android can range from a simple check of the trash folder to using third-party recovery software. Whether or not your photos are recoverable often depends on how quickly you act and how well you’ve backed up your files.
To avoid future data loss, consider using a cloud backup solution like Google Photos or Google Drive, and enable automatic syncing. This way, even if you accidentally delete a photo from your device, you’ll have a backup waiting in the cloud.
Happy recovering, and may you never lose a treasured memory again!
