Losing precious photos from your Samsung Galaxy can be a heart-stopping moment. Whether it was accidental deletion, a software glitch, or any unforeseen issue, the good news is that recovering these memories is often possible. This guide will walk you through various proven methods to retrieve deleted photos on your Samsung phone, ensuring you have the best chance of getting your valuable images back. These techniques are applicable across a wide range of Samsung devices, including the latest Samsung Galaxy S24, S23, S series, Note series, A series, and older models as well.
For the highest chance of successful photo recovery, acting swiftly is key. The sooner you start the recovery process, the better your odds of restoring all your lost photos. Let’s explore the different methods available.
Retrieving Deleted Photos from Samsung Cloud Services
One of the most convenient ways to recover deleted photos on a Samsung Galaxy is through cloud services. These services not only back up your photos but also allow for easy restoration, even if your device is lost or damaged. We’ll explore several popular cloud options that Samsung users commonly utilize. For optimal results, we recommend performing these recovery steps on a computer with a stable internet connection.
Method 1: Recovering Photos from Samsung Cloud Backup
Samsung Galaxy devices come equipped with Samsung Cloud, a native service designed to back up your data, including photos. If you had the Auto Sync feature enabled for your Gallery, your photos are likely stored in Samsung Cloud and can be easily retrieved.
Note: This method is contingent on having the Gallery’s Auto Sync feature activated prior to photo deletion. If this feature was off, your photos were not backed up to Samsung Cloud.
Here’s how to retrieve deleted photos from Samsung Cloud:
- Navigate to the Samsung Cloud website using a web browser.
- Log in to your Samsung account credentials.
Samsung Cloud Login for photo recovery - Once logged in, select Gallery.
- Choose the photos you wish to recover individually, or select All to recover all backed-up photos.
- Click the Download icon, typically located in the upper right corner, to begin the download process.
Method 2: Restoring Photos from Google Photos
Google Photos stands out as a widely-used cloud backup service compatible with all Samsung devices. It offers free unlimited storage at a slightly reduced resolution (up to 16MP), making it a popular choice. Photos backed up to Google Photos can be recovered directly from the Android app or through the web interface.
Note: While the mobile app recovers photos one at a time, the web version allows for batch downloading, which is more efficient for recovering multiple photos.
Steps to retrieve photos from Google Photos:
- Access Google Photos in your web browser.
- Sign in using your Google account.
Google Photos Login for Samsung Photo Recovery - Hover over each photo you intend to recover and click the checkmark icon that appears in the top-left corner of the thumbnail.
- Click the three-dot menu (More options) typically found in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Select Download to save the selected photos to your computer.
Download photos from Google Photos on PC
Method 3: Retrieving Photos from Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive is another robust cloud service, particularly beneficial for Windows users. If you’ve enabled automatic photo and video backups to OneDrive on your Samsung device, your deleted photos might be readily available in the cloud. If you use OneDrive on your computer, the photos might already be synced there, simplifying the recovery process.
Here’s how to recover photos from Microsoft OneDrive:
- Open the OneDrive application, or go to OneDrive website.
- Navigate to the Photos section, usually located at the bottom of the app interface.
- Select all the photos you wish to recover.
- Tap the three-dot menu (More options) in the upper-right corner.
- Choose the Save option to download the photos back to your device or computer.
Save photos from OneDrive on Android
Method 4: Recovering Photos from Dropbox
Dropbox, while offering less free storage than some competitors, remains a popular choice for Samsung users seeking a reliable cloud backup solution, especially as an alternative to Samsung Cloud.
To recover photos from Dropbox, follow these steps:
- Launch the Dropbox application or visit the Dropbox website.
- Go to the Photos folder within your Dropbox account.
- Select the photos you intend to retrieve.
- Tap the three-dot menu (More options).
- Choose Save to Device to download the photos onto your Samsung Galaxy.
Dropbox Android app save to device option
Method 5: Restoring Photos from Google Drive
Before Google Photos became the primary photo storage service, Google Drive offered photo backup capabilities. If you were using Google Drive for photo backups before July 2019, your photos might still be there. While Google has transitioned photo backups to Google Photos, previously backed-up photos remain in Google Drive and can be recovered.
Note: Google Drive app allows for multiple photo downloads, but the web version is still recommended for broader device accessibility.
Steps to recover photos from Google Drive:
- Open Google Drive in your web browser.
- Locate the folder containing your photos.
- Press and hold the CTRL key (or Command key on Mac) and click on each photo you wish to recover to select multiple images.
- Click the three-dot menu (More actions), usually positioned on the right side of the top menu bar.
- Select Download to recover the selected photos.
Download photos from Google Drive website
Recovering Deleted Photos from Samsung Galaxy Internal Memory
It’s crucial to understand the distinction between photos disappearing from the Gallery app and actual photo deletion. Often, photos may seem lost from the Gallery but are still present in the phone’s internal memory. In such cases, recovery can be straightforward.
To recover photos directly from the internal phone memory:
- Download and install SideSync on your computer.
- Ensure both your computer and Samsung Galaxy device are on the same Wi-Fi network, or connect via a USB cable.
SideSync connection setup for Samsung devices - Launch SideSync on your computer.
- Select My Files from the SideSync toolbar.
- Navigate to the Images folder and check for your deleted photos. If not found there, explore Device storage and check relevant folders individually.
- Drag the photos you wish to restore to your computer desktop.
Recovering photos using SideSync My Files
How to Recover Photos from Samsung Recycle Bin (Trash Folder)
The Samsung Gallery app features a Recycle bin (sometimes called Trash) that acts as a temporary holding place for deleted photos. Photos remain in this folder for up to 30 days before permanent deletion.
To recover photos from the Recycle bin folder:
- Open the Samsung Gallery app.
- Tap the three vertical dots menu, usually found in the Pictures section.
- Select Recycle bin (or Trash) to access the folder.
Select Recycle Bin option in Samsung Gallery app - Select the photos you want to recover.
- Tap the Restore button to move the photos back to your Gallery.
Restore images from Recycle Bin in Samsung Gallery
Recovering Permanently Deleted Photos from Samsung Galaxy SD Card
If your photos are no longer in the Recycle bin or were permanently deleted from your SD card, you’ll need specialized photo recovery software. For this, we recommend using data recovery software designed for Mac and Windows.
Method 1: Using Photo Recovery Software for Mac
Disk Drill is a powerful data recovery software for Mac that can recover deleted photos from Samsung Galaxy internal storage (from version 3 onwards). It efficiently recovers various image formats including JPG, PNG, GIF, and TIFF.
Steps to recover deleted photos with Disk Drill for Mac:
- Download Disk Drill for Mac and install the application.
Free Download - Connect your Samsung Galaxy to your Mac via USB and allow Disk Drill access to your device.
Connect Samsung device to Mac for photo recovery - Grant Disk Drill full access to your device. Note that for deep scans on non-rooted devices, rooting may be required. Instructions for rooting can be found here.
Grant Disk Drill access to Samsung device - Launch Disk Drill, navigate to Android Devices, and select your Samsung device to scan.
Select Samsung phone for scanning in Disk Drill - Preview the found photos and select those for recovery.
- Click Recover and choose a destination on your Mac to save the recovered photos.
Choose recovery destination in Disk Drill
Method 2: Using Photo Recovery Software for Windows
While the Windows version of Disk Drill cannot directly recover from Android internal storage, it can recover photos from the SD card of your Samsung Galaxy.
Steps to recover deleted photos with Disk Drill for Windows:
- Download and install Disk Drill for Windows.
- Remove the SD card from your Samsung phone and connect it to your PC using a memory card reader.
- Launch Disk Drill for Windows and click Recover next to your SD card. Wait for the scan to complete.
Select SD card for recovery in Disk Drill for Windows - Use the Preview feature to select photos for recovery.
Previewing recoverable photos in Disk Drill for Windows - Click Recover and choose a location to save the recovered photos.
- Click OK to start the recovery process.
Choose recovery destination in Disk Drill for Windows
Alternatively, for Windows users without a card reader, Wondershare dr.fone is another option. It supports data recovery from over 6,000 Android devices, including Samsung Galaxy models.
Recovering Deleted Photos from Samsung Using an Android App
DiskDigger is a mobile app for Android that can recover photos directly from your Samsung Galaxy. The free version recovers photos and videos on devices running Android 2.2 and above. The Pro version offers broader file format recovery and deep scanning capabilities.
To recover deleted photos using DiskDigger app:
- Download DiskDigger from the Google Play Store.
- Tap Start Basic Photo Scan.
- Select the photos you want to recover and tap Recover.
- Choose one of the three recovery options to save your photos.
DiskDigger Android app recovery options
Tips to Prevent Future Photo Loss on Samsung Galaxy
While photo recovery is possible, preventing data loss is always better. Here are essential tips to safeguard your photos on your Samsung Galaxy:
- Synchronize with your computer: Use Samsung SideSync or Samsung DeX to regularly back up photos to your computer.
- Use a memory card: Store photos on a memory card as an additional backup method.
- Enable automatic phone backups: Activate Android’s built-in backup feature in Settings > Backup & reset to back up data to Google Drive.
- Back up to the cloud: Utilize cloud services like Samsung Cloud, Google Photos, Dropbox, or OneDrive for automatic photo backups.
Summary
Retrieving deleted photos on a Samsung Galaxy is achievable through various methods, from cloud backups and recycle bins to specialized recovery software and apps. Services like Samsung Cloud and Google Photos provide easy recovery if backups are enabled. For permanently deleted photos, tools like Disk Drill and DiskDigger offer robust recovery options. Acting quickly and implementing proactive backup strategies are vital for ensuring your photos are safe and recoverable.
FAQ
How do I recover permanently deleted photos from my Samsung?
To recover permanently deleted photos, use photo recovery software like Disk Drill for Mac. Download and install Disk Drill, connect your Samsung device, allow access, scan, preview, and recover your photos. Rooting your device might be necessary for deep scans.
Can I retrieve deleted photos on Samsung?
Yes, recently deleted photos (within 15 days) are in the Gallery app’s Recycle bin. For photos deleted longer ago, use photo recovery software like Disk Drill or cloud backups.
Where is the recycle bin on a Samsung Galaxy?
The Recycle bin (Trash) is in the Samsung Gallery app. Tap the three-dot menu in the Pictures tab and select Recycle bin. Items are permanently deleted after 15 days.
How can I retrieve deleted photos from my Samsung phone without a computer?
Use Samsung Cloud. Log in to Samsung Cloud via a web browser, select Gallery, choose photos, and download them.
Where do deleted photos go on Samsung?
Deleted photos initially go to the Trash section in the Gallery app, where they are stored for 15 days before permanent deletion.
