Accidentally deleting precious photos on your Android phone can be a heart-stopping moment. Whether it’s a cherished family memory, an important document, or a stunning landscape shot, the thought of losing these digital treasures can be distressing. Fortunately, recovering deleted photos on Android is often possible, and in many cases, quite straightforward.
This comprehensive guide, brought to you by the experts at dfphoto.net, will walk you through the most effective methods to recover deleted photos Android. We understand the panic that sets in when you realize your photos are gone, and we’re here to provide you with the knowledge and tools to get them back. From recently deleted images to those seemingly lost forever, we’ll explore various techniques compatible with virtually all Android devices, from Samsung to Google Pixel, Xiaomi to OnePlus, and address a wide range of photo loss scenarios.
Understanding Android Photo Recovery: Is It Really Possible?
Just like any other type of file on your phone, deleted photos aren’t immediately and permanently erased from your device’s storage. Think of deletion more like moving an item to a temporary holding space rather than shredding it to bits. As we discussed in our previous article on recovering deleted files on Android, the underlying principle for photo recovery is similar. The key is to act quickly and understand the storage mechanisms at play.
However, Android’s security architecture does add a layer of complexity. For security and privacy reasons, the Android operating system restricts direct access to the device’s storage. This means that while photo recovery is generally achievable, the success rate and ease of recovery can be influenced by factors like whether your device is rooted or not.
The Role of Rooting in Android Photo Recovery
Rooting your Android device is akin to gaining administrative privileges on a computer. With root access, data recovery applications gain significantly enhanced capabilities. Root access essentially grants unrestricted access to your phone’s entire file system. On a rooted Android device, specialized data recovery tools can perform deep scans of every sector of your storage, drastically increasing the chances of successfully restoring deleted pictures on your Android device.
It’s crucial to understand that rooting your phone after photo deletion is generally not recommended for recovery purposes. The rooting process itself involves writing new data to your phone’s storage, which could potentially overwrite the very deleted photos you are trying to recover, making the process futile.
The Impact of TRIM on Deleted Photo Recovery
Time is of the essence when it comes to Android photo recovery. Modern smartphones utilize flash storage, which relies on a technology called TRIM to optimize performance and longevity. TRIM’s function is to periodically “clean up” the storage by identifying and erasing data blocks marked as deleted.
TRIM operations typically occur automatically in the background – for example, after a certain period of inactivity, during system updates, or after a device reboot. When TRIM runs, it can physically overwrite the data associated with your deleted photos, effectively eliminating the possibility of recovering them. Therefore, the sooner you initiate the recovery process after realizing your photos are missing, the higher your chances of success in getting every deleted picture back on Android.
Common Scenarios and Recovery Solutions
Different situations call for different recovery approaches. Here are some typical scenarios of photo loss and the recommended solutions:
Scenario 1: Accidental Recent Deletion
- Solution:
- Check the Trash/Recycle Bin: Many apps and Android systems have temporary trash folders.
- SD Card Scan with Disk Drill: If photos were on an SD card.
- DiskDigger App: For on-device recovery.
Scenario 2: Permanently Deleted Photos from Phone Memory
- Solution:
- DiskDigger App: Attempts deep scan of internal memory.
- SD Card Scan with Disk Drill: If some photos were on SD card.
- Google Drive Recovery: If photos were backed up to Google Drive.
Scenario 3: Permanently Deleted Photos from SD Card
- Solution:
- SD Card Scan with Disk Drill: Powerful PC-based recovery.
- DiskDigger App: Android app for SD card recovery.
Scenario 4: Unknown Photo Loss
- Solution:
- Check the Trash/Recycle Bin: First and easiest step.
- Google Photos Gallery Check: See if photos are backed up in Google Photos.
- DiskDigger App: For a comprehensive device scan.
Scenario 5: Factory Reset/Phone Reflash
- Solution:
- SD Card Scan with Disk Drill: Focus on external storage.
- Google Photos Gallery Check: Essential if backups were enabled.
- Google Drive Recovery: If Google Drive backup was used.
Step-by-Step Methods to Retrieve Deleted Photos on Android
Now, let’s dive into the practical methods you can use to retrieve photos deleted from an Android phone. We’ll cover the most effective solutions for common data loss situations, applicable to any Android device and using both Android apps and Windows PC tools.
For Mac users, we also have a dedicated guide on Android data recovery on Macs.
If you are seeking a broader range of recovery app options, our article on the best Android data recovery software provides a comprehensive overview. Many of these tools can even recover deleted photos from mobile devices without requiring backups or root access.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Photos from Android Memory Card Using Disk Drill
Disk Drill consistently ranks as a top-tier data recovery application. Its reputation is built upon its strong performance, user-friendly interface, and comprehensive feature set.
We recommend Disk Drill not only for its effectiveness and ease of use but also for its extensive file format support. It recognizes and recovers over a hundred different image, photo, and graphic formats, ensuring a high chance of recovering your lost memories.
Another key advantage of Disk Drill, especially for Android photo recovery, is its broad compatibility with various SD card types commonly used in smartphones. Whether your SD card is from SanDisk, Transcend, Lexar, Kingston, or any other manufacturer, Disk Drill can detect it as long as your computer can. This allows you to effectively retrieve photos deleted from your phone that were stored on the SD card.
For a more in-depth look at this powerful tool, read our detailed review of Disk Drill.
Important Note: Disk Drill can only scan the external SD card of your Android phone by directly connecting the card to your computer. You will need to remove the SD card from your phone and use an SD card reader if your computer lacks a built-in card slot.
Follow these steps to recover deleted photos from your Android SD card using Disk Drill on your computer:
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Connect and Select SD Card: Safely connect your Android phone’s SD card to your computer using an SD card reader. Download Disk Drill from the official website, install it, and launch the application. In Disk Drill, select your SD card from the list of Device/Disk options and click Search for lost data.
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Initiate Scan: Disk Drill will begin scanning your SD card for lost data. While you can monitor the progress and even preview found files during the scan, it’s recommended to allow the scan to complete fully. This ensures Disk Drill can identify and recover the maximum number of recoverable files.
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Review Scan Results: Once the scan is complete, Disk Drill will display a notification. Click on Review found items located in the top right corner of the Disk Drill window to proceed to the file review stage.
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Filter and Locate Photos: Disk Drill can often find a large number of files, making it challenging to locate your deleted photos manually. Utilize Disk Drill’s categories (located on the left sidebar) and filters (above the file list) to efficiently narrow down the results and find your photos. You can filter by file type (e.g., images, photos) and date to speed up the process.
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Select and Recover: Once you have located the photos you wish to recover, place a checkmark next to each file to select them for recovery. After selecting all desired photos and any other files, click the Recover button at the bottom right of the Disk Drill window.
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Choose Recovery Location: Disk Drill will prompt you to select a location to save the recovered files. Crucially, choose a location on a different drive than the SD card you are recovering from. This prevents data overwriting and ensures a successful recovery. Click Next to proceed.
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Complete Recovery and Review: Disk Drill will proceed with the data recovery process. Upon completion, it will display a confirmation message summarizing the recovery results. You can click on Show recovered data in Explorer to open File Explorer (or Finder on Mac) and view your recovered photos.
For alternative solutions to Disk Drill for recovering deleted photos from your phone’s SD card, please refer to our guide on how to recover deleted photos from SD cards on PC, Mac, and Android. If you are facing a more complex situation like recovering files from a formatted SD card, our article on how to recover files from formatted SD cards on Android can provide further assistance.
Method 2: Recover Lost Photos from Phone’s Internal Memory Using DiskDigger
While Disk Drill excels at SD card recovery, it cannot directly access the internal storage of most Android phones due to Android’s security restrictions. This is where mobile-first apps like DiskDigger come into play.
We have previously reviewed the PC version of DiskDigger. However, DiskDigger also offers a dedicated Android app available on the Google Play Store. This mobile version runs directly on your Android device and is capable of searching for deleted photos in both the phone’s internal memory and external SD card.
For optimal recovery results with DiskDigger on Android, it is highly recommended that your phone is rooted. If your device is not rooted, DiskDigger can still attempt to recover photos, but it will be limited to a basic scan mode. In unrooted mode, recovered photos may be of lower resolution or smaller size compared to their originals.
To recover recently deleted photos on your Android device directly using the DiskDigger app:
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Install DiskDigger: Open the Play Store app on your Android phone and search for “DiskDigger”. Install the DiskDigger app.
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Grant Permissions: When prompted upon launching DiskDigger, allow the app to access your device’s photos, media, and files. This permission is essential for DiskDigger to scan your storage for deleted photos.
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Start Basic Photo Search: Tap on the Start Basic Photo Search button. DiskDigger will begin scanning your device’s storage for recoverable photos. If your device is rooted, you will have the option for a “Full Scan” which is more thorough.
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Select Photos and Recover: As DiskDigger scans, it will display thumbnails of found photos. Place a checkmark on the photos you wish to recover. Once you have selected all desired photos, tap on the Recover button.
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Choose Recovery Method: DiskDigger will ask you to select a method for recovering the files. You will typically have options to save the recovered photos to a folder on your device, upload them to cloud storage (like Dropbox or Google Drive), or send them via email or FTP.
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Complete Recovery: If you choose to save to an app (like email in our example), DiskDigger will prompt you to select the app to forward the files to. For email, you would then compose an email with the recovered photos attached and send it to yourself or another account. Alternatively, you can save directly to a cloud storage service or a local folder on your phone.
DiskDigger is a highly effective native Android app for recovering deleted photos, but there are other excellent alternatives. For more choices, explore our article on the best SD card recovery apps for Android.
Method 3: Restore Pictures from the Files App Trash Folder
Unlike traditional desktop operating systems, Android does not have a system-wide Recycle Bin or Trash folder enabled by default. However, many file management apps and certain system apps do incorporate their own trash functionalities. Google’s Files app is a prime example.
Files by Google is a versatile file manager pre-installed on many modern Android devices and available for free download on the Play Store. If you accidentally deleted photos using the Files app, there’s a good chance they are temporarily stored in its Trash folder, making recovery very simple.
To recover recently deleted photos on Android using the Files by Google app:
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Open Files App Menu: Launch the Files app on your Android device. Tap on the three horizontal lines (burger icon) located in the top left corner of the screen. Alternatively, you can swipe from the left edge of the screen inwards to open the Files app menu.
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Access Trash Folder: In the Files app menu, tap on the Trash option. This will take you to the Trash folder, which contains files recently deleted through the Files app.
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Locate Deleted Photos: Scroll through the contents of the Trash folder to find your accidentally deleted photos. Files are typically displayed in chronological order of deletion.
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Select Photos for Restore: Place a checkmark in the circle to the right of each photo you want to recover. This selects the photos for restoration.
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Restore Photos: Once you have selected all the photos you want to recover, tap the Restore button located at the bottom of the screen. This will immediately move the selected photos out of the Trash folder and back to their original locations on your device.
Method 4: Retrieve Photos from the Google Photos App Trash
Google Photos is often the default gallery app on Android devices and a popular choice for photo management and backup. If you use Google Photos and deleted your pictures through this app, it conveniently provides its own Trash folder for temporary storage of deleted items.
To recover deleted photos from Google Photos’ Trash folder:
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Open Google Photos and Access Trash: Launch the Google Photos app on your Android phone. Look for the shortcuts or tabs at the top of the screen, typically above your photo library. Tap on Trash. (In some versions, it may be under “Library” then “Trash”).
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Select Photos for Recovery: In the Trash folder, you will see photos you’ve deleted within the last 30-60 days (retention period may vary). Place a checkmark on each photo you want to recover. After selecting the desired photos, tap Restore at the bottom right corner of the screen.
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Confirm Restore: A confirmation prompt will appear asking you to confirm that you want to restore the selected photos. Tap the Restore prompt to proceed with the recovery and move the photos back to your Google Photos library.
Method 5: Recover Deleted Pictures from Google Drive
If you utilize Google Drive for cloud storage and photo backup, and your deleted photos were synced to Google Drive, you have another avenue for recovery. Even if the photos are no longer on your phone, they may still be available in your Google Drive account’s online storage.
To recover deleted pictures from Google Drive:
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Check Google Drive Contents: Open the Google Drive app on your Android device and initially check your main “My Drive” area. See if your missing photos are readily visible amongst your files and folders.
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Access Google Drive Trash: If you don’t see your photos in your main Drive area, tap the three horizontal lines (burger icon) in the top left corner or swipe from the left edge of the screen to open the Google Drive menu. Select Trash from the menu options.
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Locate and Select Photos in Trash: Browse through the files in the Google Drive Trash folder to locate your lost photos. To select photos for recovery, tap and hold on each photo you want to restore. This will activate selection mode, allowing you to select multiple files.
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Restore Photos from Trash: With all the photos you intend to recover selected, tap the three dots icon (More options) located in the top right corner of the screen. From the options menu that appears, select Restore. This action will remove the selected photos from the Trash and make them accessible again in their original locations within your Google Drive.
Important Time Limit: Keep in mind that Google Drive, by default, retains deleted files in the Trash folder for a limited period, typically 30 days. It’s crucial to act promptly and recover your photos from the Google Drive Trash within this retention window. After 30 days, files in the Trash are automatically and permanently deleted.
Conclusion: Act Fast and Backup Regularly
As we’ve detailed in this guide, recovering deleted photos on Android is often achievable. With the built-in Trash folders in many apps, cloud syncing services, and powerful data recovery tools, you have multiple options to restore your accidentally deleted photos, even without a pre-existing backup.
However, it’s vital to remember that successful recovery is not guaranteed, especially if too much time has passed since deletion. Don’t delay in attempting to recover your photos. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of data overwriting and permanent loss.
To minimize the risk of permanent photo loss in the future, establishing a regular photo backup strategy is highly recommended. Utilize cloud backup services like Google Photos or Google Drive, or regularly transfer your photos to a computer or external hard drive. Proactive backup habits will provide peace of mind and ensure your precious memories are always safe, even if accidental deletions occur.
FAQ: Quick Answers to Common Questions
How to find deleted photos on Android?
You can start by checking the Trash folders in apps like Google Photos and Files by Google. For a deeper scan, use an Android data recovery app like DiskDigger directly on your phone. For more thorough recovery, especially from an SD card, consider using PC-based software like Disk Drill by connecting your SD card to a computer. Desktop solutions often have more powerful recovery engines and don’t always require root access for comprehensive scans.
How to recover permanently deleted photos from the Gallery?
“Permanently deleted” generally means the photos are no longer in the Gallery app’s Trash folder. However, data recovery apps like DiskDigger can still attempt to recover them. Run DiskDigger’s “Basic Photo Search” (or “Full Scan” if rooted), select found photos, choose a recovery location, and attempt to restore them. Success is not guaranteed, especially after TRIM operations or prolonged time since deletion.
How can I retrieve deleted pictures from my Android?
There are several methods to retrieve deleted pictures from your Android:
- Check App Trash Folders: Google Photos, Files by Google, Google Drive, and other apps may have Trash folders for recently deleted items.
- Use Android Recovery Apps: Apps like DiskDigger can scan your phone’s internal and external storage for deleted photos directly on the device.
- Use PC-Based Recovery Software: Programs like Disk Drill, when used with your phone’s SD card connected to a computer, offer robust recovery capabilities.
How to retrieve deleted photos on Samsung?
Samsung devices use a modified version of Android, but the general recovery methods are the same as for any Android phone. You can use the techniques outlined above, including checking Trash folders, using DiskDigger on the phone, or Disk Drill with the SD card on a PC. Samsung also may offer its own cloud backup solutions (Samsung Cloud, OneDrive integration) which could be another recovery option. For Samsung-specific guidance, refer to articles on how to recover photos from Samsung phones or Samsung SD card recovery.
