Some common actions taken immediately after deleting a photo or conversation can ruin any chance of recovering it.
The most common mistakes right after deleting
Almost all of these errors have the same cause: writing new data over old data or deleting the last existing copy. See what to avoid.
Taking photos, recording audio, downloading files, and even leaving apps updating in the background all write new data to memory. Each recording can occupy the space where deleted files were located.
As soon as you realize the loss, activate airplane mode and use the device as little as possible until you decide what to do.
Downloading one app after another takes up space and generates new files, which is exactly what you want to avoid. Choose a reliable tool, install it once, and use it calmly.
Download only from Google Play or the developer's official website. Modified versions may contain viruses and will not recover anything.
When a memory card malfunctions, many people format it to fix the problem. Formatting creates a new structure and can destroy any data that could still be saved. A factory reset of the phone is even worse: after that, the internal memory becomes virtually unrecoverable.
If the card doesn't open on your phone, try it on a computer with a card reader before anything else.
Before installing anything, open the trash folders in Google Photos and your phone's gallery. In many cases, the photo is there, and you just need to restore it.
The trash has an expiration date. In Google Photos, backed-up items remain for up to 60 days, and unbacked items remain for 30 days. After that, they are permanently deleted.
WhatsApp backups on Google Drive only save the most recent version. If you tap "Backup" after deleting the conversation, the old backup, which still contained the message, will be replaced.
Check the date of the last backup and, if it is prior to the deletion, restore it before the next automatic backup.
The longer time passes, the more new data is recorded. Doubt makes many people postpone it and miss the opportunity. Decide on the same day: recycle bin, backup, or recovery application.
What to do instead
Follow this order, from the simplest to the most laborious path:
- Search in the Google Photos trash and in your phone's gallery.
- Check if the photo or conversation is backed up in the cloud.
- If the file was on a memory card, try recovering it using your computer.
- Only then use a recovery application on the internal memory, knowing that the result may be partial.
Have realistic expectations
No app can guarantee recovery. On recent phones, what's found without backup is usually a thumbnail or cached file, of lower quality than the original.
If your photos are highly valuable and there's no backup, specialized data recovery services might be an option. Request a diagnosis and quote before authorizing the service.
1. DiskDigger
Google Play
It searches for deleted photos and videos in the phone's memory and on the card. Without root access, it usually finds thumbnails and cached copies.
First, perform a basic search and save what you find to the cloud or another folder, never overwriting deleted files.
Download on Google Play
2. Google Photos
Google Play
There's a trash bin that stores deleted photos for 30 days, or up to 60 days when there was a backup.
Open the Collections tab (or Library, in older versions), tap Trash, select the photos, and tap Restore.
Download on Google Play
3. Dumpster
Google Play
It functions as an extra recycle bin, saving copies of anything you delete after installation.
It serves primarily as a preventative measure: what was erased before installation is unlikely to reappear.
Download on Google PlayFrequently Asked Questions
Does airplane mode really help?
It helps because it interrupts downloads, syncs, and updates that would write new data to the phone's memory.
Does formatting the card erase everything permanently?
Quick formatting still leaves some chance, but each file saved afterward reduces that chance. Full formatting usually makes recovery impossible.
Can the recovery app damage the phone?
No. These applications only read the memory. The important thing is to save the recovered files elsewhere, such as to the cloud or your computer.
Can I recover photos that were deleted a year ago?
That's unlikely, unless they're in a backup. After so much time in use, the space has almost certainly already been reused.
Do I need to root my phone?
Not for browsing the trash, restoring backups, or scanning a card on your computer. Rooting expands the search capabilities within the internal memory, but rooting now can erase data and void your warranty.