How to Recover Deleted Files on Android (2026)

The steps below follow Google’s, Samsung’s, and WhatsApp’s official help pages as of October 2026. Trash periods and menu names change from time to time, so check the app on your phone if something looks different.

One rule before you start: stop adding new files to the phone or SD card you are recovering from. And skip any “free” copy of paid recovery software. Cracked apps are a common way to get malware, and nothing in this guide needs one.

Where do deleted files go on Android?

Most Android apps don’t delete files right away. They move them to a trash or recycle bin first. Here is where to look:

If you have read older guides saying Google Photos keeps deleted items for 60 days, that is out of date. Google’s current help pages say items in the Google Photos trash are permanently deleted after 30 days, including items that were backed up.

How do you recover deleted photos from Google Photos?

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. At the bottom, tap Collections > Trash.
3. Touch and hold the photo or video you want back. Tap more items to select them too.
4. At the bottom, tap Restore.

Google says a restored item goes back to the albums it was in, your Google Photos library, and your phone’s gallery app.

If the item isn’t in the trash, check your Archive and your Locked Folder in Google Photos before giving up. Google says items you emptied from the trash or chose to delete permanently can’t be restored, and Google Takeout can’t recover them either.

How do you restore photos from the Samsung Gallery Recycle bin?

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Tap the Menu icon (the three horizontal lines).
3. Tap Recycle bin. On some software versions it is called Trash.
4. Tap Edit, or touch and hold an item, and select what you want back.
5. Tap Restore. If you selected everything, the button reads Restore all.

Samsung says items stay in the Gallery bin for 30 days and are then deleted for good. On One UI 6.0 and later, Samsung says the recycle bin can’t be turned off, and Gallery, My Files, and Voice Recorder items can all be restored from My Files > Recycle bin.

Google says deleting a photo in the Google Photos app also deletes the copy on your phone. If you use both apps, check both trash folders.

How do you get back files deleted in Files by Google?

1. Open Files by Google.
2. At the top left, tap Menu > Trash.
3. Find the files you want.
4. At the bottom, tap Restore, then confirm.

Google says files stay in this trash for 30 days. There is one important exception: files you delete from the Junk files card in the Clean menu skip the trash and are permanently deleted. Google also notes the trash feature is available on Android 11 (Android R) and is rolling out in phases to other versions.

How do you recover files from Google Drive trash?

1. Open the Google Drive app and go to Trash.
2. Next to the file you want, tap the More menu.
3. Tap Restore.

On a computer, go to drive.google.com, click Trash on the left, right-click the file, and click Restore. Google says files stay in the Drive trash for 30 days before they are deleted forever. Google’s Drive help page also has a file recovery request option when you are signed in, but Google says it can’t recover WhatsApp backups stored in your account.

Can you restore files from a Google or Samsung Cloud backup?

Yes, but a full phone backup is meant for setting up a phone, not for pulling out one lost file. Use this route if you have already reset the phone or are moving to a new one.

Google backup

Google says your Android backup includes apps and app data, call history, contacts, device settings, and SMS and MMS messages. Photos and videos are covered only if you use Google Photos backup.

1. To see what is in your backup, open Settings > Google > Backup and check Backup details.
2. To restore, sign in with the same Google Account while setting up the phone after a reset, and follow the on-screen steps.

Google says a restore can take up to 24 hours, and you can’t restore a backup from a higher Android version onto a phone running a lower one.

Samsung Cloud backup

1. Open Settings and tap your Samsung account name at the top.
2. Tap Samsung Cloud > Restore data.
3. Select the device backup and the content you want, then tap Restore.

Samsung’s list of backup items covers call and message history, contacts, calendar, clock, settings, Home screen layout, apps, and voice recordings. Photos aren’t in that list. For Gallery photos, Samsung points to syncing with Microsoft OneDrive. Samsung also says Samsung Cloud isn’t available on Verizon phones and can’t back up files larger than 1 GB.

How do you restore deleted WhatsApp chats?

WhatsApp has no trash. Chats come back only from your most recent backup in your Google Account or WhatsApp cloud storage.

1. Check that a backup exists first. In WhatsApp, open Settings > Chats > Chat backup and look for the time and size of your last backup.
2. Don’t tap Back up now. WhatsApp says each new backup replaces the old one, which would erase the chats you want.
3. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, then verify the same phone number you used before.
4. Tap Restore when prompted. Don’t tap Skip if you still want your old chats.

WhatsApp lists these limits:

• Messages sent and received after your latest backup can’t be restored.
• The phone number used for the backup and the restore must be the same.
• Your phone needs more free space than the size of the backup.
• Videos come back only if Include videos was on before the backup.
• If the latest backup is more than 120 days old, restoring may not be possible.
• For an end-to-end encrypted backup, your password or 64-digit key is the only way in.

WhatsApp also says it can’t restore chats or media for you, so the backup on your account is the only copy that counts.

Can you recover deleted files from an SD card?

Sometimes. Google notes that deleted photos and videos might stay on a removable memory card, so check your Gallery and Files apps first. If the files are truly gone from the card, a computer gives you the best chance.

1. Remove the card from the phone and stop saving anything to it. New files can overwrite the space where deleted files still sit.
2. Put the card in a card reader on a Windows PC or Mac.
3. Run a reputable recovery tool. Free, open-source options such as PhotoRec exist, so you don’t need to pay just to try.
4. Save recovered files to your computer’s drive, never back to the same card.

Download recovery tools only from the developer’s official website. Avoid cracked versions and any app that asks you to root your phone. Rooting isn’t needed for any method in this guide.

When is recovery not possible?

Be realistic before you spend hours on it. Recovery is usually not possible when:

• You emptied the trash or chose Delete permanently.
• More than 30 days have passed since the file went to the trash.
• You deleted files from the Junk files card in Files by Google.
• You factory reset the phone without a backup. Google says a reset erases all data on the phone.
• A newer WhatsApp backup replaced the one that held your old chats.
• The file lived only on the phone’s internal storage and was never backed up. In that case there is usually no reliable way to get it back.

How can you avoid losing files next time?

• Turn on backup in Google Photos so every photo has a copy in your Google Account.
• Turn on phone backup in Settings > Google > Backup, and on a Galaxy, back up to Samsung Cloud too.
• In WhatsApp, set a regular backup and turn on Include videos if you want them saved.
• Copy important files to a computer or USB drive now and then. On a Galaxy, the My Files app can copy files to a USB drive.
• Review what you are deleting before you clean up space. Our guide on freeing up storage on Android shows safer ways to clear room.
• When you move to a new phone, follow our guide to setting up a new Android phone so your backup comes with you.

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