Deleted a photo by mistake on Android? Where to find it

It happens to everyone: a sort that goes a bit too fast, a thumb that slips, and the photo is gone. Before you panic, know that on a recent phone, a deleted photo almost never disappears right away.

First, check the right trash

It depends on the app that shows your photos. In Google Photos, open Library, then Trash. Photos backed up to your account stay there for 60 days. Those that weren't backed up stay for about 30 days on Android 11 and later.

On a Samsung, open the Gallery app, the menu at the bottom right, then Recycle bin. Items are kept for 30 days. Other brands often have a "Recently deleted" album in their gallery.

Long-press the photo, then tap Restore. It goes back to where it was, with its original date.

If it isn't in any trash

If the photo was backed up to Google Photos and you only deleted it from the phone, it's still online: open photos.google.com from a computer. If it was sent in a chat, go back to that chat: it may still be there, and you can download it again.

Beyond that, apps that promise to "recover all your deleted photos" rarely work on a recent Android phone, which encrypts its storage. Be especially wary of the ones that ask you to pay before showing what they found.

For next time

Two habits prevent most losses: keep automatic backup turned on, and don't empty the trash on the same day as a big clean-up. Give it a week. If you don't miss anything, empty it then.