How to Get Deleted Photos Back? 5 Ways to Recover?
Losing deleted photos on your Android device can feel like a digital nightmare, especially when those snapshots capture cherished memories—but over the years, I’ve learned that the right tools and methods can help you get them back quickly and efficiently.
Whether the images vanished accidentally or during an update, the first line of action is to restore them from backups—and both Google Photos and OneDrive often surprise users with their silent sync and backup capabilities. But in trickier situations, where cloud options fail,
I personally rely on specialized data recovery tools like DiskDigger or Dr.Fone, which have proven to help recover lost pictures even from older storage sectors. This article, covering these tried-and-tested routes, is meant to help you find the method that actually works for you.

1. How to Recover Deleted Photos Back from Gallery with Google Photos
If you’ve accidentally deleted pictures from your Android device, don’t panic—I’ve personally recovered precious memories this way. Google Photos is a powerful cloud storage service that automatically backs up your photos and videos, giving you a second chance when things go wrong.
If your gallery is suddenly missing images, open Google Photos and check the Recently Deleted folder—here’s where you’ll often find them waiting. Knowing how to get deleted photos back starts with understanding that once synced, these files remain in the trash for 30 days before permanent deletion. Using this Android feature makes the recovery seamless: tap on the image, select recover, and voilà—they return to your gallery instantly.
This method has saved me more than once, especially when I thought I’d lost irreplaceable travel shots.
Steps to Recover Photos via Google Photos:
Restoring deleted photos from Google Photos on an Android device is surprisingly simple and often hassle-free if you’ve been using the app consistently.
From my own experience, it starts with tapping the icon on your home screen, which launches the app. Once open, tap the menu icon—either the three horizontal lines or your profile picture at the top-left corner—to bring up a list of options.
Scroll through and select either Trash or Bin, depending on your device’s region settings. This Trash folder is where all your recently deleted items go, and from here, you can browse through the thumbnails to locate the desired photos. Long-press to mark multiple items or tap individually on what you want to bring back.
Once your files are selected, hit the restore button and the media will be restored to their original locations within your gallery—just as they were before. I’ve used these steps multiple times and each recovery felt like digital resurrection.
It’s this convenience that makes Google Photos indispensable for managing memories in 2025.
2. Recover Permanently Deleted Photos from Gallery without Backup [Safe & Easy]
When I once thought I’d permanently deleted some irreplaceable photos from my gallery, and had no backup, I discovered a safe and straightforward method that saved me—using specialized software like UltData for Android. This tool works seamlessly across most Android devices, including Samsung, Sony, HTC, Google, Huawei, LG, ZTE, and Motorola, even when root access isn’t available.
What’s reassuring is that it can recover not just images but also messages and other lost data directly from internal storage or SD card without needing cloud support.
After connecting your device, the software scans deeply through your memory, and despite having no prior backup, I was able to retrieve everything I thought was gone. The Android Data Recovery Tool is designed to be secure and doesn’t require technical expertise, which made the experience smooth even for someone not highly tech-savvy. Knowing how to get deleted photos back this way gave me confidence, especially during emergencies where every moment counted.
What truly impressed me was that the software supports a wide range of devices, and the success rate is higher than most free alternatives. In 2025, with phones becoming smarter yet more vulnerable to accidental taps, having access to a recovery solution like this feels like having digital insurance.
Steps to Recover Photos Using UltData for Android:
After a weekend trip, I accidentally deleted some important images from my phone, and that’s when I turned to the UltData for Android app. First, I had to download and install it directly onto my device. Once you open the app, you’re greeted with various options for recovering data—including WhatsApp messages, videos, and most importantly, photos. To begin, simply select the photos category, then tap on the scan option so the app can search for lost files. Within moments, it finds and lists deleted images, which you can preview one by one.
From there, I could look through the photos and select the ones I needed. Hitting the recovery button allowed me to save all chosen pictures back onto my device with ease. The process was smooth, user-friendly, and didn’t require root access. What impressed me most was how precise the scanning was—it managed to uncover even the photos I had lost weeks before.
For anyone wondering how to recover data without stress, this method works brilliantly.
3. How to Recover Deleted Photos from Gallery via Google Drive?
If you’ve ever enabled backup and sync through Google Drive, recovering deleted photos from your Android gallery can be a surprisingly simple task.
I personally rely on this method as a reliable way to ensure nothing is lost permanently. As long as the app is installed on your device and you’ve been regularly backing up, you can easily get back your files by opening Google Drive, logging in with your account, and browsing through the “Photos” or relevant folder.
Once inside, just proceed to locate the images you want to restore. Knowing how to get deleted photos back from cloud sources can be a lifesaver, especially when your gallery doesn’t offer a local recovery option.
This approach has worked for me in emergencies, offering peace of mind and quick access to images that seemed gone forever.
Steps to Recover Photos via Google Drive:
To recover your lost memories, simply open the Google Drive app on your Android device, then sign in to the correct account where your photo backups are stored. From there, you can browse through the backed-up photos, find the ones you need, select them, and finally download them back to your device—a process I’ve used more than once when accidental deletions caught me off guard.
4. How to Recover Permanently Deleted Photos with Android Data Recovery Tool?
When I lost a batch of permanently deleted photos from my Android phone, I turned to the Android Data Recovery Tool—specifically DiskDigger Pro, which proved to be incredibly effective for recovering lost files. The first thing you need to do is download and install the app from the Play Store, then launch it and tap START BASIC PHOTO SCAN. It’s a powerful tool designed to dig deep into your storage and identify even those images you thought were gone for good.
Once the scan is complete, you’ll be shown a list of supported data types. You can narrow down results by going to the menu and uncheck any unnecessary file types, keeping only what’s needed to recover your pictures. From there, just mark the selected images and hit the recover button to restore them instantly to your device.
What I liked most was how seamless the entire process felt, even for someone without technical know-how. Knowing how to get back deleted memories through this method has made it my go-to solution whenever something vanishes from my device unexpectedly.
5. How to Recover Deleted Photos from Gallery on Android with OneDrive?
If you’ve been regularly syncing your Android photos with Microsoft OneDrive, recovering deleted memories from your gallery becomes a breeze. I’ve personally backed up entire trips this way and later had to restore a few images I accidentally wiped. Just open the OneDrive app, head to the Photos section, and browse through your backed up files. Using these simple steps, you can easily recover any missing image with a tap—OneDrive keeps deleted items for 30 days, giving you a secure window to retrieve what’s lost.
Steps to Recover Photos via OneDrive:
Whenever I’ve needed to recover images that vanished from my Android device, OneDrive has proven to be a reliable savior. Begin by opening the OneDrive app on your phone, then tap the Photos option located at the bottom of the screen. You’ll find all your synced photos here, including the ones you might have deleted from your gallery but are still backed up on the cloud.
To start restoring, choose the images you want, then tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner. From the list, select Save, and the pictures will be added back to your gallery automatically. I’ve used this method multiple times, and each time the retrieval was smooth, saving me from panic over lost memories.
Conclusion
In 2025, learning how to recover deleted photos on Android phones has become easier than ever, thanks to cloud-based platforms like Google Photos, Google Drive, and OneDrive, as well as powerful recovery tools such as UltData and DiskDigger Pro. Whether your files were accidentally deleted or lost during a system glitch, these solutions offer fast and reliable methods to retrieve them without requiring technical expertise.
It’s also worth noting that issues like an Android app not opening solution, tackling android boot loop fix, or even using android hardware test tools can help maintain device stability, ensuring your photo recovery efforts go smoothly without deeper system errors interfering.
Frequently Ask Questions
How to recover permanently deleted photos from Android?
To restore permanently deleted photos or videos on your Android device, I’ve often relied on the Google Photos app, which has a built-in recovery option many overlook. Simply open the app, tap on Collections, then go into Trash—this is where deleted items are temporarily stored before they vanish for good. From there, touch and hold the photo or video you wish to bring back in, and hit Restore at the bottom of the screen. It’s a quick process that has helped me recover memories I thought were gone forever.
Does Android have a recently deleted folder for photos?
Yes, most Android devices today include a Recently Deleted folder built into their gallery apps, where images that are removed get temporarily stored before being erased permanently. This feature works like a digital recycle bin, giving users a second chance to find and recover lost photos directly from the gallery app without needing external tools or backups—something I’ve found incredibly useful when cleaning up in a hurry and accidentally deleting important shots.
How do I get my old gallery photos back?
To get an archived photo or screenshot back on your Android phone or tablet, I’ve found that the quickest way is to open the Google Photos app while making sure you’re signed in with the right account. From there, tap on Collections and navigate to the Archive section, which you’ll often find at the top of the screen—this is where many old images go if they weren’t deleted but simply tucked away. It’s an easy way to access memories you thought were gone from your gallery.
How to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos after 60 days?
Once 60 days have passed, any permanently deleted photos from Google Photos—whether on Android 11+ or newer—are typically beyond retrieval if they were unbacked or not synced, as Google Help clearly states that the trash has a retention period of only 30 days for unbacked files. In cases where backed-up photos were removed, you may still be able to recover them by contacting Google Help directly, though success is rare. Unfortunately, if the deletion was not reversed within that retention window, such files usually cannot be recovered.
Is it possible to recover deleted photos?
Yes, it’s absolutely possible to recover deleted photos, especially if a backup was created beforehand or if they were saved on secondary storage media like a computer. Personally, I’ve used a Windows system to retrieve lost images by clicking right-click on the Windows Start menu, navigating to Control Panel, then into System and Maintenance, and opening Backup and Restore. From there, selecting restore my files or even restore all users’ files can bring back valuable content that was thought to be gone for good.
Finn Richter is a seasoned Android tech expert and digital strategist with over a decade of hands-on experience in mobile optimization, app analytics, and smartphone security. Known for breaking down complex Android systems into simple, actionable guides, Finn helps users unlock their device’s full potential without rooting or risking security. His content blends deep technical insight with real-world solutions, earning trust from everyday users and tech enthusiasts alike. When he’s not testing the latest Android tools, he’s decoding mobile compatibility between iOS and Android ecosystems — making cross-platform tech easy for everyone.