Can you recover deleted files on Android?

When you delete a file on an Android device, it is not immediately erased from the storage. Instead, the reference to the file’s location on the storage is removed from the file system index, essentially “forgetting” where the file is located. The actual data remains on the storage until it is overwritten by new data. This provides a window of opportunity to recover deleted files using data recovery software before the deleted data is permanently overwritten.

Recovering deleted files on Android can be useful in many situations. For example, you may accidentally delete an important photo, document or other file that you still need and want to restore. Being able to recover deleted data can help you restore lost memories, important records, or work files that would otherwise be gone forever. With the right tools and techniques, there is often a good chance of recovering deleted files on Android.

How Deletion Works on Android

When you delete a file on an Android device, it is not actually erased from the device’s storage right away. Instead, Android simply marks the space occupied by the file as available for new data. The deleted data remains intact in the same physical location until it gets overwritten by new files.

This is why it’s often possible to recover recently deleted files on Android. The data is still there and can be restored as long as it hasn’t been overwritten. However, the longer you wait, the greater the chance that new data will claim that space, making recovery more difficult or impossible.

Android uses a Linux-based file system that handles deletions in this way. The original file entries are immediately removed from the file table indexing the storage, but the actual 1’s and 0’s remain until replaced. This provides a window of opportunity to recover files using the right tools and techniques.

Time Limit for Recovery

When you delete files on an Android device, they are not immediately erased from the storage. Instead, Android sends deleted files to a trash folder where they remain for a set period of time before being permanently overwritten (source).

The length of time deleted files remain recoverable depends on the Android version and model. For most modern Android devices running Android 6.0 or later, deleted files can typically be recovered within 30 days (source). Older Android versions may only store deleted files for 24 hours or less before overwriting them.

So in general, your best chance for recovering recently deleted files is within the first few weeks after deletion. Trying to restore files deleted over a month ago becomes much more difficult and uncertain (source). The sooner you attempt recovery, the better odds you have of rescuing your files before they are permanently overwritten by new data.

Recovering Files Through Recycle Bin

Many Android devices from Samsung, LG, Huawei, and other manufacturers include a Recycle Bin where deleted files are stored temporarily before being permanently erased (https://www.fonepaw.com/recovery/recover-deleted-files-android.html). The Recycle Bin acts like a safety net, giving you a chance to restore accidentally deleted files.

To access the Recycle Bin, open the File Manager or My Files app on your Android device. Look for an option called “Recycle Bin,” “Trash,” or “Recently Deleted.” Tap to open the folder and browse the contents. You should see any files and folders you’ve recently deleted.

To restore a deleted file from the Recycle Bin, simply tap to select it, then choose “Restore” from the menu. The file will be moved back to its original location as if it was never deleted. However, the Recycle Bin is only a temporary holding place.

Most Android devices automatically empty the Recycle Bin after a certain time period, usually anywhere from 24 hours to 60 days (https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-recover-permanently-deleted-files-on-Android). So it’s important to act quickly if you need to recover a deleted file. Once the Recycle Bin is emptied, those files are permanently erased and difficult to get back.

Using File Recovery Apps

One of the easiest ways to recover deleted files on Android is by using a file recovery app. There are many great options available on the Google Play Store. Some top recommended apps include:

DiskDigger Photo Recovery (https://www.mobikin.com/android-recovery/android-recovery-software.html): DiskDigger is one of the most popular Android file recovery apps. The free version can recover photos, videos, documents, and more from internal memory. Paid upgrades unlock additional features.

Dumpster (https://www.technotification.com/2021/07/android-data-recovery-apps-no-root.html): Dumpster acts as a recycle bin, allowing you to “undelete” recently deleted files. Great for recovering data deleted just minutes or hours ago.

DigDeep Image Recovery (https://datarecoverypit.com/best-data-recovery-app-for-android/): DigDeep specializes in recovering deleted photos, videos, and image files from Android devices. It has different scan modes to dig deep and restore media.

File recovery apps provide an easy way to get back deleted data directly on your Android device. Just download an app, scan your phone’s storage, and restore what was lost. But recovery success depends on the app and how long ago files were deleted.

Connecting Android to PC

One way to recover deleted files from Android is by connecting your device to a computer and using PC data recovery software. This allows you to scan the Android file system and retrieve deleted data from it. Here are the steps to recover files through a PC connection:

First, install and open a data recovery program like EaseUS MobiSaver on your computer. Connect your Android device to the PC using a USB cable. Make sure USB debugging is enabled on your Android device.

The data recovery software will recognize the connected Android device. You can then scan for all deleted data on the Android device. The software will find deleted photos, messages, contacts, videos, audio files, documents and more that were removed from the Android internal storage or SD card.

Once the scan is complete, you can preview and select the files you wish to recover. Click on “Recover” to restore the deleted Android data to your computer. The software preserves the original file names and directory structure, making it easy to find your recovered files.

Using a computer for Android file recovery allows accessing the raw file system for a more thorough data recovery. You can recover even permanently deleted files on Android this way. However, the device needs to be rooted for the deepest file system access.

Recovering Data from Backups

One of the easiest ways to recover deleted files on Android is by using backups. Many Android devices automatically back up data like photos, videos, and messages to Google services. For example, Google Photos can store all your photos and videos in the cloud. If you have previously backed up your device to Google, you may be able to restore deleted files from these cloud backups.

To recover deleted files from Google Photos, open the Google Photos app and check your library for the missing files. Google Photos stores all photos and videos uploaded from your device, so anything backed up should still be there. You can download any recovered files back to your device.

Similarly, if you had SMS message backups enabled, you can recover deleted messages through Google Drive. Open Drive and look for a folder called “SMS Backup.” This will contain archived SMS/MMS messages you can restore to your device.

For some Samsung devices, Samsung Cloud can back up and restore deleted files. Connect to Samsung Cloud through Settings to see if any data is available for recovery. Third-party backup tools like Helium can also store app and system data that might help get deleted files back.

Just remember, you can only restore files from a backup if they were backed up before deletion. Maintaining regular backups is crucial for protecting your data and provides a safety net if you ever need to recover lost files.

Preventing Permanent Deletion

You can take some steps to help prevent permanent deletion of files on your Android device:

Enable the Recycle Bin – Most Android devices have a Recycle Bin you can enable, which will temporarily store deleted files. This gives you a chance to restore deleted files. Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Recycle Bin to enable it.

Use a file shredder app – File shredder apps like Eraser will do multi-pass overwrites of files before deletion, making them unrecoverable. Only use this if you are certain you want to permanently erase files.

Back up important data – Routinely backing up your files to the cloud or external storage means you have another copy if they are accidentally deleted.[1]

Enable external SD card encryption – Enabling encryption on an external SD card requires you to enter a password before deleting files, giving you a chance to reconsider.[2]

Be careful when deleting files – Go through the normal delete process carefully instead of bulk deleting files to avoid accidentally deleting something important.

When File Recovery is Impossible

In some cases, it becomes practically impossible to recover deleted files from an Android device.

If a factory reset is performed on the device, the previous data is overwritten and irrecoverably deleted. As noted by an Android user on Reddit, “Deleted files are unrecoverable from any modern Android device, running Android 9 or higher (the version where File Based Encryption (FBE) was implemented).” Source

According to Google Support, while deleted files may be recoverable within 24 hours, performing a factory reset makes data recovery impossible. Source

In addition, if the deleted files were stored on the internal memory rather than an SD card, the chances of file recovery diminish significantly. The internal memory is more securely encrypted on newer Android versions.

Waiting too long before attempting to recover deleted files also reduces the chances of successful recovery. As time passes, the deleted data is more likely to be overwritten by new data.

While advanced data recovery methods may be able to recover some deleted data even after a factory reset, for most everyday users, performing a factory reset or waiting too long before trying to recover files will make the deleted data essentially impossible to retrieve.

Conclusion

In summary, there are several options for recovering deleted files on Android devices:

If the file was recently deleted, checking the native file manager’s recycle bin or trash folder can restore it. Apps like Google Files have this built-in. However, the recycle bin only stores data for a limited time.

Third-party Android file recovery apps can scan the phone’s internal storage and find deleted files not yet overwritten. Popular options like DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver Free can restore various file types.

Connecting the Android device to a computer and using PC data recovery software is another solution. Programs like Recuva or Stellar Data Recovery for Android can retrieve deleted files from the phone’s memory.

If the files were backed up to cloud storage like Google Drive or Samsung Cloud, users may restore the deleted files through these services. Local backups to a computer can also contain recoverable versions.

While permanent deletion is possible, acting quickly using the right software gives users the best chance of getting their files back after accidental deletion on an Android device.