Deleting files from your phone’s internal storage often feels like those files are gone forever. However, with the right tools and techniques, recovering deleted files from internal phone memory is often possible. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to try recovering deleted files from your phone’s internal storage.
Quick Answers
Here are quick answers to some common questions about recovering deleted files from internal phone memory:
Is it possible to recover deleted files from internal phone memory?
Yes, it is often possible to recover deleted files from a phone’s internal storage, provided the area they occupied has not been overwritten with new data.
How can I recover deleted files from internal phone memory?
You’ll need to use third-party data recovery software designed for phones. Some options include DiskDigger, Fonelab, and EaseUS MobiSaver.
What files can be recovered?
Photos, videos, documents, audio files, and other data files that have been deleted but not overwritten can potentially be recovered.
How long are deleted files recoverable?
Deleted files remain recoverable until the storage space they previously occupied is overwritten with new data. This could range from days to weeks to months.
Will rooting help recover deleted files?
Rooting can potentially assist recovery by granting full access to the phone’s storage. But specialized data recovery tools often work without needing root access.
What Happens When You Delete a File on Android?
When you delete a file on an Android device, it isn’t immediately erased from your phone’s internal storage. Instead, the file is simply marked as deleted in your phone’s file table. The actual data still remains on the storage media until something comes along to overwrite it.
This is what gives data recovery tools a fighting chance to rescue your “deleted” files. As long as the file hasn’t yet been overwritten with new data, the contents can still be extracted from the phone’s storage and reconstructed into a usable file again.
However, it’s a race against the clock. Your phone is constantly writing new data like apps, photos, system data, and files. The longer a deleted file sits there marked as deleted, the higher the chance something could overwrite it. That’s why it’s important to use data recovery tools as soon as possible after deleting an important file.
Recovering Recently Deleted Files
If you’ve just recently deleted files from your Android phone, the very first thing you should do is avoid creating any new data on your phone. Every new photo, app install, or file you save could potentially overwrite deleted data you want to recover. Don’t even connect your phone to a PC or Mac, as that can start new syncing processes.
First, try checking your trash folder or recycling bin. Android doesn’t have an official recycling bin, but many third-party apps and launchers have their own trash implementation. If the deleted files were created by an app, check within that app as some provide their own recycle bins.
If that doesn’t work, the next step is to download a data recovery app specialized for Android phones. There are many options available, both free and paid. The best data recovery apps for Android include:
- DiskDigger
- Fonelab
- EaseUS MobiSaver
- Tenorshare UltData
Run the data recovery tool directly on your Android device. Avoid connecting to a computer until prompted by the recovery app. This gives you the best chance of recovering those recently deleted files before they have a chance to be overwritten.
Recovering Older Deleted Files
If it’s been a while since you deleted the files, the recovery process gets a bit more complex. The longer you wait, the higher the chance your deleted files could be partially or fully overwritten by something else.
But don’t lose all hope! It’s still possible to recover deleted files weeks or months later in some cases. Here are the steps to try:
- Stop using your phone immediately if you haven’t already. Turn on Airplane mode.
- Make a byte-for-byte copy of your phone’s internal memory. This is called creating a disk image.
- Run data recovery software against the disk image copy, not your phone.
This technique gives you the best chance of recovering older deleted data. By immediately stopping phone use and making a disk image, you preserve the deleted data before any more of it can be overwritten. You then run recovery tools against the disk image rather than risking further data loss on the phone itself.
Creating a full byte-for-byte disk image requires specialized tools and know-how. Your options include:
- Use Android SDK’s
dd
command to create a raw disk image file. This requires some technical expertise. - Use a forensic tool like Oxygen Forensics to image Android internal storage.
- On a rooted device, make a Nandroid backup, which contains a disk image.
Once you have your disk image file, you can use data recovery software to scan it thoroughly for deleted data. This gives you a much better chance of recovering older deleted files.
Factors That Affect File Recovery from Internal Storage
Whether you’re trying to recover recently deleted files or ones that were deleted further in the past, there are several factors that come into play:
Time Since Deletion
As mentioned above, the longer the time that’s passed since a file was deleted, the lower your chance of complete recovery. More time means more chance of overwritten data.
Phone Storage Type
Phone that use flash storage chips can potentially recover more deleted data than those using magnetic platter HDDs. Flash memory must erase data in entire blocks, leaving recoverable remnants behind.
File Size
Larger files have a greater chance of remaining partially recoverable. This is because smaller files are more likely to be entirely overwritten.
Storage Capacity
The fuller your phone’s internal storage capacity, the less wiggle room there is to recover deleted files without overwrites. Try to recover deleted data from a phone that’s less than half full if possible.
Root Access
Rooting your Android phone gives data recovery tools more access and better chances of file recovery. But it’s not always necessary.
File System Type
Android’s EXT4 file system keeps recovery-related metadata that tools can use to recover deleted files. Other file systems may be less recoverable.
Does Factory Resetting Erase Deleted Files?
Performing a factory reset or master reset on your Android device will indeed erase all user data. This includes fully deleting any “deleted” files that may have still been recoverable from the system.
A factory reset erases all user data by:
- Wiping the data partitions back to factory default conditions.
- Deleting all user apps and associated data.
- Removing any user accounts and profiles on the device.
In most cases, the only way to recover files after a factory reset is from a previously made backup. So if you decide to factory reset a phone with deleted files you want to recover, be sure to make a byte-for-byte disk image first.
Recovering Deleted Files from SD Card
While this guide focuses on internal phone storage, similar recovery techniques also apply to external SD cards:
- Stop using the SD card immediately after deleting files.
- Attempt recovery with Android data recovery apps.
- For older deletions, image the SD card before attempting recovery.
However, SD cards use different file systems than internal phone storage, usually FAT32 or exFAT. This can affect the ability of certain recovery tools designed for internal phone storage file systems.
When File Recovery Fails
Despite your best efforts, sometimes deleted files are simply unrecoverable. This occurs when the entire file has been overwritten by new data.
If data recovery tools can’t find any recoverable parts of your deleted files, your last option is to send your device to a professional data recovery service. They have specialized equipment like clean rooms and forensic tools that may be able to reconstruct heavily overwritten files.
However, professional phone data recovery can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. There’s also no guarantee of success, so only use it for truly critical, irreplaceable files.
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
While file recovery from phones is possible in many cases, it’s always best to avoid needing to do it in the first place. Here are some tips to prevent accidental data loss on your Android phone:
- Set up a reliable cloud backup solution like Google Photos to automatically backup your images and videos.
- Use the Google Files app to free up storage space and find unnecessary junk files to delete.
- Offload files you don’t access often to cloud storage or external SD card storage.
- Double-check before emptying the trash or deleting anything important.
- Enable lost phone features via Google to remotely wipe your device if it’s ever lost or stolen.
Conclusion
While accidentally deleting important files can feel disastrous, in many cases, recovery is possible by using the right methods. For recently deleted files, data recovery apps can often extract them before they have been overwritten. Older deletions can sometimes be salvaged from disk images taken before further overwrite damage.
However, prevention is the best solution. Always maintain good backups and be very careful when deleting anything important from your phone’s internal storage. With proper care taken, you hopefully will never need to utilize these file recovery techniques.