File recovery on Android devices refers to retrieving lost, deleted, corrupted, or otherwise inaccessible data from your phone or tablet. There are various reasons why you may need to recover files on an Android device:
Accidental deletion – Files can be accidentally deleted by the user or apps. For example, you may delete an important photo thinking it was a duplicate.
System crash – A software glitch, hardware issue, or virus/malware can cause your Android OS to crash and lose access to files.
Factory reset – Performing a factory reset erases everything on the Android device storage.
Data corruption – Files can become corrupted or inaccessible due to software bugs, sudden device shutdowns, etc.
Lost device – Losing your device or having it stolen will result in losing any files not backed up.
File recovery on Android allows you to retrieve these lost or inaccessible files so you can restore important data like photos, messages, documents, and more. Both software-based and professional data recovery services can help recover deleted files on Android devices.
Common Causes of Data Loss on Android
There are several common reasons why data can become lost or deleted from Android devices. According to Coolmuster, one major cause is when users upgrade to a new Android OS version, which can sometimes cause compatibility issues leading to data loss. Human error, such as accidentally deleting files or performing a factory reset, is another frequent cause of data loss.
According to Salvation Data, hardware failure is another prevalent cause of data loss, as physical damage to a device can result in the data becoming inaccessible. Software bugs, malware, or other glitches can also sometimes corrupt or delete files. Finally, loss or theft of a device will result in all data being lost unless the user has backups.
Overall, accidental deletion by users, hardware damage, software issues, loss/theft, and OS upgrades are among the most common triggers for data loss on Android devices. Taking preventative measures like regular backups is important to protect against these risks.
Enabling Android File Recovery
One of the easiest ways to enable Android file recovery is to ensure your device’s backup features are enabled. Most Android devices have built-in backup systems like Google Drive backup or Samsung Cloud backup. These can help you restore deleted files if enabled properly before data loss occurs.
To enable Google Drive backup on Android:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap on ‘System’ and select ‘Backup’
- Turn on ‘Back up to Google Drive’ and choose backup frequency and data
Enabling backup to Google Drive ensures your contacts, apps, settings, SMS and multimedia files are periodically saved to Google servers. If you ever need to recover deleted files from your Android device, you can restore from your Google Drive backup (source).
Similarly, Samsung phones have a built-in Samsung Cloud backup option. You can enable it by opening Settings, selecting ‘Accounts and backup’ and turning on Samsung Cloud backup. This will regularly back up your data to Samsung’s servers.
Having a backup enabled is one of the best ways to prepare for potential data loss. Just make sure to enable it before you lose any files, as it can’t retroactively back up deleted data. With backup enabled, you have a much better chance of recovering lost files on Android.
Recovering Deleted Files from Android
One of the most common ways to recover deleted files from Android is by using data recovery software. Applications like DiskDigger allow you to scan your Android device to find deleted photos, documents, messages, and other files that can be recovered.
DiskDigger works by scanning the internal and external memory of your Android phone or tablet. It looks for files that have been deleted but are still present on your device storage and gives you the option to recover them. The free version of DiskDigger lets you preview photos, videos, and documents before choosing which ones to recover.
To use DiskDigger to recover deleted files on Android:
- Download and install DiskDigger on your Android device from the Google Play Store.
- Launch DiskDigger and grant it access permissions.
- Select the storage location you want to scan – either internal memory or external SD card.
- DiskDigger will scan the storage and display files that can be recovered.
- Preview and select the files you want to restore.
- Recover the deleted files to your device’s storage or cloud services like Google Drive.
DiskDigger is free, easy to use, and enables recovery of deleted text messages, documents, pictures, audio, video, and more. With data recovery apps, you have a great chance of getting back deleted files on Android, as long as they haven’t been overwritten by new data.
Recovering Data from Internal Storage
If you accidentally deleted files stored on your Android device’s internal storage, there are a few ways to try recovering them. The internal storage contains data like your photos, videos, music, documents, contacts, messages, and more. Luckily, with the right tools, it’s often possible to scan the internal memory and find deleted files that haven’t been fully overwritten yet.
One option is to use file recovery software designed for Android devices, like iMobie PhoneRescue. These tools can thoroughly scan the internal storage and extract recoverable deleted data. After installing on your computer, you’ll need to connect your Android device and allow USB debugging. The software will then analyze the internal memory and allow you to preview found files before choosing which ones to restore.
You may also be able to recover recently deleted files using the Recycle Bin in apps like ES File Explorer. Enable this option, and your device will retain deleted files there temporarily before being fully erased. Check the Recycle Bin folder and restore anything you need.
With some effort, it’s often possible to retrieve deleted data from internal storage as long as it hasn’t been overwritten. Using data recovery software designed for Android is typically the most effective approach.
Recovering Data from SD Card
If files were deleted from your Android device’s external SD card, you may be able to recover them by scanning the SD card. Here are the steps:
1. Remove the SD card from your Android device and connect it to your computer using a card reader.
2. Download and install a data recovery program like Recuva on your computer.
3. Open Recuva and select the SD card drive.
4. Click ‘Scan’ to search the SD card for deleted files.
5. Preview and select the files you want to recover.
6. Choose a location on your computer to save the recovered files.
7. Click ‘Recover’ to restore the deleted files from the SD card.
Scanning the external SD card with data recovery software can help retrieve deleted photos, documents, and other files as long as they have not been overwritten by new data. Just make sure to recover the files quickly before they get permanently erased.
Recovering Data from Broken Phone
If your Android phone is completely broken and won’t turn on, recovering data can be challenging but is often still possible. There are a few options for data extraction tools and services that may work even if the phone’s screen is cracked or the motherboard is damaged:
Use a USB cable to connect the phone to a computer. Some phones will still allow data transfer even while powered off or broken. After connecting, you may be able to access and copy files from the phone’s storage using the computer’s file manager.
Specialist data recovery services are available that can repair Android phones just enough to extract all data before the phone is fully dead. These services involve physically removing memory chips and recovering data using specialized tools (Source).
There are also DIY data recovery tools like PhoneRescue that can be downloaded to a computer and may still detect the phone while in recovery mode. These tools scan the phone’s memory and extract recoverable data to the computer (Source).
As a last resort, the memory chip can sometimes be removed from the damaged phone and read using a USB chip reader accessory. This complicated process has risks but can potentially recover data even if all else fails.
Preventing Data Loss
Taking some proactive measures can help prevent data loss on your Android device in the first place.
One of the most important things you can do is regularly back up your data. You can back up to the cloud using services like Google Drive or Dropbox, or back up locally to a computer or external hard drive. Scheduling regular automatic backups will ensure your data stays protected in case your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged.
Storing data in the cloud also protects you if your phone fails or needs to be reset or replaced. As long as you can access your cloud storage with a new device, you can download your data again.
Being careful in how you handle your phone can also help avoid data loss scenarios. Using a protective case can prevent damage from drops. Not exposing your phone to water or excessive heat can prevent hardware failures. Avoiding questionable apps, links, and files can protect you from malware that might corrupt or delete data.
Backing up regularly, storing data in the cloud services, and physically protecting your phone are simple but effective ways to avoid losing your precious photos, messages, contacts, and other irreplaceable data. Taking preventative measures lets you use your Android device with confidence and peace of mind.
When to Seek Professional Help
In most cases, you can recover deleted files from Android on your own using data recovery software or built-in recovery tools. However, there are some situations where you may need to seek professional help from a data recovery service:
If your phone is damaged or completely broken, a professional service may be able to recover data by repairing or bypassing the damaged components. They have access to advanced tools and clean room facilities to safely handle delicate repairs.
For severe data loss beyond deleting a few files or losing data due to a factory reset, professional services are often much more successful at recovering a significant amount of lost data.
If you have already attempted DIY software recovery and were unsuccessful, the advanced capabilities of professional tools may be able to find and recover data you couldn’t access on your own.
Professionals can help with data recovery from encrypted or corrupt drives, which is often impossible through consumer-grade software and tools.
For business or commercial data loss, the costs of professional recovery services are often justified compared to the value of retrieving lost data and productivity.
Conclusion
Recovering lost or deleted files from your Android device is possible in many cases. The most important things to remember are:
- Enable Android’s built-in file recovery features like the trash bin to increase the chances of restoring deleted files.
- Third party recovery apps can help retrieve data from internal storage or SD cards, even on non-rooted devices.
- For phones that won’t turn on, specialized data recovery services may be able to recover files by repairing the phone first.
- Prevention is key – always maintain backups of important data via cloud services, external SD card, or computer.
With Android’s file recovery options, third party apps, and professional services, there are many possibilities for restoring lost files. But regular backups are still the best way to avoid data loss. Save copies of irreplaceable photos, videos, documents and other files to minimize reliance on recovery.