Accidentally deleting photos from your Android device can be frustrating, especially when they are lost forever. The default Android gallery app does not have a recycle bin, so any photos deleted are permanently gone. This can lead to the loss of precious memories captured on your Samsung Android phone.
Don’t panic! It is possible to recover deleted photos on Samsung devices like the Galaxy S22, S21, S20, and Note 20 series. This guide will provide step-by-step instructions on how to get back your deleted photos from the Android Gallery app on Samsung phones.
Why Are Deleted Photos Not in Trash?
When you delete photos from the Android Gallery app, they do not go to a recycle bin or trash folder. The photos are immediately and permanently removed from the phone’s internal storage.
This is different from deleting files on a computer, where they typically go to a recycle bin first before being permanently deleted.
Android does not utilize a recycle bin for the gallery. Therefore, any photo deleted is essentially gone forever from the device internal memory.
Can I Recover Photos Without Computer?
It is possible to restore deleted photos on your Samsung device without a computer. However, the process is more limited than using data recovery software on a computer.
Here are some ways to try recovering deleted photos directly on your Samsung device:
Restore from Google Photos Backup
If you had Google Photos backup enabled, you may be able to restore deleted photos from the cloud. Open the Google Photos app and check if the deleted photos are still available in your cloud storage.
Restore from Samsung Cloud
Similarly, if you had Samsung Cloud backup configured, you can check if your deleted photos were backed up and can be restored. Go to your Samsung account and visit the Samsung Cloud website.
Try a File Recovery App
There are dedicated file recovery apps available on the Google Play Store, like DiskDigger. These can scan your device storage and recover deleted photos. However, the free versions often have limited functionality.
In general, while some photo recovery directly on device is possible, for best results you will want to use data recovery software on a Windows or Mac computer. This gives you the most control and highest chance of recovering all lost photos successfully.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from Gallery on Computer
To recover deleted photos from your Samsung Android device on a computer, you will need:
- Samsung Phone
- USB Cable
- Windows or Mac Computer
- Data Recovery Software
Follow these steps:
1. Select a Data Recovery App
First, download and install a data recovery app on your computer. Some top options include:
- Disk Drill – works on both Windows & Mac
- iMyFone AnyRecover – for Windows & Mac
- FoneDog Toolkit – for Android & iOS
- EaseUS MobiSaver – Windows only
Make sure to download the version for your operating system. The software will scan your device and restore deleted photos.
2. Connect Samsung Phone to PC
Use a USB cable to connect your Samsung device to the computer. Enable USB debugging mode on your phone if prompted by the recovery software. This allows full access to the phone memory.
3. Scan for Deleted Photos
Select the option in the data recovery app to scan for deleted photos/gallery files. It will scan all the internal and external storage locations on your device.
This scanning process can take some time depending on how much data is on your phone. Let the scan fully complete.
4. Preview and Recover Deleted Photos
Once the scan finishes, the software will display all recoverable deleted photos. You can preview the photos before choosing which ones to recover.
Select the photos you want to restore and click the recover button. Choose a folder on your computer to save the recovered photos.
Avoid saving the photos back to your device as this can override the deleted files making them unrecoverable.
Tips to Avoid Photo Deletion
To avoid having to recover deleted photos from your Samsung phone in the future, follow these tips:
Set Up Auto Backup
Enable auto backup to either Samsung Cloud or Google Photos. This will automatically save copies of your photos to the cloud.
Use the Recycle Bin App
Install the Samsung Recycle Bin app from the Galaxy Store to retain deleted files temporarily before permanent deletion.
Be Careful When Deleting
Pay close attention when selecting images to delete. Accidental mass deletion can happen easily.
Recover RIGHT After Deletion
Act immediately if photos are deleted by mistake. The sooner data recovery is attempted, the better.
Can Deleted Photos be Recovered from SD Card?
If you store photos on the external SD card in your Samsung phone, can they be recovered if deleted?
The process is very similar to recovering deleted photos from internal phone storage:
Use SD Card Reader
Remove the SD card from your Samsung phone and plug it into your computer’s SD card reader. This will grant the data recovery access to scan the card.
Scan and Restore
Follow the same scanning and file restore process outlined above. Make sure to select the external SD card as the target location.
Act Fast!
It’s crucial to recover deleted photos from the SD card as soon as possible before new data overwrites them.
What Photos Can Be Recovered?
Nearly any photos deleted from your Samsung Galaxy phone gallery can be recovered, provided:
- The internal storage has NOT been formatted after deletion.
- The deleted photos have not been overwritten by new data.
- The phone still powers on normally.
As long as the above conditions are met, you have a great chance of recovering photos including:
- Camera photos
- Screenshots
- Downloaded images
- Whatsapp photos
- Facebook/Instagram photos
- Memes and other pictures
Virtually all major image and photo file formats can be restored, including JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, RAW camera files, and more.
How to Avoid Permanent Deletion
To avoid permanently losing photos from your Samsung Galaxy phone:
- Back Up Photos – Enable auto backup to cloud services or external storage.
- Use Recycle Bin Apps – Install apps like Samsung Recycle Bin to retain deleted files.
- Double Check Before Deleting – Carefully review which photos you select to delete.
- Recover Quickly – If photos are deleted, attempt recovery ASAP before overwriting.
Enabling backups and carefully managing your photos are the best ways to prevent permanent loss. But should photos be deleted, this guide has you covered on how to recover them!
Conclusion
Accidentally deleting photos from your Samsung phone does not have to result in permanent loss. With the right data recovery software and techniques, you can retrieve deleted photos from your Android device internal memory or external SD card.
Follow our guide to download Recuva, DiskDigger or other top recovery apps. Carefully scan your Samsung device to find recoverable photos. Restore your lost memories by recovering the deleted files to your computer.
Just be sure to act fast and avoid overwriting the storage before recovery. Implementing regular backups is also wise to avoid needing to recover deleted photos in the future.
With the help of data recovery software, you can rescue photos deleted from the gallery on Samsung Galaxy phones, even if you cleared the trash. Never lose your precious memories again!