The Recycle Bin on Android devices serves a similar purpose as the Recycle Bin or Trash folder on a Windows or Mac computer. It provides a temporary holding place for files that have been deleted, before they are permanently erased from the device’s storage. This gives users a chance to recover accidentally deleted files if needed.
When a file is deleted on an Android device, it is not immediately removed from the storage. Instead, it is simply marked as deleted and moved to the Recycle Bin. The file remains in the Recycle Bin, taking up space, until the Recycle Bin is emptied. At that point, deleted files are permanently deleted and that storage space is freed up.
Having a Recycle Bin is useful on Android because storage space is more limited compared to a computer. Being able to recover recently deleted files can save users from accidentally losing important data.
Accessing the Recycle Bin
The Recycle Bin on Android allows you to easily restore deleted files. Here’s how to access it:
On many Android devices like Samsung, LG, Huawei etc, the Recycle Bin is built right into the Gallery app. To access it:
- Open the Gallery app
- Tap on the menu icon (three vertical dots) in the top right corner
- Select “Recycle bin” from the menu
This will open the Recycle Bin section in your Gallery app, showing all recently deleted photos, videos, and other files. You can browse through them, restore items, or permanently delete them.
On Pixel and other Android devices without a built-in Recycle Bin, you may need to install a separate files manager app like File Manager or Solid Explorer. These often have a Recycle Bin feature you can access. For example, in Solid Explorer:
- Open Solid Explorer and select the storage location (Internal Storage, SD card etc)
- Tap the menu icon and choose “Recycle Bin”
This will let you access and manage your Recycle Bin content.
So in summary, the Recycle Bin can be accessed through your Gallery app on many devices, or via a file manager app on others. Just look for the “Recycle Bin” option in the menu.
Recycle Bin Location
The default location of the Recycle Bin app varies depending on the Android device and version. On Samsung Galaxy devices running One UI, the Recycle Bin can be found in the Gallery app. Open the Gallery app, tap on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner, and select “Recycle bin” 1. For other Android devices, the Recycle Bin is usually located in the native Files or File Manager app. Open the Files/File Manager app, go to the “Browse” or “Categories” tab, and look for the Recycle Bin or Trash folder 2.
The Recycle Bin may also be labeled as “Recently Deleted” or “Trash” on some Android devices. If you cannot find the Recycle Bin in the Gallery or Files app, search your apps for one of these alternative names.
Moving Recycle Bin
The Recycle Bin app icon on Android can be moved and repositioned like any other app icon on your home screen. Here’s how to move the Recycle Bin:
- Press and hold on the Recycle Bin icon until it starts wiggling.
- Without lifting your finger, drag the icon to the desired spot on your home screen.
- Once in the right spot, lift your finger to drop the Recycle Bin icon in place.
You can move the Recycle Bin icon to any home screen panel or to the bottom customizable app dock area. This allows you to customize the location to your liking.
If you wish to remove the Recycle Bin icon from your home screen entirely, press and hold the icon and then drag it up to the “Remove” area at the top of the screen. This will delete the shortcut icon, but the Recycle Bin app will still be accessible in your App Drawer.
Restore Deleted Files
If you accidentally delete a file, you may be able to restore it from the Recycle Bin on your Android device. Here’s how to restore deleted files:
Open the Files app and navigate to the Recycle Bin folder. On Samsung devices, go to My Files > Recycle Bin. On other Android devices, look for the Trash or Recently Deleted folder.
Tap and hold on the file you want to restore. A menu will appear.
Tap “Restore” to move the file back to its original location.
You can also select multiple files and restore them all at once. Just tap the checkboxes next to each file you want to restore and then tap the Restore button at the top.
Keep in mind that the Recycle Bin has limited storage space. Files are automatically deleted from the Recycle Bin after 30 days according to Samsung’s support page. So restore important files as soon as possible before they get permanently deleted.
Permanently Delete Files
If you want to permanently delete files from the Recycle Bin so they cannot be recovered, follow these steps:
Open the Files app and tap on the hamburger menu icon in the upper left corner. Select “Trash” from the menu.
This will open the Recycle Bin showing all your recently deleted files. Tap “Select” at the top and then choose “All” to select all the files.
At the bottom of the screen tap the “Delete” button. A popup will appear asking you to confirm deleting the files permanently.
Tap “Delete” again and the files will be removed from your device and cannot be recovered through the Recycle Bin.
You can also delete files permanently one by one. Tap on a file to select it, then tap “Delete” at the bottom and confirm the deletion.
Once a file is permanently deleted from the Recycle Bin, the only way to try recovering it is using third-party data recovery software or tools. But there is no guarantee files can be recovered once permanently deleted.
To avoid permanently losing important files by accident, be careful when deleting files and emptying the Recycle Bin.
Empty the Recycle Bin
To permanently delete all contents of the Recycle Bin on your Android device, follow these steps:
1. Open the Files app on your device and navigate to the Recycle Bin folder. This is usually located in the Internal Storage or Downloads folder.
2. Tap and hold on any file or folder in the Recycle Bin. This will select everything in the bin.
3. Tap the trash can icon in the top right corner. A confirmation prompt will appear.
4. Tap “Empty Bin” to confirm. This will permanently delete all contents of the Recycle Bin.
Once the Recycle Bin is emptied, all files and folders are permanently deleted and can no longer be recovered. Be certain you want to delete everything before tapping “Empty Bin.”
For an illustrated guide, refer to this tutorial from iToolab.
Alternative File Recovery
If you have permanently deleted a file from your Android device and emptied the Recycle Bin, you may still be able to recover it using a file recovery app. Some options include:
- FonePaw Android Data Recovery – Scans your device and memory card to find deleted files. Supports various file types.
- DiskDigger – Free photo recovery app that can rescue deleted pictures and videos.
- EaseUS MobiSaver – Paid app with free trial that recovers documents, messages, contacts and more.
File recovery apps work by scanning the internal or external memory of your device to find traces of deleted data that have not yet been overwritten. The sooner you run the recovery app after deletion, the better your chances of getting the file back.
However, file recovery does not work if the storage has been formatted or overwritten by new data. You’ll also have better luck recovering from external SD cards since internal storage is more prone to overwriting.
Customize Recycle Bin
Android allows you to customize some settings for the Recycle Bin to control how it operates. Here are some key settings you can adjust:
Empty Recycle Bin Automatically: You can set the Recycle Bin to automatically empty itself on a schedule, such as every 30 days. This prevents the deleted files from accumulating over time and taking up storage space.
Storage Limit: Set a maximum storage limit for the Recycle Bin, such as 2GB. Once the Recycle Bin reaches this limit, it will start deleting older files when new ones are added.
Individual File Deletion Time: Control how long individual files stay in the Recycle Bin before being permanently deleted, such as 7 days or 30 days.
You can customize these Recycle Bin settings in your device’s Settings app under Storage settings. The options may vary slightly depending on your specific Android device and version.
Customization allows you to fine-tune the Recycle Bin behavior to suit your needs. For example, you can shorten the auto-delete time if you need to closely monitor storage space. Or extend the file deletion time if you often recover deleted items from the Recycle Bin.
Conclusion
The Android Recycle Bin acts as a temporary storage location for recently deleted files, giving users a chance to recover them if needed. It can be accessed through the native Files app or third-party file manager apps. The Recycle Bin is usually located in internal storage, but can be customized on some devices to save to external SD cards. Restoring deleted files is as simple as opening the Recycle Bin and tapping on the file to restore. However, files are only kept for a limited time before being permanently deleted. It’s important to restore valued files quickly before storage space is overwritten. Overall, the Recycle Bin is a useful safety net against accidental deletion on Android devices. Taking the time to locate it and understand how it works can save users from permanent data loss.