Accidentally deleted an important photo? Formatted your SD card without backing up? There is a good chance those files can still be recovered. When you delete a photo, it is not immediately erased from storage — the space is just marked as available. These 7 free apps can get your photos and videos back.
âš¡ Act Fast
Stop Using Your Phone Immediately After Deleting
Every new photo taken or app installed after a deletion overwrites the storage space. The sooner you scan, the higher the recovery rate.
1. Check Your Gallery Trash First
Before downloading any app — check your phone’s gallery trash. Samsung Gallery, Google Photos, and most Android gallery apps keep deleted photos for 30 days in a Recycle Bin. Open your gallery → Albums → Recently Deleted or Trash. Restore with one tap. This works for most accidental deletions.
2. Google Photos (Trash Recovery)
If you use Google Photos backup (free up to 15GB), deleted photos stay in Google Photos Trash for 60 days. Open Google Photos → Library → Trash. Select and restore. Also recovers photos from other devices you have backed up.
3. DiskDigger (Android)
DiskDigger is the most capable free photo recovery app on Android. It scans your phone’s internal storage and SD card for deleted image files. The free version recovers JPEG and PNG photos. Rooted Android devices get deeper scans and higher recovery rates.
4. Dumpster
Dumpster works like a Recycle Bin for your phone — but it must be installed BEFORE you delete anything to work. If you install it now, all future deleted files go to Dumpster instead of being lost. Free version covers photos and videos.
5. Recuva (for SD Cards via PC)
If you have an SD card from your phone, connecting it to a Windows PC and running Recuva (free from Piriform) gives you the most powerful recovery scan available. Works exceptionally well for formatted cards. Higher recovery rate than any phone app.
6. iCloud / iPhone Recently Deleted
iPhone users: deleted photos stay in Photos → Albums → Recently Deleted for 30 days. Open iCloud.com on any browser to access if you cannot find it on your phone. Restore directly from there.
7. Samsung Smart Switch (Samsung Users)
If you have ever backed up your Samsung phone to a PC using Smart Switch, you may have a backup that includes your deleted photos. Open Smart Switch on your PC → Restore → Browse content → Photos. This has recovered photos people thought were permanently lost.
FAQs
What is the success rate of photo recovery?
Depends on how quickly you act and how much the phone has been used since deletion. Acting within hours gives 70-90% recovery rates. Waiting days reduces this significantly.
Can I recover photos deleted months ago?
Unlikely unless they were backed up somewhere. Prolonged phone use overwrites deleted storage. Try anyway — you might be surprised.
Do I need to root my phone?
Not for most methods. DiskDigger’s free version works without root. Rooting enables deeper scans but is not necessary for typical gallery deletions.