Have you ever accidentally deleted precious photos from your Samsung Galaxy device? Losing important pictures can be frustrating, but the good news is that there are several ways to recover them. Whether your photos were stored on the internal memory or an SD card, there are various methods to restore them successfully.
Check the Samsung Recycle Bin (Gallery Trash)
Before trying advanced recovery methods, check if your deleted photos are still in the built-in Recycle Bin (also called Trash in some models). Samsung Galaxy devices automatically keep deleted images in the Trash for 30 days.
- Open the Gallery app.
- Tap on Menu (three dots) and select Trash.
- Look for your deleted photos and select the ones you want to restore.
- Tap Restore, and they will be returned to your original gallery.
If your photos are not in the Trash, proceed to other recovery methods.
Recover Photos from Samsung Cloud
Samsung Cloud is a useful backup service that automatically saves your pictures if enabled. To recover lost photos:
- Go to Settings on your Samsung device.
- Tap Accounts and Backup → Samsung Cloud.
- Choose Gallery and check if your images are backed up.
- Tap Restore to recover the lost pictures.
If Samsung Cloud backup was not enabled beforehand, try Google Photos or third-party recovery tools.
Retrieve Photos from Google Photos
If you have Google Photos installed and the backup feature turned on, you may find your deleted photos in the app’s Trash folder.
- Open the Google Photos app.
- Tap on Library → Trash.
- Select the photos you want to restore.
- Tap Restore to return the images to your gallery.
Remember that Google Photos keeps deleted images in the Trash for only 60 days before they are permanently deleted.
Use a Data Recovery App
If your deleted photos are not in Samsung Cloud, Google Photos, or the Recycle Bin, you may need to use third-party data recovery apps. Here are some reliable tools:
- DiskDigger – A popular app that scans internal storage and SD cards for deleted images.
- Tenorshare UltData for Android – A PC-based tool that can recover lost files without root.
- Dr.Fone – Data Recovery – A professional recovery software widely used for Android devices.
How to Use DiskDigger to Recover Photos
- Download and install DiskDigger from the Google Play Store.
- Open the app and grant permissions when prompted.
- Choose Basic Scan (for non-rooted devices) or Full Scan (for rooted devices).
- Select the photos you wish to recover and tap Recover.
Keep in mind that recovery apps work best if the deleted files have not been overwritten with new data.
Restoring Photos from an SD Card
If your photos were stored on an SD card rather than the phone’s internal storage, you have a higher chance of recovering them using a PC-based recovery tool.
Steps to Recover Photos from an SD Card
- Remove the SD card from your Samsung phone and insert it into a computer using a card reader.
- Download and install software such as Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.
- Run the software and scan the SD card for deleted files.
- Select the recovered photos and save them to your computer.
Always create backups of important images to avoid losing them permanently.
Prevent Future Photo Loss
To avoid accidental photo loss in the future, follow these tips:
- Enable Samsung Cloud or Google Photos backup.
- Keep a copy of your photos on an external SD card or computer.
- Use a file recovery app like Dumpster, which acts as a recycle bin for Android devices.
By taking these preventive measures, you can ensure that your photos remain safe, even in case of accidental deletion.
Final Thoughts
Recovering lost photos from a Samsung Galaxy device is possible using several methods, including Samsung’s built-in Trash, cloud backups, recovery apps, and SD card recovery tools. The key to successful recovery is to act quickly and avoid overwriting deleted files by minimizing phone usage until your images are retrieved.
If you haven’t already, make sure to enable auto-backup options to prevent future data loss. Have you successfully recovered your lost photos? Let us know which method worked for you!
