Where Do Deleted Files Go on Android Phone

Getting important files lost can be maddening, and desperately want to know how to get them back. But the first question goes to where can I see my deleted files. No matter whether deleted photos or other documents, where will be stored after deleted?

Different from Windows PC or Mac, there is no Recycle Bin app/icon on the desktop. However, Android will also save deleted files for some time, and you can definitely find deleted files on a phone.

In this article, we shall answer you where deleted files go on Andoird phones, and render you efficient methods on how to recover deleted Android files from internal storage.

Is There a Recycle Bin on my Android Phone?

As we mentioned before, although Android phone doesn’t provide Recycle Bin on the desktop/home page, the device will also save deleted files via applications. For example,

• The Gallery app will save deleted photos & videos in Recycle Bin/Trash folder.
• Google Photos provides the Trash option for you to delete and restore deleted photo files.
• The email apps on Android like Google Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, etc. will also show you deleted emails in the Trash menu.
• And, deleted applications will be saved in the cloud and you can re-download an app from Google Play Store.

You may need: Google Play Store Stuck Downloading? How to Fix This Error >

Where Do Deleted Files Go on Android Phone

That is to say, the deleted files will go to the temporary storage location in every single app. So, you’re lucky enough that the file you have deleted can be recovered from them.

After permanently deleting from Recycle Bin/Trash, the data are not erased from your phone immediately. They are marked as “empty” so that new data can be written in, but still recorded. When you put another file into your phone, the new file is stored in the same place where the old file was, so the old one is written over and lost.

Now, before permanently deleting files, check the methods below to recover them:

How to Access Recycle Bin on Android

If you’re an Android user of Samsung phone, you get a chance to retrieve your deleted videos and photos from the Recycle Bin in Gallery App. The Recycle Bin is located within the Gallery feature, and you can undelete videos and photos deleted within 30 days in the Recently Deleted folder. Follow these easy steps to retrieve files from it.

Step 1. Click on the Gallery App and select Recycle Bin.

Step 2. Long-press an image or video to select and choose other files you would like to restore to your phone.

Step 3. Once you have selected the images or videos, tap on Restore.

Recover Deleted Files on Android Internal Storage

If there is no recycle bin or recently deleted folder on your Android models, then you can use some Android file recovery tools.

DroidKit includes professional Android data recovery, which is dedicated to helping users get back deleted items as much as possible. With the Quick Recovery mode, you can recover deleted data like photos without root. Deep Recovery enables you to find more deleted data with root technology, even the permanently deleted files you think. You can recover 13 types of essential data, including photos, contacts, videos, WhatsApp messages, etc. Besides, if you have a habit of storing your data on an SD card, you can also recover them.

To recover deleted files on Android without a recycle bin:

Step 1. Get the latest version of DroidKit on your computer (Mac or Windows PC).

Step 2. Launch the software and connect your phone with it > Go to the Data Recovery panel and click Deep Recovery from Device.

Step 3. Select the data type you want to check the deleted files and recover.

Step 4. Then DroidKit will check your root status. If not, you can root it now.

Step 5. After rooting, you can view all the files, including deleted items as below. Select the files you want to recover and click To Device or To PC.

Step 6. Wait for the recovering process to finish, you will get the Recovered Successfully page as below.

Further Reading: How to Recover Data from Black Screen Samsung >

[Video] How to Recover Deleted Files on Android | Photos/Videos

Recover Deleted Files from SD Card

If there is no Recycle Bin on your phone, then SD card may be the right call. For those who have copied the files to an SD Card, it’s quite easy to access the files by using a card reader to connect PC and then copy them back to the phone.

Even if you don’t have the habit of “saving data for a rainy day”, there is still a chance to get the deleted files back. In this case, first, you need to stop using your phone and remove the SD card to prevent the data from being overwritten. And then leave everything to a powerful software tool empowering you to restore Android phones’ data.

Restore Deleted Files on Android from Google Account

Recovering deleted files from Google Drive is a great option because it’s well-integrated with the Android system. Google Drive will save deleted files in your trash for 30 days:

1. Open Google Drive and tap on the Menu icon.
2. Find Trash.
3. Select the file you want to restore, tap More and then Restore.

Besides, follow the steps below to restore photos and videos from Google Photos:

1. Click on Google Photos APP > Sign in to your Google Account > In the Menu click Trash.
2. Select the photo or video you want to restore > Click Restore at the bottom right.

What’s more, you can also retrieve the backup files and folders from Google Backup, which is a service that uses Google Drive to back up your information on Google’s online server. It enables you to restore data including images, audio, videos, documents, contacts, calendar wallpapers, and more. Simply tap Google in System or Google Drive APP to view and restore your data. And You can also go to the Google Drive page to download the files.

Step 1: Visit https://drive.google.com on your PC > Sign into your Google account.

Step 2: Head to Backup > Select the data you want to retrieve > Download the Google backup.

Also Read: How to Retrieve Deleted Phone Numbers on Android >

How to Recover Deleted Files from Android without a Computer

If you don’t have a computer at hand, there are still many useful Apps that can help you out. In this part, we recommend Helium, a powerful data backup and restore app for Android users with no rooting required.

Helium has the capability to manage protected apps, app settings, and more. Install this app, and the setup wizard will take you through all the necessary steps and you can recover your lost files in a simple way. The backup can be saved on other Android devices, in SD cards, PCs, or cloud storage directly. Get detailed steps on how to recover deleted files on Android without a computer.

Bonus Tip: How to Empty the Recycle Bin on Android

To empty trash on Google Drive: Click three horizontal lines (Menu icon) > Click Trash > Locate the file and click More > Delete forever.

To empty recycle bin in Gallery: Press and hold one photo to load options > Click and open Recycle Bin > Select the photos and click Delete.

The Bottom Line

No matter which method you choose, it’s not just a thing about clutching at a straw. You have a good chance to restore deleted files from your Android device. And DroidKit is worth trying to get deleted files back to your phone without backup. Besides, it also allows you to retrieve your phone data stored in Google account and phone numbers from SIM card. Why not give it a try?

Finally, if you have any questions or problems about this tutorial on how to recover deleted files from Android, feel free to tell us by emailing us or leaving a comment in the comment sections, and we will reply to you as soon as possible.