How to Recover Deleted Photos: Simple Tricks That Work on Both Android and iPhone

By Siddhi Jain | Dec 17, 2025, 07:42 IST

Accidentally deleting photos from your smartphone is a common but stressful experience. Whether it’s personal memories, important documents, or work-related images, losing photos can feel irreversible. The good news is that on both Android and iPhone, deleted photos are usually not erased immediately. With the right method and timely action, you can often recover them easily.

Here’s a complete, step-by-step guide on how to recover deleted photos on Android and iPhone, using built-in features as well as backup options—without needing technical expertise.

Why Deleted Photos Are Not Gone Immediately

When you delete photos from your phone, they don’t disappear right away. Instead, they are moved to a temporary folder:

On Android, this folder is called Trash or Bin
On iPhone, it is known as Recently Deleted

Photos usually stay there for 30 to 60 days, giving you a recovery window. Acting quickly is the key to getting them back.

Method 1: Recover Photos from Trash or Recently Deleted Folder

For Android Users

Open the Gallery app on your phone.
Look for Trash, Bin, or Recycle Bin (name may vary by brand).
Open the folder and select the photos you want to restore.
Tap Restore, and the photos will return to your gallery.

Most Android phones keep deleted photos in Trash for 30 days.

For iPhone Users

Open the Photos app.
Go to Albums.
Scroll down and tap on Recently Deleted.
Select the photos you want to recover.
Tap Recover.

On iPhones, deleted photos usually remain here for up to 30 days.

Method 2: Recover Deleted Photos Using Google Photos (Android)

If you use Google Photos on your Android device, there’s another layer of protection.

Steps:

Open the Google Photos app.
Tap on Library at the bottom.
Open the Trash folder.
Select the deleted photos.
Tap Restore.

Photos deleted from Google Photos are typically stored for up to 60 days, provided backup was enabled.

Method 3: Recover Deleted Photos Using iCloud Photos (iPhone)

For iPhone users, iCloud Photos can be a lifesaver if syncing was turned on.

Steps:

Open the Photos app.
Go to Albums → Recently Deleted.
Select the images you want.
Tap Recover.

If your photos were synced to iCloud, they remain available for recovery for 30 days after deletion.

Method 4: Restore Photos from Backup (Android & iPhone)

If photos are no longer available in Trash or Recently Deleted folders, backups can help—though this method requires caution.

Android Backup (Google Drive)

If your phone was backed up to Google Drive, you can restore deleted photos by resetting your phone and restoring the backup.
Note: This may overwrite your current data.

iPhone Backup (iCloud)

If an iCloud backup exists from before the photos were deleted, you can restore your phone using that backup.
This also involves resetting the device, which may remove current data.

👉 Important: Always back up your current data before using this method.

Method 5: Using Third-Party Photo Recovery Apps (With Caution)

There are many apps online that claim to recover deleted photos. While some may work, others can pose privacy and security risks.

Things to keep in mind:

Avoid apps asking for unnecessary permissions.
Do not install unknown or unverified recovery tools.
Use third-party apps only as a last resort.

Whenever possible, rely on your phone’s built-in recovery features and official cloud backups.

Tips to Prevent Photo Loss in the Future

Enable automatic cloud backup (Google Photos or iCloud).
Regularly check your Trash folder before it auto-deletes files.
Keep sufficient storage space to avoid accidental deletions.
Back up important photos to an external drive or computer.

Final Words

Recovering deleted photos on Android and iPhone is often easier than it seems—if you act within time. Built-in Trash folders, cloud services like Google Photos and iCloud, and backup options provide multiple ways to restore lost images. The key is to stay calm, avoid overwriting data, and use trusted recovery methods.

With these simple tricks, your deleted photos may just be a few taps away from coming back.