You’re browsing photos, your finger slips and poof! A cherished image is gone forever. Before you panic, know there might be a way to bring it back. The best part is it works even if you accidentally deleted something days ago.
Google Photos
Google Photos is one of the most forgiving apps when it comes to accidental deletion. There’s usually an “undo” button that flashes on your screen for a few seconds after the deed.
That said, any photo you delete will land in the Trash folder for up to 60 days, as long as Back up and Sync is enabled.
- On your iPhone or Android, open Google Photos.
- At the bottom, select Library > Trash.
- Touch and hold the photo you want to restore. Tap Restore.
FYI: Even if you don’t have Back up and Sync enabled, there’s a good chance your photo will be recoverable for up to 30 days. If you empty the trash folder, though, you’re out of luck.
Apple Photos
Any images you delete will appear in the Recently Deleted album. You’ll have up to 30 days to get them back, whether you have iCloud enabled or not.
- Open the Photos app.
- Select Albums and tap Recently Deleted.
- Use the Face ID or Touch ID if prompted.
- Select the deleted photo and tap Recover.
If you can’t find a deleted pic, there’s a slim chance it’s actually “hidden.” To check:
- Open the Photos app. Select Albums and tap Hidden under Utilities.
- Use the Face ID or Touch ID if prompted.
- Select the photo you want to unhide. Tap the More button and select Unhide.
Voila, your deleted (or hidden) photo is back.
Let’s say you struck out
And that adorable picture of your dog/cat/kid isn’t hiding in the trash. Keep reading for a third-party app recommendation.
Stellar Data Recovery
All right, it’s time to bring in the heavy hitter! When all else fails, you can try Stellar Data Recovery. As the name suggests, this tool allows you to recover photos you may have lost.
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how it works:
- Download Stellar Data Recovery onto your computer.
- Connect your Android or iPhone via USB.
- Launch the software.
- Choose the type of data you’d like to recover (in this case, photos).
- Select your Android or iPhone device and click Scan.
- Once finished, any recoverable photos will be displayed.
- You can now Save the photo in your desired location.
Keep in mind that Stellar Data Recovery starts at $29.99 for Android users and $39.99 for iPhone users. It’s not the cheapest software out there, but it’s a safer alternative when compared to nasty, invasive programs that claim to be free!
Bonus tip: Prevention is better than cure! That’s why I suggest backing up photos before accidentally deleting them. Here are 5 photo storage options beyond Google Photos and Apple Photos.
