How to Recover Deleted Photos After Deleting from Recently Deleted on iPhone Or Android

When photos are deleted from the "Recently Deleted" album, many users assume they’re gone forever. Fortunately, recovery is still possible in many cases. This article explains how to recover deleted photos after removing them from Recently Deleted folders across various devices including iPhone and Android. It also covers recovery strategies when no backup is available.

By @Emma
Last Updated May 16, 2025

Can You Restore Photos After Deleting From "Recently Deleted"?

 

I was clearing up some space in my phone and deleting multiple pictures. Without realizing I deleted some important pictures. Before I realized that they were selected I deleted everything from "recently deleted" as well. I’m just wondering if there’s any way to retrieve these permanently deleted photos after emptying the "recently deleted" folder?

Most smartphones and devices, either iPhones or Android phones, feature a "Recently Deleted" folder in their Photos app. This special folder temporarily stores deleted images for a limited period (typically 30 days) before they are permanently erased from the device. It aims to give users a safety net in case they accidentally delete important photos.

However, when you delete photos not just from your main gallery, but also from the "Recently Deleted" folder itself, are those images gone forever or is there still a way to recover them? In this article, we’ll explore the answer in detail and guide you through possible recovery methods for iPhone and Android.

Recover Deleted Photos After Deleting From Recently Deleted iPhone?

Once you delete photos from the "Recently Deleted" album on an iPhone, they are considered permanently deleted, but there are still a few ways you may be able to recover them:

🌟Tip:

If you use "iCloud Photos", sometimes deleted photos may still be accessible on another synced device (e.g., iPad, Mac) if the deletion hasn't synced across yet. Check immediately before it's too late.

1. Restore from iCloud Backup

If you have iCloud Backup enabled and the deleted photos were included in the last backup before they were permanently deleted, take the following steps:

🌟Tip:

This will replace all current data with the contents of the backup.

Step 1. Go to "Settings"> "General"> "Transfer or Reset iPhone"> "Erase All Content and Settings".

Step 2. After restart, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup"during setup.

Step 3. Sign in to your Apple ID and select the backup made before the photos were deleted.

2. Restore from iTunes Backup

If you've previously backed up your iPhone using iTunes, you can try restoring that backup to recover permanently deleted photos after deleting from "Recently Deleted" folder.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.

Step 2. Open iTunes, and select your device when it appears.

Step 3. Click on "Restore Backup".

Step 4. Choose a backup made before the photos were deleted.

Step 5. Click "Restore" and wait for the process to complete.

3. Restore from MyRecover (iOS) -Not Require Prior Backup

If you don't have an iTunes or iCloud backup, MyRecover for iOS offers a convenient way to recover photos deleted after deleting from"Recently Deleted" without a prior backup.

★Key Features:
Restore 10+ types of iPhone data, including photos, videos, contacts, call history, WeChat history, etc.
Selectively preview and retrieve the lost/deleted iPhone data you want.
Quickly recover data directly from iPhone, iPad, and iPod.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover (iOS) on a Windows computer.

100% Secure

Step 2. Connect your iPhone to the computer via a USB cable and launch the program.

Step 3. Select and click "Scan Now".

Step 4. Once the scan completes, preview the deleted photos and select the ones you want to restore.

Step 5. Click "Recover" to save the photos to your computer.

MyRecover is easy to use and supports recovery of various data types, including photos, messages, videos, and more. It’s especially helpful if you'vepermanently deleted photos without backup.

Recover Deleted Photos After Deleting From Recently Deleted Android?

Once you delete photos from the "Recently Deleted" or "Trash/Bin" folder on an Android device, they are generally considered permanently deleted. However, depending on your device and whether you have a Google or manufacturer-specific backup enabled, there are still ways to retrieve those lost photos.

1. Restore from Google Photos Backup

If you use "Google Photos", deleted photos go to the "Trash" folder for 30 days. But if you’ve also cleared the Trash, you may still recover them if they were backed up before deletion.

Step 1.Open Google Photosapp on your Android device.

Step 2. At the bottom, tap "Library"->"Trash".

Step 3. If photos were backed up before deletion, touch and hold the photo or video you want to restore.Tap "Restore" at the bottom. If the photo or video isn't in your trash, it may be permanently deleted.

2. Restore from Manufacturer Cloud Backup (Samsung, etc.)

If you're using a brand like Samsung, your phone may have a cloud backup system in place (e.g., Samsung Cloud or OneDrive for newer devices).Steps to recover deleted photos after deleting from "recently deleted" Samsung phone:

Step 1. Go to "Settings"> "Accounts and Backup"> "Restore Data".

Step 2. Choose a backup created before deletion.

Step 3. Finally, click on the "Restore" tab to initiate the file recovery process.

 

3. Recover Deleted Photos using MyRecover (Windows) without Backup

No backup available? Does that mean there's no chance to recover your deleted photos? Not necessarily! If the deleted photos were stored on an SD or microSD card — which is common for many Android devices — there's still a good chance you can get them back. You can use free data recovery software like MyRecover (Windows version, which differs from the iOS version mentioned earlier).

Simply remove the SD or microSD card from your device, connect it to a Windows computer, and let MyRecover scan the entire card. It can efficiently locate and recover lost photos with ease. Detailed steps:

1. Download and install MyRecover on your Windows PC.

2. Remove the SD card from your Android phone andinsert itinto the computer properly via built-in SD card slot (if available) or SD card adapter.

3. Launch the software, select the deviceand click "Scan" to begin scanning for deleted photos.

4. Once the scanning completes, you can use "filter" to quickly find out photos.

5. Select what you want to recover and click "Recover".

6. Choose a safe location on your computerto save them.

After recovery, you can double-check the recovered photos in the new path to ensure they’re intact and viewable. If everything is OK, you can copy them back to the SD card.

Summary

So, even if you've deleted photos from the "Recently Deleted" folder, there may still be a chance to recover them. No matter whether you have prior backups or not, you can find the way to recover deleted photos after deleting from "Recently Deleted"on iPhone or Android. The sooner you act, the higher the recovery success rate.

To prevent data loss in the future, it’s recommended to regularly back up your phone data (using iCloud, Google Photos, or manufacturer cloud services) and be cautious when deleting files. If accidental deletion occurs, using a reliable recovery toollike MyRecoveras soon as possible will greatly increase your chances of retrieving lost files.