These days, more and more people are turning to cloud-based storage solutions like Google Photos to keep their memories safe. Unlike traditional storage on your computer or phone, Google Photos doesn’t limit you by hard drive space and lets you access your pictures from anywhere with an internet connection.
But what happens if a cherished photo gets accidentally deleted or lost due to an unexpected issue? Are those images gone for good? Can you recover deleted Google Photos?
Don’t worry — it’s often possible to recover deleted Google photos. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to recover recently/permanently deleted photos from Google Photos, step by step.
Can I Recover Permanently Deleted Google Photos?
You might be wondering whether it’s possible to get back photos that were permanently deleted from Google Photos. The answer isn’t a simple yes or no — it really depends on a few key factors. When you delete a photo in Google Photos, it doesn’t vanish immediately. Instead, it is moved to the Trash folder, where it remains for a limited time before being permanently erased. For photos that were backed up to your Google Photos library, they typically stay in the Trash for up to 60 days. If a photo wasn’t backed up, it will be permanently removed after about 30 days. During this window, you can restore any deleted photo easily.
Once the Trash is emptied, or if a photo has been in the Trash beyond the retention period, recovery through normal methods becomes impossible. Similarly, if a photo has been manually removed from the Trash, there is no standard way to restore it.
Now, let’s take a closer look at how to recover deleted photos from Google Photos!
How to Recover Deleted Google Photos Within 60 Days?
Solution 1: Recover Deleted Google Photos from Trash
If your deleted photos are still in the Trash folder, you can restore them quickly by following these steps:
Step 1: Launch your preferred web browser and go to photos.google.com. Sign in with the Google account that was used to store your photos.
Step 2: On the left-hand sidebar, find and click the Trash icon to see all photos that have been deleted within the last 60 days.
Step 3: Browse through the Trash and choose the images you want to recover. To select multiple photos at once, hold down the Shift key while clicking on each image.
Step 4: After picking the photos, click the Restore button at the top of the page. The restored photos will return to your main Google Photos library and can be accessed normally.
Solution 2: Recover Delete Google Photos from Archive
On some occasions, photos aren’t actually deleted but are moved to the archive instead. In this case, there’s no need to worry about permanent deletion. You can easily bring them back to your main library by following these steps:
Step 1: Launch the Google Photos app on your phone or go to the Google Photos website on your computer.
Step 2: In the left-hand menu, find and click the Archive option to view all archived photos.
Step 3: Locate the photo you need and select it. On the web or mobile app, look for the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the screen.
Step 4: Click Unarchive from the dropdown menu.
How to Recover Permanently Deleted Google Photos after 60 Days?
If your photos no longer exist in the Trash folder, it can be difficult to get them back. However, all hope is not lost. Check out this section to learn how to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos.
Solution 3: Recover Delete Google Photos from Backup
Utilizing a backup is by far the simplest and most reliable way to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos. In many cases, deleted images might already be saved somewhere without you even realizing it — on your computer, an SD card, an external hard drive, or another storage device. If you’ve enabled Google Drive, there’s also a good chance that your deleted photos are stored there. Checking these backup sources can save you a lot of time and ensure that your cherished memories are safely restored.
Solution 4: Recover Delete Google Photos using 4DDiG
What if your local backup gets accidentally corrupted or lost? This is where Tenorshare 4DDiG can help. This beginner-friendly tool can recognize over 2,000 types of files from a variety of storage devices, including USB drives, external hard drives, memory cards, and more. Whether your backup files were lost due to accidental deletion or formatting, Tenorshare 4DDiG serves as a reliable solution. Plus, you do not need a technical background to use this free data recovery tool.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos with the aid of 4DDiG:
Step 1: Install and launch the 4DDiG Data Recovery tool on your computer. From the main interface, select the drive where your photos were stored, then click Scan to begin the process.
Step 2: 4DDiG will scan the selected drive for missing files. To speed up the process, you can use the Type filter on the left to organize results by file type. Once you locate the photos you want, you can pause or stop the scan at any point..
Step 3: You can preview deleted photos by double-clicking them. When you’ve confirmed the files you need, select them and click Recover at the bottom-right corner.
Solution 5: Recover Delete Google Photos via Google Support
If none of the previous methods work, contacting Google Support can be your final option. Google retains permanently deleted files on their servers for up to 21 days, so there may still be a chance to recover your photos. Keep in mind that as of 2024, Google no longer offers live chat for file recovery requests — you’ll need to submit a form via email. While this method isn’t guaranteed to work every time, it’s worth trying if your photos are particularly important.
Here’s a guide on how to recover deleted Google Photos:
Step 1: Open Google Drive and click the question mark icon in the top-right corner, then select Help from the dropdown menu. Under Need more help?, choose Contact Us.
Step 2: You’ll be prompted to describe the reason for your request. Follow the instructions to select the option that best fits your situation.
Step 3: Google will show relevant help articles first. If you still need assistance, click Next Step to continue.
Step 4: For data recovery, Google now only accepts email requests. Click Email, then select Requested File Recovery.
Step 5: You’ll need to re-authenticate your Google account. After that, fill out the File Recovery request form and click Submit.
Final Thoughts
Now, the question “How to recover deleted photos from Google Photos?” shouldn’t leave you confused anymore. Accidental deletions happen more often than you might think, but with this guide, recovering your photos is straightforward. From checking the Trash folder to using reliable recovery tools or contacting Google Support, following these steps carefully can help you restore your deleted images quickly. And most importantly, make it a habit to back up your photos regularly to avoid similar situations in the future.
