Google Photos is quietly halving the trash retention window from 60 days to 30. That is fine if you check your gallery weekly. If you do not, and everyone else you know does not, the next accidental swipe is a real problem. These eight best photo recovery apps for Android give you a safety net that lives on your phone, not in a cloud bucket you forgot to check.
We tested each on a Pixel 8 with recent JPEG and HEIC files deleted from the camera roll, some with the phone rooted and some without. Recovery rates vary by device, filesystem, and how much you have written to storage since the delete. The ranking below reflects what actually pulled files back in that test.
What to look for in a photo recovery app
Four things separate a real recovery app from a data-harvesting front:
- No mandatory sign-in. Recovery works on your device. Any app that gates the scan behind an account is a red flag.
- Preview before restore. You should see thumbnails of what it found so you can pick, not accept a bulk dump.
- Root and non-root support. Deep recovery needs root on most Android 11+ devices. A good app tells you honestly what changes with and without it.
- Export target you control. The recovered file should save to your Downloads folder or upload to your own Drive, not to the app’s server.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DiskDigger | Deep scans with or without root | Basic photo/video recovery | Pro about $4 one-time | 3.9/5 |
| Dumpster | Safety net set up before you delete | 7-day cloud, local unlimited | Premium about $3/mo | 4.4/5 |
| Google Files | Recovering trashed photos in the built-in bin | Free, no ads | Free | 4.5/5 |
| Restore Image | Fast recovery of camera-roll JPEGs | Full recovery, ad-supported | Ad removal about $3 | 4.3/5 |
| GT Recovery | Root users wanting a mature toolkit | Full recovery on root | Free | 4.0/5 |
| DigDeep Image Recovery | Simple, focused JPEG scanner | Everything, ad-supported | Free | 4.2/5 |
| Photo Recovery by Dumpster | Recovering photos after cache clears | Free with ads | Included in Dumpster premium | 4.3/5 |
| EaseUS MobiSaver | Companion PC scan for stubborn cases | Trial preview | About $30/year desktop bundle | 4.1/5 |
The apps
1. DiskDigger, best deep scanner overall
DiskDigger by Defiant Technologies is the app most Android forums point at for a reason. On non-rooted devices it does a “basic” scan that pulls thumbnails and cached copies out of app data. On rooted devices it runs a full deep scan that reads the raw partition, which is what pulls back photos deleted weeks ago.
The Pro upgrade unlocks video recovery and lets you save results directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, or FTP. The interface is unfashionable and that is fine. The scan runs on your device, no upload, no account.
Where it falls short: Basic mode on modern Android returns cached thumbnails, not full-resolution originals, for anything the OS has already scrubbed. Video recovery is Pro only.
Pricing: Free basic scan, Pro about $4 one-time Platforms: Android
Download: DiskDigger on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Install this before you need it. The four-dollar Pro is worth it the first time it saves a shoot.
2. Dumpster, best set-and-forget safety net
Dumpster is a recycle bin that intercepts deletions before they happen. It runs quietly in the background, catches anything you remove from the gallery or file manager, and holds it in a local trash you can browse.
The free tier keeps files locally forever. The premium plan adds cloud backup and app lock. Setup takes two minutes, then it is invisible until you need it.
Where it falls short: It cannot recover anything you deleted before installing. If your emergency is already happening, use DiskDigger. Install Dumpster after.
Pricing: Free, Premium about $3/mo or $20/year Platforms: Android
Download: Dumpster on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: The best insurance policy on this list. Install it the day you set up a new phone.
3. Google Files, best free built-in first stop
Google Files ships on many Android devices and includes a Trash folder that holds deleted photos and videos for 30 days. Most people never open it. Before you install anything, check the Trash: three taps and the file is back.
Files also has a Safe Folder and cleanup suggestions. The Trash works for anything deleted through Files itself; it does not catch deletions from third-party gallery apps.
Where it falls short: Only 30 days retention. Does not catch camera-roll deletes on some Samsung and Xiaomi devices. Not a real recovery tool once the window closes.
Pricing: Free, no ads Platforms: Android
Download: Google Files on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Always the first check. Costs nothing, might save you the whole hunt.
4. Restore Image, best quick-scan for camera-roll JPEGs
Restore Image (Super Easy) is a one-purpose app that scans internal storage for JPEG remnants and shows thumbnails you can restore in bulk. On a mid-range phone with 128 GB storage the scan finishes in about three minutes.
It leans on undelete techniques that work best when the file was recently removed and the storage has not been rewritten. Older deletes are hit-and-miss.
Where it falls short: JPEG only in the free tier; HEIC and RAW are patchy. The app is ad-supported unless you buy the removal.
Pricing: Free with ads, ad removal about $3 Platforms: Android
Download: Restore Image on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Try it if DiskDigger’s basic scan came up empty on a recent delete.
5. GT Recovery, best mature toolkit for rooted phones
GT Recovery has been on Android for over a decade and rewards root users with a full set: photo recovery, video recovery, contacts, SMS, and even lost partition recovery. Non-root users get the basic photo scan, which is fine but nothing DiskDigger does not do better.
If your phone is rooted and you want one tool to handle multiple recovery cases, this is it.
Where it falls short: UI shows its age. Some translations are rough. Requires root for the deep scans.
Pricing: Free Platforms: Android
Download: GT Recovery on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: For rooted phones only. Skip if your device is stock.
6. DigDeep Image Recovery, best focused JPEG scanner
DigDeep Image Recovery does one thing: find deleted JPEGs and let you restore them. No signup, no upsell for cloud backup, no bundled cleaner. The scan runs, thumbnails appear, you select and save. Under a megabyte to download.
The lack of features is the feature. If you are helping a family member and want a two-tap tool that will not sell them a subscription tomorrow, this is it.
Where it falls short: JPEG only. Video, HEIC, RAW not supported. Ad banners are present but never blocking.
Pricing: Free Platforms: Android
Download: DigDeep on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: The one to install on your parents’ phones. Nothing to configure, nothing to accidentally subscribe to.
7. Photo Recovery by Dumpster, best when the camera cache is your last hope
Photo Recovery by Dumpster is Baloota’s second app, focused on recovering thumbnails and cached previews from app storage when the originals are gone. It sees what DiskDigger’s basic scan sees, plus some device-specific cache directories.
Use it as a companion to DiskDigger when a scan turns up nothing full-resolution. Between the two you have covered most cache paths.
Where it falls short: Recovers thumbnails at reduced resolution when the original is truly gone. Not a substitute for pre-delete backup.
Pricing: Free with ads Platforms: Android
Download: Photo Recovery on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Worth a scan after DiskDigger, especially for cached thumbnails from social apps.
8. EaseUS MobiSaver, best when you need to plug in a PC
EaseUS MobiSaver for Android is a companion tool: the Android app previews recoverable files; the paid Windows or Mac desktop client does the heavy scan over USB. For stubborn cases where the phone’s storage has taken damage or an OS wipe was accidental, this workflow finds files that on-device apps miss.
The trial shows what is recoverable so you know before you pay whether the case is worth it.
Where it falls short: Full recovery requires the paid desktop bundle, and the price steps up quickly. The mobile app alone is a preview.
Pricing: Free trial, desktop bundle about $30/year Platforms: Android, Windows, macOS
Download: EaseUS MobiSaver on Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: The last-resort tier. Try the free trial first to confirm anything is recoverable before buying the desktop bundle.
How to pick the right one
If you have not deleted anything yet: install Dumpster now.
If you just deleted something an hour ago: check Google Files trash first, then run DiskDigger basic scan.
If your phone is rooted and you want a full toolkit: GT Recovery.
If you want the smallest, simplest tool for a non-technical family member: DigDeep Image Recovery.
If DiskDigger’s basic scan pulled thumbnails but you want full resolution: try Photo Recovery by Dumpster and then Restore Image.
If the on-device apps all came up empty and the photos really matter: EaseUS MobiSaver with the desktop bundle.
FAQ
Can I recover photos deleted more than 30 days ago on Android?
Sometimes, and it depends on whether the storage has been rewritten. Files deleted from a mostly-full phone are usually gone. Files deleted from a phone with lots of free space often survive for weeks. DiskDigger and GT Recovery on a rooted phone give you the best shot.
Do I need to root my phone to recover deleted photos?
Not for cached thumbnails and app-data copies. Yes, for full-resolution originals on Android 11 and newer. Root lets the recovery app read the raw storage partition directly.
Are Android photo recovery apps safe?
The ones in this list run scans on device and do not require an account. Read permissions and network access before installing anything. Avoid apps that demand a login to see results.
What is the best free Android photo recovery app?
DiskDigger for the deep scan, Google Files for the trash check, DigDeep for a focused JPEG search. All three are free and cover most non-root recovery cases together.
Does Google Photos really delete files after 30 days?
Google is moving the trash retention window to 30 days on newer accounts. Photos in trash are permanently deleted after that. Restore them from the Photos app trash before the window closes; after, use one of the apps above.
