Android does a decent task at making sure you don't delete things by accident, just it still happens. If you accidentally delete an important file or photograph, it can be hard to find backup copies or restore the data on your ain. When that happens, you lot can use an app to become it back.

We've put some of Android'south almost popular file recovery apps to the examination.

Exist Careful of Imitation Apps

There are a lot of fake apps on the Google Play shop. These predatory apps oft charge a fee, and unremarkably tin't recover your files.

But that doesn't mean that recovering deleted files and photos is impossible. Nosotros tested over a dozen file recovery apps to find the ones that work. The test process included making an easily-spotted "exam" image and then trying the following:

  • Deleting the file from Gallery (sending it to Gallery'due south Trash folder)
  • Deleting the file from the Gallery's Trash folder
  • Deleting the file with the Trash function disabled

These four apps are the ones that could locate and restore the lost file.

i. Dumpster

Dumpster was the about impressive of the file recovery apps we tested. It was able to locate and restore the deleted image when information technology was sent to the Trash binder, and when information technology skipped the Trash and was deleted outright. It as well didn't degrade the image's quality.

All-time of all, the Recycle Bin characteristic catches everything, from documents to music files. The just thing we couldn't unearth with it were deleted text letters, only there are other ways to get those.

Dumpster is simple and easy to use, and while it does offer a premium version, you don't demand to pay a fee to recover lost files. Premium features allow yous to use Dumpster as a file backup service, as well as tidy upwardly unnecessary files on your phone.

Download: Dumpster---Recover Deleted Photos & Video Recovery (Free, subscriptions bachelor)

ii. Undeleter Recover Files & Information

If yous take successfully rooted your Android device, Undeleter is your all-time option to recover lost files. If your phone isn't rooted, it tin can yet find cached copies of files that aren't gone from your phone, just backed up in tough-to-find places.

On a rooted phone, Undeleter recovered our deleted exam files no matter how thoroughly they were erased from storage. No app comes completely guaranteed, but Undeleter is reliable and thorough. It can recover many different file types and leaves no part of your phone un-searched.

On a rooted device, Undeleter tin search everywhere, profoundly increasing your chances of recovering a lost item. Rooting your device can leave you vulnerable to security risks though. Don't root your phone just to utilize this app. Only if it'due south already rooted, Undeleter is a great option.

Download: Undeleter Recover Files & Data (Costless, in-app purchases available)

iii. Recovery Software

Recovery Software looks nearly identical to some of the scam apps out in that location, so be conscientious. Although its interface is the same, this version actually worked in our tests. It easily retrieved our test file from the trash. It also recovered the file that skipped the trash.

This app reliably recovers video, audio, and image files. Information technology won't search for documents or other file types though, so information technology'south best to proceed deject backups of those.

This app pulled upwards some old files that we couldn't detect in the My Files app. Looking at the results, information technology seems this app can find deleted photos in apps equally well as those saved in Gallery, Documents, and other normal places. Information technology may be a good option if the file yous lost was deleted long ago.

Download: Recovery Software: Recover Deleted Files (Free)

4. Data Recovery

Data Recovery, or Photo APK Backup, as the icon is called, gave us mixed results. The app was able to locate our green "Exam" file from the trash bin, every bit shown in the screenshots above. But it couldn't observe information technology in one case removed from the Trash, and it failed to locate the version that skipped the trash.

Also, it merely recovers deleted photos, and won't search for documents, music files, or other data. But Data Recovery did pull an impressive amount of photos and files that we weren't looking for.

Information technology located photos and files that nosotros couldn't discover using My Files on the SD card and internal storage, so if you lot're trying to hunt downwardly something you had a long time agone, it could work.

Download: Data Recovery: deejay digger, recover deleted data for Android (Complimentary, subscriptions bachelor)

Deleted Files Can Be Recovered

With an app that knows where to wait, y'all take a higher chance of recovering deleted information. However, these apps don't work for everything. Unfortunately, in some cases what'south gone is gone for good—and the longer y'all use your phone after deleting a file, the less chance there is that you'll get it back.

That'south why it'due south and then important to keep backups of your of import files.

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About The Author

Natalie Stewart (84 Manufactures Published)

Natalie Stewart is a writer for MakeUseOf. She first became interested in applied science in higher and developed a passion for media writing in university. Natalie's focus is on tech that is accessible and like shooting fish in a barrel to use, and she loves apps and devices that make life simpler for everyday people.

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