How to Recover Permanently Deleted Photos from Google Photos (5 Ways)

Nowadays, cloud-based storage services like Google Photos are gaining increasing popularity. Compared to traditional local storage, Google Photos doesn’t have limits on hard drive space, and it allows you to access your files from anywhere using the internet. However, you might lost your precious photos due to accidental deletion or other unforeseen events. Well, can you recover deleted Google Photos? Are your deleted Google Photos gone fovever? No worries! In this comprehensive guide, we will show you how to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos. Let’s begin!

Part 1: Can I Recover Permanently Deleted Google Photos?

Is it possible to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos? In fact, this is not a yes or no question, as it depends on various factors. First, where do deleted Google Photos go?

Once photos are deleted from Google Photos, they usually go to the Trash folder, where they stay for a certain period before being permanently deleted. Photos that were backed up to your Google Photos library will remain in the Trash for 60 days. Conversely, they will be permanently deleted after 30 days if not backed up. During this period, you have the option to restore deleted photos at any time.

However, you won’t be able to recover deleted Google Photos through regular methods if:

• You have emptied the Trash.
• Deleted photos have been in the trash for over 60 days.
• You have deleted the desired photos from the Trash.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how to recover deleted photos from Google Photos!

Part 2: How to Recover Recently Deleted Google Photos?

Solution 1: Recover Delete Google Photos from Trash

If deleted photos are still in the Trash folder, it is easy to get back them. Whether you’re using a computer, iOS, or Android device, the recovery steps are almost the same. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to recover deleted photos from Google Photos:

Step 1: Launch your favourite web browser and navigate to photos.google.com.

Step 2: Sign in with your Google account credentials. Then, look for the “Trash” icon on the left sidebar and click on it.

Step 3: You’ll see the photos that have been deleted within 60 days. Scroll through them to find the ones you want to recover.

Step 4: Hold Shift and click to select many items at once.

Step 5: Finally, simply hit the “Restore” button at the top of the screen.

Solution 2: Recover Delete Google Photos from Archive 

Sometimes, your photos aren’t actually deleted but rather archived. If so, there’s no need to worry about how to recover deleted Google Photos. Follow these steps to show your archived photos:

Step 1: Open the Google Photos app on your mobile device or visit the Google Photos website on your computer.

Step 2: In the left menu, look for the “Archive” option. Click on it to access your archived photos.

Step 3: To unarchive a photo, simply select it, and then look for the hree tvertical dots located in the top right corner of the screen. Click on it to open a dropdown menu.

Step 4: Select “Unarchive” to remove the photo from your archive and return it to your main photo library.

Part 2: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Google Photos after 60 Days?

To be honest, It’s often impossible to recover Google Photos after removing them from the Trash folder. However, there is still hope. We’ve compiled three methods on how to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos. Let’s exlore them below:

Solution 1: Recover Delete Google Photos from Backup

Without a doubt, using a backup is the easiest and safest method to recover permanently deleted Google Photos. There’s a non-zero percent chance that the deleted photos are backed up on your computer, SD card, external hard drive or some other storage medium without you even realizing it. If you have enabled Google Drive, deleted photos may also be found there.

Solution 2: Recover Delete Google Photos using 4DDiG

What if your local backup is accidentally corrupted or lost? That’s where Tenorshare 4DDiG comes in. This user-friendly tool is capable of recovering over 2000 types of files from various storage devices, such as USB flash drives, external disks, SD cards, etc. Whether your backup files are lost due to accidental deletion or hardware failure, 4DDiG Data Recovery proves to be a reliable ally. All you need to do is select the storage device for scanning and hit the recovery button. 

Given below is how to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos with the help of 4DDiG:

Step 1: First, install and launch the 4DDiG Data Recovery tool on your computer. From the main interface, you can choose the drive from which you want to recover photos. Then, click on the “Scan” button to proceed.

Step 2: Tenorshare 4DDiG will immediately scan the selected drive to search for any missing data. To save time, you can use the “Type” option on the left side to organize the scan results by file types. Once you’ve found the desired photos, you can pause the scan at any time.

Step 3: Before recovery, 4DDiG allows you to preview deleted photos by double-clicking on them. If everything is okay, select the target files and click the “Recover” button at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Solution 3: Recover Delete Google Photos via Google Support 

Still no luck? Before you give up and move on, consider contacting Google support as the last option. Google Team will continue to retain permanently deleted files for 21 days before removing them from the servers. Interestingly, as of 2024, Google no longer provides live chat support for file recovery requests. You just need to fill out an application form and submit it to them. However, many users reported that this recovery method is not 100% effective. If needed, we also provide detailed instructions below.

Step 1: Go to Google Drive and click on the question mark icon at the top right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select “Help.”

Step 2: Under the “Need more help?” section, choose “Contact US.”

Step 3: You will be asked to explain the reason for submitting a request to Google support. Then, follow the prompts to select the best description of the issue you’re describing.

Step 4: Google will provide some relevant help articles based on your request. If you wish to continue with human help, click “Next Step.”

Step 5: For data recovery requests, Google no longer offers contact options other than email. Therefore, click on “Email” > “Requested File Recovery.”

Step 6: You will be prompted to re-authenticate your identity. Afterward, fill out the File Recovery request form and click “Submit.”

Final Thoughts

You should no longer be puzzled by the query “can I recover permanently deleted Google Photos?” In fact, it is quite common for pictures in Google Photos to be accidentally deleted. But with our guide, you can say goodbye to any worries about how to recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos. From using the Trash folder to contacting Google Support, just follow our steps carefully and get your deleted photos instantly. Last but not least, remember to regularly back up your photos to prevent such incidents in the future.

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