In 2024, we couldn't find any data recovery apps worth recommending. Most apps don't do what they claim, and we wouldn't consider them safe. However, you can recover deleted photos on Android without using these apps.

Android does a decent job at making sure you don't delete things by accident, but it still happens. If you accidentally delete an important file or photo, it can be hard to find backup copies or restore the data on your own. When that happens, you can use an app to get it back.

We've put some of Android's most popular file recovery apps to the test.

Be Careful of Fake Apps

There are a lot of fake apps on the Google Play store. These predatory apps often charge a fee, and usually can't recover your files.

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

• Deleting the file from Gallery (sending it to Gallery's 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.

1. Dumpster

Dumpster was the most impressive of the file recovery apps we tested. It was able to locate and restore the deleted image when it was sent to the Trash folder, and when it skipped the Trash and was deleted outright. It also didn't degrade the image's quality.

Best of all, the Recycle Bin feature catches everything, from documents to music files. The only thing we couldn't unearth with it were deleted text messages, but 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 need to pay a fee to recover lost files. Premium features allow you to use Dumpster as a file backup service, as well as tidy up unnecessary files on your phone.

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

2. Undeleter Recover Files & Data

If you have successfully rooted your Android device, Undeleter is your best option to recover lost files. If your phone isn't rooted, it can still 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 test 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 can search everywhere, greatly 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 use this app. But if it's already rooted, Undeleter is a great option.

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

3. Recovery Software

Recovery Software looks nearly identical to some of the scam apps out there, so be careful. 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. It won't search for documents or other file types though, so it's best to keep cloud backups of those.

This app pulled up some old files that we couldn't find in the My Files app. Looking at the results, it seems this app can find deleted photos in apps as well as those saved in Gallery, Documents, and other normal places. It may be a good option if the file you 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 "Test" file from the trash bin, as shown in the screenshots above. But it couldn't find it once removed from the Trash, and it failed to locate the version that skipped the trash.

Also, it only 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.

It located photos and files that we couldn't find using My Files on the SD card and internal storage, so if you're trying to hunt down something you had a long time ago, it could work.

Download: Data Recovery: disk digger, recover deleted data for Android (Free, subscriptions available)

Deleted Files Can Be Recovered

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

That's why it's so important to keep backups of your important files.