If you’re missing photos or videos, check your trash or archive. If your missing item is in your trash, you may be able to restore it. Learn how to check your trash and restore recently deleted photos or videos. If your missing
item is not in your trash, it may be permanently deleted. If a deleted photo or video isn't in trash, you can’t restore it. You won't be able to restore a photo if: If your missing item is archived, you can unarchive it so it shows in your Google Photos library. Learn how to check your archive and unarchive items.Check your trash
Learn when items are permanently deleted
Check
your archive
Still missing photos or videos?
Was this helpful?
How can we improve it?
If you have turned on Back up and Sync, photos and videos you delete will stay in your trash for 60 days before they are deleted forever. Learn how to turn on Back up and Sync. Tip: To move all your photos to a different account,
share your photo library with that account. Important: If you back up photos and videos to Google Photos on a mobile device, when you delete them from the Google Photos app, they’re also deleted from your device.
Learn how to remove backed up photos and videos from Google Photos but not your device. If you see a request to "Delete permanently" when you try to move an item to trash, your trash is full. Your trash can hold 1.5GB. Important: If you empty your trash, you permanently delete any items in your trash.Before you delete photos & videos
Delete photos & videos
Learn what happens to photos you've deleted
Empty your trash
To empty it:
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google
Photos app .
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- At the bottom, tap Library TrashMoreEmpty TrashDelete permanently.
Remove an item from your device
Permanently delete photos & videos
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app
.
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- Select the items you want to delete from your Android phone or tablet.
- In the top right, tap More Delete from device.
Learn how to free up space on your device.
Give permissions to delete photos from your SD card
Remove backed up photos & videos from Google Photos but not your device
- On your mobile device, turn off backup and sync in the Google Photos app.
- On your computer or in the Chrome browser on your mobile device, go to
photos.google.com and remove your selected backed up photos and videos from Google Photos.
- If you turn backup and sync on again, all photos and videos on your device are backed up and synced to Google Photos again.
Restore photos & videos
If you deleted an item and want it back, check your trash to see if it’s there.
- On
your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app .
- At the bottom, tap Library Trash .
- Touch and hold the photo or video you want to restore.
- At the bottom, tap Restore. The photo or video will be back:
- In your phone’s gallery app
- In your Google Photos library
- In any albums it was in
If the item is not in your trash, it may be permanently deleted.
Don't see the photo or video?
If a deleted photo or video isn't in trash, you can’t restore it. You won't be able to restore a photo if:
- You moved it to trash more than 60 days ago.
- You moved it to trash, then emptied your trash.
- You moved it to trash more than 30 days ago on an Android 11 and up device, and it wasn’t backed up.
- You permanently deleted it from your trash.
- You permanently deleted it from your device’s Gallery app, without backing it up first.
To find and recover photos easily, turn on back up & sync.
Important: If your Google Photos account is inactive for 2 years or you're over your storage limit, your content may be impacted. Learn more about this.
Was this helpful?
How can we improve it?