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On most Samsung tablets, start with My Files > Recycle bin. For deleted pictures or videos, open Gallery > Menu (three lines) > Recycle bin. Some models also place a consolidated view under Settings > Device care > Storage management > Recycle bin. Samsung changes labels and layouts by model and software version, so look for Trash if Recycle bin is not shown.
Where the recycle bin is on a Samsung tablet
Samsung’s current tablet software can keep deleted items in app-specific bins rather than one desktop-style folder. The quickest starting point is the My Files app. Open it from the app screen, then tap Recycle bin. This is the broadest entry point in Samsung’s updated bin system and is the right place to begin when you are not sure which app deleted the item.
Deleted photos and videos have a direct route in Gallery. Open Gallery, tap Menu (the three horizontal lines), and choose Recycle bin. A third route, available on supported tablets, is the storage-management screen in Settings.
| Entry point | Path | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| My Files | My Files > Recycle bin | First check for files deleted through Samsung’s file manager and the updated cross-app bin experience. |
| Gallery | Gallery > Menu > Recycle bin | Find deleted photos and videos. |
| Device care | Settings > Device care > Storage management > Recycle bin > My Files | View supported deleted items by app and manage them from storage settings. |
The exact wording is not universal. Samsung’s support guidance says that “the names, menu paths, and screen configurations” can vary with the tablet model and software version. The instructions below therefore give the documented routes, followed by ways to locate the equivalent menu when your screen differs.
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Samsung’s updated My Files guidance is associated with One UI 6.0 and combines bin handling for My Files, Gallery and Voice Recorder on supported Galaxy devices. It does not mean every tablet or every regional software build exposes the same screen.
Use a quick route based on what was deleted
If you know the type of item, you can usually avoid searching every menu. Start with My Files for documents, downloaded files, audio and other general storage. Start with Gallery for camera photos and videos. If you remember that an item came from a Samsung app but cannot remember which one, try the Device care storage view, which can group available bins by app.
These are entry points, not promises that every tablet has all three screens. A tablet may show only an app-specific bin, may use the word Trash, or may place the command in a different menu group. The item type and the tablet’s model and One UI version determine which route is most useful.
Restore a deleted file from My Files
Use this procedure for a document, download, audio file or other item that was deleted through My Files. Do not use the empty command while you are still looking for something.
- Open My Files.
- Tap Recycle bin. If you see Trash instead, open that entry; Samsung may use either label.
- Tap Edit.
- Select the file you want. You can select more than one item, or tap All when that option is displayed.
- Tap Restore, then follow any on-screen instructions.
Samsung also documents More > Empty as the command for clearing the bin. Emptying is a deletion action, not a recovery action: avoid More > Empty unless you intentionally want to remove the items shown there.
If the file list is long, use the item names, file types and dates shown in the bin to identify the correct entries before selecting them. Select only the files you intend to recover; the restore control applies to every item selected in that edit session. If you are uncertain, select one file first and confirm that it is the expected item before restoring a larger group.
When the tablet displays an additional confirmation or destination message, read it before accepting. Samsung’s documented workflow ends with Restore and any instructions that appear on your particular device, so the final screen can differ between software versions.
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Restore deleted photos or videos in Gallery
Gallery has its own visible route and is usually faster for a camera image or video than searching through My Files.
- Open Gallery.
- Tap Menu, represented by three horizontal lines.
- Tap Recycle bin.
- Tap Edit, then select the photo or video.
- Tap Restore. If you need every listed item back, choose Restore All when it is offered.
Samsung’s Gallery support page states that items placed in the Gallery bin remain there for 30 days, after which they are automatically and permanently deleted. That period applies to the Gallery guidance; do not assume that every Samsung app uses the same retention rule without a device- or app-specific confirmation.
Because Gallery and My Files can present different bins, a missing picture in My Files is a reason to check Gallery directly, not proof that the picture has already been erased. Conversely, a non-photo file is better checked in My Files or through the Device care storage view. If Gallery shows both photos and videos, use the thumbnail, filename and date to avoid restoring the wrong version of a similar item.
Use Device care to see bins by app
On supported tablets, Samsung provides a central storage-management route:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Device care.
- Tap Storage management.
- Tap Recycle bin.
- Choose My Files or another listed app, then select the item and use the available restore or delete control.
This screen can expose deleted content by app, including My Files, Gallery and Voice Recorder where the tablet supports that integration. It is useful when you remember that something was deleted but not which Samsung app handled it.
The Device care sequence is an alternate route, not a guaranteed menu on every Galaxy tablet. If Storage management or Recycle bin is absent, return to the individual My Files and Gallery routes rather than treating the missing Settings entry as evidence that no bin exists. A listed app may also have no recoverable items, so an empty category does not necessarily mean the feature is disabled.
What to do when Recycle bin is missing
A missing menu is common when the tablet uses a different One UI release, model-specific layout or regional build. Work through these checks in order:
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- Check both apps. Open My Files and look for Recycle bin or Trash. Then open Gallery and check Menu for its own Recycle bin.
- Search the storage settings. In Settings, open Device care and look for Storage management. If a Recycle bin entry appears there, open it and select the relevant app.
- Read the labels rather than relying on position. Samsung may rename Recycle bin to Trash or place it in a different menu group.
- Identify the tablet’s software context. Samsung’s updated instructions describe One UI 6.0-era integration, while older or differently configured tablets may show fewer app bins or a different arrangement.
- Use the model-specific support page for an exact path. Without the model number and software version, no single sequence can be promised for every Samsung tablet.
Samsung explicitly warns that feature names, menu paths and screen configurations vary by model and software version. The absence of one documented label therefore calls for checking the alternate labels and app-specific locations, not repeatedly tapping the same screen.
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How long deleted items remain available
For Gallery, Samsung’s Canada support guidance, updated March 12, 2026, specifies a 30-day retention period. At the end of those 30 days, a deleted Gallery photo or video is automatically and permanently deleted from that bin. Restoration is possible only while the item is still listed there.
Samsung’s My Files and Device care documentation does not establish one universal retention period for every app and every tablet in the material available here. Treat the period as app-specific unless your tablet displays a different, model-specific notice. If recovery matters, check the appropriate bin as soon as possible rather than waiting for the retention window to expire.
Do not confuse an item disappearing from a bin with a temporary display problem. First check the correct app, then check the alternate Trash or Recycle bin label and the Device care view if available. If a Gallery item has passed the documented 30-day window, Samsung describes it as permanently deleted from that bin, so the normal Restore control will no longer be available.
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Documents, downloads and general files
Start in My Files. Its Recycle bin is the documented first stop for general file recovery, and the Edit, select, Restore sequence is the direct recovery workflow.
Camera pictures and videos
Start in Gallery > Menu > Recycle bin. Gallery provides photo and video selection plus Restore or Restore All, and its 30-day rule is explicitly documented.
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Voice recordings
On supported software, the updated Samsung bin integration can include Voice Recorder. Look for it in the Device care storage-management list. If it is not listed, open the Voice Recorder app and look for its own Trash or Recycle bin wording rather than assuming that My Files contains every recording.
Items deleted through another supported Samsung app
Try Settings > Device care > Storage management > Recycle bin. The consolidated view can list bins by app, including Voice Recorder on supported software. If that screen is unavailable, check the app that originally held the item.
Recovery pitfalls to avoid
- Choosing Empty while searching. In My Files, More > Empty clears the bin. It is not equivalent to Restore.
- Assuming Gallery and My Files share one identical list. They have separate entry points, so check the app associated with the deleted content.
- Treating 30 days as a universal Samsung rule. Samsung states that period for Gallery items; other apps may follow different behavior.
- Expecting identical labels on every tablet. One UI version, model and regional software can change the wording and arrangement.
- Waiting to check. Once the documented retention period ends, Gallery items are permanently deleted automatically and cannot be restored from that bin.
- Selecting the wrong command. Edit is for choosing items, Restore is for recovery, and Empty or Delete removes items. Pause and read the action label before confirming.
- Searching only one app. A photo deleted in Gallery may not appear in My Files, while a downloaded document may not appear in Gallery.
- Assuming an empty bin proves the item never existed. Verify the app, label and retention window before concluding that recovery is impossible.
Official routes and version notes
Samsung Canada’s guide “Delete and restore files using the Trash feature in Samsung apps,” updated June 18, 2026, documents the My Files, Gallery and Device care routes and explains the One UI 6.0-era integration: Samsung’s My Files and Trash support guide.
Samsung Canada’s Gallery instructions, updated March 12, 2026, document the Gallery menu path and 30-day retention statement: Samsung’s Gallery trash support guide.
These are Samsung Canada support pages. They are official guidance, but they are not a guarantee that every Galaxy tablet, country or software build will display identical labels. When your tablet’s screen differs, use the same app names and look for the equivalent Trash or Recycle bin entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the recycle bin on a Samsung tablet?
Open My Files and tap Recycle bin. For deleted photos or videos, open Gallery, tap Menu, then Recycle bin. Supported tablets may also show Settings > Device care > Storage management > Recycle bin.
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How do I restore a deleted file from My Files?
Open My Files > Recycle bin, tap Edit, select the file or files, and tap Restore. Do not choose More > Empty while you are trying to recover items.
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How do I recover a deleted photo or video?
Open Gallery > Menu (three horizontal lines) > Recycle bin, tap Edit, select the item, and tap Restore. Restore All may appear when you want every listed item back.
How long do deleted Gallery photos stay in the bin?
Samsung says Gallery items remain for 30 days. After that period they are automatically and permanently deleted from the Gallery bin.
Why can I see Recycle bin in Gallery but not My Files?
Gallery and My Files can use separate bins. Check the app that originally held the item and also look for Trash as an alternate label.
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What if my Samsung tablet has no Recycle bin menu?
Check My Files, Gallery and Settings > Device care > Storage management. Menu names and layouts vary by model and software version, so use the equivalent Trash label when present.
Can Device care show deleted items from more than one app?
On supported tablets, Device care’s storage-management Recycle bin can list items by app, including My Files, Gallery and Voice Recorder.
Is Empty the same as Restore?
No. Restore returns selected items from the bin, while More > Empty clears the bin. Emptying is a deletion action and should be avoided during recovery.
The Bottom Line
Check My Files > Recycle bin first, or use Gallery > Menu > Recycle bin for photos and videos. If available, Settings > Device care > Storage management > Recycle bin provides an app-by-app view. Select the item with Edit and choose Restore; avoid Empty. Gallery items are retained for 30 days, and menu names vary by tablet model and software version.
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