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Start with Gallery > Menu > Trash and restore the photo if it is there. If not, check Google Photos Trash under the Google account that backed it up, OneDrive for photos synced before Samsung Gallery sync ended, and the separate Recycle bin in Samsung My Files. These are recovery routes for copies that still exist; if a photo has been permanently deleted from every trash folder and no backup remains, Samsung’s guidance does not provide a way to restore it.

Check Samsung Gallery Trash first

  1. Open Gallery.
  2. Tap Menu (three lines), then Trash.
  3. Select the photo or video and tap Restore.

Samsung says Gallery-deleted items stay in Trash for 30 days, after which they are permanently deleted from that feature. The menu wording or location can vary by device and software version. Samsung’s Gallery instructions describe the Trash and restore steps.

Look in Google Photos Trash and verify the account

Open Google Photos and inspect Trash. If you use more than one Google account, switch to the account that had backup enabled for the missing photo; a backed-up copy may be in a different library from the one you are viewing in Samsung Gallery.

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Samsung Spain describes a 60-day Google Photos Trash period, but retention depends on backup and platform conditions. Check the actual Trash rather than assuming a fixed window applies to your item. Google’s Android help explains what can be restored from Trash and what happens when an item is absent from both Google Photos and Gallery Trash: Google Photos: Restore recently deleted photos and videos. Samsung’s recovery guidance is available at Samsung Spain’s Google Photos recovery page.

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Recover older Samsung Gallery syncs from OneDrive

Samsung Gallery Sync with OneDrive ended on September 30, 2026. Photos and videos synced before that date remain in the user’s OneDrive account and can be downloaded to a device; do not look for a way to start new Samsung Gallery-to-OneDrive syncing.

  1. Open OneDrive and sign in to the account previously used for Gallery sync.
  2. Find the Gallery folder or the relevant file location.
  3. Select the photo or video and download it to your device.

If the item was deleted from OneDrive, check OneDrive’s Recycle bin. Samsung says deleted files remain there for 93 days and can be restored. See Samsung’s instructions for photos previously synced with OneDrive. Its older Gallery and OneDrive setup guide describes the former sync arrangement; it is not an option to enable new sync after the service ended.

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Check Samsung My Files Recycle bin separately

Deleting a local file through a file-management route may place it in My Files’ Recycle bin rather than Gallery Trash. Open My Files > Recycle bin, select the item if present, and choose Restore. Samsung says items there are permanently deleted after 30 days. The available menus can vary by model and software version. Follow Samsung’s My Files Recycle bin instructions.

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Choose the route that matches where the copy lived

Where to look When it may help Retention or limit
Samsung Gallery Trash The photo was deleted in Gallery and is still in its Trash. Samsung Canada says 30 days; then it is permanently deleted from this feature. Source
Google Photos Trash A copy was backed up to Google Photos; use the account that backed it up. Samsung Spain describes 60 days, subject to backup and platform conditions. Source
OneDrive The photo was synced before Samsung Gallery sync ended on September 30, 2026, or remains in OneDrive. Samsung says deleted OneDrive files stay in Recycle bin for 93 days. Source
Samsung My Files Recycle bin A local file was deleted through a route that sent it to My Files’ bin. Samsung says 30 days. Source
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If the photo is missing from every Trash folder

Check the relevant cloud account and any existing backup or copy on another device. If the photo has been permanently deleted from the applicable trash folders and there is no other copy, the cited Samsung and Google instructions do not establish another recovery route. Do not count on an app or accessory to retrieve it.

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