3 Simple Methods to Recover Deleted Screenshots on Android Device

Screenshots lock in evidence and keep conversations intact, but our phones can't hold everything. Format glitches, storage purges, and viruses constantly threaten them - so while losing a screenshot stings, keeping every single one is simply not doable. Then, is it possible to recover deleted screenshots on Android?

It is easy for Android users to capture screenshots, but recovering deleted screenshots from Android device is not an easy task. Don't worry. You can get different solutions in this article.

Part 1. Reasons Behind Deletion or Loss of Screenshots from Android Phone

Screenshots are the same as normal photos, which can be deleted accidentally. Of course, like Android photo recovery, deleted screenshots can also be recovered. But before introducing the screenshot recovery method, we need to understand several typical factors that lead to the loss or deletion of screenshots.

Accidental deletion

When cleaning the Android phone memory, we usually delete some files in batches, or delete the entire folder directly. This may cause some important files, including some very precious screenshots to be lost. Or, after you take a screenshot, there will be a delete button on the screen, and you accidentally click this button.

Format the Android memory card

Formatting a memory card wipes all data instantly, without checking which files matter. If your screenshots are stored on the card, formatting it will delete them too.

Formatting of Android devices

When you connect your Android device to a computer, you may see an error like "Drive F: is not formatted." If you click Yes, the device gets formatted and all data - including screenshots - is erased.

Memory card is damaged

Except for some physical damage, such as a memory card cracking, if you use the same memory card on other devices, such as Android phones, Android tablets, laptops, and digital cameras, the memory card may also be damaged and cause data loss.

Malware or virus attack

When you install some unknown applications or browse some unsafe websites, you may not know that these programs and websites contain malicious files or carry viruses. These will change the standard functions of the device, resulting in data loss.

Factory reset Android device

When your Android device's memory is saturated and running slowly, restoring factory settings is undoubtedly a quick and effective solution. But once you reset your device to factory settings, it means that the data and settings in your phone will be erased, which is one reason why your screenshots are lost.

Other Reasons:

There are other reasons why screenshots are lost on Android devices, such as file system corruption, upgrading Android OS, and some junk cleaning apps often mistakenly judge screenshots as junk files and clean them up.

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Part 2. How to Restore Screenshots on Android via Trash or Recycle Bin

The Trash or Recycle Bin on Android temporarily stores deleted photos and screenshots for 30-60 days, giving you a chance to restore them. You can open the bin in your gallery app to view recently deleted screenshots. Simply select the screenshot and tap Restore to return it to its original folder. For detailed steps:

• Open your Gallery app - Launch Google Photos, Samsung Gallery, or your phone's default gallery.
• Go to Trash/Recycle Bin - Look for Trash, Bin, or Recently Deleted in the menu.



• Locate deleted screenshots - Scroll through deleted items; screenshots usually appear with the "Screenshot" label.
• Select the screenshot - Tap the screenshot you want to recover.
• Tap Restore - It will return to its original folder (usually Pictures/Screenshots).

Part 3. How to Retrieve Screenshots on Android from Google Photos

If you enable the synchronization of the pictures in the screenshots folder with the Google Photos service, when you accidentally delete the screenshots on your Android device, the deleted pictures will automatically enter the Google Photos trash and be saved there for 60 days. Now, you can easily undelete screenshots from the Google Photos trash by following the steps below.

Step 1: Open the "Google Photos" app on your Android phone.

Step 2: Click the menu icon in the top left corner to choose the "Trash" option.

Step 3: Preview and select the photos you want to recover in the opened list.

Step 4: Go to the top right corner, tap on the Undo icon to restore those selected photos into the Google Photos app.

Step 5: Now, you can click "Restore" to recover screenshots from Google Photos to your Android phone.

Part 4. How to Recover Deleted Screenshots on Android with Doctor for Android

If you can't retrieve screenshots from Android via Google Photos trash, don't panic! MobiKin Doctor for Android (with its Mac version) is all what you need to accomplish screenshot recovery for your Android phones or tablets. With it,

Benefits of Using MobiKin Doctor for Android

• In addition to screenshots, contacts, text messages, call history, photos, videos, audio files, documents, among other lost files can be recovered for almost all Android devices.
• It supports overall Android devices, including Samsung, Motorola, Huawei, Sony, TECNO, Infinix, Google, etc.
• Data stored in both the internal memory of Android devices as well as the external memory cards can be easily scanned and retrieved.
• The process of recovering lost/deleted screenshots on Android devices is simpler than you can think.
• Totally safe recovery, no need to worry about any data leakage or virus infections.

This task of screenshot recovery is accomplished in 3 easy steps by using Doctor for Android, which will be explained as follows.

By the way, we kindly suggest you back up Android data on your computer from time to time, and if you find data lost on your Android and you want to recover it, you must stop using the Android device to prevent the data being overwritten problem.

Step 1: Run the Doctor for Android program

Download the Doctor for Android software on your computer, then connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable. Activate the USB debugging mode on your device so that the device can be detected by the program.

Step 2: Scan for lost screenshots on your Android

Select the category of files you want to be retrieved; in this case, Photos. The program starts to scan for all the lost screenshots and you can preview and select the ones you want to be retrieved. The lost ones are marked in red.

Step 3: Recover screenshots on Android

Click on the Recover button after you've selected the desired files, and select the file destination where you want them saved.

Video Guide:

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Part 5. Tips to Avoid Such Deletion Or Loss of Screenshots on Android Phone

You can avoid losing screenshots on your Android phone by combining smarter habits, better storage settings, and a few protective tools. The core idea: keep screenshots backed up, organized, and protected from accidental deletion.

Here are some useful tips to protect your screenshots from being lost on your Android devices:

• Enable cloud backup - Turn on Google Photos or OneDrive auto-backup.
• Use a custom folder - Move screenshots to a safer, dedicated folder.
• Sync with apps - Use Dropbox, FolderSync, or Solid Explorer auto-sync.
• Disable cleaner apps - Prevent "optimization" tools from deleting screenshots.
• Enable recycle bin - Make sure your gallery keeps deleted items temporarily.
• Lock folders - Protect screenshot folders from accidental deletion.
• Export regularly - Copy screenshots to PC or external storage.
• Avoid low storage - Keep enough free space, so screenshots save reliably.
• Use versioned backups - Keep multiple file versions to avoid accidental loss.
• Check permissions - Ensure gallery/file apps have proper storage access.

Summary

No one wants to face data loss problems, including the loss of screenshots. We tend to capture a once-in-a-lifetime picture, and losing this type of screenshot will make you sad. But don't worry, this article shows you two reliable methods on how to recover deleted screenshots from Android.

And MobiKin Doctor for Android can indeed be called the best Android photos recovery software, right? If you have any other questions or have a better way to provide, please let us know through the comments below.

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