Restore system files in Android. How to recover data from Android internal memory

Lost files on your phone and don't know where to start? This guide contains all the information about data recovery on Android, useful for those who decide to do it themselves.

Read on, find your case, and open the relevant links to other help pages on our site. If you do everything sequentially, as indicated in the instructions, you will find something from the remote one. Although there are no guarantees, you can prevent 100% loss of information.

What types of files are most often deleted on Android

1. Photos and videos

There are gigabytes of data constantly circulating on your phone. The most popular and in-demand formats are photos and videos. These files are stored in the Android Gallery and come here from different places: downloaded files from instant messengers (Whatsapp, Viber, Skype) and social clients (Facebook Messenger,), photographs and videos taken on the phone’s camera.

Most often, photos and videos disappear for the following reasons:

• Memory card (read errors)
• Unsuccessful copying/transferring of files from a memory card or internal memory or vice versa

The saddest thing is that as a result of one mistake, all this is lost. It is not always possible to notice a loss among hundreds of other images. The more time passes, the less chance there is of recovering files on Android; most often it is returned damaged, that is, unreadable.

If you have lost exactly these types of files, go to the corresponding guides:

2. Contact details, messages

Along with media files, contacts, phone numbers and messages disappear. Typically this happens after the user

• unsuccessfully flashed the phone without taking care of the backup
• disabled synchronization on your phone or lost access to your Google account

This information is rarely stored on the SIM card (due to size restrictions); most often it has to be retrieved from the phone’s internal memory. Accordingly, special programs will be needed to restore contacts and messages (see below).

3. Other data

This includes: correspondence from instant messengers and files downloaded over the Internet, documents, application files - all this also tends to disappear. Use the search bar to find the information you are interested in about recovering deleted files on Android.

Recovering data from a phone: on an SD card or in internal memory?

Files on Android are stored in two sources - on the memory card (if you have one) and in the internal memory. Accordingly, recovery methods also differ.

It is much easier to restore on a memory card, since there are all kinds of software that can be installed on the PC, after which you just have to follow the instructions of the setup wizard. Wizard is built into almost every recovery program.

The internal memory does not always allow the average user to access it, so you will have to try various programs (like DiskDigger or Undeleter) and, in addition, get root rights. In some cases, it is necessary to make a copy of the internal memory and then use the above-mentioned PC software.

Toolkit for data recovery on Android

To restore data on Android yourself, you need:

1. Root access: A special application is installed on the phone, which gives recovery programs access to the phone’s file system.

Without root access, recovery is also possible, but the chances of finding what you are looking for are noticeably reduced. If data in the internal memory of the phone is lost - photos, contacts, messages, then root is simply a must have. Activating root access is quite easy, see our review of the best one click root apps for Android.

1. Card reader: If you plan to restore from a memory card, you need an internal card reader (built into many laptops) or an external one.
2. USB cable: to connect a phone or card reader to a PC
3. Recovery program: This can be a paid or free product. By the way, the licensed version does not always perform better than its free counterparts, so it makes sense to try the free options first.

In addition to the above, you will need free time - from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the complexity of the restoration, the degree of damage and the time that has passed since the removal.

The best programs for restoring your phone

1. Programs for recovery from SD card

If you deleted files on your memory card (photos, videos, documents), install programs such as , and on your PC. They are free and quite effective; they support most file types and popular formats on Android.

2. Applications for recovery from internal memory of Android

Applications and DiskDigger for Android are suitable for recovery from the internal memory of the phone. An option with Recuva is also possible: but before using the program, you need a copy of the internal Android memory (read the guide on how to do this). In any case, when restoring files from the phone's memory, root rights are required.

To recover contacts and text messages, we recommend Minitool Mobile Recovery and .

Failed to recover files on your phone? Where to go

If you have tried all imaginable and inconceivable methods and are already desperate, ask us a question through the feedback form. Formulate the problem, describing in detail:

1. under what circumstances were files deleted,
2. what model of device were used,
3. files have been deleted from the internal memory or SD card.

In the subject line, indicate “how to recover data on your phone.”

We will try to answer and offer solutions to the problem.

Agree that the most common source for storing urgent information is a mobile phone for the sole reason that it is always at hand. But when the memory becomes full, it starts deleting unnecessary data. And what a shame it becomes when your favorite photos and memorable videos, of which you did not have time to make copies, are accidentally deleted along with unnecessary data.

“I deleted files from my phone, how to restore them?” - This is the most common question among mobile phone users. From this article you will learn how to recover lost data from your phone without the help of specialists. To do this, you will need to follow several steps. Let's get started!

1 step. Downloading and installing the program

Russian-language program PHOENIX - . It has a clear interface, is easy to use, and allows you to find and recover files from phones, cameras, tablets, computers, etc. Download it from the official website and install it on a computer with the Windows operating system. The program supports any version of Windows: XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10.

Step 2. Beginning of work

Before starting PHOENIX, connect your phone to the PC on which you installed the program. Make sure that the computer recognizes the media and only then run the program. In the welcome window of the program, click “Next”.

Step 3. Disc selection

At this step, you need to specify the drive on which you want to restore files. Select your phone connected to the PC from the list and click “Next”.

Disc selection

Step 4 Selecting Scan Options

Everything is simple here. If you know what format the deleted file was in, then mark it with a checkmark. If you find it difficult to answer, then check the boxes everywhere in the required item: Images, Documents, Multimedia, Archives or Other. Same with file size. Select the desired range or “Any size” and click on “Scan”.

Selecting an option to search

Step 5 Selecting files to recover

As soon as the program completes scanning, a table of deleted data will be generated in the window. You can check the boxes for the files you need to recover directly in this table. The program also allows you to view detailed information about each found file. To do this, select any file and click on “View”. In the information window, you can check the file if you need to restore it, or you can immediately click on “Recover now”.

Table of deleted files

View file information

Step 6 File recovery

When all the necessary files are marked, all that remains is to recover deleted files from the phone. To do this, click on the “Restore” button and select one of the options offered:

• restore and save to a folder (the data will be saved to the folder of your choice on your computer)
• recover and burn to disk (files will be written to CD or DVD)
• restore and send via FTP (files will be transferred to the FTP server)

File recovery options

Now you know that with the help of the powerful PHOENIX program it is possible to find and recover deleted files from your phone. And at the same time, you don’t need to understand the intricacies of the program, everything is simple and convenient.

There can be many reasons for losing files from your phone memory or microSD card. Almost any person who has lost valuable electronic information has wondered how to recover deleted files. Regardless of the reason for deleting files, be it a forced system update, a system failure, or simple carelessness, lost data can be returned, and in more than one way.

Recovering files from SD card

SD is a removable storage device that can be removed from your smartphone at any time. If files that were stored on the memory card are lost, you can restore them in several ways:

1. Using the CardRecovery utility.

This is the most convenient program that, in addition to regenerating files from a microSD card, will also recover data from a USB drive or SD card. The program only works with the following file types:

• images (JPG and RAW formats);
• audio and video files (MPG, MP3, WAV, AVI, MOV formats).

When scanning a memory card, the program does not affect other documents, some types of images, for example, PNG, archives and other common formats. The program is available online for download, although its free version is designed to work only with images. For the full version, the user will have to pay about $30.

After downloading to your PC, the program must be installed and launched. Use the adapter to insert the microSD card into the appropriate slot on the computer.

At the initial stage, when starting the program, select the removable disk connected to the PC. Then designate a directory on your computer where the recovered information will subsequently be saved.

After this, enter the total volume of the card being restored in the program. The program will then start the scanning process. After the search is completed, the program will notify you of its completion and display a total with the number of files found.

As a result of all operations, the user will be able to view and sort the found files. After pressing the “Preview” key, you can start previewing. After that, check the boxes for the required photos and click “Next”. You can exit the program using the “Finish” button. The recovered files will be saved in the previously selected directory.

1. Using the R Saver utility.

The utility is considered one of the best for recovering lost data. The program interface is simplified as much as possible specifically for the convenience of users. Similarly, as in the case of the previous program, you need to connect an adapter with a memory card to the PC, and then click on “Update”. Among all the disks found and displayed on the screen, you need to find yours and click on “Scan”.

The length of scanning time depends on the amount of information on the card. After this operation, the program will list what it was able to find, and the user will only have to select the required file, select it and click on “Save Selected”. Having selected a folder to save on your PC, click on “Save”.

These are the 2 most common ways in which you can recover at least some of the data lost from a microSD card. However, even these methods cannot provide a 100% guarantee of a complete result.

Recovering files from the internal memory of a smartphone

If the deleted file was not stored on the microSD card, but in the internal memory of the smartphone, you can also restore it:

1. Using the 7-Data Android utility.

This method also involves using a PC. You can install the program from the official developer resource. After installing the program on your computer, connect your smartphone to it. Select it from the list of connected devices.

This program also allows you to work with deleted data on a memory card. After scanning the device, a list with the data that was found will be displayed on the screen. By clicking on “Save”, select a folder on your computer where the files will be saved.

After finishing the program, you can transfer the files via USB cable back to your phone or leave them stored on your PC.

1. Using Wondershare Dr. Fone for Android.

The program is installed on the PC. Unfortunately, it is paid. A free version is also available, however, with it you can only view the files available for recovery.

The mechanism of the program is similar to those already described. You need to install it on your PC and connect your phone via USB. Afterwards, the program will try to detect your device and install root access on it. If this operation is successful, file recovery is possible. But for some devices this fails.

1. Without using a computer, using the Undeleter for Root Users application.

The application only works for users with root rights. Working with it is quite simple: you need to download it to your Android device, launch and activate the program. After scanning, a list of deleted programs will be displayed. After clicking on the “Restore” button, the files will be restored and saved on the device.

1. Using the GT Recovery for Android application.

The application is free and effective, however, it also requires root rights on the device to work. Reviews left by users on the Play Market indicate the effectiveness of this application in terms of working with the recovery of deleted video files, photos and other data. According to reviews from people who have already used the application, it allows you to return at least some of the lost information.

1. Using the Recuva program.

The program does not require root rights, unlike the 2 previous applications. It is advisable to download the Russian version of the program. You can install its free version.

When you start the program, you need to select the type of files you want to recover - videos, pictures, music, documents, and more. It is possible to restore files from a specified location, so if you do not know what exactly you would like to restore, but remember the folder where the files were stored, then you need to specify it. Follow the program prompts. It will indicate the places where it is possible to recover data and begin the recovery.

The success rate of recovering files from the internal memory of a smartphone is lower than from a memory card. After recovering deleted files, it is better to first save them on a different device than the one where they were previously located. You can save the recovered data to the original folders, however, this may lead to a conflict.

It’s best if you have recovered lost files from your smartphone, rewrite them on your PC, and only then transfer them again to your gadget.

Root rights

The Undelete for Root Users and GT Recovery for Android applications require root rights. What it is? Translated into Russian, this means “superuser rights”. In other words, these rights give the user complete control of the system, which allows them to change and edit all system folders and files and install applications that require these rights.

There are several possible ways to obtain them. Let’s look at the simplest one, which will help you get rights in “1 click”. The program is called Kingo Android Root, it is suitable even for beginners.

Important! Using the program may result in the device being inoperable and making it impossible to turn it on. So you must use it at your own responsibility.

You can download the program from the manufacturer's official website. You need to install it on your PC and connect your phone to it via USB by clicking “USB debugging” on your device. After starting the program, driver installation will begin. The process may take some time. After installation, you will be prompted to obtain root rights on the device. After you click the consent button, a warning about a possible error will appear. If this happens, your phone may have problems booting. If you are convinced that the operation is necessary, click “OK”.

After this, the device will begin to reboot and install root rights. During this you need to do:

• after the message “Unlock Bootloader” appears, use the volume keys to go to “Yes” and confirm the selection by pressing the power button;
• You may have to restart the device yourself: this can also be done by selecting the appropriate item in the menu that opens while using the volume keys.

After completing the work, a message indicating that root rights have been successfully obtained will appear in the program window.

If data recovery fails

It is quite possible that none of the proposed recovery methods have coped with their task. In this case, the following is possible:

1. If photos have been deleted.

If your smartphone is on Android OS, then you should go to photos.google.com using your own account on the device to log in. It may well turn out that the photos that need to be restored were previously synchronized with the account. If so, they will be found safe on this site.

1. When deleting contacts.

If you lose contacts, you should go to contacts.google.com in the same way. There is a possibility that lost contacts will be found there mixed with the e-mail addresses you used.

Conclusion

If none of the proposed methods was able to recover lost files, and they contained information important to you, then you can try contacting a specialized service that provides phone repair services. Naturally, the price of this operation may not be small, and no one can give a 100% guarantee of data recovery.

Is it possible to recover data without resorting to third-party programs and applications? With the exception of the described recovery methods without programs, such methods, unfortunately, practically do not exist.

No one is immune from data loss, and in order not to be upset in the future by the loss of important information, you should use Google storage or other cloud storage, for example, One Drive.

It happens that due to your own carelessness, a software glitch or a virus attack on your Android phone or tablet, important information is deleted. If you notice the loss in a timely manner, then the lost data can be returned with a high probability.

The recovery process can be started directly from the device or using a PC. In the second case you will need:

• desktop computer or laptop with Windows OS installed;
• USB adapter for connecting the device to a PC;
• special resuscitation program.

After deleting files, do not copy any information to the gadget, as there is a high probability that new data will be written over the old ones. By doing so, you will significantly reduce the chances of a successful recovery.

The procedure for restoring information on Android via PC

To restore lost information via a computer, you must:

1. Download and install the resuscitator application on your PC. There should be no problems with this, since the required utility can be found on the Internet absolutely free.
2. Install drivers to recognize the tablet (phone) by your computer. They are usually provided with the device.
3. Connect the gadget to the PC via a USB adapter.
4. Open the installed application and start the recovery procedure.

The success of resuscitation largely depends on the programs used, of which there are quite a lot on the Internet. The most popular means of recovery are:

• 7-Data Android Recovery;
• Dr.Fone.

Recovering files using 7-Data Recovery

This program is an ideal option for recovering data lost from a tablet or phone via a personal computer. It allows you to revive not only the installed flash drive, but also the device’s memory itself, including the system partition. In this case, almost all existing file types (text, music, video, images, etc.) can be returned.

To recover information using 7-Data Android Recovery, you need to do the following:

By saving the restored files in a specified location, you can check Android for errors that caused the loss of information.

Using Dr.Fone utility

Dr.Fone is another effective app for recovering files on Android via computer. For the normal functioning of this program, you must have superuser rights (root rights). Root is the profile of the main administrator in the system. After gaining access to this account, the tablet or phone user will have a lot of additional options that will not be available in normal mode (deleting system files, blocking pop-up ads, transferring the cache of browser applications to a USB flash drive, and much more).

Having received root access, you need to make any changes to the system very carefully, since if you delete the wrong file, the gadget may become permanently damaged.

Another disadvantage of rooting is that opening it will void the device's warranty.

Let's look at how to recover deleted files on Android using Dr.Fone if you have root rights.

Recover files without using a PC

You can return lost information without a computer by installing a resuscitator application directly on your Android device. However, in this case, root access is mandatory, since all programs fully reveal their functionality only if it is available.

The Dumpster program does a great job of recovering files on Android without a computer. Everyone knows what the Recycle Bin is in Windows and how it works. So, this function is not provided in the Android system. If you want it to remain for some time on a flash drive or in the device’s memory after deleting any information, you can install the Dumpster application, which functions as a kind of recycle bin.

This program is installed on Android in the same way as most other applications, so you shouldn’t have any problems with it. After launching it, a window will open. In it you can set the types of files that, after deletion, will go through the trash.

The next step is to scan the built-in and installed storage media. This procedure may take more than 10 minutes. It all depends on the size of the memory card.

The Recycle Bin will automatically delete the data in it after a certain time, which can be set manually in the “Settings” section.

Sometimes it happens that due to inattention you can delete the necessary file, or it will be deleted on its own due to a failure. After this, of course, questions arise about how to get back a deleted file, how to recover deleted files on Android, how to recover deleted photos on Android. For example, a photo, video or document. It seems that the files can no longer be restored, or to restore you need to use a PC, which sometimes is not at hand.

Fortunately, in this case, there are applications that perform data recovery using caches that are stored for some time after deletion, and the recovery program literally takes files from the directory and restores the files stored there that were successfully read. These apps work right from your phone. All you need is a phone, the Internet, you may also need root rights for maximum performance.

In this article, we will compare several applications for recovering deleted files on Android, and see where the trash can is on Android. But they all help in different matters. For example, they help with questions of how to recover photos on Android, how to recover deleted files on Android, some of them are paid, some are completely free. We will also consider the questions: where is the Android Recycle Bin, how to empty the Recycle Bin, and how to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin.

DiskDigger Photo Recovery

DiskDigger is a lightweight but powerful file recovery application. The main profile of the program is the recovery of deleted photos. But it can recover audio files such as mp3, wav, photographs such as jpg and tiff, as well as documents, videos and animated GIF files. The program can scan both the internal memory of the phone and the memory of the SD card.

The application has a synchronization function with Dropbox and Google Drive; saving files to the cloud leads to increased storage reliability. The program does not have a Russian interface. Root rights are required for the program to work. It is worth noting that it covers a fairly large range of device models. It is distributed in free and paid versions. Judging by the reviews, the PRO version works better.

GT Recovery

GT Recovery - the program performs the function on Android of recovering lost audio, video, photos, documents, music, contacts, messages, in general, all types of files. An important nuance worth noting is the support for a wide variety of file types, from regular wav to 3gp. The application scans data from the phone memory and SD card memory. Even if you formatted the memory card, or restored the phone to factory settings, GT Recovery will be able to recover files.

Root is required for the program to work. It is worth noting that the program is completely free. The range of supported models is quite large. The application also applies not only to Android devices, but is also available for the Windows operating system. We return files using this program quickly and easily.

Undeleter

Undeleter - the program works on a phone or tablet with Android no lower than 3.1, and like all programs in this collection, it requires superuser rights. Undeleter supports a huge database of devices, more than 1000 file format extensions, and is one of the best programs for recovering lost files from Android. The program recovers video files, audio files, documents, music files, images and many more types of files. The application is distributed free of charge and does its job well. In addition, it has a convenient function for synchronizing files with Dropbox and Google Drive. This software also scans data from all directories, from the SD card and phone memory.

An important fact is that, like the previous program, Undeleter is completely free to use and does not require any purchases or subscriptions. When there is no PC at hand, Undeleter will perfectly cope with the task assigned to it.

It is important to remember that no program, even on a PC, can help restore files that were damaged or recorded many years ago. After all, Android always receives new data and can overwrite it over the cached old data.

Dumpster

Dumpster - this program represents the recycle bin on Android. After all, it will recover files such as videos, photographs, music, audio, documents, old versions of applications and even archives such as zip and rar. Unfortunately, it does not yet know how to restore SMS and Contacts. However, an important fact is that it is not particularly demanding regarding the presence of superuser rights on the device. However, for maximum reliability of the result, they are still worth getting. The application has a function for previewing audio and video files, which the program will then restore. The program also supports many file types, for example, 3gp, flac, ogg, zip, rar, txt, pdf, png, wmv, mp3, mp4. The program is free to use, but you can buy a Premium version, which removes advertising, has an advanced screen lock function, and also provides its own cloud. Has a Russified interface. Can synchronize with cloud storages. Supports a huge number of devices. This recycle bin on Android can store files that you doubt can be deleted; if necessary, files can be restored from the recycle bin. Because of this, of course, the memory on the smartphone will be wasted.

Easy Backup & Restore

Easy backup & restore is a program for recovering deleted files from your phone, which not only restores lost data, but can also make backups. It can recover audio, video, documents, music, SMS, contacts, calendar, keyboard dictionary and many other types of files.

It scans the SD card and internal memory of the phone. Recovered files on Android can be saved to Dropbox, Google Drive, GMail, OneDrive. The application works with all versions of Android, up to Marshmallow. The application requires superuser rights. Unfortunately, the program does not support the Russian language.

Let's also mention one more program. It's called EASEUS Mobisaver for Android Free. EaseUS is a program for recovering deleted files on Android. This program does not work directly through Android, but uses a PC for work, but in this collection it turned out to be for its really strong functionality. But it will definitely answer the question - how to recover deleted files on Android. The program is completely free. Recovers audio, video, documents and music. The program is able to recover a deleted application, deleted application data, or folder. It has a window in which you can view the file being restored. Unfortunately it does not have a Russian interface. You can download it from the official website.

About the cart on Android

Let's look at where the Recycle Bin directory is, how to recover files deleted from the Recycle Bin, how to find the Recycle Bin, how to get files back from the Recycle Bin.

Why even know where the basket is? This is necessary so that you can promptly clean the storage from accumulated unnecessary garbage. You need to empty the recycle bin after making sure that the necessary data is in place. After all, all residual data from which files can be restored are located precisely within this directory.

How to find the cart? You can find the recycle bin using the ES Explorer program, since the recycle bin is part of the program’s functionality. Using Explorer, you can permanently delete files on your tablet or phone. It is important to remember that if you have erased or intend to delete files from the Recycle Bin, they cannot be restored. To find the cart you just need to go to the program, to the home page. You have found a basket.

How to manually recover files deleted from the Recycle Bin on Android. To do this, you just need to select one or more files that were in the trash and click on the “Recover” button, it is located at the top right, second in line, this way we will restore deleted applications, photos and other files.

How to empty the trash on your phone? You need to select all the files and tap on the button with the image of the trash can. This is how we simply dealt with the question “how to empty the trash”. You delete only those files that are definitely not needed. Recovery programs do not work with completely erased files; they simply cannot be found.

Results

This completes our selection of programs for data recovery from an Android device. We also figured out where the recycle bin is located in Android, and how to recover deleted files from your tablet and phone. Of course, this is only a small part of the existing programs, but we have selected the best of them. We hope that thanks to the selection, you have found the application that coped with the task assigned to it in full. All programs except EaseUS can be downloaded from our website. Also, you can add to our list, or write your opinion about these programs, you can express all this in the comments.

It is worth noting that even the most powerful application is not able to correctly recover a file from Android if it has been damaged or there is little residual information left.

All these applications can be downloaded from our website by clicking on the “Download” button, it is located on the right, in the block of general information about the application.