Where Is Google Photos Trash? Find and Restore Deleted Photos

You delete a photo, then realise it was the one you needed for a client, a blog post or a family album. The first place to look is the Google Photos trash. It's easy to miss because it lives under Collections rather than on the main screen, and it only holds things for a limited time.

The steps below follow Google's Photos Help pages for iPhone and iPad and for computers. Google sometimes calls it the bin on other versions, so if you see Bin instead of Trash, it's the same place.

Finding the Google Photos trash on an iPhone or iPad

1. Open the Google Photos app and sign in to your Google Account.
2. Tap Collections at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap Trash.

You'll see the photos and videos you've deleted that haven't yet been permanently removed. If the item you want isn't there, Google says it may already be permanently deleted.

Finding the Google Photos trash on a computer

1. Go to photos.google.com and sign in.
2. Click Trash in the menu.

The computer view is useful if you have a lot to look through, because it's easier to select several items and review them on a bigger screen.

How long photos stay in the Google Photos trash

Google says photos and videos that you delete stay in your trash for 30 days before they're permanently deleted. Photos and videos that were permanently deleted can't be restored, so that 30-day window is your safety net.

Restoring a photo from the Google Photos trash on iPhone

1. Open the Google Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Collections, then Trash.
3. Touch and hold the photo or video you want to restore.
4. Tap Restore at the bottom.

Google says your photo or video will be back in the albums it was in and in your Google Photos library. You can only restore items that are still in the trash.

Google lists when you can restore: if you moved the item to trash less than 30 days ago, if you haven't emptied the trash, and if you haven't permanently deleted it from the trash.

Adding a restored photo back to your iPhone gallery

Google says that on an iPhone or iPad, after you restore photos and videos, you can also add them to your gallery app. Look in the Restore help page for the steps for your version of the app, as I don't want to guess the buttons.

If you deleted something from Google Drive rather than Photos, my guide to recovering deleted files from Google Drive covers that trash instead. And if you want ideas for what to do with the photos you've got back, see my Gemini prompts for family photos.

When a photo isn't in the Google Photos trash

Don't panic if the trash is empty, and don't keep deleting things while you search. Google's restore page suggests checking a few other places:

• Your archive. Google says an archived item can be unarchived so it shows in your library again.
• The trash itself. Google says if an item isn't there, it may be permanently deleted.
• Your backup settings. Google says to turn backup on so you can find and recover photos in the future.

Google also mentions a Locked Folder, so if you've ever moved private photos there, look in it. And Google says that if you're inactive in Google Photos for 2 years or more, your content may be deleted, so it's worth opening the app now and then.

Emptying the Google Photos trash and deleting for good

On an iPhone or iPad, Google's delete page says to tap Collections, Trash and Select, choose the item, then tap Delete and Delete again to confirm. On a computer, click Trash, pick the item, click Select, then Delete permanently. You can also click Empty trash to clear it all.

Remember Google says permanently deleted items can't be restored. Check the contents before you empty the trash.

If the Google Photos trash is full

Google says that if you see a Delete permanently prompt when you move something to trash, your trash is full. You can choose to delete those items permanently, but if you want to keep the option to restore them, you must first empty the trash.

Google Photos trash versus Recently Deleted on iPhone

These are two different places. Google Photos has its own trash. The Photos app on the iPhone has Recently Deleted. Google notes that permanently deleted items may still appear in the Recently Deleted folder in Apple Photos. So if you can't find a picture in Google Photos, check the Apple Photos app too.

A simple habit helps. If you run a business or a channel, check the trash every week or so while it still holds things. Anything you spot that you still need can be restored in two taps, long before the 30 days are up. If you only discover a missing photo after a month, the trash can't help, so earlier is always better.

What gets deleted with a Google Photos delete

Google says items you delete from Google Photos are also removed from phones and tablets with Google Photos installed and backup turned on, and from albums and shared albums they were added to. They aren't automatically removed from Blogger, Drive, Gmail or YouTube. That's worth remembering before you tidy up a shared album a customer or colleague uses.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Google Photos trash on iPhone?

Open Google Photos, tap Collections at the bottom, then tap Trash.

Where is the Google Photos trash on a computer?

Go to photos.google.com, sign in and click Trash.

How long do deleted photos stay in Google Photos trash?

Google says deleted photos and videos stay in your trash for 30 days before they're permanently deleted.

How do I restore a photo from Google Photos trash?

Open Collections, then Trash, touch and hold the photo or video, and tap Restore. Google says it returns to its albums and your library.

Can I get back a permanently deleted Google Photos item?

No. Google says permanently deleted photos and videos can't be restored.

Why is my Google Photos trash empty?

The photo may be archived, in a Locked Folder, or permanently deleted. Google says to check your archive and to turn on backup so you can recover photos in future.