Accidentally deleting an important video from your phone is a stressful situation familiar to every smartphone owner. It’s especially disappointing to lose memorable moments captured with a high-quality camera Samsung Galaxy A51. However, it is too early to panic: modern operating systems Android and built-in company services Samsung provide several levels of data protection.
The success of the operation directly depends on how much time has passed since the deletion and whether cloud synchronization services were used. If you immediately notice the loss, the chances of returning the file in its original quality are close to 100%. In this article we will analyze all available methods, from the built-in “Trash” to the use of specialized software.
Checking the built-in Gallery Trash
The simplest and most often forgotten method is checking the system “Trash” folder. Starting with certain versions of the interface One UI, the company Samsung implemented a function for temporarily storing deleted media files. Deleted videos are not erased from the disk instantly, but are moved to a special buffer, where they are stored for 30 days.
To find a lost video, open the application Gallery and go to the bottom menu. There you will find the item Albums, scroll the list to the very bottom. This is where the folder is located Trash. If the video was recently deleted, you will see it there along with information about how many days are left until it is permanently deleted.
To restore, simply click on the video, hold your finger to highlight, and then select the button Restore. The file will automatically return to the album from which it was deleted. This method works without an Internet connection and does not require the installation of third-party software.
⚠️ Attention: If you emptied the recycle bin manually or more than 30 days have passed, the files will be permanently deleted from the device servers, and this method will no longer help.
The system recycle bin is the first and fastest stage of the search, which does not require additional tools.
Recovery through the Google Photos service
Many users Samsung A51 by default use the application Google Photos to view the media library. This service has its own backup system and “Trash”, which works independently of the system gallery Samsung. Even if you deleted a video from your phone gallery, a copy of it can be saved in the cloud.
Go to the application Google Photos and click on your profile icon or menu in the corner of the screen. Select item Trash. Deleted items are stored here for 60 days if the backup feature is enabled. Find the video you want, click on it and select the option Restore.
It is important to understand the difference between deleting from the cloud and deleting from the device. If you clicked "Delete from Device" but left a copy in the cloud, it's easy to get the video back. However, if you select “Delete everywhere”, the file will also disappear from the cloud storage Google Drive.
- 📸 Check the synchronization settings in the section
Photo settings→Backup. - ☁️ Make sure that it is under the same account Googlefrom which the video disappeared.
- 🗑️ The storage period in the basket Google is 60 days for photos and videos.
Using cloud storage Samsung Cloud and OneDrive
Ecosystem Samsung tightly integrated with the cloud service Microsoft OneDrive. On smartphones Samsung Galaxy A51 the synchronization of the gallery with this service is often activated by default. This means that your videos could be automatically uploaded to the cloud even before deletion.
To check, go to Settings your phone, find the section Accounts and backup. Next, select Samsung Cloud or the item responsible for synchronizing with OneDrive. If synchronization has been enabled, you can go to the application OneDrive on your phone or through a browser on your computer.
In the web interface or application, find the folder Images or Video. Also check the recycle bin of the service itself OneDriveas deleted files often end up there. Restoring from the cloud allows you to return video even if the phone's internal memory has been partially overwritten by new data.
⚠️ Attention: Free storage OneDrive limited (usually 5 GB). If space runs out, synchronization of new videos could stop automatically.
What to do if synchronization was disabled?
If you disabled synchronization in advance, there is no data in the cloud. In this case, you will have to use deep memory scanning methods or PC apps.
Data recovery through a computer (PC)
When built-in tools do not help, specialized PC apps come to the rescue. Connecting Samsung A51 to a computer allows you to use more powerful scanning algorithms that can find traces of deleted files in unwritten memory sectors.
Before starting the procedure, you must activate the debugging mode USB. Go to Settings → About phone → Software information and quickly click 7 times on the item Number build. After the message “Developer mode is enabled” appears, return to the main settings menu, find the new item Developer options and activate the switch USB debugging.
There are a number of popular utilities, such as Dr.Fone, Tenorshare UltData or DiskDigger (PC version). The process usually looks like this: installing the software on your computer, connecting the cable, starting the scan and previewing the found files. Please note that many of these apps are paid, and free versions often only allow you to find files, but not restore them.
Procedure:1. Install Samsung USB Drivers on your PC.
2. Connect your phone with a cable.
3. Allow access to data on the smartphone screen.
4. Start scanning in the selected app.
☑️ Preparing for recovery via PC
Specialized mobile applications
If you do not have access to a computer, you can try to restore data directly on your smartphone. For this purpose, there are applications that scan the internal memory and card microSD. However, their effectiveness strongly depends on the presence of Root-rights (superuser rights).
Without Root-rights applications can only scan the cache and thumbnails, so the recovered video may be of low quality. With superuser rights, apps have direct access to memory sectors, which significantly increases the chances of success. One of the most famous solutions is the application DiskDigger.
After installation, run a scan. The app will find deleted files and offer to save them. Critical important save the recovered data not to the same phone, but immediately send it to the cloud or to a computer, so as not to overwrite other deleted fragments.
| Application name | Necessary Root | File type | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiskDigger | Desirable | Photo, Video | Free / Pro |
| Dumpster | No | All media | Freemium |
| Undeleter | Yes | Any files | Paid |
Before installing recovery applications, close all unnecessary apps to reduce the load on the processor and memory.
Prevention of data loss and important nuances
Data recovery is always a lottery, and no one can give guarantees. The chances of success drop sharply if, after deletion, you actively used the phone, shot new videos or installed applications. New data is written over old data, making recovery impossible.
The best way to protect yourself is regular backups. Set up automatic uploading of photos and videos to Google Photos or Yandex.Disk. Also, do not forget to periodically copy important archives to an external hard drive or computer.
Sometimes the problem lies not in deletion, but in a file system failure. If the memory card microSD stops being read or the files have disappeared, try connecting it to the PC via a card reader and running a disk check utility chkdsk. This may correct indexing errors and the files will become visible again.
⚠️ Attention: Never format the memory card or internal phone memory if it contains important data that you want to recover. Formatting will complicate the task many times over.
A timely backup is the only 100% guarantee of the safety of your memories.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to restore a video if was the phone reset to factory settings?
After a full reset (Factory Reset), the chances of recovery are extremely low, especially on modern smartphones with memory encryption. The encryption keys are removed and the data becomes unreadable. Specialized services may try to do something, but success is not guaranteed.
Is it safe to use recovery apps with root access?
Obtaining Rootrights itself carries risks: you may lose the warranty on the device or disrupt the operation of banking applications. Use such methods only as a last resort, when the data is more important than the guarantee.
Why does the recovered video not open or shows a black screen?
This means that the file was not completely restored. When deleted, the file is split into fragments, and if some of them were overwritten by new information, the video will be damaged. Full recovery is possible only if the memory sectors have not been affected.
Where are deleted videos stored on Samsung A51 without a recycle bin?
If there is no recycle bin function (in older software versions), the files physically remain in memory until the system writes new information over them. They are not visible to the user, but can be found by deep scanning apps.