Have you deleted a photo from the gallery on your Samsung Galaxybut it is still displayed? Or did the picture disappear, but after a while it returned on its own? This problem is familiar to many users of smartphones Samsung based on Android - from budget Galaxy A to flagship S23 Ultra. The reasons may lie both in the operating features Gallery applicationsand in the system settings of the phone.

Most often the culprits are application cache, cloud synchronization (Samsung Cloud or Google Photos), hidden folders (for example, .thumbnails), or bugs One UI firmware. In rare cases, the problem is related to file system corruption or actions of viruses. In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios - from simple to complex - and give step-by-step guide for clearing the gallery.

Important: if you use Samsung DeX or connect your phone to your computer via MTP, some files may be duplicated in other folders. This is not a bug, but a feature of the data transfer protocol.

📊 What Samsung model do you have?
Galaxy S23/S22/S21
Galaxy A54/A53/A34
Galaxy Z Flip/Fold
Galaxy M33/M23
Another model

The most common reason for “ghost” photos is cached thumbnails. The application "Gallery" (or Samsung Gallery) creates temporary copies of images in the folder .thumbnailsto load them faster. Even after deleting the original, the thumbnail can remain in the cache and be displayed in the interface.

How it works:

  1. You delete a photo from the gallery → it disappears from the main list.
  2. But the thumbnail remains in the cache and can “pop up” when scrolling or searching.
  3. After a while (or after a reboot), the cache is updated and the photo disappears completely.

To speed up the process, you need manually clear the cache:

  1. Open Settings → Applications.
  2. Find "Gallery" (or Samsung Gallery) in the list.
  3. Go to Storage → Clear cache.

Attention! Clearing the cache does not delete the original photos, but may temporarily slow down loading of the gallery when you first open it.

Close the application "Gallery" in the recent tasks menu

Open Settings → Applications → Gallery

Click "Storage" → "Clear cache"

Restart the phone (optional)

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2. Synchronization with cloud services: Samsung Cloud and Google Photos

If you use Samsung Cloud or Google Photos, photos deleted from your phone can be automatically restored the next time you connect to the Internet. This is due to the automatic synchronizationfunction, which is enabled by default on many devices Samsung.

How to check and disable synchronization:

  • 🔄 Samsung Cloud: Settings → Accounts and archiving → Samsung Cloud → Data synchronization. Disable the option for "Galleries".
  • ☁️ Google Photo: open the application → click on the avatar → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
  • 📱 OneDrive (if installed): check the automatic upload settings in the application.

If you want completely delete the photo from clouddo it manually:

  1. For Samsung Cloud: go to Gallery → Albums → Samsung Cloud and delete files from there.
  2. For Google Photos: open the web version photos.google.com and empty "Trash" (photos are stored there for 60 days).
⚠️ Attention: Deleted from clouds of photos cannot be restoredif you do not have a local copy. Before mass deletion, make a backup copy to your computer.
What to do if photos have been deleted from both your phone and the cloud?

If you accidentally erased photos from your phone and cloud storage at the same time, try apps for data recovery, such as DiskDigger or Recuva (for PC). The main rule is not to write new files to the phone before trying to restore, otherwise the old data may be overwritten.

3. Hidden system folders: where else can photos be stored

Android creates several hidden folders where images can be duplicated. Most often the problem lies here:

Folder Path What it stores Can I delete
.thumbnails /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails Thumbnails for fast loading Yes (the cache will be deleted)
Pictures/Screenshots /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots Screenshots and saved pictures Yes (but check the contents)
Android/data/... /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/... Cache of applications (for example, instant messengers) Partially (only cache)
Download /storage/emulated/0/Download Files downloaded from the Internet Yes

To see hidden folders:

  1. Connect the phone to the PC via USB (file transfer mode).
  2. Enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden items).
  3. Or use the file manager on your phone (for example, Solid Explorer), where there is an option in the settings Show hidden files.

If you find duplicates in these folders, delete them manually. For the folder .thumbnails you can use the command via ADB (requires enabled developer mode): 

adb shell rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails
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Before deleting hidden folders, make a backup copy of important data. Applications (for example, instant messengers) store media files that cannot be restored after cleaning. Android/data media files that cannot be recovered after cleaning.

4. One UI firmware bugs: when the system is “buggy”

In some versions One UI (especially on Samsung Galaxy with Android 12–14) there is a bug in which the gallery does not update the list of files after deletion. This is due to errors in media scanner —a system process that indexes multimedia.

Symptoms of a bug:

  • 🖼️ The photo disappears from the gallery, but returns after a reboot.
  • 🔄 There is no file in the folder DCIM , but it is displayed in the application.
  • 📱 The problem appears after updating the firmware.

How to fix:

  1. Reboot your phone - sometimes it resets the media scanner.
  2. Update the firmware: check for updates Settings → Software update.
  3. Reset gallery settings:
    1. Open Settings → Applications → Gallery.
    2. Tap Storage → Delete data (this will reset the application settings, but will not delete the photo).
  4. Use an alternative gallery (for example, Google Photos or Simple Gallery) to check if the problem is visible in other applications.
⚠️ Attention: If a bug appears after every update One UI, contact support Samsung or wait for the patch. Some users solve the problem by rolling back to the previous firmware version (but this is risky and can lead to data loss).

5. Viruses and malware: when photos “recover” themselves

Rarely, but it happens: some viruses can block deletion of files or restore them from backups. This is usually accompanied by other symptoms:

  • 📱 The phone heats up and quickly discharges.
  • 🔗 Unknown applications or advertisements appear.
  • 📎 Photos are duplicated in strange folders (for example, Android/obb).

How to check and clean your phone:

  1. Install an antivirus (for example, Malwarebytes or Bitdefender) and scan the device.
  2. Check the list of installed applications in Settings → Applications. Remove suspicious ones (especially those with storage access rights).
  3. If the virus blocks removal, try safe mode:
    1. Press the power button → hold Turn off power → select "Safe mode".
    2. In safe mode, remove viruses applications.

If a virus has damaged system files, you may need to reset to factory settingsbefore doing this, be sure to copy important data to your PC or external drive.

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Viruses are rarely the cause of problems with the gallery, but if you notice other suspicious symptoms (advertising, unknown applications), scanning with an antivirus is required.

6. Damage to the file system: when nothing helps

If the photos are not deleted in any way, and when you try, an error appears like "File in use" or "Insufficient rights", there may be a problem with file system (for example, after incorrect removal of the SD card or an update failure).

How to diagnose and fix:

  1. Check the SD card (if used):
    1. Remove the card and connect it to the PC via a card reader.
    2. Run an error check (in Windows: right disk button → Properties → Tools → Check).
  2. Check internal memory via ADB: 
    adb shell fsck /dev/block/mmcblk0p28

    (Requires root access and knowledge of the command line.)

  3. Reset your phone (last option):
    1. Make a backup copy of your data.
    2. Go to Settings → General management → Reset → Reset data.

If the file system is damaged, sometimes it helps flashing the phone via Odin (for experienced users). But this is an extreme measure - contact the service center if you are not sure of your actions.

7. Alternative solutions: if the standard methods do not work

If none of the methods helped, try these options:

  • 📁 Use another file manager: sometimes the standard My Files from Samsung does not show all folders. Install FX File Explorer or Total Commander.
  • 🖥️ Connect the phone to the PC and delete files through Windows/macOS Explorer. Sometimes this works when errors occur on the phone.
  • 🔧 Disable battery optimization for the gallery:
    1. Open Settings → Device care → Battery → Optimization batteries.
    2. Find "Gallery" and disable optimization.
  • 📱 Install an alternative gallery (for example, QuickPic or Aves) - it may work more correctly with media files.

    • If the problem concerns only one specific photo, check its properties:

    1. Open the file via My files.
    2. Hold your finger on it → select Information.
    3. See if the checkbox is unchecked "Read Only" or Is there a strange path specified (for example, /mnt/...).
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    If the photo is not deleted due to permissions, try renaming it (for example, adding "_old" at the end) and then deleting. Sometimes this bypasses system restrictions.

    ❓ Why are deleted photos returned after a reboot?

    Most likely, you have synchronization enabled with Samsung Cloud or Google Photos. Deleted files are restored from the cloud the next time you connect to the Internet. Disable automatic synchronization in the settings. account.

    ❓ How to delete a photo if the "Delete" button is inactive?

    This may be due to:

    • Access rights (try another file manager).
    • Damage to the file (rename it or copy it to your PC).
    • System folder (some folders, for example Android/data, are protected).

    If the photo is on an SD card, remove it and format it (after copying important data).

    ❓ Is it possible to recover a photo if I accidentally clicked "Delete all"?

    Yes, but quickly:

    1. Check Trash in the "Gallery" application (files are stored there for 15-30 days).
    2. If the Trash is empty, use recovery apps (DiskDigger, Recuva).
    3. Do not write new files to the phone so as not to overwrite deleted data.

    For Google Photos look at Trash on the website photos.google.com — files are stored there for 60 days.

    ❓ Why are photos displayed in the gallery that are not in the DCIM folder?

    The "Gallery" application scans all folders on the phone, including:

    • Download (downloads from the Internet),
    • Pictures (screenshots, saved pictures),
    • Android/data (messenger cache, for example, WhatsApp or Telegram).

    To hide unnecessary folders from the gallery:

    1. Open "Gallery" → click ⋮ → Settings.
    2. Select Hide albums and mark the unnecessary ones folders.
    ❓ How to prevent applications from creating duplicate photos?

    Many applications (messengers, social networks) automatically save copies of photos. To disable this:

    • WhatsApp: Settings → Chat → Visibility of media files (disable).
    • Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Saving media (select "Never").
    • Instagram/Facebook: in the application settings, disable automatic saving.

    Also check the settings Google Photos —backup of screenshots and edited images may be enabled.