How to Recover Deleted Videos on Samsung

Updated 9 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

You can often recover a deleted video on a Samsung Galaxy from the Gallery or My Files trash, or restore a copy from a cloud or computer backup. Check these locations as soon as possible: trash folders may empty automatically, and using the phone can reduce the chance of recovering a permanently deleted file.

What You’ll Need

Your Samsung phone, with its screen lock or account credentials if prompted.
Internet access for checking cloud backups.
A computer and USB cable only if you plan to check a computer backup or copy recovered files.

Step-by-Step

Pause activity on the phone. If the video is not in a trash folder, avoid recording new videos, downloading files, or installing recovery apps. New data can overwrite deleted data, particularly on removable storage. Do not reset the phone or clear app data while looking for the file.
Check Samsung Gallery’s Recycle bin. Open Gallery, tap the menu (often shown as three lines) or More, then choose Recycle bin or Trash. The menu wording and location can vary by software version. Find the video, open it if possible to confirm it is the right one, select it, and tap Restore. It should return to its original album or location.
Check My Files’ Recycle bin. Open My Files, tap the three-dot menu or More options, and select Recycle bin. Select the video and tap Restore. This is worth checking even if you already looked in Gallery: deleting a file from a file-management view may put it in a different bin, depending on the app and device.
Search the phone’s folders. In My Files, check Videos and common folders such as DCIM/Camera, Movies, and Download. Search by filename or sort by date. Also check whether Gallery is showing the expected album or filtering media. A video that disappeared from Gallery may still be stored on the phone.
Look in the cloud service you actually used. Open the relevant photo or file app and check its trash, recently deleted, or archive area, as well as the account’s web interface if available. Samsung Gallery may be connected to a cloud service, but availability and sync settings vary. Google Photos, for example, has its own Trash; open the app, tap Collections and then Trash (labels may differ), select the video, and choose Restore if offered. Make sure you are signed into the account that backed up the video.
Check backups made before deletion. Review any Samsung, Google, computer, or other backup you set up. Use that service’s restore or download option, and check the backup date before restoring. A full-device restore may replace newer data, so prefer downloading just the video or restoring to another device or computer when that option exists.
Check a microSD card or computer copy. If the video was stored on a removable card, stop using the card and check it with a computer and card reader. Look for a copy in computer folders, imported photo libraries, or backup drives. If attempting file recovery from a card, save recovered files to a different drive, not back onto the card.
Verify the restored file. Open the video and check that it plays and has sound. If it is important, copy it to another safe location. Do not empty any trash folder until you have confirmed the recovered copy is complete.

Common Mistakes

Checking only Gallery: My Files and cloud apps may have separate trash folders.
Assuming sync is a backup: Sync can mirror deletions across devices. Check the service’s trash and backup history rather than assuming another device has an untouched copy.
Restoring an old full backup without checking its date: It may replace newer files or settings. Review what will be overwritten first.
Installing recovery apps on the affected phone: Installation and everyday use write new data, potentially overwriting recoverable content. Be cautious of apps promising guaranteed recovery, especially for internal storage.
Formatting or continuing to use a memory card: This can make recovery harder. Stop writing to it and recover to a separate storage device.

Tips

Check trash promptly. Retention periods and automatic deletion rules differ between apps and can change with settings or software updates.
Search using the approximate date, filename, album, and account that were in use when the video was saved.
Enable a backup you trust for future videos, and periodically confirm that recent files appear in it. A backup is useful only if it completed before the deletion.
If a video is on a microSD card, eject it safely before using a card reader. Keep any recovered copy on a different drive.
For a valuable video that is missing from every trash and backup, stop using the phone or card and consider a reputable data-recovery professional. Recovery from encrypted internal storage may not be possible after permanent deletion.

Troubleshooting

The Recycle bin is missing: Check Gallery and My Files menus separately. The feature may be named Trash, may be unavailable in an older app version, or may not have been enabled when the video was deleted. Update the relevant app through the official app store if appropriate, then check again; an update cannot bring back a file already permanently removed.

The video is not listed: Confirm the correct Samsung or cloud account, check other accounts and devices, and search the phone’s folders. If it was deleted from a cloud-synced app, look in that app’s own trash. If the trash was emptied or its retention period ended, move on to backups rather than repeatedly using the phone.

Restore is unavailable or fails: Check that the phone has enough free storage, restart it, and try again. For a cloud copy, confirm internet access and sign-in. If the file is on a card, check that it is mounted and readable; do not format it if prompted.

The restored video will not play: Try opening it from My Files and confirm the file size is not zero. Download the cloud copy again over a stable connection or copy the backup to a computer. If a recovered file is incomplete or damaged, preserve the original and avoid saving edits over it.

No backup or trash copy exists: Permanent recovery from a modern phone’s internal storage is often limited by encryption and storage management. Avoid tools that ask you to root the phone or promise certain results. A specialist may assess a removable card, but success is not guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a video permanently deleted from a Samsung phone?
Possibly, if a cloud or device backup exists. If it was permanently deleted from internal storage and no backup remains, recovery may not be possible.

How long do deleted videos stay in Samsung Gallery’s Recycle bin?
It depends on the app and software settings; trash items are kept only for a limited period. Check the bin’s notice and restore the video promptly.

Does restoring a video remove it from the cloud?
It depends on the service. Restoring from a trash folder usually returns the item to that service’s library, but syncing behavior varies. Verify the result and keep a separate copy.

Can a deleted video be recovered from a Samsung microSD card?
Sometimes. Stop using the card immediately and avoid formatting it. Recovery tools or a specialist may help, but the result depends on whether the deleted data has been overwritten.

Will a factory reset help recover deleted videos?
No. A reset erases data and can make recovery harder. Do not reset the phone as a recovery step.

Why did a video disappear from Gallery but remain in My Files?
It may have been moved, hidden from the Gallery view, or stored in a folder Gallery does not display. Search My Files and check the folder and album settings.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.