Recover old media with these free 100% apps

Did you accidentally delete that special photo or lose important videos from your phone? The good news is that all is not lost. Today, there are free 100% apps available on the Google Play Store and the App Store that can recover deleted files easily and efficiently. Below, discover five excellent options that can help you restore deleted media with just a few taps—you can download them below.

1. DiskDigger

DiskDigger photo recovery

DiskDigger photo recovery

3,3 239,224 reviews
100 mi+ downloads

DiskDigger is a popular app among users looking to recover deleted photos, videos, and other files from their phones. It scans internal storage and SD cards to identify deleted files and offers the option to restore them with just a few taps.

It has two scanning modes: a simpler one for those without root access, and a more comprehensive one for advanced users. The highlight is the preview of files before recovery, which helps you choose exactly what's worth restoring.

Another important feature is the ability to send recovered files directly to cloud services or email. This facilitates immediate backup and prevents future loss. Even in the free version, DiskDigger is highly efficient, especially for image files.

The app is lightweight, fast, and runs well even on more modest devices, without crashes or excessive battery consumption.

Advertisements

2. Dumpster

Dumpster: Photo Recovery

Dumpster: Photo Recovery

3,8 420,109 reviews
50 mi+ downloads

Dumpster acts like your phone's recycle bin, keeping a temporary copy of deleted files so you can easily recover them later. With it, you don't have to worry about accidental deletion: the app automatically stores deleted images, videos, and documents, allowing for instant restoration.

It's ideal for those looking to prevent future losses. After installation, Dumpster runs in the background, recording everything that's deleted. You can set how long files should be kept before being permanently deleted.

Advertisements

Another plus is the integration with cloud backup services, ensuring that even temporarily saved files are protected. The look is modern, with an intuitive interface and categorization by media type, making it easy to locate what's been deleted.

Dumpster doesn't require root access and consumes very few system resources, making it ideal for all types of users.

3. Photo Recovery – DigDeep

DigDeep Image Recovery

DigDeep Image Recovery

4,2 247,161 reviews
10 mi+ downloads

Focused exclusively on image recovery, Photo Recovery – DigDeep is a practical and efficient solution. Whether you've lost photos from your internal storage or SD card, this app can help with a quick and effective scan.

Once you open the app, simply start scanning. Within minutes, it displays a gallery of all recoverable images, organized by folder. File selection is quick and easy, with the option to recover multiple images at once.

DigDeep's biggest advantage is that it works well without root and can even find older images, even after light formatting. Its straightforward and straightforward operation makes it ideal for those who want fast results without a lot of technical tweaking.

While it doesn't offer any extra features, its specialization in image recovery makes it one of the best options in this specific category.

4. UltData – iPhone/Android Data Recovery

UltData: Photo & Data Recovery

UltData: Photo & Data Recovery

2,8 12,312 reviews
5 mi+ downloads

UltData is a powerful and versatile option, recommended for those who need to recover more than just photos or videos. It allows you to restore messages, contacts, app files, call logs, documents, and other data, working on both Android and iOS.

One of its biggest advantages is the ability to choose the type of data to be restored before the scan begins. This makes the process faster and more organized, as well as allowing you to focus only on what's truly necessary.

Recovering WhatsApp messages and files is one of the app's biggest advantages, as is its support for files lost during system updates or unexpected failures.

UltData also performs well even on devices with large volumes of data and is frequently updated to ensure compatibility with the latest operating systems.

5. Dr.Fone – Data Recovery

Dr.Fone - Data Recovery

Dr.Fone - Data Recovery

3,7 10,118 reviews
10 mi+ downloads

Dr.Fone is more than a data recovery app: it's a true smartphone maintenance toolkit. With it, you can recover photos, videos, messages, contacts, app data, and much more.

The app is ideal for users looking for a complete solution. It offers additional features such as backup and restore, file transfer between devices, erasing unnecessary data, and even screen unlocking.

The recovery process is simple, with guided steps and an intuitive interface. This makes it easy for even those without technical experience. Another highlight is the scanning accuracy, which can locate deleted data even after formatting or system failure.

While some features require a fee, the free version allows you to effectively recover important media. For those looking for an all-in-one solution, Dr.Fone is an excellent choice.

Tips to avoid file loss in the future

While recovery apps are useful, prevention is always the best strategy. Here are some practical tips:

  • Enable automatic backups: Use Google Photos, iCloud, or another cloud service to keep up-to-date copies of your media.
  • Don't delay in trying to recover: The longer the time after deletion, the lower the chances of success.
  • Avoid installing too many apps or taking new photos after deleting something.: This may overwrite deleted data, making recovery difficult.
  • Use digital trash cans: Apps like Dumpster work as a preventative measure, saving files that have been deleted by mistake.
  • Keep your system up to date: Bugs in older versions of the system can cause unexpected data loss.

These simple steps can save you headaches and ensure your photos and videos are always protected.

Conclusion

Recovering deleted media from your phone doesn't have to be a nightmare. With the right apps, you can restore lost photos, videos, and documents quickly and safely—and best of all, free of charge. Whether you're restoring a deleted memory or preventing future losses, these tools are essential for keeping your files safe.

If you've ever lost something important, choose one of the recommended apps, install it on your device, and start the recovery process right away.

Kleber Soares

I am an Information Technology specialist and currently work as a writer for the Appsntech blog. My mission is to create informative and engaging content for you, bringing you news and trends from the technological world on a daily basis.