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Digital tools that bring back your memories
Your past may be just a click away
Photos you thought were lost aren't always there.
In many cases, they are simply hidden, displaced, or inaccessible due to system failures.
And with the right tools, you can recover images from years ago without technical knowledge or special equipment.
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The important thing is to use the right app for each situation: mobile, computer, cloud, damaged disk...
Here we present to you the most effective and safe solutions to rescue your memories.
PhotoRec: Recovers files even from damaged disks
What is it?
PhotoRec is a free and open-source recovery tool, ideal for recovering files from hard drives, SD cards, USB drives, and more.
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How does it work?
- Scan the device sector by sector
- Detects deleted or hidden files
- Allows you to recover photos, videos and documents
Advantages:
- Free and ad-free
- Very high recovery rate on damaged media
- Compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac
- No complex installation required
Limitations:
- Unfriendly interface for beginners
- Requires connecting the device to a computer
- Does not show preview of images
Ideal for: users who are looking for a powerful solution and are not afraid of technical interfaces.
Especially useful for old hard drives, formatted SD cards or digital cameras.
DiskDigger: ideal for mobile phones and SD cards
What is it?
DiskDigger is an Android app that allows you to recover photos directly from your phone or SD card, without the need for root (although root improves the results).
How does it work?
- Scan internal or external memory
- Displays a gallery of deleted images
- Allows you to restore photos or send them via email/cloud
Advantages:
- Easy to use and with file preview
- Light and fast
- No computer required
- Free version functional for photos
Limitations:
- Only available for Android
- Recovery is partial without root
- Not compatible with iOS
Ideal for: Those who have lost photos on their Android phone and are looking for a quick, straightforward solution without any technical complications.
Google Photos and automatic cloud backups
What is it?
Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox and other services offer automatic cloud backups which are often activated without the user knowing… and save photos even years later.
How does it work?
- When you link your account, the app automatically uploads the photos.
- Even if you change your phone, the images remain linked to the account.
- Deleted photos go to a trash can that is emptied after 30 days.
Advantages:
- Access from any device
- Effortless automatic copying
- Easy recovery from recycle bin
- Compatible with Android and iOS
Limitations:
- Some accounts delete data due to inactivity (after several years of non-use)
- Requires remembering and accessing the original account
- Only works if sync was active
Ideal for: Those who lost photos due to a change of device, or who used Google Photos without knowing they had a backup.
Functional comparison table
| Tool | Device | Ease of use | Free? | Ideal for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhotoRec | PC, disk, SD, USB | Average | Yeah | Old disks, advanced recovery |
| DiskDigger | Android, mobile SD | High | Yeah | Deleted images from phone |
| Google Photos | Android, iOS, web | Very high | Yeah | Photos synchronized in the cloud |
In Part 3, you will learn How to protect your memories after recovering them, prevent further losses and organize your images safely, so that never have to go through this scare again. Let's take care of what matters most together?
What types of photos can be recovered (and which ones can't)
Before getting started with any software, it's important to have clear expectations.
Recovering old photos is possible, but not all files are recoverable.
They can be recovered:
- Recently deleted images (that were not overwritten)
- Files hidden due to system failures
- Photos from SD cards, USB drives, external drives, and phones
- Files stored in cloud accounts (even inactive ones)
Cannot be recovered:
- Files overwritten multiple times (e.g. after formatting and filling the device)
- Photos stored on physical drives that have been physically damaged (e.g., broken disk)
- Images deleted from the cloud trash more than 30 days ago (depending on the service)
Therefore, the sooner you act, the greater the probability of success.
And if the file still exists somewhere digitally, these tools will find it.