Google Photos has reduced the amount of time deleted images and videos remain recoverable, halving the previous window and giving users far less room to reverse an accidental deletion.
When you remove a photo or video from the app, it is moved to the Trash folder rather than being erased immediately. Previously, these items stayed there for 60 days before disappearing permanently. Under the revised system, that period has been shortened to just 30 days, after which the files cannot be restored.
What has changed in the Trash folder
The updated policy means anyone reconsidering a deletion now has a much tighter timeframe to act. Google has confirmed the change in its support documentation for the Photos app, warning that permanently deleted photos and videos cannot be recovered once the grace period ends.
The company has not provided a specific reason for cutting the retention time in half. One likely explanation relates to how the app previously handled different types of files. Items that were never backed up to the cloud were already removed automatically after 30 days, while backed-up items remained for 60 days before being permanently erased. Aligning both categories to a single 30-day window could be an effort to create a more consistent experience across the service.
Another possible factor is the reduction of cloud storage costs. Had storage savings not been a consideration, the unified retention period could just as easily have been set at 60 days for both backed-up and local files.
How it compares with other platforms
Although the shorter window may feel like a step back for some users, a 30-day grace period is standard practice across major operating systems. Apple applies the same approach in the iOS Photos app, permanently clearing items from the Recently Deleted folder after 30 days, though such files often remain available within iCloud for slightly longer.
For users of devices such as the Pixel 11 Pro and other Android handsets, the practical effect is straightforward. Anyone who deletes a photo and later wishes to retrieve it must now do so within the first month, as the app will otherwise remove the file for good. The revised 30-day limit now applies to both cloud-backed and locally stored media within Google Photos.
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Image: phonearena.com
