How to Delete Photos and Videos Permanently from Android Phone?

Summary: This article answers the question “How to delete photos and videos permanently from an Android phone”. It also explores why this may be necessary and offers a step-by-step guide on manual methods to ensure the complete erasure of your media files.

A lot of us delete photos and videos from our Android phones quite often, but few of us realize that simply moving the files to the trash or just deleting them in the gallery is not even close to being enough. More often than not, device memory is left with residues of media files which can be easily recovered using specialized software. This vulnerability is well-hidden and poses serious risks to your privacy and safety if your personal and sensitive information is engaged.

For instance, be it selling, donating, or passing on your phone to someone, you might need to make sure that your private files are entirely of your phone. Knowing how to permanently delete photos and videos from an Android device is very important. We will guide you through the process of safely erasing your files to prevent their recovery again.

Why Need to Delete Photos and Videos Permanently from Android Phone 

Permanently deleting photos and videos from your Android device does not simply mean that you are freeing up space, but is more about the protection of your personal information to keep you safe. Down below are some key reasons why permanent deletion is essential:

• Privacy Protection – Photos and videos can carry sensitive or personal information, such as family pictures, documents, or personal bank statements that you wouldn’t want to be revealed to others. In the case of just deleting these files from the gallery, it is still recoverable with the help of advanced data recovery tools. Permanent deletion ensures that your private media files are not restorable at all and that your personal information is safe.
• Security Against Unauthorized Access – When you sell, donate, or recycle your Android, there’s a possibility that someone might gain access to the files you had already deleted earlier. Even after running a factory reset, some of those files might still be recoverable. Shredding your photos and videos decreases the possibility of unauthorized access and the potential misuse that can result from it.
• Free up Storage Space – With time, photos and videos utilize much of the storage space provided by Android devices. This might be the reason why your device is running slow. Permanent removal of unnecessary files in your system helps in two ways: making available storage space and also improving the performance and speed of your device.
• Avoid Data Breach – Data breaches have become more of an issue in the face of increasing cyber threats and hacking. Permanent deletion of photos and videos makes sure that these are least recovered to be used in a data breach.

In the upcoming section, we will take a look at the methods that can be used to permanently delete photos and videos from an Android phone.

How to Permanently Delete Photos and Videos from Android Phone?

Now that we do know the importance of permanently deleting photos and videos, let us look at various ways on How to Delete Photos and Videos from Android Phones.

1. Delete Files from Gallery:

Deleting photos and videos from your Android phone’s gallery is a straightforward method that ensures that you have full control over the media present on your device. Follow the steps given below to proceed.

Step 1. Open the phone’s gallery on your Android phone.

Step 2. Choose the images and videos that you want to delete by tapping them.

Step 3. Use the Trash Can icon to send it to Trash/bin.

Step 4. Proceed to the Trash/Bin folder which is usually inside the settings of the gallery app.

Step 5. Finally, press Empty Trash/Delete Permanently and all files will be erased beyond recovery.

2. With a File Manager:

Using a file manager is a versatile approach as it helps in managing and deleting files on your Android phone. Follow the steps carefully.

Step 1. Download and install a trustworthy File Manager app from the Google Play Store

Step 2. Open the installed File Manager app and then go into the folder where you have pictures or video files that you want to delete.

Step 3. Now hold down those files that one wants to be removed

Step 4. Then select delete from the menu (usually represented by a dustbin icon).

Step 5.  Go back to the file manager immediately after deleting the documents and check if they are lying in the recycle bin or Trash.

Sometimes, file managers retain deleted files with the message ‘holding’. If you find that this is what your file manager has done, then do clear the Recycle Bin to delete the files permanently.

3. Factory Reset the Phone:

Doing a factory reset on your Android phone is a powerful method to wipe all data. By doing this, the phone returns to its original state as if it is brand new. Follow the step-by-step guide carefully and proceed.

Step 1. Navigate to Settings >> System >> Reset options.

Step 2.  The phone will factory reset and erase all personal data on it.

Step 3. The onscreen prompts will pop up. Confirm the action. You must make a backup of important things on your phone beforehand, as everything will be erased from it.

Step 4. After the reset, the phone restarts, working just like it’s new; all your personal files are cleaned.

Limitations of the Above Methods

Though effective, the above processes have their proper limitations. They are:

• Using recovery software, you can effectively recover deleted files since the method does not overwrite files on your device, and hidden files or backups may contain remaining traces.
• In a file manager, finding and deleting hidden or hard-to-find files can be confusing.
• Factory resets may often leave residue data that most advanced methods of data recovery might seek and recover. When setting up a device from scratch, it creates a mess.
• To permanently delete files and be more sure of deletion, use specialized data erasure tools.

Expert Ways to Delete Photos and Videos Permanently from Android Phone

If you delete pictures and videos manually on an Android phone, sensitive data may not be completely eradicated. However, if permanent deletion is necessary, SysTools File Wipe Software can be relied upon. This utility provides options for various wipe methods, including standard, advanced, and military-grade, ensuring irrecoverable deletion of your files.

This software makes it easier to improve your privacy in the light of completely erasing and making sure that your data is very secure, thereby putting your mind at rest.

Excellent Features of Smart Utility 

• It wipes all the data from all devices like HDD, SSD, SATA, PATA, NVMe, etc.
• It overwrites the complete data by different erasing techniques, which have military grade standards, Russian – GOST-R-50739-95(2 Passes), Peter Gutmann(35 Passes), US DoD/ US Air Force/(3 Passes), British HMG IS5 (3 Passes), etc.
• It cleans the cache, logs, temporary files, recent file lists, and other traces of apps.
• Once the process is done, the software generates a report of Data destruction.
• Sanitization of data for computer disposal or repurpose (decommissioning).
• Comply with over 20 + International standards- including NIST, ISO, DoD, and more.
• It eliminates individual files with a space of 1GB in less than 40 seconds.
• This software supports Windows 11 (64-bit) and 10 (64-bit & 32-bit) OS.

Conclusion

It is important to delete photos and videos permanently from Android phones as it helps you safeguard your privacy and guarantees data security. Manual methods given above, like deleting from the gallery or using a file manager, can result in unwanted data recovery due to traces left behind.

Nevertheless, there can be no more reliable solution than our data wipe software for anyone who needs extra security. Once deleted, files become non-recoverable thus ensuring complete destruction. Whether by erasing space or giving your phone to anybody else, this utility will help you secure your personal details confidently without sacrificing privacy.