Why and How to Fix My Photos Disappeared from Android Gallery

Photos have become an important part of our lives. It can be disastrous to discover that some of your best photos have mysteriously disappeared from your phone’s gallery. This phenomenon is not uncommon for Android users, and mostly it occurs due to human error.

This article aims to discuss the primary reasons behind Android photos disappearing from the gallery along with presenting simple solutions to recover those photos.

Part 1: Why My Photos Disappeared from Android Gallery

There can be a variety of unrelated factors that can lead to the photos disappearing from the Samsung gallery issue. Besides accidentally deleting the gallery photos, your photos can disappear because:

1. Malfunctioning Gallery App

The gallery app is malfunctioning for some reason and causing all sorts of issues like photos disappearing.

2. Malware Attack

A malware attack can pose a threat to your phone data including photos.

3. Cloud Backup Syncing Issues

Many people use Google services like Google Photos to automatically back up their gallery photos. Customizing the syncing setting can result in your photos vanishing from the gallery.

4. SD Card Problems

If you have stored the photos on the SD card, any issues with the card can be the reason why the gallery disappeared on Android.

5. Software Glitches

Sometimes, a third-party app running in the background or any minor glitch in the Android system can remove the photos from the gallery.

Part 2: How to Fix Android Photos Disappeared from Gallery

Regardless of the reason why my photos disappeared from the Android gallery, the below solutions can help recover your photos.

Solution 1. Check the Trash Folder

Chances are you might have accidentally deleted the photos from your gallery. The deleted photos are still recoverable from the Recycle Bin or Trash folder within 30 days of deletion.

Here are the steps to get back the disappeared photos on an Android:

Step 1: Open the Gallery app and tap Albums > Trash/Recently Deleted.

Step 2: Now, select the images you want and hit Restore.

Step 3: They will move back to the gallery.

Solution 2. Restart Your Android Phone    

Rebooting the Android eliminates any minor glitch in its system that might have caused the gallery app to malfunction. And if you’re lucky, the gallery app will automatically show the disappeared photos after restarting.

The steps for rebooting an Android phone may vary depending on the model you’re using. Generally, you need to press and hold the power key and swipe the power glider to shut your phone down. After a few seconds, turn it on again.

Solution 3. Clear Gallery app cache

Still, some of the photos or albums disappeared from the gallery on Android. Worry not as the issue can be with the cache files of the gallery app. Whenever an app runs on your phone, it generates temporary files called cache. This data can accumulate over with and potentially make the gallery app malfunction.

The fix is simple. Remove the caches from the settings to recover the missing pictures in Gallery. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: Head to Settings and tap Apps/Application Management.

Step 2: Now, swipe down and select the Gallery option.

Step 3: Tap on “Force Shutdown.” Then, hit “Clear Cache.”

Step 4: Now, open the Gallery app and look for the disappeared photos.

Solution 4. Check SD Card   

Are you using an SD card on your Android phone? If the SD gets corrupt or starts malfunctioning, it can lead to the photos disappearing from the Android gallery. What you need to do is take out the SD card and scan it for viruses on your computer. This will also confirm if it’s working properly.

After doing that, re-insert the SD card into your phone and check if you can see the disappeared photos.

Solution 5. Delete .nomedia files

If the Samsung or Xiaomi photos disappeared from the gallery, look for the .nomedia files on your phone. These are the empty files that often hide certain media files from apps like Gallery. So, if your gallery photos have disappeared mysteriously, the .nomedia file may be the culprit.

To confirm this, simply locate the no-media files and delete them from your phone. Follow the below instructions to do that:

Step 1: First, install a “File Manager” app on your Android phone, if it isn’t already available.

Step 2: Then, open the Manager app and tap the three-dots icon at the top.

Step 3: Next, enable the “Show hidden system files” option as shown below.

Step 4: After that, tap the Images icon and search for “nomedia.”

Step 5: When the results are displayed, select all the photos with the .noemdia extension and delete them.   

When you’re done, go to the Gallery app and check if the Android photos that disappeared from the gallery are visible.

Solution 6. Check the Cloud Backup Services  

Implemented the above solutions but still your Android gallery photos missing. Confirm if you have enabled the automatic backup of the gallery photos via a third-party tool like Google Photos. Even if you have deleted the gallery photos, they will remain in the Google Photos Trash folder for 60 days.

To find and restore your deleted photos.

Step 1: Open the Google Photos app.

Step 2: Tap the Menu icon and select Trash. It will display the photos deleted in the last 60 days.

Step 3: Select the disappeared photos and hit Restore.

Use the same steps to download the deleted photos from other cloud backup services like OneDrive or Samsung Cloud.

Part 3: Tips for Avoiding Android Photos Disappeared from Gallery

Here are some useful tips you should keep in mind to avoid losing the Android gallery photos in the future.

• Enable automatic backup of your Android gallery on a cloud service like Google Photos.
• Move your Android photos and videos to a computer using AirDroid Personal.
• Clear the gallery cache data regularly.
• Don’t install or download unreliable tools/files on your Android phone to avoid becoming a victim of a malware attack.

Bonus Tip: Move Your Photos to a Computer Wirelessly to Avoid Losing Them

No matter how careful you are, there is always a risk of accidental data loss. The easiest way to avoid losing your important photos is to transfer them to a computer using  AirDroid Personal.

This powerful mobile management tool comes with in-built file transfer capabilities, allowing users to share unlimited data across any two devices. Thanks to its 200 MB/sec transfer speed, you can transfer Android photos and videos to a computer within minutes. And that to without playing with wired connections. AirDroid ensures the original quality of your photos and videos during the transfer process. Some of its advanced data transfer features include remote transfer, the ability to share files with multiple devices, and compatibility with all types of data.

Just install its mobile app on your Android phone and link it with AirDroid Web with a single click. After that, simply upload the files on the mobile app to move them to your computer.

In addition, you can enjoy its remote management features like screen mirroring, remote camera, and SMS and notification management.

Final Remarks

Don’t panic if the Android photos disappear from the gallery. Just implement the aforementioned solutions carefully to get back the lost photos. But if the photos are lost permanently, you have no option but to rely on a professional data recovery tool to get them back – which rarely happens.

The best option is to move your important Android photos to a computer using AirDroid Personal. In case of data loss, you can simply move them back to the Android phone with a single click.

This tool also offers plenty of stellar mobile management features that boost convenience and your work productivity.

FAQs

1. WhatsApp images disappeared from the gallery Android; What to do?

2. Why Android gallery disappear on my phone?

If Android photos disappeared from the gallery, the possible reasons include:

3. Can permanently deleted Android gallery photos come back?

Technically, you can rely on a third-party data recovery tool like Disk Drill to get back the permanently deleted photos. The sooner you initiate the recovery process, the greater are the chances of successful recovery.

But these programs often cannot recover the lost photos. The best bet is to always back up your important photos on a computer or a cloud service.