How to Recover Deleted Photos from SSD – Complete Recovery Guide
Quick Answer: If you accidentally deleted your photos from an SSD then you must immediately stop using the SSD immediately. First you can check the Recycle Bin or any available backup. If your photos are permanently deleted then use data recovery software to scan your drive and preview all your photos before recovering them. However SSD recovery is different from HDD recovery because of the TRIM function as TRIM can permanently remove deleted data.
I can understand how stressful it is to lose personal photos and it is even more distressing when they are no longer in the Recycle Bin. However the good news is that Recover Deleted Photos from SSD is sometimes possible but your chances of success depend on what happened after deletion and whether the SSD has already executed the TRIM process.
In this guide we will primarily try to understand exactly how to Recover Deleted Photos from SSD. Follow the steps in order and most importantly, do not write new data to the affected SSD before attempting recovery.
Can You Recover Deleted Photos from SSD?
Yes, but there is an important condition that you must understand as SSD deleted photo recovery completely depends on whether your deleted photo data is still accessible or not.
When you delete a photo here Windows normally removes its file system reference and simply marks that storage space as available. The TRIM command on an SSD informs the drive which blocks are no longer needed. The SSD can then internally clear those blocks as part of its normal management process. That means your deleted photo is not always recoverable just because you have not saved another file over it. So your chances are generally better when:
- You deleted the photos recently.
- You immediately stopped using the SSD.
- The SSD is still detected normally by Windows.
- The photos were deleted from a normal file-system volume.
- TRIM has not already made the deleted blocks unavailable.
If new data is continuously written to the SSD or if TRIM has already processed the previously deleted blocks then the chances of recovery of your data is reduced. Our recovery guidelines consistently emphasize that TRIM is the primary difference between recovering data from an SSD and a traditional HDD.
Important: No recovery software can guarantee you the restoration of photos that an SSD has already permanently deleted. Therefore do not be misled into thinking that any recovery software will be able to recover the photos in this case.
Can You Recover Photos After They’re Removed from the Recycle Bin?
If by “Recently Deleted” you mean a Recycle Bin, photo application’s trash folder, cloud recycle bin or another temporary deletion folder then I would request you to check it before running recovery software. For photos deleted directly from an SSD in Windows you can just start with the Recycle Bin.
Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin
- Open Recycle Bin on your Windows desktop.
- Search for the deleted photos.
- Sort the files by Date Deleted or use the search box.
- Select the photos you want.
- Now right click and choose Restore.
Windows will normally return the files to their original location in order to Recover Deleted Photos from SSD.
What if the photos are not there?
If you used (Shift + Delete) emptied the Recycle Bin or your photos were removed from the Recycle Bin then you need to move to the next recovery option. Do not start copying new files to the SSD while deciding what to do. Every unnecessary write can reduce the chance of recovering data that is still available.
Stop Using the SSD Before You Try Recovery
This is the most important action in the entire process so if your deleted photos are important then you must stop using the affected SSD now.
Do not:
- Download photos, videos or software to the SSD.
- Install Windows updates on the SSD.
- Copy files to the SSD.
- Download recovery software onto the same SSD.
- Format the SSD.
- Create a new partition.
- Run unnecessary repair tools.
- Save recovered photos back to the affected SSD.
If the SSD contains your Windows installation then you should avoid normal use as much as possible. Booting Windows itself can create temporary files and other writes.
Recovery rule: Just scan the affected SSD but save your recovered photos to a different physical drive not on the affected drive.
To learn more about the precautions to take during recovery you should check out our guide on how to recover deleted files from an SSD to understand this situation better.
Why SSD Photo Recovery Is Different Because of TRIM
If you want to understand How to Recover Deleted Photos from SSD then you also need to understand one SSD specific technology that is known as TRIM.
TRIM simply helps SSD to manage blocks that are no longer being used. When a file is deleted then the operating system can notify the SSD that certain storage blocks are available for future use. This improves SSD performance but it can make deleted files or recovering of your data much harder.
Check below example how a simplified process looks like:
Photo deleted → space becomes available → TRIM may notify SSD → SSD cleanup may occur → deleted photo data may become unavailable
Does TRIM mean recovery is impossible?
Not automatically as TRIM behavior depends on the SSD, operating system, interface, file system and also timing. If your deleted photo data is still accessible then you can easily recover your deleted photos. But if the SSD has already discarded the relevant data here at this stage software cannot recreate the original photo.
So instead of asking only “Which recovery software is best?” The more useful question is “Is the deleted photo data still accessible on my SSD?”
How to Recover Deleted Photos from SSD Using PCVITA Software
If your photos are not available through the Recycle Bin or another backup it is best to use PCVITA SSD Recovery Software that provides you a deep scan mode for SSD to easily get all recoverable data. Just Download and Install this software to another drive which is not affected.
Step 1: Launch PCVITA SSD Recovery Software
Start with launching PCVITA recovery software that is installed on another drive and select the SSD containing your deleted photos.
Step 2: Scan the SSD to Recover Deleted Photos from SSD
Now select the affected SSD or partition and start scanning it. Use Deep Scan if your photos are not found initially.
Step 3: Filter Photo Files
Once the scan process is completed now you can filter results by image formats such as JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF or supported RAW files.
Step 4: Preview Deleted Photos
You can select the recovered photos and preview them before recovery to ensure they are correct and intact.
Step 5: Recover Photos
Now select required photos and click Recover once it is done you can save them to another physical drive but never the affected SSD.
What If the Deleted Photos Are Not Found?
Do not immediately conclude that the photos are gone instead you need first to check these all points as given below:
- Did you scan the correct SSD?
If your computer has multiple drives then you must make sure you selected the drive where the photos were actually stored.
- Did you scan the correct partition?
If your SSD has multiple partitions then the photos may have been stored on another partition. Check all your partitions carefully.
- Did you use the deeper scan?
If the quick scan does not find the required photos then you can run the deeper scan option.
- Are you filtering by the correct image format?
Camera photo extensions are not always simple like JPGs. Photographers shooting in RAW may have files in formats such as CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW or other manufacturer specific formats.
- Has the SSD been used after deletion?
If you continue using your SSD, installed applications, downloaded files or you have copied new photos then recovery chances can decrease.
- Has TRIM already processed the deleted blocks?
This is a difficult case. If TRIM and the SSD’s internal cleanup function have already rendered the deleted blocks inaccessible then standard software based recovery will not work.
What Not to Do After Accidentally Deleting Photos
After deleting important photos you must avoid actions that can overwrite the SSD or reduce recovery chances. This is particularly important when you Recover Deleted Photos from SSD.
- Don’t format the SSD: If Windows displays you a message asking to format the drive well do not click Format simply to make your drive accessible.
- Don’t run CHKDSK: Repair commands are designed to fix file system problems not to recover your deleted photos. If recovery is your priority then secure the current state of the SSD before you experimenting with repairs.
- Don’t Use Affected SSD: Do not use or install anything to the affected SSD drive as the installation itself can create writes.
- Don’t Save Anything to Affected Drive: You should not save or copy any data to the affected drive as You may overwrite other deleted data.
What If Your Photos Were on a WD External Drive?
If your deleted photos were actually stored on a WD external drive rather than the SSD being discussed here you need to use the appropriate recovery approach for that device. You can check our guide on recovering data from a WD external hard drive. This distinction is important because storage technology and recovery behavior can differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can you recover deleted photos from SSD after emptying the Recycle Bin?
Yes. Sometimes – As emptying the Recycle Bin does not guarantee that every deleted photo is immediately recoverable or immediately unrecoverable. However TRIM and internal cleanup can reduce the recovery window on SSD. Stop using the SSD and scan it as soon as possible.
Q2. Can I recover photos deleted with Shift + Delete from SSD?
You can try. (Shift + Delete) simply bypasses the normal Recycle Bin process so you can use recovery software to recover deleted photos from SSD. Stop using the SSD immediately and scan it before you create new data on the drive.
Q3. Can you retrieve photos deleted from recently deleted folders?
If your photos are still inside a Recycle Bin, trash folder or another temporary deletion location then restoring them directly is preferable. If they have already been permanently removed then trying recovery software could be useful.
Conclusion
If you accidentally deleted important photos then the golden rule is to stop using the SSD and act quickly. Recover Deleted Photos from SSD by first checking the Recycle Bin then scanning your SSD with PCVITA recovery Software thereafter you can preview your photos and save recovered files to another drive. Remember that TRIM can reduce recovery chances so you must avoid unnecessary writes and start recovery as soon as possible.