Recovering deleted files from Google Drive is straightforward within the first 30 days — deleted items go to a Trash folder where they can be restored with a few clicks. After 30 days, options become limited unless you're using Google Workspace with admin access.
This guide covers every recovery scenario: personal Drive, Workspace, Shared Drives, and Google Photos. Act before the Trash automatically purges.
Part 1. Restore from Google Drive Trash (Personal Account)
When you delete a file from Google Drive, it moves to the Trash folder. Personal Google accounts retain items in Trash for 30 days before permanent deletion.
How to restore a file from Google Drive Trash:
- Go to drive.google.com in a browser or open the Google Drive app.
- Click Trash in the left sidebar.
- Find the file you want to restore (use the search bar if needed).
- Right-click the file → Restore.
- The file returns to its original location in Drive.
💡 Tip: You can also restore from the Google Drive mobile app — tap the three-dot menu next to any item in Trash and select Restore. This works on both Android and iOS.
Google Drive Trash retention by account type:
| Account Type | Trash Retention | After Trash Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Google Account | 30 days | Permanently deleted |
| Google Workspace Essentials/Business | 30 days | Admin may recover |
| Google Workspace Enterprise | Up to 180 days (configurable) | Admin may recover |
| Shared Drive items | 30 days | Admin or Manager can restore |
Part 2. Permanently Deleted — Use Google Drive Version History
If a file was edited (not deleted), you can restore a previous version using Version History in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Steps to access version history:
- Open the Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide.
- Click File → Version history → See version history.
- Browse versions in the right panel — select one from before the unwanted change.
- Click Restore this version.
🗣️ r/gsuite user: "Thought I'd permanently lost a client proposal after a team member overrode it. Found it in Version History — Google keeps every saved version going back 30 days or 100 versions, whichever comes first."
Version History works for Google native files (Docs, Sheets, Slides). For uploaded files (Word docs, PDFs), right-click the file in Drive → Manage versions to see uploaded version history.
Part 3. Google Workspace Admin Recovery
For Google Workspace users (business or education accounts), a Workspace Admin can recover permanently deleted files even after the standard Trash period.
How Workspace Admins recover deleted files:
- Log in to admin.google.com.
- Go to Directory → Users.
- Find the user whose file was deleted → click their name.
- Click Restore Data from the user's profile menu.
- Set the date range for recovery and select Drive as the application.
- Click Restore.
⚠️ Important: Google Workspace Admin recovery has a time limit. For standard Business plans, recovery is possible up to 25 days after the Trash is emptied. Enterprise plans may extend this. After this window, Google cannot recover the data.
Admin recovery windows for Google Workspace:
| Plan | Recovery Window After Permanent Delete |
|---|---|
| Workspace Essentials | 25 days |
| Business Starter/Standard | 25 days |
| Business Plus/Enterprise | 25 days (longer with Vault add-on) |
| Google Vault | Configurable retention policies |
Part 4. Recover Deleted Files from Shared Drives
Shared Drives (formerly Team Drives) have their own Trash separate from personal Drive.
Steps to restore from Shared Drive Trash:
- In Google Drive, click Shared drives in the left sidebar.
- Select the relevant Shared Drive.
- Click the Trash icon at the top right of the Shared Drive.
- Right-click the file → Restore.
🗣️ r/googleworkspace user: "Our team deleted a shared folder by mistake. The Workspace Admin was able to restore the entire folder from the Shared Drive Trash. Had to act within 30 days though."
Only users with Manager or Content Manager role in the Shared Drive can restore files from Shared Drive Trash. Viewers and Contributors cannot access the Trash folder.
Part 5. Google Photos — Separate Recovery
Google Photos has its own Trash that is separate from Google Drive Trash, even though Photos may appear linked to Drive.
How to recover deleted photos from Google Photos:
- Open photos.google.com or the Google Photos app.
- Tap the Library tab → Trash.
- Select photos to restore → tap Restore.
💡 Tip: If you use Google Photos, note that freeing up storage via "Free up space" on your device removes the local copy — but the cloud copy remains. Deleting the cloud copy in Google Photos removes it from all devices and Trash retains it for 60 days.
Google Photos vs Google Drive Trash:
| Feature | Google Photos Trash | Google Drive Trash |
|---|---|---|
| Retention | 60 days | 30 days |
| Restores to | Photos Library | Original Drive folder |
| Admin recovery | Google Workspace only | Google Workspace only |
| Access path | photos.google.com/trash | drive.google.com/drive/trash |
Part 6. What If Files Were Also Stored Locally?
If you stored Google Drive files locally (using Google Drive for Desktop sync) and deleted them from both Drive and your local PC, the local copies may still be recoverable.
Ritridata can scan your Windows or Mac hard drive for locally deleted files, including documents that were synced from Google Drive. If the local sync folder was deleted before or alongside the Drive deletion, running a scan on your PC drive may recover the local copy.
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FAQ
Q: How long do files stay in Google Drive Trash? Google Drive Trash retains deleted items for 30 days for personal accounts. After 30 days, Google automatically permanently deletes them. Google Workspace admins may have extended recovery options.
Q: Can Google recover permanently deleted files after 30 days? For personal accounts, no — once files are purged from Trash after 30 days, Google cannot recover them. For Workspace accounts, an admin may be able to recover files up to 25 days after permanent deletion using the Admin console.
Q: Does emptying Google Drive Trash delete files forever? For personal accounts, manually emptying the Trash is permanent — there is no further recovery path through Google. Workspace admins may still have a recovery window after manual emptying.
Q: Can I recover files deleted from a Shared Drive? Yes, if within 30 days. Access the Shared Drive Trash (requires Manager or Content Manager role) and restore. After 30 days, only a Workspace Admin can attempt recovery.
Q: What happens to Google Drive files when I delete my Google account? Deleting a Google account permanently removes all associated Drive data after a brief grace period. Download your data with Google Takeout before deleting an account.
Q: Is Google Drive Version History the same as Trash? No. Version History tracks edits to the same file over time — it's for recovering from accidental overwrites. Trash is for recovering deleted files. Both are separate recovery paths.