Find lost photos & videos

When you turn on backup, your photos are stored in photos.google.com.

Important: If you're inactive in Google Photos for 2 years or more, your content may be deleted. Learn about the Google Photos inactivity policy.

Some photos can seem to disappear because you’re on a different account.

Your missing photos or videos may not be backed up to Google Photos. Your backup settings are important to how and when Google Photos backs up your items.

1. Open Google Photos .
2. At the top, tap your account profile photo or initial Photos settings .
3. Tap Back up.
4. Check your settings:
   • Back up: Make sure "Back up" is turned on.
   • Backup account: Make sure you back up your photos and videos to the right Google Account.
   • Back up device folders: If you want to find photos and videos on your Android phone from other apps or devices in your Google Photos Account, make sure you turn on your available device folders.
   • When to back up: Make sure you know when Google Photos backs up your photos and videos. You can choose to back up items over mobile data.

Check your backup

Learn more about backup.

Important:

• If you suddenly lose photos, they may have a different date.
• Photos taken before 4 AM are sorted into the previous day.
• If you download or scan a photo from a device with different date and time settings, the timestamp may be wrong. Learn how to change timestamps on photos.

1. On your computer, open "Recently Added" in Google Photos.
2. If it’s not there, search for the photo and use the right dates or keywords. At the top, select Search and type what you want to find, like “dogs,” “New York City,” or if you tag your photos, someone’s name.
3. If your search comes up empty, try other keywords or search again in 3–5 days. It can take time for photos to be searchable.

If you can't find a photo in Google Photos, it might be in your device folders. You can only find your device folders on your phone.

1. On your device, open the Google Photos app .
2. At the bottom, tap Collections On this device.
3. Check your device folders.

If you back up device folders, you can find photos from other apps on photos.google.com. Learn how to back up your device folders.

If you can’t find a screenshot or a photo you don’t regularly see in your gallery view, it may be in your archive. Learn about your archive.

1. On your computer, open photos.google.com
2. Click Archive.

To prevent missing photos or videos in the future, make sure:

1. You keep your backup turned on, or understand how changing your backup settings impacts Google Photos. Learn more about backup.
2. You don't permanently delete items, or misplace them in your archive. Learn more about trash and archive.
3. You check your Google Photos device folders if you back up photos or videos on your Android phone from other apps. Learn more about backing up from other apps.
4. You check your recently added items to quickly find photos and videos in the order they were backed up. Learn how to find recently added items.

• Ask the Google Photos Community for more help
• Browse or search for more info in the Help Center

Related resources

• Send feedback or ask a question
• My photos aren't backing up
• Edit your photos
• Search by people, things & places in your photos