Google Photos has implemented a change to its trash bin functionality, shortening the time users have to recover deleted items. The retention period for photos and videos in the trash bin has been cut from 60 days to 30 days.
This policy update is set to take effect on September 4, 2026. Users will have 30 days to retrieve any deleted media before it is permanently removed from their Google Photos account.
The reduction in the retention period means users will have half the previous time to recover photos and videos that may have been deleted by mistake. Once media is permanently deleted from the trash, it cannot be restored.
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Google Photos has updated its trash bin policy, reducing the retention period for deleted photos and videos from 60 days to 30 days, effective September 2026. This change gives users less time to recover accidentally deleted media before it is permanently removed.