The data recovery approach is different for Samsung, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, or other Android brands due to their unique software design, different UIs, the way data is stored, and the add-on customized features. This blog will discuss the factors that impact data recovery across smartphone brands and ways of recovering data from each. Let’s uncover all the details.
What makes data recovery different across Android brands?
Certain factors influence data recovery across smartphone brands:
- Customized Android and Security Features
Samsung has its own version of Android called One UI, which comes with cutting-edge Knox security and privacy features. Samsung Knox applies advanced encryption and security settings to the Samsung phone storage, making it difficult to recover deleted or lost files.
OnePlus runs on OxygenOS and has a unique approach to handling files and backups. Vivo, Xiaomi, and other brands also rely on custom Android versions and security features, offering various backup options and data handling systems. This means the steps and success rate for recovery can vary from one brand to another.
- Built-in Data Recovery Options
While all Android phones have a built-in Recycle Bin or Trash, the difference lies in how they function across each smartphone brand.
Trash, recycle bin, or recently deleted folder stores photos and files for about 30 to 45 days before they are permanently deleted. Samsung devices generally cover all file types, while OnePlus, Vivo, and others do not have a built-in trash feature for all types of files.
- Cloud Backup Options
Some brands offer local backup options in the settings, while others are cloud-centric. If you set up backup before losing your files, recovery is much easier. All Android smartphones add support for Google Drive or Google Photos, and they also have their own backup apps, like OnePlus Switch or Vivo Cloud, for restoring lost data.
The cloud backup service for each online backup works differently. Samsung has Samsung Cloud, and Xiaomi has Xiaomi Cloud, which lets you sync and store photos, messages, contacts, notes, and settings, but limits free storage space. While Vivo devices get Vivo Cloud for syncing contacts, call logs, SMS, Web bookmarks, notes, and block list. The process of restoring files changes with each backup method.
- Support for Data Recovery Software
Some data recovery tools work better with certain brands, and not all devices allow easy storage access through USB debugging. Hence, the success of data recovery often depends on your phone brand, and whether you have set up backups in advance.
The table below will help you understand what sets apart the smartphone brands – the OS they host, the built-in backup option, and what data gets backed up.
| Brand | OS name | Built-in Cloud Backup | What Is Backed Up? |
| Samsung | Android based One UI | Samsung Cloud, OneDrive | Contacts, messages, settings, photos, videos, app data |
| Google | Android- based Pixel UI | Google Drive, Google One | Photos, videos, contacts, SMS, app data, device settings |
| OnePlus | Android based OxygenOS | OnePlus Switch (Discontinued for Backup) | N.A. |
| Vivo | Android- based Funtouch OS | Vivo Cloud | Contacts, SMS, notes, bookmarks |
| Xiaomi | HyperOS or MIUI | Mi Cloud | Photos, contacts, messages, notes, device settings |
| Huawei | HarmonyOS /EMUI | Huawei Cloud | Photos, contacts, messages, notes, device settings |
How to Recover Data From Different Android Phones?
Follow the below-provided guide for recovering data from different Android phone models:
Recover Data from Samsung Devices
To recover deleted data from a Samsung device, you have the following options.
Recover data from Recycle Bin:
The easiest way to look for lost files is to check the recycle bin in the Gallery or My Files app. Open the Gallery app, and go to the Trash to look for the deleted photos and videos. Else, in the My Files app, tap on the Recycle Bin or Trash folder to view deleted documents and other files. You can restore files from here within 30 days. If the files are not found in the Recycle Bin, check them in your backup.
Restore from Samsung Cloud:
If you used Samsung Cloud for backup, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Samsung Cloud. Choose the Restore data option and select the data you want to recover. Samsung Cloud may not back up all your data or only backup as selected. If the data was not backed up to Samsung Cloud, try other cloud backups. Refer to the above table to find out which data to recover.
Restore from Google Drive or OneDrive:
Recovering data from a Google Drive or OneDrive backup is simple and can be done either while setting up your Samsung device, or by manually accessing the files one by one. While setting up a device, sign in to your Google account and restore your backup data, such as apps, contacts, and settings from Google Drive. If you used OneDrive, sign in to your Microsoft account and restore your files.
Use local backup:
If you created a backup of your device using Samsung Smart Switch on your computer or external storage, connect your device and open Smart Switch. Choose Restore and select the specific backup file to restore your data.
Recover Data from OnePlus Devices
To recover deleted data from a OnePlus device, use the below options.
Recover data from Recycle Bin:
The Recycle bin is the only recovery option that is common across each Android brand. However, the steps to reach the recycle bin on your Gallery or File Manager app might slightly vary. You can also locate the Recycle Bin within the storage option in your settings app. If the files are not found in the Recycle Bin, check them in your Google backup.
Restore from Google backup:
During setup or after a reset, sign in to your Google account. Your phone will ask if you want to restore apps, contacts, messages, and settings from your Google backup.
Use OnePlus Switch for local backup:
If you transferred your data to any other device or a computer using the OnePlus Switch, open the app, follow the general steps and restore data from backup.
Recover Data from Vivo Devices
To recover deleted data from a Vivo device, use the following options.
Restore from Recycle Bin:
You can easily restore your data using the Recycle bin or Trash app on your vivo device. To access photos or videos, go to the Album or Gallery app, look for the Recently Deleted folder, and select the files you want to restore. Similarly, you can access the trash or recycle bin in the device’s settings app or the Google Files (File manager) app.
Restore from Vivo Cloud
If you have a new Vivo Android phone or are setting up your Vivo device, you can restore all your data from Vivo Cloud. On your device, first install Vivo Cloud and log in with your credentials. Now choose the specific files, e.g., contacts, call logs, etc., that you want to restore and hit the Restore button. You can refer to the table to learn what data is backed up to Vivo Cloud.
Restore from Google backup:
During setup or after a reset, sign in to your Google account. Your phone can restore apps, photos, videos, contacts, messages, and settings from your Google backup.
Recover Data from Xiaomi Devices
To recover deleted data from a Xiaomi device, follow these methods.
Recover data from Gallery trash:
Go to the Gallery app and look for the trash folder to restore deleted photos and videos within 30 days, or up to 180 days with a paid Xiaomi Cloud plan. You can also go to your device settings and file manager to access the Trash folder and restore the deleted files. If the files are no longer in the trash, just look for them in the backup.
Restore from Xiaomi Cloud backup:
Go to Settings > Mi Account > Mi Cloud > Restore. Choose the data you want to recover and follow the next steps.
Restore from Google backup:
While setting up your Xiaomi device, sign in to your Google account. Your phone will ask if you want to restore apps, contacts, messages, and settings from your Google backup. Hit restore to get the previously backed up data into your device.
Recover Data Effortlessly from Samsung, Vivo, OnePlus, Xiaomi and More:
If you exhaust the above recovery options and still cannot find your essential files that are either lost or mistakenly deleted, you can try using Stellar Data Recovery for Android. The Android data recovery tool seamlessly works across all Android brands and is designed to scan your Android device storage to find lost or deleted files.
The tool does not require rooting the Android phone like other low quality recovery tools. You can use the Android data recovery tool to recover all your data, including photos, videos, audio, contacts, messages, call logs, WhatsApp chats and media attachments.
Irrespective of your device, be it Samsung, Vivo, OnePlus, the tools recovery process remains simple; just follow the Android data recovery manual and set up your device.
Conclusion:
Each Android brand offers its own ways to access and recover deleted data, including recycle bin option, built-in cloud, or local backups. With unique security configurations, the support for third-party recovery tools also gets affected.
The steps and success of recovery from different Android phones also depend on the type of data lost, backups enabled, and instances of data overwriting due to device usage. It’s a wise strategy, to always try to restore from a backup, and use recovery software if you need to recover files that were not backed up. Remember to act quickly and avoid using the device further if you ever face a data loss situation in your Android device.
