How to Recover Deleted Apps and Games on Android

Michelle Payne
Aug 17, 2023
5 min read

We've all been there - you delete an app or game from your Android phone to clear up space but soon regret it. Maybe it was a favorite game you lost progress in or a cool app you paid for.

Luckily, with the right tricks, you can often recover and restore deleted Android apps so they are not lost forever when you hit that uninstall button.

In this guide, we'll cover several methods to rescue your apps from the grave after deletion.

Why Apps Get Deleted

Before diving into recovery techniques, let's look at some common reasons apps end up getting removed in the first place:

Needing to free up storage space - Apps and games take up precious internal memory. When your phone warns you are running low on space, deleting unneeded apps can provide quick relief.
Impulsive cleaning - It's easy to get overzealous and delete apps you later wish you kept while tidying up your home screens.
Not knowing about the app - You may not realize how useful an app is until after removing it from your phone.
Accidental deletion - Mis-taps happen, and you could end up deleting an app by mistake very easily.
Factory reset - Resetting your device wipes out all apps in one swoop.
Switching to a new phone - When moving your data to a new phone, some apps could slip through the cracks.
App compatibility issues - Sometimes an OS update or new phone renders previously installed apps incompatible.

But fear not - with various recovery options, you have a fighting chance to revive those vanished apps.

Checking Your App Purchase History

If you downloaded a paid app from the Google Play Store, the easiest way to retrieve it is through your order history.

Access Purchase History

Open the Play Store app
Tap your profile icon in the top-right
Select Payments & Subscriptions > Purchase History

This will display all apps, games, and other content you've downloaded over the years.

Reinstall Paid Apps

Finding your lost paid app here makes reinstalling it a breeze:

Tap the app in your purchase history
Tap Install to download it again for free

Even if the app is no longer available on the Play Store, you can still reinstall previous paid purchases. This makes checking your purchase history the first step in recovering lost apps.

Scanning Your App Library in the Play Store

The Play Store app itself also offers a quick way to recover deleted free apps.

Check "Library" Tab

Open the Play Store app
Select the Library tab > Apps & Games

This displays all apps you've ever installed from your Google account, even if uninstalled.

Reinstall Apps

Browse your library and tap Install on any apps you want back. This queues them up for download on your device once again.

Think of your library as an app graveyard - with deactivated but recoverable apps. Resurrect them by reinstalling from your library.

Using App Backup Services

Dedicated Android backup tools provide an additional option for app recovery. Popular choices include:

Google One - Paid Google cloud backup with app recovery
Helium - Free app specifically for backing up apps
SMS Backup & Restore - Backs up apps along with texts

These tools store app APK install files in the cloud or on your computer.

Enabling Backups

To start, install one of the backup tools above on your Android device. Then enable app backups which store your app data securely online or locally.

Restoring Apps

Once backed up, you can use the restore feature in the app to reinstall deleted apps onto your device from the cloud storage. Just link to the same Google account to access your backup.

The advantage with these tools is they can backup apps no longer listed in your Play Store library. The backups also retain app data in many cases.

Sideloading via APK Files

A more technical option - locate APK files for deleted apps and directly sideload them.

Finding APKs

APK files contain the app code and resources needed to install. You'll first need to find a site hosting the APK for the app you want, such as:

Be careful only downloading reputable APKs from safe sources.

Enabling App Installation

On your Android, go to Settings > Security and enable "Install Unknown Apps". This permits installing apps via APK files.

Sideloading the APK

Once downloaded, open the APK file on your device. This will trigger the sideloading process. Follow the prompts to complete installation.

Sideloading APKs directly lets you recover apps no longer on the Play Store. But it does carry added security risks - only download APKs from trusted sites.

Using Local App Cache and Data

If an app saved data locally to your device storage or SD card, that provides another recovery avenue.

Exploring Local Storage

Navigate to your phone's local storage using a file manager app. Browse to the data/data or Android/data folders.

Here you may find leftover folders for deleted apps containing cache and data files.

Reinstalling the App

If you find remains of an app here, try reinstalling the app from the Play Store. There's a chance it will restore properly using the residual local data.

Obviously this method is hit or miss based on whether the app saved anything locally and if the data is still usable. But for apps storing lots of files offline, it's worth a check.

Using Device and App Backups

If you previously created whole-device or app-specific backups, those provide options to resurrect deleted apps.

Google Device Backup

Check your Google Drive account for phone backups created using your Android device. These archives may contain apps along with your device settings and data.

Local Device Backups

Look for device backups stored locally through recovery tools like TWRP that archive the entire system. Apps often get bundled into these backups automatically.

App-Specific Backups

Some apps like games offer their own backup utilities. Reinstall the app and link to that backup to potentially recover deleted game progress or settings.

Backups are hit or miss depending on their age, but offer another avenue for app recovery from the digital dustbin.

Resetting Your Google Account

If all else fails, one final Hail Mary is resetting your Google account on your device. This forces a logout and reinstallation of all previously installed Play Store apps.

Warning: Resetting your account wipes device data, so only attempt as a last resort!

To factory reset your Google account:

Go to Settings > Accounts
Tap your Google account
Select Remove account

Once removed, add your Google account back and check if missing apps got restored.

Avoiding Deleted App Regret

Losing apps can be aggravating, especially with paid apps or game progress going down the drain. Make sure to regularly backup your device and apps locally to minimize regrets.

Also be more judicious when deleting apps you may want later. And confirm app removal in the Play Store to avoid accidental uninstalls.

With so many recovery options, vanishing apps don't have to be gone forever! Just don't wait too long before trying to resurrect them from the digital dead.