Android 12 should win file recycle bin accessible by users

Android 12 has been in testing with developers for some time. The first Developer Preview was released in the second half of February and, since then, Google has occasionally released new versions, with some improvements and corrections.

And it was in the last Developer Preview that the XDA Developers team discovered a function that can reach users with Android 12: a file trash can that can be accessed through the Android settings screen.

Before starting to talk about the recycle bin, it is important to note that Android 11 already has an API that allows developers to access the hidden folder with removed files and, thus, allows the user to recover certain media data within file manager applications.

The novelty here is that the Android 12 trash can be accessed by the user, without relying on applications to manage files. However, Google’s function is not so interesting with the Recycle Bin we’re used to, for Windows or Mac computers, for example.

This is because the Android 12 function will be available in the system’s storage settings and, with it, the user will be able to check how many files have been deleted and how much space they occupy on the phone. The problem is that the user will have the option to “empty” this recycle bin through the settings and permanently delete the files, but they will not be able to recover any data on this screen – which sounds a bit confusing for a recycle bin on an operating system.