Many people use external storage devices, such as external HDDs, external SSDs, USB drives, or memory cards. However, it is common to find that photos and videos stored on these devices have disappeared or been accidentally deleted. Fortunately, with the right method or tool, it is possible to recover corrupted or deleted files without much difficulty.
It is essential to understand why photos, videos, and other files might be lost on external drives, as various situations can lead to data loss. Examples include power interruptions that corrupt data by stopping write operations, failures in creating partitions on external SSDs or HDDs, actions by viruses or malware, accidental file deletion, incorrect unit formatting, or file system failures caused by unexpected computer operations, in addition to removing the drive before a data transfer is complete.
Regardless of the origin of the problem, solutions are available. Recovering lost or deleted data on external drives begins by checking the Recycle Bin or Trash on the computer. If the files were deleted by mistake, the first step is to access the PC or Mac Recycle Bin.
In the work environment, simply open the Windows Recycle Bin to check if the missing files from the external drive are there. If they are, the user must select them with the right-click button and choose 'Restore' to return them to the drive.
For macOS users, the process involves clicking the Trash icon located in the Dock. If the lost photos or videos are present, they must be selected with the right-click and the 'Put Back' option or equivalent must be chosen.
Another possibility is that the files are still stored on the external drive but have become hidden due to incorrect settings in image editors or the action of a virus.
In the Microsoft operating system, when accessing the external HDD or SSD through File Explorer, one must navigate to 'View' and check the 'Hidden items' option. Alternatively, the attrib command can be used in the Command Prompt. Assuming the external drive is identified as E: drive, the user must open CMD and type the command: attrib -h -s "E:\*.*" /s /d, which reveals all hidden files.
On macOS, the procedure is done by opening Finder, accessing the external drive, and pressing the Command (⌘) + Shift + . (period) keys, which will immediately display any hidden files.
In certain cases, even after deletion, it is possible to restore a file using backups, provided that backup functions are active on the system.
Both in Windows 11 and Windows 10, the user must open File Explorer, right-click the external drive icon, and select 'Restore previous versions'. If copies are available, they will appear in a new window, where you must click 'Restore'.
On macOS, access to the external drive is made through Finder, and the user must click the Time Machine function icon in the menus. By choosing 'Enter Time Machine' or similar, it is possible to use the timeline to recover file versions, finishing with a click on 'Restore'.
If the photos or videos have permanently disappeared from the external drive, it is recommended to resort to a professional file recovery solution. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is highlighted for its high effectiveness, security, and performance in data recovery. This tool is capable of restoring information from HDDs or SSDs that have undergone formatting or file system damage.
Using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is simplified. First, the software must be downloaded and installed on the computer itself (Windows or Mac), not on the external drive. Then, the tool is opened, the device category to be recovered (disks, SD cards, SSDs, etc.) is selected in the left column, and in the right area, the external drive with the lost files is chosen. After selection, the recovery button is clicked and the completion is awaited. Finally, the recovered files are accessed in the indicated folder, and can be filtered by category (videos, images, documents) in the upper right corner.
To prevent file loss on external drives, some simple precautions are essential. Before any recovery attempt, never save, modify, or delete files on the external drive, as new writes can overwrite data and make recovery impossible. It is crucial to safely eject the drive using the operating system's eject function. Furthermore, it must be ensured that all data transfers are completed before disconnecting the device. It is also necessary to handle the external SSD or HDD with care to prevent drops and keep it away from heat sources. Finally, attention to malware is vital, avoiding suspicious links, websites, and applications that may contain viruses and delete files.
Google decided to disable the artificial intelligence image creation feature in Google Earth last Friday, July 31st. This functionality, which allowed for the generation of photorealistic representations of global locations from satellite data, had only been introduced one day earlier, on Thursday, July 30th, but faced severe criticism.
In less than twenty-four hours, users and experts demonstrated how easily it was possible to produce realistic images simulating disasters and attacks, which opened the door for use in disinformation campaigns. Google acknowledged this concern, stating on its X account (formerly Twitter) that while it saw useful uses by geospatial professionals, it also observed shared screenshots that seemed to violate its guidelines.
As a result, the company opted to remove the AI from Google Earth while working on developing more robust restrictions to prevent such occurrences. The company also reinforced that the generated images were not visible to all users and contained digital watermarks for identification purposes.
The simplicity with which realistic images could be generated, capable of being used in fake news and disinformation efforts, generated a wave of criticism directed at Google. Several experts and users pointed out the extreme ease of using the tool for illicit purposes.
For example, the team at 404 Media managed to fabricate fake images of a homeless encampment in Los Angeles, as well as position protesters in front of Google's headquarters. Information security researcher Henk van Ess achieved similar results, reporting having created images of refugees on the border with Mexico, a nuclear power plant in Iran, and a fatal accident on a street in Amsterdam, using Google's own satellite imagery as a basis.
Negative examples continued, with the BBC generating images of a collapsed Eiffel Tower, a hole swallowing the Great Pyramid of Giza, and Russian tanks in the capital of Ukraine. On Thursday, July 30th, Google had assured that it took the issue of disinformation seriously, informing that all generated images possessed the SynthID digital watermark, identifiable through Gemini or Lens; however, this measure proved insufficient to keep the feature active.
WhatsApp has begun testing a new feature designed to create an exclusive section for communications from large corporations, such as airlines and banks. This implementation aims to reduce the amount of commercial interactions in users' main inbox, given the growing use of the platform by companies to contact consumers.
According to information obtained by TechCrunch, Meta plans that after a certain period, any message received from a large company will be automatically transferred to a new folder called "Offers & Updates".
The company is evaluating various timeframes for this automatic movement, which can be up to twenty-four hours after receiving the notification. Users retain the option to disable this feature in settings if they prefer these conversations to remain in the main flow. However, there will be no possibility of manually adjusting the migration time to the new folder.
Meta explains that this functionality will allow promotional content, such as discount coupons, delivery notifications, and other commercial alerts, to leave the main inbox a few hours after being sent, resulting in a less cluttered list of personal and group conversations. For businesses, the change ensures that their messages are located in a specific space, preventing them from getting mixed with the rest of the conversations.
WhatsApp announced that it has started testing this tool with specific partners who use the WhatsApp Business Platform. The company's intention is to expand the availability of the feature after analyzing the results achieved in this initial phase. Currently, small businesses and individual accounts using WhatsApp Business will not be affected by this novelty. Nevertheless, Meta reserved the right to consider including messages sent by small businesses in the "Offers & Updates" folder in the future.
In recent years, WhatsApp has implemented several modifications aimed at mitigating the excessive volume of commercial messages directed at users. In 2024, the platform allowed individuals to unsubscribe from marketing communications sent by brands. In the following year, there was a limitation on the number of mass messages that both companies and users could send within a defined period. In October 2025, the company advanced by restricting the number of messages companies can send without receiving any response from recipients. According to WhatsApp, the first two measures have already been implemented globally, while the third is still being refined.
During Meta's financial results presentation for the second quarter of 2026, CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared that revenue from the "other" category within the app portfolio exceeded US$1 billion (equivalent to R$5 billion). This growth was mainly driven by paid subscriptions and messages on WhatsApp.
In June of this year, the company made its artificial intelligence (AI) agents globally accessible for business use. Meta reported that over one million businesses are already using these resources. During the earnings call, Zuckerberg mentioned the Brazilian rental company Movida as an example of technology application, highlighting that the company observed an increase in customer conversions and improvements in customer service with the help of AI agents. There is an expectation that in the coming months, an even greater number of companies will incorporate AI into WhatsApp for customer support, marketing, and sales purposes.
WhatsApp is implementing a widget in its beta version 2.26.302 for Android, allowing users to record voice messages without needing to start a conversation. This feature enables the user to record the audio and subsequently choose one or more recipients, eliminating the need to create broadcast lists.
This functionality is being progressively released to participants in the WhatsApp beta program on Android. The new feature was detected via the specialized website WABetaInfo, which monitors tests on the Google Play Store.
When interacting with the widget, WhatsApp displays a specific interface for audio recording, offering usual controls such as record, pause, resume, discard, or confirm the message before sending, similar to what occurs within conventional chats.
After finishing the recording, the application presents a screen where the user selects the contacts to send the same message to. Although this capability already exists through broadcast lists, the new feature may be particularly useful for those who need to send quick announcements to several conversations without relying on a pre-configured list.
Additionally, this tool eliminates the current process of recording in a chat, sending it, and only then forwarding it to other individuals. Furthermore, it simplifies the creation of voice notes, allowing the user to start speaking just by unlocking the smartphone.
Besides the audio widget, WhatsApp has recently been testing and releasing several other modifications. The company announced comprehensive improvements for platforms such as iPad, CarPlay, Android Auto, Web, and Desktop. These improvements include direct account registration on iPad, the ability to view PDFs in chats with integration to Adobe Acrobat, and sharing music from Apple Music and Spotify in Status.
It is important to note that the voice message widget is still in a gradual release phase only for participants in the Android beta program, and there is no confirmation of an analogous tool for iPhone devices. Meta has not yet announced a date for this feature to arrive in the stable version of the application, but its presence in the testing channel suggests a more advanced stage of development.
