Extract text from TRASH_DATABASE files
To convert your TRASH_DATABASE file to another format, you need Files by Google or other Database software.
To convert other file formats to the "Android System Database" file type, you need software like Files by Google or a similar tool.
A .trash_database file is a system-generated SQLite database used by the Android operating system, specifically within file management apps like Files by Google. Its primary function is to act as a catalog for the "Trash" or "Bin" feature, tracking files that have been soft-deleted but not yet permanently erased.
Users typically encounter this file while attempting data recovery or clearing space on an SD card. The main frustration with .trash_database files is that they are not human-readable text files; opening them in a standard text editor reveals garbled binary data mixed with occasional filenames. Furthermore, a common misconception is that this file contains the deleted photos or videos. In reality, it usually only stores metadata - such as the original file path, the current location of the deleted blob (often in a hidden folder like .Trash), the deletion timestamp, and the scheduled permanent deletion date (typically after 30 days). Because it is a proprietary system index, it lacks native support on Windows or macOS.
To make sense of this data, you typically need to convert the underlying SQL tables into a readable format. For most users, converting to CSV or XLSX (Excel) is the most practical solution, allowing you to easily sort and search for specific filenames or deletion dates. For advanced users or digital forensics, converting to standard SQL dumps allows for importing the data into tools like DB Browser for SQLite for detailed analysis.
Convert.Guru analyzes your TRASH_DATABASE file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted DESKTOP, WT and SAV files.
If you want to convert TRASH_DATABASE file to DB, SQLITE, SQLITE3, MDB, ACCDB, DBF, ODB, FDB, GDB, MYD, FRM or SQL, you can use Files by Google or similar software from the "Deleted File Metadata Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert NDF, SQLITE3, BAK, RDB, SQL, DB4, MDF, MDB, LDF, DB, DB3 or SQLITE files to TRASH_DATABASE, try Files by Google or another comparable tool in the "Deleted File Metadata Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our TRASH_DATABASE converter.