It has been a couple of months since Google released the first Android 12 developer preview. It is primarily meant to help developers prepare their apps for the next major Android version but also serves as a way for tech enthusiasts to discover new features and changes Google is working on. The folks over at XDA have spotted a new major change.

The first feature that Android 12 may offer recycle bin support. It is similar to what we see with desktop operating systems like Windows and macOS where users are able to recover deleted files from the bin. It is expected to work in a similar way but things are not as straightforward as one would expect them to be.

The report reveals that folks have spotted a "Trash" reference within the Settings -> Storage options. It currently shows how much storage space has been occupied by trash files. It further shows the number of files stored as trash along with an option to empty it and free up the storage. In its current form, there is no option to browse and select individual files before deleting them.

There is also no surety whether users will be allowed to recover deleted files. However, it is quite possible that the line is related to the "Trash" feature set to land on the Files by Google application. The app will allow users to view, permanently delete or recover trashed files as per their preference or need.

Another thing to note is that Android 12's trash feature might not be a system-wide implementation. It could actually be up to individual apps to add support. As of now, Android allows apps to mark files as hidden by adding a "." (period) next to their file names. This approach is also used for hiding trashed files which is the reason these files continue to be stored at original locations instead of moving to a dedicated and system-wide directory.