Where to look for backups on Xiaomi phone: all the ways from MIUI to ADB

Have you accidentally deleted important photos, contacts or messages on your Xiaomi and are now trying to find backups? Or just want to know where the system automatically stores backups of your data? On smartphones running MIUI, backups are created in multiple places, both in visible folders and in hidden memory areas. The problem is that not all users know exactly where to look for these files and how to properly extract them.

In this article, we’ll break down all possible backup locations on Xiaomi (including Redmi models, POCO Black Shark, from standard tools MIUI Backup to system folders /data/backup You'll learn how to find backups without root rights, which files can be restored and which can't, and what to do if copies suddenly disappear after a firmware update. MIUI automatically creates each major system update.

1. standard MIUI Backup application: where files are stored

The most obvious way to back up on Xiaomi is to use the built-in MIUI Backup app (formerly called Backup) available on all devices with MIUI 10 firmware and newer, including the latest versions of HyperOS. But where exactly do those backups stay?

By default, the application places backups in the folder: /sdcard/MIUI/backup/AllBackup

If you have a memory card installed, the path may look like this:

/storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/backup/AllBackup

(where XXXX-XXXX — Your unique identifier SD-map).

• 📁 File format: copies are saved as archives with the.mbk extension (MIUI Backup Kit: Each archive corresponds to one reservation date.
• 🔍 What the backup includes: contacts, SMS/MMS, call log, notes, system settings, data of some applications (but not all!).
• ⚠️ Restriction: The app does not copy photos, videos, music or documents – you need to use the Gallery or Files for them.

To view the backup content, go back to the MIUI Backup app, select the date you want, and click Restore. Importantly, Restore will replace the current data on the device with the data you had in the copy. If you want to retrieve only individual files (like contacts), you will have to use third-party tools like MIUI Backup Extractor (requires a PC).

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If the AllBackup folder is empty, check the application settings. MIUI Backup → Settings → The way to save it, maybe the copies are saved to the SD-map.

2. Hidden system copies: /data/backup folder and other locations

In addition to custom backups, MIUI automatically backs up system copies in hidden memory areas, which are not available without root rights, but can be found through ADB or root-enabled file managers (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).

The main locations of hidden copies:

If you have root access, you can copy these files to your PC for analysis. Without root, try using the ADB command:

adb pull /data/backup ~/Desktop/xiaomi_backup

This will copy the /data/backup folder to your computer's desktop, and note that some files may be encrypted and require additional decryption tools.

3. Cloud Copies: Mi Cloud, Google Drive and Other Services

Xiaomi is actively integrating its devices with the Mi Cloud service, which automatically syncs contacts, notes, photos and even some settings. However, not all users know that Mi Cloud also stores backups of applications and system data.

To check if you have a cloud copy:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Scroll down to the Device Backup section.
3. This will show all available copies, sorted by date. Click on the right one to recover the data.

• ☁️ What is retained: contacts, SMS, call log, notes, Wi-Fi settings, data from some system applications (e.g. Calendar or Records).
• 📱 Limitations: Photos and videos are synced separately (in the Gallery) → Mi Cloud) and data from third-party apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) are not included in the backup.
• 🔄 Automatic redundancy: enabled by default, but only works when connected to Wi-Fi and battery charge >50%.

If you use a Google account, check Google Drive: Settings → Google → Backup. This can store copies of contacts, app data, and device settings (if the feature has been activated).

4. App backups: where backups of WhatsApp, Telegram and other messengers are stored

Many popular apps (such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) create their own backups, which are stored separately from MIUI system backups. These files are usually available without root rights, but their locations vary.

Where to look for copies of popular apps:

• 💬 WhatsApp: folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. The files are formatted msgstore.db.crypt14 (You need the same phone number and account to recover.
• 📤 Telegram: cloud storage (all chats and media files are synchronized automatically) Local copies are stored in the cloud /sdcard/Telegram.
• 📱 Viber: folder /sdcard/Viber/media (media files) and /data/data/com.viber.voip/files (The database requires root).
• 📧 Gmail and other email clients: data synced to the server, but local copies of emails can be stored in the server. /data/data/com.google.android.gm (root-only).

Recovery of messenger backups usually requires reinstalling the app and logging in to the same account, but if you want to manually retrieve data (like reading old WhatsApp messages without installing the app), you’ll need specialized tools like WhatsApp Viewer or SQLite Browser.

⚠️ Note: Messenger database files (e.g. msgstore.db for WhatsApp) are tied to a specific device and phone number. If you are trying to recover a copy on another smartphone, you may need to move the entire WhatsApp folder, including all attachments.

5. How to find copies after resetting settings or updating MIUI

One of the most common problems is that backups disappear after being factory reset or firmware upgraded.

1. MIUI Backup saves copies to internal memory by default, which is cleared when reset.
2. System backups in /data/backup are also deleted if you have selected the option to Clear all data.
3. Cloud copies in Mi Cloud may not automatically recover unless you are logged in to the same Xiaomi account after a reset.

What to do if copies are missing:

Check the folder. /sdcard/MIUI/backup/AllBackup on SD-card (if it was inserted during the backup creation)

Log in to the same Mi Cloud account and check the Device Backup section

Connect your phone to your PC and use DiskDigger or Recuva to find deleted files with the.mbk extension

Try to recover the data through ADB, If you have been on the debugging mode USB before discharge-->

If you have updated the firmware through MIUI Updater, the system could automatically back up in a folder: /sdcard/MIUI/backup/rom_update

These files usually have a.zip extension and contain copies of critical data (contacts, SMS) in case of an unsuccessful update.

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After resetting the settings, check first SD-card (if it was inserted) – users often forget that the copies were stored there, and not in the internal memory.

6. Search for copies through ADB and third-party utilities

If standard methods don't work, you can try to extract backups using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or specialized utilities, which is suitable for advanced users and requires connecting the phone to a computer.

The main ADB teams for working with backups:

• 🔧 Creating a full copy of applications and data: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\backup.ab (saves backup to backup.ab file on C disk:)
• 📂 View the contents of the backup: adb restore C:\backup.ab (Starts the recovery process on the device)
• 🔍 Search for hidden copies: adb shell ls /data/backup (It shows the contents of the folder. /data/backup)

To work with.ab (Android Backup) files on a PC, you will need the utility abe (Android Backup Extractor).

pip install android-backup-extractor

Then extract the data from the command:

abe unpack backup.ab backup.tar

To restore data without root rights, you can also use programs:

• 🖥️ Dr.Fone (paid but supports data extraction from backups) MIUI Backup and Google Drive).
• 📱 Titanium Backup (requires root, but allows you to selectively restore applications and their data).
• 🔄 MIUI Backup Extractor (free, works only with.mbk files).

⚠️ Attention: When in use ADB Backup: Some applications (such as WhatsApp or bank clients) may block backups for security reasons, in which case the data will have to be extracted manually through a root-righted file manager.

7. How to prevent future data loss

To avoid looking for backups on an emergency basis, set up automatic backups on your Xiaomi, here is the minimum set of data protection actions:

Enable sync with Mi Cloud (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Sync)

Activate backup in Google Drive (Settings → Google → Backup)

Set up weekly copy creation in MIUI Backup (Settings → Additional → Backup)

Save important photos and videos in Google Photos or Mi Cloud Gallery

Export contacts to.vcf once a month (Contacts → Settings → Export / Import)

We also recommend:

• 📁 Use it. SD-a backup storage card (set up the save path in the MIUI Backup to external drive).
• 🔄 Check the cloud periodically: log into Mi Cloud via your browser (i.mi.com) and make sure the latest data is synced.
• 📱 Create local copies before updating MIUI: Even if the update is successful, the backup will help to recover data when the crash occurs.

If you often work with important data (for example, do business over your phone), consider using two-factor backup: duplicate copies in both Mi Cloud and Google Drive, and store a local copy on your PC.

FAQ: Frequent questions about backups on Xiaomi