Where Xiaomi Stores Backups on Phone: Search, Restore, and Hidden Folders

Introduction: Why Xiaomi backups are hard to find

Have you ever tried to find a backup on Xiaomi but never found a backup folder? You're not alone. The manufacturer hides these files deep in the system directories, and standard conductors (including MI File Explorer) often don't show them without additional settings. In this article, we'll take a look at all possible backup storage locations, from visible folders to hidden system partitions, and explain how to properly extract and restore them.

Xiaomi uses several backup mechanisms: Mi Cloud, local copies via Settings → System → Backup, and even automatic images from Google (if synchronization is enabled), while files can be stored in.mbk,.ab or.zip formats, and their paths depend on the version of MIUI and the model of the smartphone.

1. Standard Storage Location: MIUI Backup folder

The most obvious option is the MIUI/Backup folder in the phone's internal memory, which is created automatically when you manually back up through the Settings menu → About phone → Backup.

• 📁 The folder can be hidden. To see it, MI File Explorer press three points → Settings → Enable Show hidden files.
• 🔍 The files inside have the.mbk extension (for the MIUI 12-14) Or.ab. You can't open them without special tools.
• ⚠️ If you connect your phone to a PC, the folder may not show due to limitations. MTP-Use the protocol. ADB Or third-party conductors like Solid Explorer.

The way to the folder (for most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO models):

/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/

⚠️ Warning: Don't rename.mbk files manually! This breaks their structure and recovery will become impossible. Use Xiaomi's official Backup app to change the name.

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If the MIUI/Backup folder is empty but you are sure you have backed up, check the MIUI/Backup/Temp section – sometimes files are temporarily stored there until the process is complete.

2. backups in Mi Cloud: how to find and download

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's cloud storage, which automatically downloads backups when you have Automatic Backup enabled, and these copies don't take up space on the phone, but they can be downloaded back. Here's how it works:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select the backup of the device.
3. Click on the desired copy → Restore or Download (if local version is required).

The downloaded files will appear in the folder:

/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/mi_cloud/

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings and don’t link the same Mi Cloud account, access to old backups will be lost. Xiaomi does not provide data recovery through support in such cases.

3. Hidden system backups: section /data

The deepest backups are stored in the /data system partition, where no root permissions are allowed, where Xiaomi saves:

• 🔄 Automatic images before updating MIUI (folder /data/backup).
• 📱 Application cached data (for example, for quick recovery after resetting).
• 🔐 Encrypted copies TWRP, If you have used custom recovery.

To access these files:

1. Unlock Bootloader (instructions on the official website).
2. Install Magisk or TWRP.
3. Use Root Explorer or the adb pull /data/backup command.

Critical information: files in /data/backup are automatically deleted after a successful MIUI update or reset. If you plan to roll back firmware, copy them in advance!

4. Google Backups: Where and How They Are Stored

If your Xiaomi has Google sync enabled, some of the data is backed up in Google Drive, which is not visible in the standard folders of the phone, but can be restored when you set up a new device.

• ☁️ Contacts (via Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar and reminders.
• 📱 Wi-Fi settings and passwords (if included in Settings) → Google → Backup).
• 🎮 Data from some games (via Google Play Games).

To check what data is stored:

1. Open Google Drive on your PC.
2. In the menu on the left, select Backups.
3. Find your Xiaomi by model name (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+).

⚠️ Note: Google does not have reservations SMS, call log and multimedia files (photo/video) in automatic mode. SMS Backup & Restore.

5. How to restore Xiaomi backup: step-by-step instructions

Recovery depends on the type of backup. Let's look at all the options:

Disable two-factor authentication in Mi Cloud (if you restore it to a new phone)

Charge your phone at least 50%

Connect to a stable Wi-Fi

Download the latest version MIUI (if you plan to roll back)-->

Option 1: Recovery from MIUI Backup (.mbk)

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Click Restore and select the.mbk file.
3. Confirm the recovery (the process will take 5-15 minutes).

Option 2: Recovery from Mi Cloud

1. Reset your phone to factory settings (Settings → Additional → Reset).
2. When you first set up, select Restore from Mi Cloud.
3. Enter your account details and select the copy you want.

Option 3: Recovery through TWRP (for advanced)

1. Boot to TWRP (hold <power button> + <volume up>).


2. Select Restore → specify the path to the backup file (e.g. /sdcard/TWRP/BACKUPS/...).




3. Confirm the Data partition recovery.

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If you interrupt the recovery halfway through the process, the phone can get stuck on the boot, in which case only a full reset via Fastboot will help.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

Xiaomi backup issues are usually due to three factors: MIUI version incompatibility, corrupted files, or account errors.

If you see this backup message that is incompatible with your device, it means that:

• 📱 Backup is created on another Xiaomi model (for example, with Redmi Note 10 on the phone). POCO X5).
• 🔄 Version. MIUI It is different from more than 2 assemblies (for example, with MIUI 13.0.5 at MIUI 14.0.2).

In such cases, only manual extraction of data from the.mbk file using tools like MIUI Backup Extractor (PC required) will help.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions