Where conversations are stored in Xiaomi smartphones: a complete guide to finding messages in memory and the cloud

Introduction: Why it’s important to know where your conversations are stored

Xiaomi smartphones have become an integral part of the daily lives of millions of users, and instant messengers have become the main channel of communication. But what happens to your messages when you delete an app, drop your phone or lose access to your account? Where are the conversations physically stored from SMS, Mi Messages, WhatsApp or Telegram on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices?

This article will not only answer the question "where?", but will also reveal the backup mechanisms, the differences between on-premises and cloud storage, and provide practical instructions for retrieving messages - even if you lost access to your phone.We analyzed the structure of the MIUI file system, the documentation of Xiaomi Cloud and tests on models from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra to provide up-to-date data for 2026.

Special attention will be paid to hidden folders with backups of messages that MIUI automatically creates but does not display in the standard file manager, which can be a salvation if you accidentally delete an important chat or need to transfer the story to a new phone.

Local storage: where in the memory of the phone lie SMS and chat messengers

By default, all messages are stored in the internal memory of the smartphone, but their location depends on the type of correspondence.

• 📱 Standard. SMS/MMS: stored in the system database /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db. Access to this folder is possible only with root rights or through ADB.
• 💬 Mi Messages (application from Xiaomi): chat data are in the /data/data/com.miui.android.fashiongallery/databases/. Here are stored media files sent through this messenger.
• 🌐 Third-party messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber): each creates its own folder in the Internet /Android/media/ or /Android/data/. For example, WhatsApp backups are in the /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/.

It's important to understand that /data/data/... paths are not available without special permissions. Even file managers like Mi File Explorer won't show these folders.

1. Activate debugging over USB in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times).
2. Connect the phone to your PC and use ADB pull to retrieve databases.
3. Or get root access (not recommended on major devices due to security risks).

⚠️ Note: Direct editing of files in /data/data/ For example, if you manually change the base of mmssms.db, the system may stop displaying. SMS before rebooting.

Cloud Storage: How Xiaomi Cloud Manages Your Conversations

Xiaomi Cloud offers backup messages, but with important limitations. By default, the service saves:

• ☁️ SMS and MMS (Only if the option is included in the Settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Backup → Communications).
• 📱 Call logs (included separately).
• 🚫 Chats of third-party messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) – are not copied to the Xiaomi cloud automatically.

To check if backup messages are enabled:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Put it on backup.
3. Make sure the slider opposite the Message is active.
4. Click on Backup Settings to select the frequency (daily/weekly/manual).

The speed of uploading to the cloud depends on the size of the history. For example, a backup of 10,000 SMS weighs ~5-10 MB, and downloading takes 2-5 minutes with stable Wi-Fi. Importantly, Xiaomi Cloud stores only the last 3 backups of each type of data. Older versions are automatically deleted.

⚠️ Warning: If you reset your phone to factory settings without detaching your Mi Account, backups to Xiaomi Cloud will not be available on the new device. First log in to the same account, then restore the data.

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Before resetting your phone, check the date of the last backup in Mi Cloud. If the copy is outdated, create a new one manually through Settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Backup → Create a copy.

How to export conversations from Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

If you need to save your message history off-phone (for example, to print or transfer to another device), use one of the methods below. We tested them on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Xiaomi 13T with MIUI 14.

Method 1: Exporting SMS via standard MIUI

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Tap on. ⋮ (three points) in upper right corner → Settings.
3. Select Additional → Export of communications.
4. Specify the date range and contacts whose messages are to be exported.
5. Click Export and select the format:.txt or.xml.

The file will be saved in /Download/. It can be opened in any text editor or converted to.csv for Excel.

Method 2: Backup WhatsApp on Google Drive

For WhatsApp, backups are created automatically, but you need to link them to your Google Account:

1. Open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Tap Save to Google Drive and select the frequency (daily/weekly/wi-fi only).
3. Make sure that the correct account is added in your phone settings (Settings → Accounts → Google).

Important: WhatsApp doesn’t store copies in Xiaomi Cloud.They are only saved in Google Drive, and you’ll need the same phone number and Google account to recover.

Hidden backups: where MIUI hides automatic backups

MIUI backs up some data, including messages, but doesn't advertise their location, and these files can save your correspondence if the main database is damaged.

Where to look:

• 📁 folder MIUI Backup: /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/. Automatic backups of the system are stored here, including SMS (file extension).
• 🔄 Local copies of Mi Cloud: /miui/backup/ — Backup copies are downloaded here during restoration.
• 📱 Messenger cache: in /Android/data/ Some applications (such as Telegram) store temporary copies of chats in folders. cache/ or files/.

To view these files:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable file transfer mode (MTP).
2. Use Windows Explorer or Total Commander to search for keywords (.bak, backup, sms).
3. To extract data from.bak files, you will need specialized tools like MIUI Backup Extractor (available on GitHub).

⚠️ Attention: Files in /MIUI/backup/ Without the original device or knowledge of the password (if installed), it is impossible to recover them.

Recovery of deleted messages: real ways

If you accidentally deleted an important chat, the chances of recovery depend on the type of messages and the time that has elapsed since the deletion.

For SMS/MMS:

• ⏳ During 30 days: check the folder /MIUI/backup/ fresh-backup.
• 🔍 No backups: Use programs like Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver, which scan internal memory for fragments of deleted messages.
• ☁️ If you have cloud copying: restore data through Settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Restore.

For WhatsApp/Telegram:

• 📱 WhatsApp: If backup was enabled in Google Drive, reinstall the app and follow the recovery instructions.
• 🔄 Telegram: Cloud chats are restored automatically when you log in to your account. Local secret chats are not restored.

The effectiveness of recovery depends on how much data has been overwritten after deleting, for example, if you took 100 photos or installed a large application, the chances of returning old SMS plummet.

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The most reliable way to keep your message alive is to enable automatic backups in Xiaomi Cloud and Google Drive (for WhatsApp), even if one service fails, the data will remain in the other.

Security: Who else can access your conversations?

Storing messages in the cloud or on your phone is always risky, and let’s look at the main threats and ways to protect them:

• 🔓 Unauthorized Mi Cloud Access: If an attacker gains access to your Xiaomi account (for example, via phishing), they will be able to download backups SMS and call logs.
• 📱 Phone theft: without encryption data from /data/data/ can be extracted through TWRP or other.
• 🌐 Leaks in messengers: even “protected” chats (for example, secret in Telegram) can be compromised through vulnerabilities in the software.

How to minimize the risks:

1. Enable two-factor authentication for your Xiaomi account (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Security).
2. Encrypt backups: In Mi Cloud, this is done automatically, but for local backups, use 7-Zip or VeraCrypt.
3. Check active sessions in instant messengers regularly (for example, WhatsApp: Settings → Devices).

Xiaomi models with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3 chips (such as the Xiaomi 13/14 series) have hardware data isolation via TrustZone, which complicates unauthorized access but does not make it impossible.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about message storage in Xiaomi