Where Xiaomi Stores Android Backups: Cloud, Phone Memory, and Hidden Folders

Backups on Xiaomi smartphones are a lifeline for your data, but not everyone knows where it is stored and how to access it. Unlike iPhones, where backups are centralized via iCloud, on Android devices (especially those running MIUI), the backup system is scattered across multiple locations, from Mi Cloud cloud storage to hidden folders in internal memory.

Complicating the problem is that Xiaomi regularly changes the logic of backups in new versions of MIUI (for example, MIUI 14 and MIUI 15 algorithms are different), and not all copies are created automatically: some data (for example, WhatsApp messages or Google settings) are stored separately from system backups. In this article, we will analyze all possible backup locations on Xiaomi, including hidden folders, cloud services and third-party solutions.

1. Cloud backups in Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s primary cloud storage, which stores backups of contacts, notes, SMS, call logs and some system settings by default. However, many users find that copies are either not automatically created or take up too little space.

By default, Mi Cloud provides 5GB of free space, which is enough only for contacts and SMS. For full backups (including apps and multimedia), you will have to buy additional space or use alternatives like Google Drive.

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• 🔄 Scroll to the "Backup" section and click Backup Management.
• 📁 Here you will see all available copies with the dates of creation and the volume occupied by the.
• ⚙️ To enable automatic copying, activate the Authorize switch and select the frequency (daily/weekly).

Important: Backups in Mi Cloud do not include data from some applications (for example, Telegram or games), as well as files from Downloads and DCIM folders.

2. Local backups in internal memory

In addition to the cloud, Xiaomi saves backups right in the phone’s memory. These copies are created either manually through the Settings menu → About Phone → Backup and Reset, or automatically before updating MIUI. The main disadvantage of local backups is that they take up space on the device and can disappear when reset to factory settings, if you do not transfer them to the PC.

Where to look for local copies:

• 📂 folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup — It stores the full backups of the system created through the standard reservation menu.
• 📂 folder MIUI/backup/ — may contain partial copies (e.g. only contacts or SMS).
• 📂 folder Tencent/MicroMsg/Backup — Here, WeChat stores its backups (if the app is installed).

How to transfer the local backup to the PC:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB (select File Transfer mode).
2. Open the internal memory folder → MIUI → backup.
3. Copy files with the.mbk extension to the hard drive.

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If the MIUI/backup folder is not displayed, turn on the display of hidden files in the file manager (in MIUI this is done through Settings → Additional → Show hidden files).

3. Backups through Google Account

Many people forget that Xiaomi (like any Android smartphone) can save backups in Google Account.

• 📱 Contacts (synchronized with Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar and Notes (Google Calendar and Keep).
• 🎮 Data from some applications (if the developer supports Google Backup).
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, screen brightness).

To check what data is stored in Google:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Click Backup Management – all devices that have backups will be displayed here.
3. To recover data on a new phone, select the option to Copy data from another device when you first turn on.

The limitations of Google Backup:

• ❌ It's not. SMS Call log (unlike the Mi Cloud).
• ❌ Not all apps support backup in Google Drive (e.g. Telegram or banking apps).
• ❌ Takes up space in your Google Account (15GB free).

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Google Backup and Mi Cloud complement each other: the first saves settings and application data, the second saves SMS, contacts and system files. For complete security, use both services.

4. Hidden backups of applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)

Many popular apps create their own backups, which are stored separately from MIUI or Google system backups.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp automatically saves chats to Google Drive (if an account is linked) or locally to the WhatsApp/Databases folder. Files have the.crypt14 extension (or.crypt12 for older versions) to restore chats:

1. Install WhatsApp on your new device.
2. Log in to the same account.
3. When you request, click Restore – the app will find the backup in Google Drive or local memory.

Telegram

Telegram stores backups in the service cloud, but you can export chats locally manually:

1. Open Telegram → Settings → Data and memory → Export chat data.
2. Choose chats and format (JSON or HTML).
3. The file will be saved in the Telegram/Telegram Exports folder.

Games and other applications

Some games (like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) save progress on their servers, but for local saves, look for folders:

• 🎮 Android/data/[game-book]/files/ — There may be some conservation.
• 📁 Android/obb/ — Additional game files (such as cache).

5. backups via TWRP and custom recovery

For advanced users who have custom recovery (TWRP) installed, another layer of backup is available, the full system cast (nandroid backup).

• 📱 Full firmware (boot, system, data, etc.).
• 📱 Settings, applications and user data.
• 📱 Core and recovery.

Where are TWRP backups stored:

• 📂 folder TWRP/BACKUPS/[serial number of the device]/ in internal memory or on SD-map.
• 📂 Files look like YYYY-MM-DD--hh-mm-ss_[section name] (e.g, 2026-05-15--14-30-00_data).

How to create a backup in TWRP:

Boot to recovery (turn off the phone, then pinch the power) + Loudness up)|Choose Backup|Mark the copying sections (Boot, System, Data are recommended)|Select a storage location (internal memory or storage). SD-map)|Swipe for confirmation-->

⚠️ Attention: backups TWRP Incompatible between different versions MIUI For example, the backup with the Redmi Note 10 Pro will not recover on Poco. X5, Even if they have the same processor.

6.How to restore backup on Xiaomi

The recovery process depends on the type of backup. Let's look at the main scenarios.

Recovery from Mi Cloud

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
2. Select the desired copy and click Restore.
3. Confirm the action – the data will be downloaded and applied.

Restoration of local backup (.mbk)

1. Place the.mbk file in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup/ folder.
2. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
3. Select the file and click Restore.

Recovery through Google

When you first turn on your phone after reset, select the Copy Data option and log in to your Google Account.

⚠️ Warning: If you restore the backup to a device with a different version MIUI (for example, MIUI 13 on MIUI 15), there may be system failures, in which case it is better to perform a clean installation and restore only application data.

7. Frequent backup issues on Xiaomi

Xiaomi users often face the following problems when working with backups:

• 🔴 "Cannot backup – check the free space on the device (needs at least 1-2 GB) and the stability of the Internet connection for the Mi Cloud.
• 🔴 "Backup is not recovering – make sure the version is MIUI The new device is not newer than the old one. MIUI 14 may not recover on MIUI 15.
• 🔴 "Proprietary files are missing – this is a recovery error TWRP, It means that the backup is made for another phone model.
• 🔴 "Google Backup does not support SMS" — This is a Google restriction, use Mi Cloud or third-party apps like SMS Backup & Restore.

Decisions:

• 🛠️ For Mi Cloud errors, try logging out and logging in again.
• 🛠️ If the local backup is not restored, check the integrity of the.mbk file (it should not be corrupted).
• 🛠️ For TWRP Use only compatible recovery and firmware versions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about backups on Xiaomi