Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to save important dialogues or transfer them to a new device. Standard methods through the Mi Cloud or synchronization applications do not always work stable, or the user needs access to raw database files. Understanding the structure of the Android file system allows you to solve complex problems to recover lost information that cannot be obtained by conventional copying.
Technically, all text messages are not scattered in folders as separate text files, but are a single database hidden in the system partition. Access to this information requires superuser rights (Root) or the use of specialized debugging tools, since the standard MIUI or HyperOS file manager will not show you the contents of the system folders by default.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the physical location of message files, how to extract them and methods of secure backup. Attention: any manipulation of system files requires caution so as not to disrupt the messenger or the entire operating system.
Physical location of the message database
All incoming and outgoing SMS and MMS In the Android operating system, they write to a SQLite database, which is not open access at the root of internal memory or at the root of internal memory. SD-It's deep in the system partition, which is restricted by Google's security policies.
The specific path to the file is: /data/data/com.android.mms/databases/mmssms.db. The mmssms.db file contains the entire history of the correspondence, including the sent, received and drafts.
It's important to understand that /data/data/ is read-only for system processes. Even if you connect your phone to your computer in file transfer mode (MTP), you'll only see media content, not system bases. To extract this file, you need either Root access through a file manager like Root Explorer or Solid Explorer, or use ADB debugging.
⚠️ Note: Direct editing of the mmssms.db file without proper knowledge of the SQLite structure can result in complete loss of message history or failure of the Messages application.
If you don't have superuser rights, you can't see that file in the standard way. However, there are workarounds to creating local backups, which we'll discuss below. The path to the file remains the same on most versions of Android 8.0 to 14.0 used in MIUI shells.
Access to system files: Root and ADB
To copy the database of mmssms.db to a computer or cloud storage, you need to access a secure partition. There are two main ways to do this on Xiaomi devices. The first method is to obtain Root rights. This gives you complete control over the system, but it deprives you of warranties and can disrupt banking applications and Mi Pay.
The second, more secure method is to use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) toolkit, which requires activating the developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI build number. Then, in the advanced settings, turn on "Debugging over USB".
☑️ Checking availability for access
Once you connect your phone to a PC with the ADB command line running, you can use the adb pull /data/data/com.android.mms/databases/mmssms.db. However, without Root rights, this command will return an access error.
- 📱 Root access: Full control, but risk of blocking Google services and banks.
- 💻 ADB Backup: A secure method to unload application data without hacking the system.
- 🔒 Restrictions: New versions of Android (12)+) Adb backup can be limited to application developers.
Backup with MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi owners are more fortunate than Android users thanks to the built-in local backup feature, which does not require Root rights and allows you to save messages in a system-readable format that can be restored even after resetting.
To create a backup, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. You need to select the source "Device". The system will prompt you to enter a security password, which is required for encrypting the backup. In the data list, be sure to tick the "Messages" (or SMS) item to save.
Once the process is complete, the backup file will be saved along the /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/ path to internal memory, the file will have the.bak extension and the date of creation in the name, the most reliable regular way to save correspondence before reflashing or buying a new smartphone.
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If you plan to reflash with a data cleanup, copy the AllBackup folder to your computer or to the cloud immediately after you create a backup, as it will be deleted along with other files when you reset.
Recovery is done through the same interface, but requires that the version of the MIUI or HyperOS shell on the new device be the same or newer than on the device from which the backup is made. Otherwise, the system may refuse to restore data due to incompatibility of database versions.
Using cloud services for synchronization
Cloud technology automates the process of saving messages, eliminating manual copy creation. On Xiaomi smartphones, the main tool is the Mi Cloud. SMS-message.
To activate the function, open Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud. In the list of services, find Messages and enable synchronization. After that, all new SMS will automatically download to Xiaomi servers. When you log in to your account on a new phone, your correspondence history will be restored automatically.
| Parameter | Mi Cloud | Google Drive (SMS Backup) | Local backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet is required | Yes. | Yes. | No. |
| The vault. | 5GB free of charge | 15 GB (total) | Phone memory |
| Automation | Complete. | Depends on the app. | Only manually. |
| Security | Tall. | Tall. | Depends on the user. |
Third-party apps like SMS Backup & Restore are also popular, allowing you to save messages in an XML format that you can open and read on your computer and upload them to Google Drive. It's a versatile method that works on any Android smartphone, including Redmi and Poco.
Recovery of deleted messages
The issue of recovering deleted SMS without a pre-copy is one of the most difficult. Unlike photo files that can remain in memory until overwriting, entries in the mmssms.db database are marked as deleted but can physically remain on disk for a while.
However, standard system tools can not restore them. Unless you have been enabled cloud backup or local backup, the chances are slim. Specialized software for PCs (for example, Dr.Fone, Tenorshare) scans memory, trying to find the tails of remote databases, but their effectiveness on modern versions of Android with disk encryption is extremely low.
Why is it difficult to recover SMS without backup?
The only guaranteed way to return messages is to find an old backup file.bak or mmssms.db on your computer or in the cloud, made before deleting, so the rule "backup is more important than the data itself" works flawlessly here.
Transfer messages to a new smartphone
When you move to a new Xiaomi or a new brand phone, the process of porting messages should be a priority. The built-in Mi Mover app is perfect for this task, it transmits data over Wi-Fi Direct without consuming Internet traffic.
Run the app on both devices. On the old phone, select "I send", on the new phone, "I accept", and on the data transfer list, make sure that the message category is selected.
- 🚀 Mi Mover transfers data faster than Bluetooth and more stable than cloud services.
- 🔄 Compatibility: Works between Android and iOS (partially), and between different Android brands.
- 📦 Integrity: It does not only transfer SMS, But also settings, alarm clocks and the location of icons.
If you’re switching from iPhone to Xiaomi, use the Move to iOS app on your iPhone or the import feature when you initially set up Android by connecting devices with a Lightning-USB-C cable. This will allow you to migrate iMessage (like regular SMS) to the Android database.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read the mmsms.db file on my computer without my phone?
Where are the texts stored? SIM-map?
How to open a backup copy of.bak messages on PC?
How much space does SMS take up in the memory of the phone?
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The physical message file (mmssms.db) is located in the closed system partition. /data/data/. For the average user, the most reliable way to work with them is to use the built-in tool “Backup” in the settings of the phone, which creates an encrypted file in the folder. MIUI/backup.