Where to find deleted photos on Xiaomi: all ways to restore

Deleting photos on Xiaomi smartphones is a situation that almost every user faces. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several mechanisms to protect against irretrievable data loss. However, not everyone knows that even after cleaning the gallery, files can be stored in hidden memory areas or cloud backups. The main problem is the lack of a universal solution: the recovery method depends on the device model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11), the version of MIUI (14 or 15) and even how the images were deleted.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible sources where deleted photos can be stored on Xiaomi, from the standard shopping cart to system folders that don’t show up in the default Explorer, and focus on hidden MIUI features that aren’t written about in the official documentation, but that often save users, and how to act if the images were deleted months ago or after resetting.

It's important to understand that the faster you start recovering, the better the chances of success. When you delete files, they don't physically disappear, they just free up space for new data, so don't write anything to your device after you lose photos, otherwise new files can overwrite old ones.

1.Basket in the standard Xiaomi gallery

The most obvious and quick way to return deleted images is to check the Recycle Bin in the Gallery app, which works on the principle of soft deletion in MIUI 14/15: files are not erased immediately, but moved to temporary storage for 30 days, but many users do not know that the Recycle Bin can be hidden or disabled in the settings.

To find her:

1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with a flower on a blue background).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select the basket.
3. If there is no item, go to the Gallery Settings → Recycle Bin and turn it on.

In the Recycle Bin, you'll see all the files deleted in the last 30 days.

• 📁 Select the desired photos with a long tap.
• 🔄 Click Restore at the bottom of the screen.
• 📤 The photos will be returned to the same folder from which they were deleted.

⚠️ Note: If the cart is empty, but you remember exactly what you deleted the photo recently, check the storage settings. POCO Recycle Bin is disabled by default due to memory optimization.

If the cart is cleaned or the photos are long removed, move on to the next method, but first make sure you don't use third-party galleries (like Google Photos) that have their own shopping cart.

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The MIUI Recycle Bin stores files for 30 days, but you need to turn it on in the gallery settings if the item is not on the menu.

2. Hidden folders:.thumbnails,.trash and DCIM/.recent

MIUI creates several hidden folders where thumbnails or temporary copies of deleted photos can be saved, which are not visible in standard Explorer, but can be accessed through Files with hidden file mode enabled.

How to find hidden folders:

1. Open the Files app (yellow folder icon).
2. Go to Settings. → Show hidden files.
3. Go back to the root catalogue (/storage/emulated/0/) and check: 📂.thumbnails folder – thumbnails are stored here, sometimes with full-size copies. 📂 A.trash folder or.Trash-1000 — basket. 📂 DCIM/.recent — gallery-file.

If you find the right photos, copy them to a safe place (for example, on a PC or the cloud).

⚠️ Note: Not all hidden folders contain recoverable files. For example,.thumbnails often only stores thumbnails sized 200×200 Check the date of creation of files — if they are older than a month, chances are they are not the right pictures.

3. Cloud backups: Mi Cloud and Google Photos

If your Xiaomi has enabled sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos, the chances of recovery are much higher. These services automatically save copies of photos, even if the originals are deleted from the device.

Mi Cloud (for Chinese and global firmware):

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in.
• 📷 Select the Gallery section → Cart (photos stored for 30 days).
• 🔄 To recover, click Restore next to the desired album.

Google Photos (if used):

• 🌐 Open photos.google.com.
• 🗑️ Go to the Recycle Bin (stores files for 60 days).
• 📥 Select the photo → Restore.

A critical nuance: if you manually deleted photos from the cloud or disabled sync before deleting, you can no longer restore them. Check your backup settings in Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery.

Sign in to Mi Cloud on i.mi.com

Check out the Google Photos shopping cart (photos.google.com)

Make sure that synchronization has been enabled before removal

Try to restore via the web version if there are no files in the application-->

4. PC Recovery: Programs and ADB

If the photos are not found in the cart or cloud, deep memory scanning with specialized programs remains, which is suitable for advanced users, since it requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and working with ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Method 1: Recovery programs

Recommended utilities:

• 💻 DiskDigger (there is a version for Android).
• 💻 Recuva (requires root rights for full scanning).
• 💻 EaseUS MobiSaver (paid but with free trial).

Instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download the program from the official website.
2. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Run the scan (select Deep Analysis to search for deleted files).
4. Save the photos found on the computer.

Method 2: ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If you have root access, you can try recovering files through ADB shell:

adb shell


su




cd /data/media/0/DCIM




ls -la | grep ".jpg"

This team will show everything. JPG-file DCIM, Including hidden ones. Use it to restore them:

adb pull /data/media/0/DCIM/file name.jpg C:\Backup\

⚠️ Attention: Methods with ADB And root access can cause you to lose your warranty or damage your data. Don't use it unless you're sure you're doing it. Also remember, after you flash or reset your Wipe Data, your chances of recovery are zero.

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Before scanning through DiskDigger, turn off the Internet on your smartphone to avoid overwriting data by background processes.

5. Recovery after resetting settings or firmware

If the photos were deleted after hard reset or flashing, the situation becomes more complicated, in which case the standard methods will not help, since the memory area with the files was overwritten by the system.

Option 1: Backup copies of MIUI

Before resetting, MIUI can create local backups.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Press Local Backups.
3. If there is a backup created before the photo is deleted, restore it (but note that this will roll back all settings!).

Option 2: Professional services

If the photos are critical (e.g. family archives), contact the data recovery lab, starting at 5,000 rubles, but the chances of returning files are up to 80 percent even after formatting, and avoiding using the device after an incident.

List of tested laboratories in Moscow and St. Petersburg:

• 🏢 HDD Recovery (working with memory chips) eMMC/UFS).
• 🏢 Data Recovery (specializes in Xiaomi with Qualcomm Snapdragon).
• 🏢 Flashback Data (recovery after firmware through the EDL).

6. How to avoid losing photos in the future

To avoid the problem of remote images, set up automatic backup and use reliable tools to manage files.

Adjustment recommendations:

• ☁️ Enable synchronization with Mi Cloud (Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → gallery).
• ☁️ Set up Google Photos to automatically upload (select Original Quality if size is important).
• 📁 Regularly copy photos to a PC or external drive (once a month).
• 🔄 Use backup apps like SyncMe or FolderSync.

What NOT to do:

• 🚫 Delete photos directly from the gallery – first transfer them to the archive.
• 🚫 Keep a single copy of important photos only on your phone.
• 🚫 Use "memory cleaners" like Clean Master - they often delete the cache with thumbnails.

For additional protection, install the Dumpster (alternative shopping cart) or Simple Gallery (with recovery function).

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi