Where to Find Deleted Files on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete 2026 Guide

You're not alone: Statistically, one in three smartphone users has lost data at least once due to accidental deletion, system failure or settings reset. Fortunately, Xiaomi devices (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi series) have several built-in recovery mechanisms, from a standard basket to backups in the Mi Cloud. And if they don't work, third-party tools will help.

In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to find deleted files, from the simplest (check the folder “Recently deleted”) to advanced (use ADB and specialized utilities). Special attention will be paid to the nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and smartphone models. Importantly, the chances of recovery depend on how long it has been since you deleted and whether you wrote new data to the device – the faster you act, the higher the probability of success.

Basket in the standard Files appendix

The first place to look for deleted files is the File Manager Built-in Recycle Bin, which works on a soft-delete principle: files are not erased immediately, but moved to a temporary storage site that lasts 15 to 30 days (depending on the model and version of MIUI).

To check the basket:

1. Open the Files app (the icon with the folder on the desktop).
2. In the lower menu, tap on the Categories section (or Review in older versions).
3. Scroll down and select the Recycle Bin (sometimes hidden under the More item).
4. Find the file you want, click on it and select Restore.

⚠️ Note: If you do not see the "Basket" section, then:

• 📱 The function on your device is disabled (includes in Settings) → Warehouse → Basket).
• 🗑️ File deleted more than 30 days ago or basket cleaned manually.
• 🔧 You are using a third-party file manager (such as Total Commander) that is not synchronized with the system basket.

2. folder "Recently deleted" in the Gallery

Photos and videos deleted through the standard Gallery are placed in a separate Recent Deleted folder, which stores them for up to 60 days — longer than the general shopping cart — and this applies to all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 13.

Instructions for remediation:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Albums.
3. Scroll down to the Utilities section and find the recently deleted folder.
4. Select the desired files, click Restore and select the save location.

🔍 Tip: If the folder is empty, try it:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone – sometimes files are displayed after restart.
• 📁 Check hidden folders through the file manager (enable the display of hidden files in the settings).
• 🌐 Sign in to your Mi Account on another device – files may have been synced to the cloud.

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If you delete photos regularly, set up automatic sync with Mi Cloud in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery. This will protect files from irretrievable loss.

3. Recovery via Mi Cloud (cloud storage)

Mi Cloud is a cloud service from Xiaomi that automatically backs up photos, contacts, notes and even SMS. If your Redmi or POCO has been synced, the chances of returning files are very high. The cloud provides 5GB for free, but many users are not even aware of its existence.

How to check backup copies:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Sign in if you are not automatically logged in.
3. Select Gallery, Files or Notes (depending on the type of deleted data).
4. Find the file you want and download it back to the device.

⚠️ Note: If you manually delete files from Mi Cloud, you can only restore them within 30 days via the web version of the cloud (i.mi.com.

4. Search through Google Photos (if sync was enabled)

Many Xiaomi users use Google Photos instead of the standard gallery. If you had autosynchronization enabled, photos deleted from your phone could be saved to the Google cloud.

Steps to recover:

1. Open the Google Photos app or go to photos.google.com.
2. In the side menu, select the basket.
3. Files are stored here for 60 days. Select the files and click Restore.

🔍 If you deleted photos from Google Photos more than 60 days ago, but they were uploaded in High Quality (not in the original resolution), you can try them in the Google Drive archive:

• 📁 Go to Google Drive. → Basket.
• 🔍 Use keyword search (for example, IMG_2026).
• 📥 If files are found, download them before the 30-day storage period in the cart expires.

Check the Archive folder in Google Photos|Use a date search (e.g., May 2026")|Check out albums created automatically (e.g., Travels")|Export all photos via Google Takeout-->

5.Use of third-party programs for deep scanning

If the built-in methods don't work, there's a last chance that specialized data recovery tools can scan the phone's internal memory at the file system level, and they can find files even if they were deleted months ago, but there are risks: not all programs work with MIUI, and some require root rights.

Top.-3 Proven applications for Xiaomi:

• 🛠️ DiskDigger - supports photo and video recovery without root, but with root finds more file types.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver – working with the MIUI 12-14, reconnect, SMS It requires a PC connection.
• 📱 GT Recovery - specializes in Xiaomi and Redmi, but can display ads.

⚠️ Note: Before using third-party programs:

1. Do not install applications on the same phone you are recovering from, which may overwrite deleted files. 2. Turn off the Internet during scanning to avoid automatic synchronization and overwriting. 3. Do not save recovered files to internal memory – use it. SD-card.

6. Recovery through ADB (for advanced users)

If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can try extracting files directly from your phone's memory. This is a method that works for non-root devices, even if the files aren't displayed in the Recycle Bin. Careful: the wrong commands can damage the system.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to become a developer), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb pull /data/media/0/ C:\Xiaomi_Backup This will copy all files from the internal memory to the folder. Xiaomi_Backup disk-C.
4. Use PhotoRec (from TestDisk) to search for deleted files in the copied data.

🔧 On new Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) The path to the files may be different. To see the complete folder structure, use the command:

adb shell ls -R /data/media/0/ > xiaomi_files.txt

This will save a list of all files in a text document.

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ADB-This method is only suitable for files that are not physically overwritten by new data, and if you have taken videos or installed applications after deleting, the chances of recovery drop dramatically.

7. Contact Xiaomi Service Center (extreme case)

If the files are critical (for example, they are the only photos from an important event or working documents), and all independent methods did not work, you can contact the official service center Xiaomi.

What you need to know before your visit:

• 📍 The addresses of the centers can be found on the website mi.com/global/service.
• 💰 The cost of recovery starts from 3 000 rubles (depending on the complexity of the).
• ⏳ Timeframes: 3 to 10 days.
• 🔒 You will need to confirm ownership of the device (checks, box, tied Mi Account).

⚠️ Warning: Irreversible cases where even a service center will not help:

• 🔥 Phone reset to factory settings after deleting files.
• 💾 The phone’s memory is completely overwritten (for example, after firmware is installed).
• 💥 The device suffered physical damage (fall, water, overheating).

FAQ: Frequent questions about file recovery on Xiaomi