Deleting photos on a smartphone is one of the most common causes of panic among users, especially when it comes to valuable footage: family photos, documents or unique moments. Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro, despite the powerful hardware and optimized firmware MIUI, is not immune to accidental deletion of files. Fortunately, owners of this device have several ways to recover lost images, from basic gallery functions to professional recovery tools.
Many people mistakenly believe that after clicking the Delete button, a photo disappears forever. In fact, data stays in the device’s memory until new files overwrite it. This means that the chances of recovery are higher the faster you start searching. In this article, we will examine all possible places where “deleted” images on the Poco X3 Pro can be stored – from the obvious (basket in the gallery) to the hidden (system folders and backups), and also explain how to proceed if standard methods do not work.
It's important to understand that recovery success depends on two factors: time (the later you start looking, the less likely you are) and action after removal (recording new photos, updating the system or resetting the settings can permanently destroy old data). If you deleted a photo a few days ago and actively used your phone, the probability of their return is reduced. But it's worth trying anyway!
1.Basket in the standard MIUI gallery
The first place to look is in the Gallery app, where in MIUI, deleted photos don't disappear immediately, but instead are sent to a temporary storage facility that lasts 15 to 30 days (depending on the firmware version) to check the cart:
- Open the Gallery app (a icon with multi-colored squares).
- Slip on three horizontal lines in the upper right corner (menu).
- Select the Recycle Bin (or recently deleted in some versions).
- Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.
If the cart is empty or the photo is not there, it means that either too much time has passed, or you have deleted the pictures bypassing the cart (for example, through a file manager or a third-party gallery), in which case move on to the following methods.
⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 12.5 and a newer basket can be disabled by default. To enable it, go to Gallery Settings. → Basket → Turn on the basket.
It’s worth noting that the Poco X3 Pro cart has a volume limit – usually 500MB. If you deleted a lot of large files (such as RAW photos or video), they might not fit in the cart and were deleted immediately.
2. DCIM/.thumbnails folder and hidden system directories
Even if the photos are not displayed in the gallery, they can physically remain in the device's memory. Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro stores media files in the standard DCIM (Digital Camera Images) folder, and also creates thumbnails in the hidden directory.thumbnails.
- Open any file manager (such as Google Files or Mi File Manager).
- Go to the Internal Memory section (or SD-map if the photo was on it).
- Find the file. DCIM and check the subfolders: 📁 Camera – photos taken on the main camera; 📁 Screenshots - screenshots; 📁.thumbnails – thumbnails (hidden folder, enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings).
If there is no DCIM folder, try searching for the following keywords:
- 🔍 Enter the file manager search box:.jpg,.png,.heic (photo formats).
- 🔍 Check the Pictures, Download or Download folders MIUI — Sometimes the photos are saved there.
⚠️ Warning: Do not rename or move files from the.thumbnails folder, this may disrupt the gallery. If you find a photo there, copy it to another place.
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If the file manager does not show hidden folders, in Mi File Manager, press your finger on an empty place in the file list and select Show hidden files in the menu.
3. Cloud Storage: Mi Cloud and Google Photos
If your Poco X3 Pro is cloud synced, the chances of returning a photo are much higher. Xiaomi offers two main cloud services:
- 🖥️ Mi Cloud – Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud (5GB for free) Syncs photos if you have Settings enabled → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → gallery.
- 🖥️ Google Photos is a service from Google (15GB free) and works if you log in to your Google account and backup is enabled.
How to check out Mi Cloud:
- Open your Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud
- Make sure that the gallery sync is enabled.
- Go to i.mi.com from your computer or phone, log in and check the Gallery section.
How to check out Google Photos:
- Open the Google Photos app (if not installed, download from the Play Market).
- Go to the Library → Recycle Bin (photos are stored there for 60 days).
- Check the archives – sometimes the photos are in the cart instead of the cart.
If photos have been deleted from the cloud, check the file versions, Google Photos can restore photos within 60 days of deleting, and Mi Cloud can recover photos up to 30 days.
| Service | Storage period in the basket | Max, volume free. | How to repair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Cloud | 30 days | 5GB | Website i.mi.com → Gallery → Cart |
| Google Photo | 60 days | 15GB | Annex → Library → Basket |
| Yandex Disc. | 30 days | 10GB | Site disk.yandex.ru → basket |
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If the photos were uploaded to the cloud, they can be restored even after a complete reset of the phone – the main thing is that the account is linked to the device.
4. backups via Mi PC Suite and local backups
Many users forget that Xiaomi backs up data when connecting to a computer via the Mi PC Suite. If you've ever synced the Poco X3 Pro with a PC, there's a chance that the photos are saved in the backup.
How to check backup copies:
- 💻 Connect your phone to your computer through USB (Select the File Transfer Mode).
- 💻 Set up Mi. PC Suite from the official Xiaomi website (unless installed).
- 💻 In the program go to the Backup section → Restore and check available backups.
MIUI can also create local backups on the device itself, so that you can find them:
- Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
- Check the Local Backups section.
- If there is a backup, select it and click Restore (the entire gallery will be restored at the time the copy is created).
⚠️ Attention: Recovery from local backup will overwrite the current data in the gallery.
If you use TWRP Recovery or other custom firmware, check the /TWRP/BACKUPS/ folder – there may be backups of the /data partition where the photos are stored.
Save current photos on PC| Check free space on your phone | Turn off cloud sync | Charge your phone to 50%+
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5. Recovery through specialized applications
If standard methods didn't work, it's time to turn to data recovery software that scans the device's memory at the file system level and can find photos even if they're not displayed in the gallery. X3 Pro will be suitable for the following tools:
- 📱 DiskDigger is a free photo and video recovery app that works without root rights, but is more efficient with them.
- 📱 Recuva (for PC) – a powerful tool that requires connecting your phone to your computer in mode USB Mass Storage.
- 📱 EaseUS MobiSaver is a paid solution with a high percentage of successful recovery.
Instructions for DiskDigger (without root):
- Download DiskDigger from Play Market.
- Launch the app and select Start basic scan.
- Wait until the process is completed (it can take 10-30 minutes).
- View the photos found, highlight the necessary ones and click Restore.
If you have root rights, turn on DiskDigger Full Scan mode to increase your chances of success, but remember that rooting Poco X3 Pro is insecure and can lead to MIUI issues.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install recovery software on the same memory partition where deleted photos were stored. This can overwrite them irrevocably. SD-map.
What to do if the app does not find the photo?
6. Search in the app cache and temporary files
Some apps (like messengers or photo editors) store copies of images in their cache, a little-known but sometimes effective way to find lost images.
Where to look:
- 📂 WhatsApp cache: Go to internal memory → WhatsApp → Media → WhatsApp Images. Check the Sent (sent) and.Statuses (statuses) folders).
- 📂 Telegram cache: Open internal memory → Telegram → Telegram Images.
- 📂 Editor cache (e.g. Snapseed or Lightroom): Look for folders with app names in Android → Data (root or file manager with access to system folders).
Also check the Android → data → com.android.gallery3d → cache folder – temporary thumbnail copies can be stored there.
Cached photos often have random names (for example, the name of the photo, img_20230515_123456789.jpg). To identify them, sort the files by date of change – most likely, the desired pictures will be among the latest.
7. Contacting a service center: when nothing helps
If you've tried all the ways and never found the photos, the last option is professional data recovery.
- 💔 The photo was deleted a few months ago.
- 💔 The phone was reset to factory settings.
- 💔 Memory of the device is damaged (for example, after falling or getting moisture).
What professionals can do:
- 🔧 Chip-Off is a memory chip extraction and read data directly, expensive but effective even when the firmware is damaged.
- 🔧 JTAG — Connecting to test contacts on the board to access memory.
- 🔧 Memory dump analysis – if the phone is not turned on, but the memory is intact, you can create its image and restore data.
The cost of such services starts from 5,000 rubles and depends on the complexity of the work. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, such services are provided by laboratories like Data Recovery or HDD Recovery. Before contacting, check whether they work with Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro - some models require special equipment.
⚠️ Warning: Don't settle for data recovery in questionable services. Unqualified actions can permanently destroy information.
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If the photos are critical (e.g., only copies of documents or unique footage), professional recovery is the only chance to return them.