Where to look for deleted photos on Xiaomi Redmi smartphone: the full guide 2026

Have you accidentally deleted valuable photos from Xiaomi Redmi and now you don’t know how to return them? Don’t panic — most users have the chance to recover photos even if they were deleted a few days ago. In this article, we will analyze all possible storage locations for deleted photos on Redmi devices (including Note 12, Redmi 10, Redmi A2 and others), and also tell you how to proceed if files are not found in standard folders.

Xiaomi smartphones have multiple layers of data protection, including a shopping cart, hidden system folders, and automatic backups in the Mi Cloud. However, not everyone knows where to look. For example, many people overlook the fact that some photos can be saved in the messenger cache or duplicated in cloud services like Google Photos. We structured the information so that you can act Step-by-step, from the simplest ways to the more complex ones.

The important thing is that the faster you start searching, the better the chances of success. When you delete files, the system doesn't erase them instantly, it just marks the space on the drive as free. So don't write new data to your phone (don't take photos, don't install apps) until you've finished recovering.

1.Basket in the standard MIUI gallery

The first place to look for deleted photos is the built-in Recycle Bin in the Gallery app, which works on the principle of “soft removal” in MIUI (the Xiaomi shell), where files are not erased immediately, but moved to temporary storage, where they lie for 15 to 30 days (depending on the model and firmware version).

To check the basket:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (icon with multicolored photos).
• 🗑️ In the upper right corner, click on the three dots (menu) and select the basket.
• 🔍 View the file list. Deleted photos will be marked with the date of the move.
• 🔄 To restore, click on the photo, then select Restore (the icon with the arrow up).

If the cart is empty or there are no pictures, move on to the next method. Note: the basket in MIUI is automatically cleared when memory is scarce or after storage expires. It can also be turned off in settings - read more about this below.

2. Hidden folders and system directories

Android (and the MIUI shell in particular) creates many hidden folders where photos can be duplicated or temporarily stored, most often users find lost images in the following directories:

To access hidden folders:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (in File Transfer mode).
2. Use a file manager (such as Total Commander or FX File Explorer) with the option “Show Hidden Files” enabled.
3. Manually check the paths from the table above.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders Android/data or MIUI — If you find the right photos, copy them to a safe place (for example, on a PC), rather than moving them.

3. Cloud backups: Mi Cloud and Google Photos

If your Redmi has been enabled to sync with the cloud, the chances of photo recovery are much higher. Xiaomi offers two main cloud services:

• 🌥️ Mi Cloud – Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud, where backups of photos, contacts and notes are stored.

To check out Mi Cloud:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud
2. Sign in if you are not logged in to your account.
3. Go to the Gallery or Backups section.
4. View available albums – deleted photos can be in the folder Remote (analogue of shopping carts).

For Google Photos:

1. Open the Google Photos app or go to photos.google.com.
2. Select the Recycle Bin from the menu – the photos are stored there for 60 days.
3. If the basket is empty, check the Archive folder or search by date.

⚠️ Note: If you don’t remember if sync was enabled, check the settings:

• For Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery Synchronization.
• For Google Photos: Settings → Backup and Synchronization.

If the option is disabled, there are no cloud copies.

4.Recovery through third-party applications

If standard methods don't work, you can use specialized data recovery software that scans the device's memory at the file system level and finds files marked as deleted. Xiaomi Redmi is good for:

• 🔧 DiskDigger - free version searches for photos and videos, supports MIUI.
• 📱 Recuva (for PC) – requires a phone connection USB and root rights for deep scanning.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver – a paid solution with a high recovery rate.

Instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download the app from Google Play (requires Android 5.0+).
2. Run and select Full Scan (root rights required) or Basic Scan (no rights required).
3. Wait until the process is completed (it can take 10–30 minutes).
4. Tag the photos found and click Restore by selecting a folder to save (for example, Download).

⚠️ Attention: Recovery applications do not guarantee 100% results:

• The time after the deletion (the earlier the better)
• Type of memory (inner memory, chances are higher than microSD).
• Device activity (recording new data reduces the odds).

Avoid programs that require payment before the scan results are shown.

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Before using third-party software, check the reviews on Google Play – some apps may contain ads or malicious code. Give preference to solutions with a rating of 4.5+ and the number of downloads from 1 million.

5. Checking the cache of messengers and social networks

Many users forget that photos are often duplicated in the cache of apps, for example, if you sent a picture to WhatsApp, Telegram or VK, a copy of it could be saved in the folders of these services.

To find these folders:

1. Use a file manager (e.g. Files by Google or Solid Explorer).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
3. Follow these paths and sort the files by date of change.

If the cache was manually cleared or an app (like CCleaner), chances of finding a photo are minimal. Also remember that the cache can take up a lot of space - some messengers (like Telegram) allow you to clean it in their settings (Settings → Data and memory → Clear the cache).

6. PC Recovery (ADB and Specialized Utilities)

For power users, there is a way to recover via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or programs like Dr.Fone, which requires connecting the phone to a computer and can return files even without root rights, but has limitations.

Instructions for Dr.Fone:

1. Download and install Dr.Fone on your PC (official website).
2. Connect Redmi via USB by selecting File Transfer mode.
3. Start the program and select Android Data Recovery.
4. Follow the wizard’s hints – the program will offer to scan the internal memory or SD-map.
5. After scanning, mark the desired photos and click Restore.

For recovery through ADB (no root):

adb shell


su




cd /data/data/com.android.providers.media/databases




sqlite3 external-*.db




SELECT * FROM files WHERE _data LIKE '%.jpg' OR _data LIKE '%.png';

This command will list all the photos in the Android database, including the deleted ones, but it will require additional manipulation of the file system to extract them.

⚠️ Attention: Methods using ADB or root rights may lead to:

• Violation of warranty (if the device is warranty).
• Data loss due to incorrect actions.
• Locking the device (in rare cases).

If you are not sure about your skills, contact a specialist.

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Third-party recovery software like Dr.Fone or Recuva works better on the phone’s internal memory than microSD, and if the photos were stored on the card, the chances of success are lower.

7. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all of these methods did not help, and photos are critically important (for example, these are documents or unique photos), you can contact the official Xiaomi service center.

• 🔧 Hardware Memory Reading (Chip-off).
• 📊 Work with Mi Cloud backups at the server level.
• 🔍 Recovery from damaged storage devices.

What you need to know before your visit:

• Service data recovery is a paid service (cost depends on the complexity, from 1,500 to 10,000 rubles).
• Not all centers provide this service – check by phone.
• You may need to provide proof of ownership of the device (checks, box).

⚠️ Warning: Avoid "handicraft" workshops offering low-cost data recovery.Unqualified activities can:

• Damage the memory chip without the possibility of repair.
• Leak personal data (unless the phone is properly cleaned)

Before visiting the service center:

8 How to avoid losing photos in the future

To avoid the problem of lost photos, follow the following simple rules:

• ☁️ Turn on automatic sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos. Even if the phone breaks, the images will remain in the cloud.
• 📁 Regularly copy the photo to a PC or external drive (once every 1-2 months).
• 🔄 Use backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 🚫 Don’t store a single copy of important photos on your phone – duplicate them in at least one cloud.

It's also useful to know:

• In MIUI, you can set up automatic uploading of photos to the Mi Cloud only over Wi-Fi, so as not to waste mobile traffic.

⚠️ WARNING: If you sell or transfer your Redmi to another person, remember to:

1. Log out of all accounts (Mi, Google, social networks).
2. Make a reset to factory settings (Settings → About phone → Reset settings).
3. Remove the microSD card if it was used to store the photo.

Even after the reset, the data can be recovered using special programs, so use the Clean all data option in the reset menu to clean it completely.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi Redmi