Where to find deleted photos on Xiaomi: from shopping cart to deep scanning

Have you accidentally deleted valuable photos from a Xiaomi smartphone and now you don't know how to return them? Don't panic - most Redmi, POCO or Mi devices have several layers of protection against irretrievable data loss. Even if you cleared the cart or formatted the memory card, the chances of recovery remain. In this article, we will analyze all possible places where "remote" images can be stored, from the obvious (for example, the Mi Cloud) to hidden system folders that few people know about.

It's important to understand that recovery success depends on how long it's been since you deleted it and whether you've used your phone after that. Every new photo, video, or app you install can overwrite deleted data. So you have to move fast, and start with the simplest methods. We've arranged the ways from the most accessible to the most complex so that you don't waste time on unnecessary manipulation.

1.Check the basket at Xiaomi Gallery

The first thing to do is to look into the built-in Gallery app shopping cart, and on all Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 10), deleted photos are not erased immediately, but instead are stored in a temporary storage facility that lasts up to 30 days (by default), which can be changed in settings, but most users are unaware of the feature’s existence.

How to find the basket:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
• 🔍 Click on the three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
• 🗑️ Select the Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted in some versions) MIUI).
• 🔄 Hold your finger on the desired photo and press Restore.

If the cart is empty or you've already cleaned it, then you can move on to the next way. Note that some firmware (like the POCO F3 or Redmi Note 10 Pro) may call it Albums → Trash. Also check if Hidden Albums are on, sometimes deleted photos are mistakenly included.

2.Mi Cloud Cloud Storage: Automatic Synchronization

If your Xiaomi has enabled sync with Mi Cloud, chances are that deleted photos are still available in the cloud, which automatically backs up images (unless manually disabled), and even after deleting from your phone, they can stay in the cloud for up to 6 months, depending on your settings.

How to check out Mi Cloud:

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in with the same account as you do on your phone.
• 📁 Select the Gallery or Photos section.
• 🔍 Use a date filter or search to find the right pictures.
• 💾 Click Download to save them back to the device.

If the photo is not in the cloud, check the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin – it works similarly to the local cart, but the storage time there is usually shorter (up to 10 days). Also pay attention to Autoboot in the Mi Cloud settings: if it was disabled, the photos may not sync.

💡

To avoid data loss in the future, turn on Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery the option to Autoboot when connecting to Wi-Fi. It is free (the first 5 GB) and will save your photos even if your phone breaks.

3. Hidden folders: DCIM/.thumbnails and other system directories

Sometimes photos are not deleted completely, but moved to hidden system folders. For example, thumbnails (previews) can be stored in DCIM/.thumbnails, and temporary files can be stored in /data/media/0/Pictures. These directories are not displayed in the standard file manager, but can be found using root Explorer or special applications.

How to access hidden folders:

1. Install a file manager with hidden file support, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.
2. Enable the display of hidden folders in the manager settings (usually the item Show hidden files).
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails or /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.trash.
4. Check files with.jpg,.png or no extension (they can be renamed by the system).

If you use a microSD card, check for similar folders on it: /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/.recycle (where XXXX-XXXX — Be careful: not all files in these folders are photos — some may be app service data.

4. Restore via Google Photos (if backed up)

Many Xiaomi users don’t know that Google Photos can automatically back up photos — even if you didn’t manually set it up. If your phone had a Google account connected and sync enabled, the deleted photos could be saved to the Google cloud indefinitely (provided that the storage space didn’t run out).

How to check out Google Photos:

• 📱 Open the Google Photos app (if not, install it from Play Market).
• 🔍 Go to the Library section → Recycle bin (photos stored there for 60 days).
• 📅 Use a date filter or keyword search (such as beach, cat, or cat).
• 💾 Select the desired pictures and click Restore.

If there's nothing in the cart, check the Archive, which sometimes includes photos deleted from the device but stored in the cloud. Also note the device memory in Google Photo settings: if backup was disabled, photos may not sync.

💡

Google Photos keeps deleted photos in the cart longer than Mi Cloud — 60 days instead of 10 to 30. If you used both services, check Google first.

5. Deep scanning programs (without root)

If all previous methods failed, you'll have to use specialized data recovery software to scan the phone's internal memory at the file system level and can find photos even if they were deleted months ago, the main condition being that you don't write new data to the phone after deletion (this reduces the chances of recovery).

Best software for Xiaomi (without root):

Instructions for using DiskDigger:

Install an application from the Play Market|Select Basic Scan (without root)|Mark file types: JPG, PNG, HEIC|Wait for the scan to finish (may take up to an hour)|Save the photos found to a memory card or cloud-->

If the program found photos, but they are displayed as corrupted (black screen, artifacts), try to restore them to your PC using Recuva or PhotoRec. These tools work more efficiently, but require connecting the phone in file transfer (MTP) mode.

💡

Before scanning, turn off mobile internet and Wi-Fi on your phone – this will prevent new data (such as app cache) from being written over deleted photos.

6. recovery with PC (ADB and specialized software)

If the photos are critical, and the previous methods didn't work, you can try low-level recovery through a computer, which is more complicated, but gives you the best chance of success.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Utilities. ADB Fastboot (for accessing memory).
• 🔍 Autopsy or Scalpel (for in-depth analysis).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on the phone Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About phone).
2. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the trusted device.
4. Open the command line and type: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Xiaomi_Backup\ This will copy all files from the folder. DCIM on the computer (including hidden ones).
5. Scan the copied data with Autopsy or PhotoRec.

This technique requires technical skills, but it's the only one who can return a photo after fully formatting or resetting. If you're not sure about yourself, you'd better contact a service center - doing it yourself can lead to a loss of warranty or data corruption.

7. Contacting a service center: when nothing helps

If you’ve tried all the ways and never found photos, the last option is professional data recovery. Xiaomi service centers or specialized laboratories (for example, HddSurgery, Data Recovery) have equipment to extract data directly from the memory chip (eMMC or UFS), which is expensive (from 5 000 to 30 000 rubles), but sometimes the only way to return unique images.

When to contact the service:

• 🔧 Phone is physically damaged (not turned on, broken screen, water intrusion).
• 🗃️ Photos removed more than 6 months ago.
• 🔄 You have done a reset or flashing.
• 💾 The phone used encryption (for example, File-Based Encryption in the Internet). MIUI 12+).

Before contacting the service:

• ❌ Don’t try to disassemble your phone yourself – it could damage the charge.
• ❌ Do not connect your phone to charge (the risk of overwriting data when turned on).
• ✅ Check if the center has experience with Xiaomi (some models, such as the Redmi Note 9 Pro, have non-standard memory markup).

💡

If the photos are valuable as evidence (for example, for a court), immediately contact the service.

Frequent mistakes that hinder recovery

Many Xiaomi users make critical mistakes that reduce the chances of recovery to zero.

⚠️ Warning: If you have already done any of the following, stop using your phone immediately and contact the service center. Each new operation reduces the likelihood of recovery by 20-30%.

• 📸 Take new photos or videos – they overwrite deleted data.
• 🎮 Install or update applications – this creates temporary files in memory.
• 🔄 Perform a reset settings – this completely cleans the partition /data.
• 🗑️ Clear cache or application data (for example, through Settings) → Warehouse).
• 🔋 Allow the phone to discharge up to 0% – this can cause damage to the file system.

Also avoid using untested recovery software – some of them (such as WonderShare or iMobie) may contain malicious code or spoil the metadata of photos. 4PDA or XDA Developers.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions