Where are the notes in Android on Xiaomi: 5 storage places + recovery of deleted records

Have you created an important note on Xiaomi but can't find it? Or accidentally deleted the record and want to restore it? In Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi smartphones, notes can be stored in several places, from the standard Notes app to the Mi Cloud services. The problem is that the system does not always show all the folders by default, and some files are hidden from the user.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all possible Xiaomi note storage locations, including system directories, cloud backups, and third-party apps, and learn how to manually locate files through a file manager, export them to a computer, and even recover deleted records. We pay special attention to hidden folders. /data/com.miui.notes, which are not visible without root rights, but contain all your notes in encrypted form.

If you use a custom note-taking app (like Google Keep or ColorNote), the instructions below are also good — we'll look at universal search methods. And for those who are afraid of losing data, there's a backup checklist in one section.

1. Xiaomi’s standard Notes app: Where and how to search

Most Xiaomi users use the built-in Notes app, which is pre-installed on all MIUI devices and automatically syncs with their Mi Account to find the stored records:

1. Open the Notes app** from the menu or through search (swipe down the screen → type Notes).
2. Check the tabs at the bottom of the screen: 📝 «All notes** – all created records, sorted by date, are displayed here. 🔍 «Search ** - enter a keyword if you don't remember the title of the note. 🗑️ «Recycle bins** - Deleted notes are stored here for 30 days (can be restored). ⭐ «Selected"** - Star-marked records.

If you don’t have any notes, check if sync is enabled: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Notes.

⚠️ Note: If you logged out of your Mi Account or dropped your phone before factory settings, local notes (not synced) could be deleted. In this case, try the methods in the Recovery of Deleted Notes section».

2. Physical location of note files in phone memory

All notes created in the standard Notes app are stored in the phone's memory as encrypted files, accessed through the file manager, but there are nuances:

• 📁 For users without root rights: a visible folder with exported notes — /storage/emulated/0/Notes/ (Only manual exports in.txt or.zip format are stored here).
• 🔒 Hidden system files: the main database of notes lies in the /data/com.miui.notes/databases/, But you can't get there without root access. The file is called notes.db).
• ☁️ Cloud Copies: If synchronization is enabled, notes are duplicated on Mi Cloud servers in encrypted form.

To find the /Notes/ folder:

1. Open any file manager (e.g., Google Files** or Mi File Explorer).
2. Go to the Inner Memory → Notes.
3. If the folder is not, check the settings for displaying hidden files (⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files).

⚠️ Note: If you delete the folder /Notes/ manually, it will not affect the notes in the application themselves - they are stored in the database.

💡

To quickly find the folder with notes, use the search in the file manager: enter the Notes query (with a capital letter) and select the Internal Memory section.

3. How to Recover Deleted Notes on Xiaomi

If you accidentally deleted a note, don’t despair – you have 3 ways to recover:

Method 1: Recycle bin in the app “Notes”

Deleted notes are stored in the basket for 30 days to recover:

1. Open the "Notes" app**.
2. Put it on the icon. 🗑️ Basket on the bottom menu.
3. Select the correct note → Restore.

Method 2: Restore from Mi Cloud backup

If synchronization was enabled, notes could be saved in the cloud:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Notes.
2. Make sure the switch is active. If not, turn on the sync and wait until it's done.
3. Open the Notes app** and pull the screen down to update the data.

Method 3: Use of third-party utilities (for power users)

If the notes are removed from the cart and are not synchronized, try data recovery software:

• 🛠️ DiskDigger scans internal memory for deleted files.
• 🔧 EaseUS MobiSaver – Recovers Notes, Photos, and Documents (requires root for deep scanning).
• 📱 GT Recovery – specializes in data applications (including notes.db).

⚠️ Warning: The more you use your phone after you delete a note, the lower your chances of recovery. Wi-Fi/mobile Data and do not install new applications – this will reduce memory overwriting.

Check the cart in the app "Notes"|Enable synchronization with Mi Cloud|Use DiskDigger to scan your memory|Do not write new data to your phone.-->

4. Export notes to the computer or to the cloud

To avoid losing important records, it is recommended to export them regularly.The Notes app** has a built-in export function:

1. Open the note you want to keep.
2. Tap on. ⋮ → Exports.
3. Choose the format: 📄 TXT — plain-file. 📦 ZIP — file-book. 🌐 HTML — formatting.

/Notes/

For computer transfer:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Open the internal memory folder → Notes.
3. Copy the exported files to the hard drive.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The notes are missing, check the folder. /Notes/ file-access backup_*.zip.Maybe the system automatically backed up before the update.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi notes