Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO Often, they have to find specific SMS-Message or recover lost data from the device's internal memory.However, the Android file system, especially with shells MIUI And HyperOS, which has a complex structure that hides user data from direct access, is done for security reasons so that malware can't access your confirmation codes or personal correspondence.
Many users mistakenly believe that there is one universal folder where all incoming and outgoing messages are folded. In fact, standard SMS is stored in a system database that is restricted without root permissions. At the same time, multimedia messages (MMS) and attachments can be stored in public directories. Understanding these differences is critical for those who want to back up or clear disk space.
In this article, we will look in detail at where to look for traces of your correspondence, how to access hidden files and what tools will help manage the archive of messages. We will look at both standard methods through file managers, and more advanced ways to work with the database mmssms.db. This will allow you to fully control the information space of your smartphone.
Structure of SMS storage in Android and MIUI
The Android operating system uses a specialized mechanism to store short text messages. Unlike photos or documents, SMS does not lie as separate text files in the Downloads or Documents folder. All correspondence, including sent, received and drafts, is recorded in a single SQLite database, which provides fast search and data integrity, but makes it difficult to directly access files.
On Xiaomi devices with MIUI shell, the path to this database is in the system partition, which is hidden by default from the user. The standard file manager, even with administrator rights, often does not show the contents of the system folders without activating a special mode. The path to the database looks like /data/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db. Trying to open this file with a conventional text editor will not lead to anything, since it is a binary format.
With the release of new versions of Android (starting with 11 and above), Google has tightened its security policy by implementing Scoped Storage, which means that apps and even the user themselves have limited access to root directories. So finding a “message folder” through a standard Explorer often fails if you do not use specialized utilities or connect your smartphone to your computer in debugging mode.
⚠️ Attention: Direct editing or deleting files in the system folder /data/data/ It can cause the Messages app to fail completely or even a cyclical reboot of your smartphone.
For the average user, it is important to understand that a message folder is more of a logical concept than a physical directory with files. The system indexes each message by assigning it a unique ID, date and type, which is why the recovery of deleted SMS is possible only if you have a backup of this database or use cloud synchronization services.
Search for multimedia investments MMS
Multimedia Messages (MMS) are very different from SMS. If you receive a photo, video or audio file through a standard messaging application, a copy of it is often stored in the public memory area, so that the user can quickly open the media file in the gallery or player without running the SMS application.
To find these files, you need to go to the root directory of internal memory. The path can vary depending on the version of MIUI, but most often attachments are saved to the MMS or Picture/MMS folder. It is also worth checking the directory of Android/data/com.android.mms/files, although access to this may be limited on new versions of Android.
Here are the main ways to look for saved media files from messages:
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MMS/ — main folder for old firmware versions.
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/MMS/ — standard-place.
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.mms/ — Hidden folder of the application in new versions.
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/gallery/cloud/cache/ — Cloud gallery cache where miniatures can remain.
If you don't see the Android folder at the root of the memory, it's normal for Android 11+. The system hides its contents for third-party applications. To access, use Xiaomi's built-in Explorer app, which has special permissions, or connect the phone to your PC in file transfer mode (MTP).
💡
Use file search in Explorer by entering the.jpg or.mp4 extension and sorting the results by date of change, faster than manually rummaging through folders.
Access to the system database mmssms.db
For those who need deep analysis of correspondence or recovery of deleted messages, the only option is to work with the file mmsms.db. This file contains the entire history of SMS and MMS in a structured form.
You can use the function to access this file without root rights ADB (Android Debug Bridge. You'll need a computer, USB-cable and on-line debugging USB You can use the command line to copy the database to a computer for analysis.
The command to copy the database is as follows:
adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db C:/backup_sms/Once you do that, you can open it on your computer using SQLite software like DB Browser for SQLite, and you'll see tables inside that store text, phone numbers, and timestamps.
Importantly, on Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI Optimization protection enabled, access via ADB can be difficult, and the developer settings sometimes require additional activation of the "USB debugging (Security settings)" option, which becomes available after several clicks on the MIUI build number.
| Access method | Necessary rights | Difficulty | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conductor (MMS) | No. | Low. | Absent. |
| ADB Backup | USB debugging | Medium | Low. |
| Root access | SuperUser | Tall. | High-pitched |
| Cloud backup | Mi/Google account | Low. | Absent. |
💡
Direct access to the mmssms.db database is only possible through ADB or Root rights, and this file cannot be seen by standard file managers.
Using cloud services for redundancy
Instead of searching for physical files on a device, modern Xiaomi users are increasingly relying on cloud technology, Mi Cloud and Google Drive allow you to create full copies of a database of messages that can be restored at any time, eliminating the need to dig into system files.
To activate synchronization of messages in MIUI, you need to go to the settings of the Mi Account. Here you can choose what data will be uploaded to the cloud. Options for contacts, gallery and messages are usually available. If the function is enabled, a copy of your correspondence is stored on the company's servers.
The backup process looks like this:
- ☁️ Open Settings and go to the Mi Account section.
- ☁️ Choose Xiaomi Cloud or Cloud.
- ☁️ Find the Reservations section and activate the Messages switch.
- ☁️ Click Create a backup for immediate saving.
Google Messages (which is often the standard on global firmware versions) allows you to create backups in Google Drive, which is especially convenient when switching to a new smartphone, since when you enter an account, your correspondence history will be restored automatically.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure your cloud drive (Mi Cloud or Google Drive) has enough free space.Crowded storage will stop the backup process and new messages may be lost.
Recovering Messages from Local Backups
If cloud services don't suit you, MIUI offers a powerful local backup tool, which stores the files in a folder on your internal drive that's easy to find and transfer to your computer, and is the most reliable way to save your correspondence history "just in case."
Local backups are created through the Advanced Settings menu. Backup files are encrypted or packaged archives that can't be read easily, but can be transferred to another device for recovery, and the path to these files is fixed and does not change from version to version.
Where to look for local backup files:
- 📂 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/ — main folder with all backups of the system.
- 📂 Inside this folder will be files with names like backup_20231025_120000.
- 📂 Message files are usually.bak or are located inside the archive.
To recover messages from the local copy, you need to go to the same settings menu, select Recovery and specify the path to the file. The system will unpack the archive itself and return the mmssms.db database to its original state, which is the only regular way to "return the message folder" to its place after the reset.
☑️ Pre-reconstruction checks
Third-party applications for SMS management
Xiaomi’s standard tools are good, but sometimes they’re not. There are many apps in the Play Market that take over messaging management and, importantly, allow you to export them in readable format (XML, TXT, PDF), and they create their own folder with copies of messages in an accessible place.
One of the most popular tools is the SMS Backup & Restore app, which allows you not only to create copies, but also to view their content directly in the app, and also to download backup files to Dropbox or Google Drive, which gives you the flexibility that the standard system does not have.
Advantages of using third-party managers:
- 🚀 Possibility of export in format XML or CSV PC-reader.
- 🚀 Automatic schedule for creating copies without user participation.
- 🚀 Filtering messages by specific contacts or numbers before saving.
- 🚀 Cross-platform: the opportunity to transfer SMS Android on Android or even iPhone (partially).
When installing these applications on Xiaomi, it is important to remember to issue all the necessary permissions. In MIUI, an aggressive energy saving system can block background processes, you need to go to the application settings, select Auto Start and allow work in the background, and fix the application in the list of recent tasks.