Recovering Deleted Files from the Recycle Bin on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Delete an important file from a Xiaomi phone and don't know how to return it? Unlike computers where the basket works transparently, on Android (especially in the MIUI shell), the mechanism for temporarily storing deleted data often goes unnoticed. Many users do not even realize that their Redmi, POCO or Mi have a built-in basket - and it can save your photos, documents or videos within 30 days of deleting.

In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to restore files, from standard MIUI features to third-party applications and hidden system features. We will focus on the nuances of the basket on different versions of the firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15), and explain why some files may not recover — and what to do about it. If you act quickly (in the first hours after deleting), the chances of returning data are close to 90%.

Where is the Xiaomi cart and how does it work?

In the MIUI shell, the Recycle Bin is integrated into the standard File Manager application (or File Manager in English firmware), but its behavior depends on the system version and the type of file that is deleted:

• 📁 Local files: photos, videos, documents and archives deleted through Files or a gallery are in the bin for 30 days.
• ☁️ Cloud Files: If you use Mi Cloud, remote data can be stored in the cloud bin for up to 60 days (depending on the tariff).
• 🗑️ Exceptions: files deleted through third-party apps (e.g. Google Photos or Google Photos) ES Conductor, in the basket MIUI don't get.

To open the basket:

1. Launch the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. In the lower menu, tap on the Recycle Bin section (or Trash in English firmware).
3. If there is no item, update the application via Google Play or check the settings in Files → Settings → Recycle Bin.

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On some models (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12), the basket is hidden by default. To activate it, go to Files → Settings → Show the cart and turn on the switch.

It's important to understand that the Recycle Bin doesn't reserve files, it just postpones their final deletion. If you manually clean the Recycle Bin or the system does it automatically (after 30 days), the data will be lost. SD-map - they are removed immediately.

How to recover files from the Xiaomi cart: step-by-step instructions

If the files have not been completely erased, it will take less than a minute to recover them.

Open the Files app.

Go to the basket section.

Select the files you need (long press)

Click Restore in the lower menu

Select a folder to save (or leave by default)

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Nuances of the process:

• 🔄 Recover multiple files: You can highlight multiple items at the same time by clicking on the selection icon (square in the upper right corner).
• 📂 Folders: If you delete the entire folder, you can only restore it in its entirety – selective file recovery from the folder is not supported.
• 🔍 Search: the basket is searching by file name (the magnifying glass icon at the top.

After recovery, the files will return to the same folder from which they were deleted. If the folder no longer exists (for example, you also deleted it), the system will prompt you to save the data to Downloads or Internal Storage.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the place ends.

Never clean.

I didn't know it needed cleaning.-->

What to do if the Recycle Bin is empty or files are not restored

If the cart does not have the necessary files, this can mean:

1. It has been more than 30 days since the removal.
2. Files were deleted through a third-party application (not through Files or Gallery).
3. You cleaned the cart manually or used features like Optimization in MIUI.
4. The files were stored on SD-Card (the cart does not work with external drives).

In these cases, try alternative methods:

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If files have been deleted through Google Photos, check the Recycle Bin of this app separately: open Google Photos → Library → Recycle Bin. There files are stored for up to 60 days, even if they are not in the MIUI Recycle Bin.

Recovery through MIUI backup

If your Xiaomi has Backup enabled, the chances of returning data are much higher, creating local and cloud copies of system settings, applications and user files to check for backup:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backups.
2. See the list of archives available. If you have a current copy, highlight it and click Restore.
3. Select data types for recovery (e.g. Multimedia or Documents).

Please note:

• 🔄 Backup recovery will overwrite the current data, and if you add new photos or documents after deleting the files, they may be lost.
• ☁️ Cloud backups (Mi Cloud) keep files longer, but their recovery requires an internet connection.
• ⚠️ If the backup was created a long time ago, it may not work to restore deleted files - they may not get into the archive.

Third-party programs for recovering deleted files

If standard methods don't work, you can use specialized utilities that scan the phone's internal memory for deleted data fragments.

• 🛠️ DiskDigger is a free utility that supports photo and document recovery, works without root, but with superuser rights finds more files.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver is a paid application with deep scanning. Supports recovery from the Internet. SD-map.
• 📱 GT Recovery — specializes in multimedia (photo, video, audio) and has a preview function.

Instructions for DiskDigger (the most popular option):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Start and select the type of scan: Basic (without root) or Complete (with root).
3. Wait for the analysis to be completed (it can take up to 30 minutes).
4. Select the files you find and click Restore. Save them to another medium (not the same memory partition!).

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If you restore files through DiskDigger without root rights, the chances of finding data are higher if less than a day has passed since deleting, and the longer the phone is used, the more likely it is that deleted files will be overwritten with new data.

Critical information: Do not save recovered files back to the phone's internal memory, which can lead to overwriting of the data that has not yet been recovered.

How to Prevent Data Loss in the Future

To avoid the problem of file recovery, set up Xiaomi in advance:

• 🔄 Automatic sync: enable backup in Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization. 5GB is available free of charge.
• ☁️ Google Photos: Activate Automatic Photo Uploading in Settings → Backup and reset → Backup of Google.
• 📁 Cleaning regularly: Check your cart once a week to avoid automatically deleting important files after 30 days.
• 🔐 Protection against accidental deletion: you can enable Deletion Confirmation in the Gallery app (Settings) → Confirm removal).

It is also useful to use a file manager with a basket function for SD-It creates its own basket for external drives, which is not in the standard application Files from Xiaomi.

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Xiaomi’s MIUI 14+ models have a Secure Folder feature (Settings → Privacy → Secure Folder) that can’t be deleted without entering a password, which is an additional insurance policy against accidental data loss.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users lose data due to typical shopping cart and recovery errors, and the most common ones are:

⚠️ Note: if you delete files and then write new data to your phone (for example, take photos or download videos), the chances of recovery drop dramatically.

• 🚫 Hand-cleaning: Many users see the Recycle Bin notification filled, immediately clean it without checking the contents.
• 🔄 Use of "Optimization": the function of garbage cleaning in MIUI Can delete files from the cart ahead of time.
• 📱 Reset to factory settings: when you reset the basket is cleared automatically. Always back up before resetting!
• 🔌 Extraction SD-Maps while running: This can damage the file system and make recovery impossible.

Another common problem is invisible files, and sometimes not all deleted data is displayed in the bin.

• Failure of the Files application (helps restart or update).
• Restrictions on displaying system files (enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings).
• Damage to the database of the basket (solved by resetting the settings of the Files application).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions