How to recover deleted photos from Xiaomi Redmi phone: all working ways

Removing photos from Xiaomi Redmi is one of the most common causes of panic among users, and it usually works in two scenarios: either you accidentally clicked Delete Everything in the gallery, or the system cleaned the cache itself, removing valuable photos along with the debris. The good news is that in 90% of cases files can be returned if you act quickly and correctly. The bad one is that the longer you drag out the recovery, the higher the chance that the data will be overwritten with new files.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current recovery options for Redmi smartphones (including MIUI 14/15 models): from standard features like “Baskbaskets” to professional utilities like DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver. We’ll focus on the nuances that are often overlooked in general instructions – for example, how to circumvent the MIUI restrictions on access to system folders or what to do if the phone is not determined by the computer.

1.Check out the "Basket" at Xiaomi Gallery

The easiest and most often overlooked step is that MIUI has a built-in cart since version 12, where photos are stored 30 days after being deleted.

📁 The shopping cart can be hidden if you use a third-party gallery (e.g. Google Photos).
⏳ Shelf life (30 days) is reset if you manually clean the cart through Settings → Warehouse.
🔒 Recycle bin files don’t take up space in the phone’s memory, but their recovery doesn’t guarantee original quality (sometimes compression is automatically applied).

How to check:

Open the standard Gallery app (an icon with colored squares).
Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select “Basket”.
Find the right photos, click on them → the button “Restore” (the arrow icon down).

⚠️ Note: If you have deleted photos through Google Photos, look for them in the shopping cart of this application (section "Library" → The basket. It's 60 days old, but the files take up space in the cloud.

📊 Have you ever recovered files from a shopping cart on Xiaomi?

Yes, successfully.

I tried it, but I didn't find the right files.

I didn't know about this function.

I prefer cloud backups.

2. Recovery through cloud services

If you have your Redmi enabled sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos, the chances of returning photos are close to 100%.The main thing is to remember which account you signed in to. Both services save backups automatically, but there are key differences:

Parameter	Mi Cloud (Xiaomi)	Google Photo
Storage period	Unlimited (with a paid rate)	15GB free, then paid
Photo quality	Original (if not included compression)	“High” (compression) or original (depending on settings)
Access to PC	Through i.mi.com	Through photos.google.com
Features	Maybe not synchronizing screenshots.	Automatically creates albums by date and place

Instructions for Mi Cloud:

Go to i.mi.com and log in.
Select the section "Gallery» → «Deleted (if the photo was deleted less than 30 days ago).
To restore, click on the photo → “Restore”.

For Google Photos:

Open the app or web version.
Go to the Library. → Basket».
Select the files → press "Restore».

💡

If you don't remember whether Mi Cloud was enabled, check the phone settings: Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery. If the slider is active, the data is synced.

3. Connecting to a computer and scanning memory

If the photos are not in the cart or in the cloud, the next step is to connect Redmi to the PC and scan the internal memory with special programs, which works even if you format the memory card, but is not suitable for phones with a corrupted file system (in this case, you need fastboot mode).

You'll need:

🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
🔌 Cable USB (It is preferably original to avoid connection problems).
🛠️ Recovery Program: DiskDigger, EaseUS MobiSaver, Recuva (free).

Step-by-step:

Connect Redmi to your PC via USB. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
Install and run a program (e.g., DiskDigger).
Select the drive that matches the phone’s memory (usually “Internal Storage”).
Run a deep scan – it will take from 30 minutes to several hours.
After completion, mark the desired photos (formats.jpg,.png,.heic) and click "Restore".

⚠️ Warning: Don't save recovered files back to your phone - use a PC or external drive. Write to the same drive from which the recovery is being conducted can overwrite the remaining data.

Enable USB debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (7 times press) |Use the original USB |Unlock screen lock while scanning |Do not connect your phone to charging during the process-->

4. Recovery through ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work and photos are critical, you can try extracting them via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a technique that requires technical skills but allows you to access files that aren’t visible through MTP.

What needs to be done:

Install ADB Tools on your PC.
Enable USB debugging on your phone (Settings → Additional → For developers).
Connect Redmi to your PC and execute the command in the terminal: Adb devices (you should display your device).
Backup the photo section: adb backup -f C:\backup.ab -shared
Unpack backup.ab with abe (Android Backup Extractor) and find files in /sdcard/DCIM folder.

This method does not guarantee 100% results, but sometimes allows you to return files that are not visible through standard utilities, the main disadvantage is the complexity for beginners and the risk of damaging data if you do not perform correctly.

What if the ADB can’t see the device?

If the adb device command returns an empty list: 1. Check if debugging is enabled by USB 2. Try another one. USB-cable or port. 3. Install drivers for Xiaomi from the official website. 4. Restart your phone and PC. If the problem remains, perhaps lock at the level MIUI — Try temporarily disabling Data Protection in your security settings.

5.Recovery from a damaged memory card

If the photos were stored on a microSD and the card stopped being identified (for example, after a phone crash or formatting error), do not rush to throw it away. In 60% of cases, the data can be returned with specialized utilities or even physical repairs.

Algorithm of action:

Do not write new data on the map – this reduces the chances of recovery.
Connect the card to the PC via the card reader (not through the phone!).
Use programs like PhotoRec (free) or R-Studio (paid but demo mode).
If the card is not detected at all, try scanning it in the “RAW” mode – this will allow you to find files by signatures.

For physically damaged cards (for example, after water hits), contact the data recovery laboratory. The cost of the service starts from 5,000 rubles, but the chances of returning a photo are 80-90%.

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If the memory card is identified but asks you to format, don't agree. Use utilities like TestDisk to restore the partition.

6. when restoration is not possible

Unfortunately, there are situations where you can't get back the photos, and here are the guaranteed reasons for the loss of data:

🔥 Full formatting of internal memory through Settings → Reset (not to be confused with manually deleting files!).
🔄 Flashing your phone through Fastboot or Recovery without backup.
💾 Data overwriting: If you have removed a photo or installed a large application after removing it, the old files will be erased.
🔋 Hardware failure (e.g., failure of a memory chip) in which case only repairs in the service center will help.

If you are in one of these situations, you can only hope to back up your files in the cloud or on other devices, and in the future, use automatic sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud to avoid losses.

7. How to prevent future loss of photos

The best protection against data loss is proactive measures. Here are the proven ways to:

☁️ Cloud backups: Set up an automatic photo upload to Google Photos or Mi Cloud. MIUI This is done in the settings → Accounts. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
💾 Local Copies: Once a month, copy photos to your PC or external drive. To do this, connect Redmi to your computer and manually copy the folder DCIM.
📱 Third-party galleries: Applications like Simple Gallery or A+ Gallery has its own carts and backup functions.
🔄 Synchronization with NAS: If you have a home server (for example, Xiaomi Mi Router with a connected hard drive), set up automatic sending photos over Wi-Fi.

For maximum reliability, combine cloud and local storage, for example, you can set up Google Photos to automatically upload and copy a photo every six months to an external SSD.

💡

MIUI 14/15 has a hidden feature called Backup to Mi Cloud, which saves not only photos, but also messages, contacts and settings. Enables in Settings → About Phone → Backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi Redmi

Can I recover photos that were deleted more than a year ago?

If the photos are not synced to the cloud and copied to other devices, the odds are close to zero: the data on the phone is overwritten with new files for several months, except if the phone has been off all this time (for example, it was broken), but in this case, professional restoration in the laboratory is required.

Will root access help you return deleted photos?

Root gives you access to system folders, but it doesn't guarantee recovery. On the one hand, you can use powerful tools like Undeleter that scan memory at a low level, on the other hand, the root process itself can overwrite some of the data, and if the photos are critical, you'd better try root-free recovery first, and then consider this option.

Why do recovery programs find photos, but they open with artifacts?

This is a typical problem with partial overwriting of files, where when new data is written on top of old data, programs can find fragments of images, but they will be corrupted. In this case, try: Use another program (for example, PhotoRec instead of Recuva). Scanning memory in RAW mode increases the chances of finding entire files. Contacting the lab - specialists can recover data from damaged sectors.

Can I recover the photo after resetting to factory settings?

If the reset was made via Settings → Reset, the chances are minimal – this process fully formats the /data partition where user files are stored. Exception: If the reset was interrupted (for example, due to battery discharge), some of the data could remain. If synchronization with Mi Cloud or Google Photos was enabled before the reset. Otherwise, only professional recovery using the chip-off method (removal of the memory chip and reading data directly) will help.

How to recover a photo from a phone that is not turned on?

If Redmi doesn't respond to the power button, but when you connect to your PC, it makes a sound or is defined as a device, try: Connect your phone to your PC and check if it's visible in the Windows or lsusb (Linux/macOS). If the device is detected, use ADB to retrieve data (it requires debugging and unlocked bootloader on). If the phone doesn't respond at all, contact the service center - maybe there's a problem with the battery or motherboard. In the most severe cases (for example, after falling into the water), you may need to replace the chip to ret, but it's always possible and it's expensive memory.