Accidental removal of photos on a Xiaomi smartphone is a familiar situation: one careless click in the gallery and precious footage disappears from view. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several protection mechanisms, and modern technology allows you to recover pictures even after cleaning the basket, the main thing is to act quickly and correctly.
In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can return deleted photos on Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), from standard MIUI tools to professional deep memory scanning tools, how the temporary cart, Mi Cloud backups work, and why sometimes the only chance is to connect to a computer, and we’ll also reveal little-known nuances that increase the chances of success.
1.Check the basket at Xiaomi Gallery
The first thing you need to do is to look in the gallery cart, and in MIUI, deleted files are not erased immediately, but are sent to temporary storage for 30 days (by default), which can be changed in the settings, but most users leave the standard settings.
How to find the basket:
- 📱 Open the Gallery app (or Photos on new versions) MIUI).
- 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
- 🔍 Scroll down the list or search by date.
- ↩️ Select the right photos → press Restore.
If the basket is empty, it means that:
- 🕒 It has been more than 30 days since the removal.
- 🧹 You manually cleaned the cart through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
- 🔄 Files were deleted through a file manager (such as Explorer) bypassing the gallery.
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially on the POCO) The cart is disabled by default. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings. → Basket → Turn it on.
2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (cloud storage)
If your Xiaomi has Mi Cloud sync enabled, the chances of returning a photo are much higher. The cloud automatically saves copies of the images (provided the function is activated).
Instructions for remediation:
- 🌐 Open your browser on a PC or other device and go to i.mi.com.
- 🔑 Sign in with the same Mi Account as you do on your phone.
- 📷 Go to the Gallery section → Cart (if photos are recently deleted) or All photos.
- 💾 Select the files you need. → Download or Restore.
Important details:
- 📅 Mi Cloud photos are stored 60 days after deletion (as opposed to 30 days in the local cart).
- 📉 Free rate only provides 5GB – if memory is full, old files can be automatically deleted.
- 🔄 If the sync has been disabled, the cloud won't help. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
| Conditions | Chance of recovery | Storage period |
|---|---|---|
| Photos deleted <30 days ago, cart not cleared | 95% | 30 days |
| Photos deleted >30 days, but backup in Mi Cloud | 80% | 60 days |
| Sync is off, basket cleared | 30% | Depends on overwriting the memory. |
| Photos deleted via file manager (not gallery) | 50% | Before the sector re-recording |
⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos instead of Mi Cloud, check the Recycle Bin on photos.google.com. It lasts 60 days, but only for files uploaded to the cloud.
3. Use of PCs and programs for deep scanning
If you can't find the photos in the cart and the cloud, you'll need to connect the smartphone to your computer.
- 🖥️ PC Windows/macOS.
- 🔌 USB Type C C Cable (Original or Quality).
- 🛠️ Recovery software (e.g. DiskDigger, Recuva, EaseUS MobiSaver).
Step-by-step:
- 📱 Turn on Xiaomi mode Debugging by USB: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times to become a developer. Go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.
File Transfer (MTP)
DiskDigger
deep-scan
🖼️ After analysis, mark the necessary photos → save it on PC.
The more you use your phone after you delete a photo, the lower your chances of recovery. New files (photos, videos, apps) overwrite old data at the memory sector level.
Enable debugging over USB
Use the original cable
Charge your phone at least 50%
Do not save new files to the device
Select a program with support for Android-->
4.Recovery through MIUI backup
If you've ever backed up through built-in MIUI tools, there's a chance you can retrieve the photos from there, which works even if the files were deleted months ago -- provided the backup is made before they disappear.
How to restore:
- 📲 Open the Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backups.
- 🗂️ Select the most recent copy (see the date of creation).
- 🔍 Press Restore. → tick the gallery (or DCIM).
- ⚠️ Confirm the recovery (the process will take 5-15 minutes).
⚠️ Attention: Backup copies MIUI stored in a folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup If you format your phone, those files are deleted too.
5. Specialized Android Apps
If you don't have a PC, you can try to restore photos directly on your phone using mobile utilities.
| Annex | Advantages | Deficiencies | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumpster | It works like an extended recycle bin, recovers files in seconds. | You need to install before removing the photo. | Google Play |
| DiskDigger Photo Recovery | Deep scanning without root, supports RAW | Slow operation on weak phones | Google Play |
| Undeleter Recover Files & Data | Restores photos, videos and documents | Requires root for full scanning | Google Play |
How to use DiskDigger (for example):
- 📱 Install the app from Google Play.
- 🔍 Run a full scan (memory access required).
- 🖼️ Wait for the analysis to be completed (it may take up to an hour).
- 💾 Mark the photos found. → Save it to the cloud or memory card.
Important: Most mobile utilities require root rights for deep scanning. On Xiaomi, that means unlocking the bootloader and potentially losing warranty. Without root, the chances of success are reduced to 40-50%.
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Before using any recovery software, turn off your phone’s Wi-Fi and mobile data, which will prevent new files from automatically downloading, which can overwrite deleted photos.
6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center
If all of these methods did not work, the last option is to contact the official Xiaomi service.
- 💔 The photos were critical (e.g. documents or unique footage).
- 🔧 Phone is physically damaged (not turned on, not detected by PC).
- 🛡️ You are afraid to manipulate your memory yourself.
What can be done in the service:
- 🔬 Chip-off analysis – extracting data directly from a memory chip (expensive but effective).
- 🔧 Recovery through EDL-mode (for phones with damaged firmware).
- 📊 Checking hidden memory partitions, where sometimes “deleted” files fall.
The cost of services varies from 3000 to 15 000 ₽ Official service centers Xiaomi in Russia:
- 📍 Moscow: list of addresses.
- 📍 St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and other cities.
⚠️ Warning: Irreversible actions (e.g., completely resetting your phone to factory settings) reduce the chances of recovery to zero. If the photos are critical, do not perform any memory manipulations until you consult a specialist.
Why not use a “magic” program with a promise of 100% recovery?
7.Prevention: How to avoid loss of photos in the future
To avoid the problem of remote images, set up Xiaomi according to these rules:
- ☁️ Enable automatic sync with Mi Cloud: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → gallery → Select Only over Wi-Fi to avoid wasting mobile traffic.
- 🗑️ Set up the gallery basket: Gallery → ⋮ → Settings → Basket → Storage period (maximum 60 days)
- 💾 Regularly create local backups: Settings → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backup Save copies to memory card or PC.
- 📁 Use duplication on Google Photos: Install the app and enable Backup and Sync.
Additional measures:
- 🚫 Avoid cleaning your memory through Settings → Warehouse → Cleaning – This removes files from the cart.
- 🔄 Before resetting the phone to factory settings, remove the memory card (if the photo is stored on it).
- 📱 Install Dumpster – it works as a “second basket” for all deleted files.
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Even if the photo was not restored, do not despair: modern neural networks (for example, Remini or Adobe Photoshop) can improve the quality of old or damaged images, partially saved.