How to return deleted photos on Xiaomi smartphones: from the cart to deep scanning

You're not alone: statistically, one in three users has lost data at least once due to accidental pressing or system failure. Fortunately, Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and Mi models) have several built-in recovery mechanisms, as well as third-party tools that will help return photos even after full memory clearing. In this article, we will examine all the current ways — from simple check the basket to complex scanning through ADB, taking into account the features of MIUI firmware and Android versions.

It's important to understand that the chances of success depend on how long it's been since you deleted it and whether you've used your phone after that. The faster you act, the more likely you are to return the entire files. And if the photos were synced to the Mi Cloud or Google Photos cloud, the process will take only a couple of minutes. Next, the detailed instructions for each case, including the hidden MIUI features that are not mentioned in the official documentation.

1. Checking the basket in the Xiaomi Gallery

The most obvious, but often ignored, way is that MIUI firmware (starting with version 12) has a built-in cart where photos are stored 30 days after being deleted, which can be changed in settings, but it's the default one, to check the cart:

1. Open the standard Gallery app (an icon with a colored rhombus).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines in the lower right corner (menu).
3. Select Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted in older versions).
4. Find the right photos, click on them and select “Restore”.

If the basket is empty or you don't have any pictures of yourself, it's either been more than 30 days or you've been cleaning it manually, and then you go to the following methods.

⚠️ Note: In some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro) Recycle bin is disabled by default. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings → Basket → Turn on.

2.Recovery through Mi Cloud

If your Xiaomi has enabled sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning photos are very high.The cloud keeps backups of media files even if they were deleted from the device.

• 📱 Open the Mi Cloud app (or go to i.mi.com from PC).
• 🔑 Sign in to the same Mi Account that was linked to your phone.
• 📁 Go to the Gallery or Backups section».
• 🔍 Find a folder with a date when the photos were still on your phone and download them back.

If the cloud doesn’t have the right images, check:

• Was synchronization enabled (Settings → Mi → Mi Cloud → Gallery)
• Have you changed your Mi Account after deleting your photo (the data is linked to a specific profile)?
• Has the backup storage period expired (free 5 GB is provided, when overflowing old files can be deleted).

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings without detaching your Mi Account, access to the cloud will be blocked, in which case you will need to unlock through Xiaomi Support (can take up to 72 hours).

3.Use of Google Photos

Many Xiaomi users are unaware that Google Photos automatically backs up photos, even if the main gallery is standard from MIUI.

1. Open the Google Photos app (if not, install it from the Play Market).
2. Sign in with the same Google account that was linked to your phone.
3. Go to the "Baskbasket" section (side menu) and the photos are stored there for 60 days.
4. If the cart is empty, check the main tape – it is possible that the photos are simply hidden or archived.

An important nuance: Google Photos by default downloads images in compressed quality (up to 16 MP). To return the originals, you had to turn on the option “Original quality” in the backup settings.

Google Photos settings → Backup and sync → Download quality

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If the photos were deleted long ago, try searching for keywords in Google Photos, such as “beach 2023” or “cat” if you remember the content of the photos.

4. PC connection and memory scanning

If the photos are not synced to the clouds, but are still physically stored in the phone's memory (just marked as deleted), they can be recovered via a computer.

• 🖥️ PC Windows/macOS;
• 📱 Cable USB (Preferably original from Xiaomi);
• 🛠️ Recovery software (e.g. DiskDigger, Recuva or EaseUS MobiSaver).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in file transfer mode (when you request a phone, select File Manager or MTP).
2. Install and run a recovery program (e.g., DiskDigger).
3. Select the drive that matches the phone’s memory (usually Internal Storage or the phone’s memory). SD-map).
4. Run a deep scan, which will take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours.
5. After completion, mark the desired photos and save them on the PC.

Warning: Do not save recovered files back to your phone, this may overwrite the remaining deleted data.

Enable debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press)

Use the original USB cable

Charge your phone at least 50%

Do not connect other devices to the PC during scanning-->

5. Recovery through ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can try extracting photos through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires technical skills, but sometimes saves you in desperate situations.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver;
• 📱 Included debugging by USB phone-on;
• 🔧 Knowledge of the command line.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear serial number of your Xiaomi.
3. Obtain superuser rights (unlocked bootloader required): adb shell su
4. Find the path to the photo folder (usually /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ or /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/).
5. Copy files on your PC, even if they are marked as deleted: adb pull /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ C:\Xiaomi_Recovery\

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB If you have a Xiaomi guarantee, this method will lead to its loss. ADB on encrypted memory phones (such as the Mi 13 Pro) because data may not be available without a password.

6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If the photos are critical (such as documents or only photos from the event), and independent attempts were unsuccessful, you can contact the official service center Xiaomi.

What you need to know:

• 💰 The cost of the service starts from 3 000 rubles (depending on the model and complexity of the work).
• 🔒 You will need to prove ownership of the phone (checks, box, tied account Mi).

Addresses of official Xiaomi services in Russia:

• Moscow: Letnikovsky St., 10, page 4 (in the shopping center "Europesky");
• St. Petersburg: Marshal Govorov str., 35 (in the shopping center "Gulliver");
• Kazan: Trade Union St., 13 (in the shopping center "Ring");
• Novosibirsk: Krasny Prospekt, 220 (in the shopping center "Gallery").

Before visiting, make sure to call and check if they provide a data recovery service, and in some cases, you may need to send your phone to a central service center (for example, Xiaomi Russia in Moscow).

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If the photos were deleted from the phone’s internal memory, the chances of recovery are higher than with the phone. SD-Internal memory (eMMC/UFS) Less likely to be fragmented, and the “traces” of files are stored longer.

7. How to avoid losing photos in the future

To avoid the problem of remote photos, set up automatic backup and follow the simple rules:

• ☁️ Enable sync with Mi Cloud and Google Photos at the same time (double protection).
• 📁 Regularly (once a month) copy important photos to your PC or external drive.
• 🔄 Do not manually clean the gallery basket – wait for automatic removal in 30 days.
• 🛡️ Install a backup app (such as Sync.com or Dropbox).
• 📱 Avoid using the “memory optimization” functions in MIUI — They can delete old photos without warning.

Set up automatic backup in Mi Cloud:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select “Gallery” and switch on the switch.
3. Click on “Sync settings” and select: 🔘 Wi-Fi only (to avoid wasting mobile traffic); 🔘 Original quality (if it is important to retain the permit); 🔘 Automatic booting.

It's also recommended to check periodically if the cloud is full, and the free rate of Mi Cloud only gives 5 GB, and Google Photos - 15 GB per account, if you exceed the limit, new photos will no longer sync.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi