How to view hidden notes on Xiaomi: everything from archive to ADB

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer users a handy note-taking tool, the Notes app (or Notes in global firmware), but sometimes important records disappear from the main list: they are accidentally archived, hidden through privacy settings, or they fall into the shopping cart. In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to find hidden notes, from basic app features to advanced ADB methods and data recovery.

The MIUI feature is that it can automatically move notes to the archive during prolonged inactivity or after updates, and users often experience a problem when notes are lost after resetting settings or flashing the device, and we will look not only at standard search methods, but also at unique techniques for retrieving notes from MIUI backups and system folders that are not dokumented in official instructions.

1. Check the archive and basket in the app “Notes”

The first thing to do is check the built-in sections of the Notes app. Xiaomi developers have a mechanism for archiving and temporarily storing deleted records, but many users are unaware of these features.

Open the Notes app and follow the following steps:

📁 Archive of Notes: Slip on the icon «⋮» (three points) in upper right corner → Select Archives. This is where you store notes that you have manually archived or that the system has transferred automatically (for example, after 30 days unchanged).
🗑️ Bag: Same menu «⋮» You can select a Recycle Bin. Deleted notes are stored here for 30 days, and then they are permanently erased. You can restore them by clicking on the note and choosing Restore.
🔍 Keyword search: At the top of the screen is a search bar. Type a phrase or word from a missing note, the system will show results even from the archive and basket.

If you don't have notes in your archive or your cart, move on to the next method. Please note that after you completely reset or flash through Fastboot, the data from your cart and archive is also deleted.

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If you don’t see Archive or Recycle Bin items on the menu, update the Notes app via Google Play or the MIUI app store.

2. Search through MIUI System Explorer

Notes are stored as files on an internal drive in Xiaomi, and if the app doesn’t display records, you can try to find them manually through Explorer (or any other file manager, such as Solid Explorer).

The path to notes depends on the version of MIUI and the model of the smartphone.

📂 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Notes/ — Standard location for notes in.json or.db format.
📂 /data/data/com.miui.notes/ — Application system folder (available only with root rights or through ADB).
📂 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.notes/files/ — backups and cache.

Note files may have extensions:

📄.json – text notes in format JSON (You can open it with any text editor).
🗃️.db or.sqlite – note-based databases (require special programs to view, for example) DB Browser for SQLite).

If you don’t have a Notes folder, check for hidden files (turn on hidden items in your Explorer settings) and note that the note storage structure may have changed after the MIUI 14→15 update.

How to open a.db note file without root?

Download the SQLite Editor app from Google Play. Open a database file (like notes.db) and go to a note table or notes_content. There will be stored the text of notes in encrypted or open form.

3.Recovery of Notes through MIUI Backup

Xiaomi automatically backs up notes when synchronized with Mi Account, and if you’ve previously enabled this feature, the chances of returning missing records are much higher.

To recover notes from backup:

Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
Make sure the Notes slider is on and the data is synchronized.
If notes are not displayed, try forced synchronization: tap on Notes → Sync.
If this doesn’t work, do Data Recovery from backup (available in Mi Cloud → Backup).

Important: Mi Cloud backups are stored for 30 days, if the note was deleted earlier, you can't restore it through the cloud, and note that the recovery will replace the current notes with the ones in the copy.

📊 You regularly back up your notes?

Yes, through Mi Cloud.

Yes, manually on PC.

Sometimes.

No, I'm not.

Method of recovery	Conditions required	Time of action	Limitations
Archive in annex	Note archived manually	No restrictions.	Not working after resetting settings
Basket	Post deleted less than 30 days ago	30 days	After cleaning the cart, the data is lost
Mi Cloud	Synchronization is on, there is a backup.	30 days (retention of copies)	Replace current notes with old ones
Manual file search	Files not physically deleted	Before the data is rewritten	Requires knowledge of MIUI structure

4.Use of ADB for Note Retrieval (Advanced Method)

If the standard methods didn’t work, you can try extracting notes through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that is suitable for users who have experience with the command line.

First, turn on the USB debugging:

Go to Settings → About Phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the Developer Mode.
Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.

Next, connect your smartphone to your PC and execute commands in the terminal (pre-installe ADB):

adb shell


su




cd /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/




ls

You will see a list of database files (e.g. notes.db) and copy it to your PC:

adb pull /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/notes.db C:\NotesBackup\

You can now open notes.db with SQLite Browser and extract notes from note tables or notes_content.

Install ADB on PC|Enable USB debugging on Xiaomi|Plug phone to PC on USB|Download SQLite Browser to view the database|Create a folder for backup on PC-->

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The ADB method only works if the notes have not been physically deleted from the system folder. Once you reset or flash the data into /data/data/, the data is erased.

5. Recovering deleted notes with third-party utilities

If you deleted your notes long ago and you don't have any backups, you can try to restore them with specialized data recovery software.

🛠️ DiskDigger scans internal memory for deleted files, including notes in.json format.
🛠️ EaseUS MobiSaver – Supports data recovery from applications including com.miui.notes.
🛠️ Dr.Fone is a paid, high-performance solution for extracting notes and other data.

The recovery algorithm:

Install the program on the PC.
Connect Xiaomi to USB (enable debugging if required).
Select the Note Recovery or Deep Scan section.
Wait until the process is complete and save the files found.

Important: Don’t write new data to your smartphone after you delete your notes, which reduces your chances of a successful recovery, and note that free versions of software often have limitations on how much data you can recover.

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Before using third-party utilities, check reviews on forums (such as 4PDA or XDA) and some programs may contain malicious code or misuse MIUI.

6. Features for different versions of MIUI and Xiaomi models

The ways to find hidden notes may vary depending on the firmware version and device model, and below is a list of nuances for popular lines:

📱 Redmi Note 10/11/12: V MIUI 13-14 notes are kept in /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Notes/. Archive and Recycle Bin are available in a standard application.
📱 Xiaomi 12/13/14: These models use cloud sync by default. check out Mi Cloud first.
📱 POCO F3/F4/F5: Due to customized firmware, the path to notes can be /storage/emulated/0/POCO/Notes/.
📱 Devices on MIUI 15: The new version adds the "Affixed Notes" feature (available by long tapu on note.

Older models (such as the Redmi 4X or Mi A1) may require manual copying of the database via ADB, as they lack synchronization with the Mi Cloud.

What to do if the notes are encrypted?

In MIUI 12+, you can password-protect your notes. If you forget your password, try resetting it through Settings → Passwords & Security → Notes. If that doesn't work, the only way is to restore it from the backup before locking it.

7.Prevention: How to avoid loss of notes in the future

To avoid missing notes again, follow these guidelines:

☁️ Enable automatic sync with Mi Cloud: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Notes.
📥 Export notes manually: in the Notes app, select a note → «⋮» → Exports (available formats.txt or.html).
🔄 Regularly back up through Settings → System system → Backup.
📌 Stick to important notes: a long tap on the note → Secure (not in the archive).

Also avoid:

❌ Delete notes through third-party file managers (this bypasses the shopping cart).
❌ Resetting settings without prior backup.
❌ Use of unofficial firmware without checking compatibility with the application.

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The most reliable way to save notes is a combination of cloud synchronization (Mi Cloud) + manually export important records to PC or Google Drive.

Frequently asked questions

Can I recover notes after resetting settings?

If you have synced with Mi Cloud enabled, you can restore notes through the cloud, otherwise the chances are minimal - the reset erases data from the system folders.

Why did the notes disappear after the MIUI update?

When updating your firmware, you sometimes reset your Notes app settings. Check your archive, basket, and /MIUI/Notes/ folder. If your notes were in the cloud, force sync.

How to transfer notes to the new Xiaomi smartphone?

The easiest way is to sync through Mi Cloud, and you can export notes to.txt and import them on a new device through a file manager.

Can I recover notes without root rights?

Yes, through an archive, a shopping cart, Mi Cloud or third-party utilities (like DiskDigger (/data/data/) root is not required if you use ADB.

Where are the notes in the format of pictures or pictures stored?

Multimedia notes (with pictures) are stored in /MIUI/Notes/images/ or in the app cache, and can also be found through Explorer or Google Photos if autoload has been enabled.

If none of the methods worked, the last hope is to contact Xiaomi’s support team with a device model and MIUI version. In rare cases, engineers can help with recovering data from server backups (if any).

⚠️ Note: Do not use programs to “hack” note databases – this may result in the blocking of your Mi Account for violating the terms of use.

⚠️ Note: When restoring notes through ADB Disable the antivirus on your PC – it can block access to Xiaomi system files.