How to pull a photo from a broken Xiaomi: all the ways from Mi Account to ADB

Introduction: Can data be saved if the screen is not working?

A broken screen on a Xiaomi smartphone is not only a nuisance, but also a risk of losing all photos, videos and documents. Especially if the display is completely black, does not respond to touch or shows only stripes. Many users carry the phone into service in panic, unaware that 90% of the data can be extracted independently - even without a desktop screen.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways - from simple (via Mi Account or Mi Account). OTG-cable to advanced (teams) ADB Importantly, the method depends on whether the phone is turned on, whether the sensor is working, whether there is a backup in the cloud, and we will also warn about typical errors that can lead to complete loss of data if you improperly act on a damaged device.

If you're reading this on a phone with a cracked but also a work screen, back up immediately! Use Settings → About Phone → Backup or sync with Google Photos. If the display is already dead, read on.

Method 1: Recovery via Mi Account (if synchronized)

The fastest and safest method is to use Xiaomi cloud storage, which will only work if the phone has been enabled to sync with Mi Account and save media files in Mi Cloud.

• 📱 Visit i.mi.com from a computer or other smartphone.
• 🔑 Sign in with the same account that is tied to a broken Xiaomi.
• 🖼️ Go to the Gallery or Photos section – your photos should be there.
• 📥 Press Choose All. → Download (files are packaged in the ZIP-archive).

⚠️ Note: If you don’t remember the Mi Account password, don’t try to recover it through the SMS This can block your account. Instead, use a backup email or answer to your security questions.

If the cloud doesn’t have the right photos, check Google Photos (if you’ve had autoload enabled). Go to photos.google.com and log in to the same Google account as Xiaomi.

Method 2: Connecting through OTG-cable (if the screen responds to touch)

If the display is broken, but the sensor is partially working (responsible to touch), you can try connecting the mouse through the device. OTG-Adapter.This method is suitable for Xiaomi Redmi Note models 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4, Mi 11/12 and others with support OTG.

You'll need:

• 🔌 OTG-adapter (Type-C or Micro-USB depending on the model).
• 🖱️ Wired or wireless mouse (keyboard not required).
• 💾 Flash drive or external drive (if you need to copy files directly).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect. OTG-Adapter to the phone and mouse to it.
2. If the screen is lighting up but you can’t see the image, try pressing the power button three times – this can turn on TalkBack mode.
3. Using the mouse, unlock the phone (if there is a pattern lock, swipe the cursor at approximate coordinates).
4. Open the Explorer or Gallery, select the necessary files and copy them to the flash drive.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is locked with a password or PIN-If you use the code, and the screen doesn't display input, it won't work. ADB (section).

Method 3: Removal of the memory card (if the photos were stored on SD)

If you've used an external microSD to store a photo, it's a simpler task to take it out of your phone and read it on another device.

• 📷 On most Xiaomi (e.g. Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) The memory card is used as a portable storage device, you can just take it out.
• 🔒 If the card is formatted as internal memory (an option at the first connection), it will not be possible to remove it without disassembling the phone - it is encrypted.
• 🛠️ For extraction, a plastic spatula or tweezers may be needed (on some models, trays for the SIM+SD buried).

How to take out the map:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Find a tray for SIM-cards (usually on the upper or lateral edge).
3. Put the paperclip in the hole so that the tray pops out.
4. Carefully remove the memory card and insert it into the computer card reader.

⚠️ Note: If the card has been formatted as an internal memory, its contents are encrypted with a key attached to the phone, in which case the data can only be read after unlocking the bootloader (see method 5).

Method 4: Using ADB (for unlocked phones)

ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is a tool for managing an Android device via a computer, and it will help if:

• 🔓 The phone was debugging on. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to unlock the developer menu).
• 🖥️ The phone is defined by the computer (even with a broken screen).
• 🔒 Device unlocked (no) PIN-code or can be entered blindly).

Instructions:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack it on your computer.
2. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
3. Open the command prompt (Win + R → enter cmd) and go to the folder with adb:

cd C:\platform-tools

1. Check if the computer can see the device:

adb devices

If you get a serial number, it's connected. If you don't, try another cable or USB port.

1. Copy files to your computer (example for photo):

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Xiaomi_Photos

💡 If you don’t know the exact path to files, use the adb shell ls command. /sdcard/, to see a folder list.

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If the phone is blocked PIN-code, but debugging by USB was turned on, you can try to enter the code blindly: connect the keyboard through OTG and type PIN, Then press Enter.

Method 5: Contacting the service center (guarantee and non-guarantee cases)

If the independent methods do not work, there is professional help, and Xiaomi service centers can extract data even from a completely dead screen, but there are nuances:

• 🛡️ Warranty: If the phone is warranty, but the screen crashed due to your fault, data extraction is usually paid (from 1,500 to 5,000). ₽).
• 🔧 Non-warranty repairs: Cost depends on the model. e.g. for Redmi Note 11 — ~3 000 ₽, Xiaomi 13 Pro – up to 8000 ₽.
• ⏳ Timeline: 1 day (if you only need to copy data) to a week (if you need to change the screen).

How to choose a service:

• 🏢 Official Xiaomi Centers (list on mi.com).
• 🔍 Check reviews on Yandex.Maps or 2GIS – look for references to data extraction.
• 📄 Sign a contract with the confidentiality clause (so that your photos do not fall into the wrong hands).

⚠️ Warning: Some artisanal workshops offer cheaper data extraction, but may use unsafe methods (such as soldering memory) that are risky — if something goes wrong, the phone becomes a brick (irreplaceable).

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Xiaomi's official services guarantee data security, but they cost more. Informal workshops are cheaper, but the risk of losing is increasing.

Method 6: Disassembly of the case and connection to the programmer (extreme method)

If the screen is not only broken, but the phone is not turned on, the most radical way is to connect directly to memory through a programmer, a complex procedure that requires:

• 🛠️ Skills of soldering and working with microelectronics.
• 💻 Special equipment (eMMC programmer, cost from 10 000) ₽).
• 🔍 Knowing the schema of your Xiaomi model (such as where the memory chip is located) UFS or eMMC).

Short algorithm (for experienced users):

1. Disassemble the phone by removing the back cover and battery.
2. Find a memory chip (usually labeled Samsung, Hynix, or Micron).
3. Sell contacts to the programmer (use the pinout scheme for your model).
4. Read the data using the Flash Tool or EasyJTAG.

⚠️ Attention: This method can destroy data forever if you misuse voltage or contacts, and there is a risk of damaging the board by making the phone completely inoperable. Without soldering experience and knowledge of electronics, don't even try it yourself.

FAQ: Frequent questions about extracting data from a broken Xiaomi