Losing photos on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that almost every user faces: you accidentally clicked Delete, formatted your memory card or reset your phone to factory settings — and now valuable images are gone. Fortunately, in 90% of cases, files can be recovered, even if they were deleted long ago, the main thing is to act quickly and correctly.
In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to return photos on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard MIUI features to professional tools. You will learn how data storage mechanisms work, why you should not write new files to your phone after losing pictures, and which programs really help (and which are a waste of time).
The sooner you start your recovery, the better the chances of success. Even if the photos were deleted a month ago, don't panic - follow the instructions below.
1.Check out "Basket" at MIUI Gallery
Modern versions of MIUI (starting with MIUI 12) automatically save deleted photos in a special folder called Recycle Bin (similar to Recycle Bin on PC), which is stored there for 30 days by default, after which they are permanently erased.
- Open the standard Gallery app.
- Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
- Select the Recycle Bin (or Remote in some versions).
- Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.
If you don't have a Recycle Bin folder, your version of MIUI doesn't support it (relevant to older models like Xiaomi Mi 8 or Redmi 5).
⚠️ Attention: In some firmware, the basket is disabled by default. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings. → Cart and turn on the option.
📊 Where do you most often store photos on Xiaomi?
Inner memory.
On a microSD card.
In the Mi Cloud
Google Photos.
Another option
2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud Storage)
If your Xiaomi has enabled sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning a photo are very high. The cloud automatically saves copies of the images, even if the originals are deleted from the phone.
- 🌐 Go to i.mi.com from any device and log in to your Xiaomi account.
- 📁 In the Gallery section, find the Remote or Recycle Bin folder (depending on the version of the service).
- 🔍 Tag the photos and click Restore. They'll be back in the main gallery on the phone.
- 📱 If you do not have access to the PC, open Settings on your smartphone → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Gallery and check for backup copies.
Mi Cloud stores deleted photos for up to 60 days, which is twice as long as a local cart, but the free rate is limited to 5 GB, so if you don't pay for the expansion, some of the images may not sync.
| Xiaomi model | Support for Mi Cloud | Max. Free Storage Volume |
|---|
| Xiaomi 13/14 series | Yes (automatic synchronization) | 5GB |
| Redmi Note 10-12 | Yes (must be manually enabled) | 5GB |
| POCO F/X series | Yes (requires authorization) | 5GB |
| Xiaomi Mi 9/10 | Yeah (obsolete interface) | 5GB |
⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings and do not remember the password from your Xiaomi account, it will be impossible to restore access to the Mi Cloud without proof of ownership of the device (via support).
3. Use of Google Photos (if synchronization was enabled)
Many Xiaomi users prefer Google Photos over Mi Cloud because of the user-friendly interface and free storage (with compression).If you signed in to a Google account on your phone, check:
- 📱 Open the Google Photos app on your phone or go to photos.google.com.
- 🔎 Select the Recycle Bin - photos are stored there for 60 days.
- 📂 If the basket is empty, check the Archive folder or search by date.
- 🔄 Click on the photo and select Restore (or Download if you need to save to your device).
Google Photos has the advantage of being cross-platform: you can download photos even on a PC or other phone, but remember that free storage is limited to 15 GB for the entire Google account (including Gmail and Drive).
💡
If you regularly delete photos but want to save them, set up automatic archiving by date or event in Google Photos. Go to Settings → Archiving and turn on the Auto Archive option.
4. PC recovery: programs for deep scanning
If the photo isn't in the clouds and the cart, you'll need to connect professional tools (Windows/Mac) and USB-The best recovery software:
| Programme | Xiaomi support | Scan depth | Free version |
|---|
| Recuva | Yeah (debugging mode needed) | Deep. | Yes (with limitations) |
| DiskDigger | Yeah (works without root) | Medium/deep | Yes (basic functions) |
| EaseUS MobiSaver | Yes (special mode for Android) | Deep. | No (trial) |
| 7-Data Recovery | Yes (requires) USB-debugging) | Deep. | No. |
Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (recommended for beginners):
Turn on Xiaomi Developer Mode (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap)
Activate Debugging over USB (Settings → Additional → For Developers)
Connect your phone to your PC via the original cable
Install ADB drivers (if Windows does not recognize the device)
Run DiskDigger and select No Root Rights mode-->
- Download and install DiskDigger.
- Connect Xiaomi to your PC and select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
- In the program, specify the phone drive (usually Internal Storage).
- Run a full scan (it takes longer but finds more files).
- After completing, mark the desired photos (formats.jpg,.png,.heic) and press Recover.
- Save files on your PC – not your phone, so you don’t wipe the remaining data!
If the program does not find a photo, try:
- 🔌 Use the other USB-cable (sometimes cheap cables don't transmit data).
- 📱 Restart your phone and PC.
- 🔧 Enable Xiaomi mode PTP instead MTP (plug-in).
What if the program asks for root rights?
Without root rights, programs scan only unsecured memory areas, so they'll find fewer files: 1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires Xiaomi account and wait) 7-15 days). 2. Install custom recovery (TWRP) and run the Magisk. ⚠️ Risks: loss of warranty, possible brick (if you make a mistake in firmware). For most users, deep scanning without root is enough.—> 5. If you have photos stored on a memory card, you have a better chance of recovery -- the flash memory is less susceptible to overwriting. Use the same programs as for internal memory, but with nuances in mind: 📁 Do not format the card after losing files – this erases the placement table, and programs will not be able to find the photo. 🔍 For cards, PhotoRec (free, works through the command line) or R-Studio (paid, but with a trial mode) is better suited). 💾 If the card is defined as “damaged”, try reading it through the card reader on another device): 1. Download TestDisk from the official website (includes PhotoRec). 2. Connect the card to the PC through the card reader. 3. Launch it. photorec_win.exe (Windows). 4. Select the card drive (for example, [E:]). 5. Specify the file system (usually) FAT32 exFAT). 6. Select a folder to save recovered files (not to the card!). 7. Press. [Search] PhotoRec does not save the original file names, so after recovery you will have to manually sort the pictures by date (they will be saved as if they were the original file names). f1234567.jpg). ⚠️ Note: If the memory card is physically damaged (not detected on any device), do not attempt to recover the data yourself - contact the lab. Attempts to use programs can aggravate the damage. 6. Resetting your phone is one of the most difficult situations, but even here there are chances. The main rule is: do not set up your phone after reset (do not add accounts, do not install apps). The fewer actions, the more data will remain intact. Your actions: Turn off your phone immediately after the reset to prevent overwriting. Connect Xiaomi to your PC and use DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver in deep scan mode. If the phone asks to configure after turning on, select Skip and connect to the PC as quickly as possible. Scan the entire memory of the device, not just the user data section: 🕒 The time after the reset (the earlier you start, the better). 📱 Phone models (on Xiaomi with Snapdragon chips, recovery is easier than on MediaTek). 🔄 Versions MIUI (New firmware uses encryption, which complicates the process. 7 Prevention: how to avoid loss of photos in the future The best way to avoid loss of photos is to set up a backup in advance: ☁️ Automatic sync with Mi Cloud: go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Gallery and enable option. Set the download quality to the Original if size is important. 📲 Google Photos with unlimited storage: in the app settings, select Quality → Saving space (photos are compressed, but space is not taken up). 💾 Local backups: copy the folder once a month DCIM PC-based. To do this, connect the phone to the computer and manually copy the files. 🔄 Backup apps: Swift Backup (requires root) or Titanium Backup can save not only photos, but also other data: 🚫 Do not store photos only on a memory card – it can fail at any time. 📅 Regularly check the folder of the basket in the gallery and clean it so that unnecessary files do not accumulate. 🔒 Set up a lock on important folders: in the Gallery MIUI You can hide albums with a password (Secure Albums option). 💡If you travel frequently, set up automatic download only over Wi-Fi in Google Photos so that you do not waste mobile traffic. → Mobile data and disable the option Download over the mobile network. FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi: Can you restore photos deleted a year ago? Theoretically, yes, but the chances are extremely low. The data on the flash memory is overwritten with new files over time. If the phone is actively used, the old photos are almost certainly erased. Try deep scanning through DiskDigger or R-Studio, but don't hope for success. Why do programs find photos, but they open with artifacts? This means that some of the data in the file has been overwritten, and it's impossible to recover it completely, but sometimes it helps to convert to another format (for example, through Photoshop or online services like iLoveIMG). MIUI? Firmware updates rarely affect user data, but if photos are missing, check: Folder DCIM/.thumbnails — Sometimes thumbnails remain.Temporary files through Undeleter (scan partition) /data). Backups in Mi Cloud or Google Photos. If nothing helps, try to revert to the previous version. MIUI via Fastboot (power users only!). Can you recover a photo from a broken Xiaomi screen? Yes, if the phone is turned on and determined by a PC. Connect it to the PC. USB, Unlock (if the screen is touch responsive) and use programs like DiskDigger. If the screen doesn't work at all: Connect the mouse through OTG-Adapter and unlock the phone. Use it. ADB For copying files (command: adb pull) /sdcard/DCIM). Contact the service center to replace the screen (if the data is worth it). Paid programs (for example, EaseUS MobiSaver or Dr.Fone) often have a more user-friendly interface and technical support, but they are not much more effective than free analogues like Recuva or PhotoRec. If free software didn’t find photos, paid ones are unlikely to help (except for specialized tools for Xiaomi, such as Mi PC Suite).