Removing important photos from a Xiaomi smartphone is one of the most frustrating situations users face. Even if you have cleaned a shopping cart in a gallery or formatted a memory card, the chances of returning pictures remain. In this article, we will discuss all the available recovery methods, from standard MIUI functions to professional utilities, and explain why some methods work only in the first hours after removal.
It's important to understand that success depends on whether you've written new data to your device after you lose a photo. Every new photo, app you install, or cache reduces your chances of recovery, so you need to act quickly -- and start with the simplest steps.
1.Check the basket in the standard Xiaomi gallery
Modern versions of MIUI (starting with MIUI 12) automatically send deleted photos to the internal cart, where they are stored for up to 30 days, which is the fastest way and requires no additional programs.
To find the basket:
- 📱 Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
- 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
- 🔍 View the list of deleted files. Photo marked Cleared can't be restored.
- ↩️ Select the right pictures. → Click Restore (Icon with an arrow up).
If the cart is empty or not on the menu, it means:
- 🚫 You've already cleaned it by hand.
- 📱 On your smartphone, the old version MIUI (12th).
- 💾 Photos deleted from memory card (basket only works for internal memory).
⚠️ Attention: Basket in MIUI It doesn't sync with the cloud. If you delete a photo on one device, it's only going to stay on the other device when Mi Cloud is on.
2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)
If your Xiaomi has been activated sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning photos are high. The cloud retains copies of the images even after they are deleted from the device - provided that you did not clear the cloud Recycle Bin.
How to check:
- 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Xiaomi account.
- 🖼️ In the Gallery section, find the Recycle Bin folder (or Recently Deleted in English version).
- ⏳ Deleted photos are stored there for 60 days - highlight them and click Restore.
If the photo is not in the cloud:
- 🔄 Maybe the sync was turned off. Check in the smartphone settings: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
- 📵 You don’t have enough space in the cloud (only 5GB is free).
- 📎 Photos removed more than 60 days ago.
If the cloud doesn't work, move on to the next method, but first make sure that your smartphone is automatically synchronized, otherwise the new data may overwrite deleted photos.
3. Connect to a PC and search for hidden files
Sometimes photos are not deleted completely, but simply become hidden or moved to system folders. To find them, connect Xiaomi to your computer in file transfer (MTP) mode.
Instructions for Windows:
- 🔌 Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-Cable (use the original cable for stability).
- 📂 On your smartphone, select File Transfer mode (notification will appear in the curtain).
- 🖥️ On PC, open this computer. → Find the Xiaomi device.
- 🔍 Enable the display of hidden files: Control Panel → Folder parameters → species → Remove the tick "Hide protected system files"
- 📁 Check the folders: DCIM/.thumbnails — photo-picture. Pictures/Screenshots — screenshot. MIUI/Backup/AllBackup — backup.
If no photos are found, try searching for extensions:
- 🔎 In the search bar, type.jpg or.png.
- 📅 Sort files by date of change – it is possible that the photos are in an unexpected folder.
⚠️ Warning: Do not copy new files to your smartphone while searching! this can overwrite deleted data.
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If your PC doesn’t see Xiaomi, try another one. USB-Also check if the smartphone screen is unlocked – some models block data transmission when the screen is locked.
4. Data recovery programs (without root)
If standard methods don't work, it's time to use special utilities that scan the device's memory at the file system level and can find photos even after cleaning the basket. We recommend programs that run without root rights (so as not to risk warranty).
| Programme | Xiaomi support | Recovery. | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiskDigger | Yes (including Redmi, POCO) | Photos, videos, documents | The free version does not save files in their original quality. |
| EaseUS MobiSaver | Yes (requires) USB-debugging) | Photos, messages, contacts | Paid License for Full Recovery |
| Recuva | Memory Cards Only (MicroSD) | Any files. | It does not work with the internal memory of the smartphone |
| Dr.Fone | Yes (including new models) | Photo, video, audio | Long scan, high price |
Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (the easiest option):
- 📱 Install the program on a smartphone from Google Play.
- 🔍 Start the scan (select Basic scan for photos).
- 🖼️ After completion, mark the desired files and press Recover.
- 💾 Save recovered photos to a memory card or cloud (not internal memory!).
If the program does not find a photo:
- 🔄 Repeat the scan in Full scan mode (requires more time).
- 📵 Try connecting your smartphone to your PC and using the desktop version of the utility.
- 🔧 Turn it on. USB-Debugging in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap).
Disable Wi-Fi and Mobile Data on Xiaomi|Charge your smartphone at least 50%|Use the original USB-cable|Do not connect other devices to the same PC port-->
5. Recovery from a memory card (microSD)
If the photos were stored on a memory card, the chances of recovery are higher — especially if you haven’t written new files to it, such as Recuva (free) or PhotoRec (power users).
Instructions for Recuva:
- 💾 Remove the memory card from the smartphone and connect it to the PC through the card reader.
- 📥 Download Recuva and install it on your computer.
- 🔍 Run the program. → Select the file type of Images → Indicate your memory card.
- ⚡ Start scanning (Deep Analysis will take longer, but find more files).
- 🖼️ After completion, mark the photo and click Restore (save to the hard drive of the PC!).
What to do if the photo is restored, but:
- 🖼️ Damaged: Try opening them through Photoshop or online services like OfficeRecovery.
- 🔤 No Names: Use date renaming programs (e.g. Bulk Rename Utility).
- 📅 Mixed: sort by date of creation (in file properties).
⚠️ Note: If the memory card is encrypted (e.g. via Settings) → Security → Encryption SD-maps, it is impossible to recover data without a password.
6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center
If all previous methods have failed and photos are critical (such as the only copies of documents or family photos), you can contact the official Xiaomi service center, they have specialized equipment to extract data even from damaged drives.
What you need to know before your visit:
- 💰 The cost of recovery starts from 3 000 rubles and depends on the complexity of the.
- ⏳ The process can take from 2 days to a week.
- 📱 The warranty on the device is not lost if the cause of data loss was a software error.
- 🔒 In some cases, proof of ownership of the Mi Account will be required.
How to find the nearest service center:
- 🌍 Go to the Xiaomi Service website.
- 📍 Enter your city or enable geolocation.
- 📞 Call before you visit to see if they are recovering data (not all centers provide this service).
The alternative is private data recovery labs (such as ACE Lab or R-Studio), which work with any device, but the prices are higher (from 5 000 rubles).
What to do if Xiaomi is not included?
How to avoid losing photos in the future
To avoid the problem of deleted photos, set up automatic backup on your Xiaomi.
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: Enable Gallery Sync in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud. Free is given 5 GB, but for 299 rubles / year you can expand to 200 GB.
- 📁 Google Photos: Install the app and activate Backup and Sync. Free - unlimited number of photos in compressed quality.
- 💾 Local Copy: Transfer your photo to a PC or external hard drive once a month.
- 🔄 Double memory card: some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) two-way SIM + microSD. Use the card only for photos.
Additional advice:
- 🚫 Don’t store a single copy of important photos on your smartphone.
- 🔋 Before resetting settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Recovery and Reset - Always do backup.
- 🛡️ Set the password on the folder. DCIM security MIUI (protects against accidental removal).
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The most reliable way is a combination of cloud storage (Mi Cloud or Google Photos) + It's a local backup on your PC, and you're protected from data loss even if your smartphone breaks down.