How to return messages from the archive on the Xiaomi Redmi phone: the complete guide

Have you accidentally archived important SMS on your Xiaomi Redmi and now you can’t find them? MIUI This problem is familiar to many users of Xiaomi smartphones, where the archiving function works in an unobvious way. Unlike other vendors, archival messages aren’t just hidden here – they can physically move to secure memory areas or even to the cloud.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven ways to return messages from the archive, including recovery through standard settings MIUI, Backups, hidden commands and third-party utilities. 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 And the K series flagships, where the logic of archiving is different, you'll learn exactly where the archived SMS is stored in the file system, how to export it to readable format, and what to do if the messages are lost after resetting.

Important: Recovery procedure depends on version MIUI (12, 13, 14 or 15) and phone models, such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+ The archive is different than Redmi. 9A. We will give universal instructions taking into account these nuances.

1.Where archived messages are stored in Xiaomi Redmi

In Xiaomi smartphones, archival SMS messages physically move to two possible locations:

• 📁 Local Archives - folder /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db (Root rights are required for access)
• ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud – syncs with Mi Account (if feature was enabled)
• 🔄 Backup copies MIUI — mbk files in the folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup

Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi has changed the mechanism of archiving: now messages are not just marked as “archive” in the database, but transferred to a separate table sms_archived. This makes it harder to recover with standard methods (MIUI 12-13) Archival SMS simply hidden filter in the application "Messages".

🔍 How to Check Where Your Archives Are Stored:

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings without backup, the chances of returning an archived SMS are near zero, in which case only professional data recovery will help through the backup. ADB Fastboot – but it requires special equipment.

2. Standard method: recovery through the application "Messages"

The simplest method works on MIUI 12-15 It doesn't require any additional software:

1. Open the "Messages" application (envelope icon)
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select Archive"
3. Press and hold the message you want (or select a few)
4. In the top menu, click on the icon "Restore" (arrow down)

📌 What to do if the Archives section is not on the menu:

• 🔧 Update the Messages app via Google Play (sometimes older versions hide the archive)
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes the archive becomes visible after the reboot
• 📱 Check if the archive is hidden in the settings: Message settings → Additionally. → Showing the archive

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Update the Messages app to the latest version

Make sure your phone has enough free memory (minimum 500MB)

Connect to Wi-Fi (if you plan to sync with the cloud)-->

❌ Challenges and solutions:

If you click on the Archive and you see a message saying “No archive messages”, but you are sure that you have archived SMS, try:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Communications → Warehouse → Clear the cache
2. Disable and enable Message Synchronization in Mi Cloud
3. Install an alternative SMS application (like Google Messages) and check the archive there

3. Restoration through backup MIUI

If you have ever created a backup through a standard feature MIUI Backup, the chances of returning archived messages are much higher:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset → Local backup
2. Select the latest copy (note the date of creation)
3. Click "Restore" and tick only the item "Messages"
4. Confirm the recovery and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Important nuances:

• 🔐 Recovery of correspondence will replace current messages with those that were at the time of creation of the backup
• 📅 If the backup is old, you will lose the new SMS you received after it was created.
• 🔌 Don’t turn your phone off during recovery – the process may take 10-30 minute

🔍 Where to look for backups if they are not in the settings:

Connect your phone to your computer and check the Internal Storage folder. → MIUI → backup → AllBackup. backup files have the.mbk extension and weigh between 10 and 500MB. They can be restored through the official Mi utility. PC Suite (download on Xiaomi website).

4.Using the Xiaomi Cloud (Mi Cloud)

If your Redmi had Mi Cloud sync enabled, the archived messages could be saved to the cloud.

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud
2. Make sure you are logged in to the same account that was linked to the archive.
3. Scroll down and find the "Messages" section.
4. Click on it and turn on sync if it is disabled.
5. Return to the Messages app and check the Archives section

🔄 If the messages do not appear:

• 📱 Try to log out of your Xiaomi account and log in again.
• 🌐 Check your internet connection – sync only works via Wi-Fi or mobile data with a good signal
• ⏳ Wait. 10-15 Sometimes the cloud doesn’t sync instantly.

Starting in April 2026, Xiaomi changed its data storage policy in the Mi Cloud, now archival messages are stored for only 90 days, after which they are automatically deleted. If your SMS was archived more than 3 months ago, it is no longer possible to restore them through the cloud.

⚠️ Note: If you use Redmi with global firmware (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Global), the Message Sync feature in Mi Cloud may be disabled by default due to Google restrictions.

5. Manual recovery via ADB (for advanced users)

If the standard methods didn’t work, you can try extracting archived messages directly from the Android database. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires command line skills and root rights (on some Redmi models, it is enough to enable debugging by using the command line). USB).

🛠️ Step-by-step instruction:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shap 7 times)
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For Developers
3. Connect your phone to your computer and confirm your debugging permission.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell


su




sqlite3 /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db




.select * from sms where type=5; -- type 5 denotes archival messages in MIUI




.output /sdcard/archived_sms.txt




.dump




.exit

📄 After execution of commands on the memory card will appear file archived_sms.txt It can be opened by any text editor or converted to readable format through online services like SMS Backup & Restore.

⚠️ Possible problems and solutions:

• 🔒 Permission denied means you don't have root rights. Try getting them through Magisk or use an alternative backup method.
• 📵 device unauthorized – confirm the debugging permission on the phone screen
• 🔍 The database is empty – try searching in the table sms_archived instead of texting

1. Connect the memory card to the computer

2. Find the file. TWRP/BACKUPS/{your serial number}

3. Copy the file. data.ext4.win (or data.ext4.tar)

4. Open it through the program. 7-Zip and find a way data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db-->

6. Third-party programs for the restoration of archival SMS

If none of the above helped, you can use specialized programs. We tested 5 popular utilities and selected the most effective for Xiaomi Redmi:

🔍 Programme selection recommendations:

• 💰 If you’re willing to pay, choose Dr.Fone – it works best with Xiaomi and repairs even heavily damaged messages.
• 🆓 For a free solution, it will do. SMS Backup & Restore, but it requires a pre-setting backup
• 🔧 If you have root rights, try it. GT Recovery – It scans deep memory sections

⚠️ Warning about fraudulent programs:

There are many websites on the Internet that offer "recovery of SMS in 5 minutes for free."

• 🕵️‍♂️ Phishing Pages That Steal Xiaomi Account Data
• 💣 Viruses Masquerading as Recovery Utilities
• 🎭 Fake programs that show random messages instead of real ones

🔐 How to protect yourself:

• Download the program only from official sites (Wondershare, Tenorshare)
• Before installing, check the file via VirusTotal
• Do not enter Xiaomi account details into suspicious apps

💡

Before using any recovery program, make a full backup of your phone through MIUI backup TWRP. Some Utilities Can Damage Current Data During Deep Scanning.

7 What to do if nothing helps

If you’ve tried all the ways but never found archival messages, the last options are:

• 🔧 Contact the service center Xiaomi – they have special tools to recover data from memory chips (cost from 2000 to 5000 rubles)
• 🔄 Try to flash your phone to an older version MIUI — Sometimes archival messages "emerge" after downgrading firmware
• 📡 Check it out. SIM-card – some operators (for example, MegaFon and Beeline) store copies of SMS on their servers for up to 30 days

📌 Checklist before visiting the service center:

Make a full backup of current data (photos, contacts, applications)

Write it down. IMEI phone (on the box or via code *#06#)

Check with the service if they work specifically with your Redmi model.

Ask about the warranty for the recovered data (should be at least 3 months)-->

❓ Is it worth paying for the restoration?

It is justified if the archival messages contain:

• 💼 Important working correspondence (contracts, approvals)
• 💔 Personal Messages with Emotional Value
• 🔑 Confirmation codes or passwords (for example, from cryptocurrency wallets)

If it is about random messages, it may be easier to accept their loss and in the future set up automatic backup.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi models with Snapdragon chip 4 Gen 1/2 (For example, Redmi Note 12 4G) Data recovery through a service center can be more expensive due to the specifics of the memory architecture!

FAQ: Frequent questions about the restoration of archival SMS on Xiaomi