How to recover deleted photos on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones: from the basket to deep scanning

Removing photos from your smartphone is one of the most common problems faced by Xiaomi Redmi owners. Whether it’s a random tap, reset or system failure, loss of images is always painful. Fortunately, most Redmi models (from Redmi Note 10 to Redmi 13C) have built-in data protection mechanisms, as well as third-party tools to help you recover lost files.

In this article, we will discuss all possible recovery methods, from basic (checking the basket and cloud storage) to advanced (using a PC and specialized software), focusing on the nuances of the MIUI file system that affect the success of the operation, and learn how to improve the chances of recovery if the photos were deleted long ago or after resetting to factory settings.

Important: The effectiveness of the methods depends on how long it has been since you deleted it and what actions you have taken with your phone since the incident, and the faster you start recovering, the more likely you are to succeed.

1.A check of the basket at MIUI Gallery

The first thing you need to do is to look in the gallery basket, and in MIUI, deleted photos are not erased immediately, but are sent to a temporary storage facility that lasts 15 to 30 days (depending on the model and firmware version), which works even without an Internet connection.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the standard Gallery app (icon with colored squares).
• 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• 🔍 View the list of files: photos are sorted by date of deletion.
• ✅ Select the desired pictures (long press) → press Restore.

If the cart is empty, check the settings: it may have been reduced manually. Go to Gallery Settings → Recycle Bin → Shelf life. On some models (Redmi 9A, Redmi 8), the cart may be disabled by default - turn it on to avoid problems in the future.

⚠️ Warning: Files from the bin are automatically deleted irrevocably after the storage period has expired. If you've been manually cleaning the bin, this method won't work.

Check the hidden folders in the gallery (click on three dots) → "Show hidden files")|Make sure that the photos are not moved to another storage facility (e.g., in the DCIM/.thumbnails)|Try to find files through Explorer (Folder Pictures or MIUI/Gallery/cloud)|Check out the cloud services (in the next section)-->

2. Recovery through cloud services

If your Redmi has been enabled to sync with the cloud, the chances of returning photos are much higher. Xiaomi offers two main services: Mi Cloud (branded cloud) and Google Photos (if you used a Google account).

Mi Cloud (Official Xiaomi Cloud)

Mi Cloud automatically backs up photos if the feature has been activated in the settings to check:

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same Mi Account that is linked to your phone.
• 📁 Open Gallery → Recycle Bin or All Files.
• 🔄 If no photos, check the Archive section — sometimes files move there.

On the phone, the path to sync settings: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery. Here you can enable autosynchronization (we recommend installing Download only over Wi-Fi so as not to waste mobile traffic).

2.2 Google Photo.

If you have used Google Photos, check:

• 📲 Install the Google Photos app (if deleted) or go to photos.google.com.
• 🗃️ Select Recycle Bin from the menu – files are stored there for 60 days.
• 🔎 Use a search by date or keyword (e.g., “beach,” “New Year’s Eve”).

Note: Google Photos compresses images for free storage (High quality) If you need originals, check if the Original Quality option (paid after 15GB) has been enabled.

⚠️ Warning: If you deleted photos directly from the cloud (not your phone), they could have been erased permanently, in which case you could go to PC recovery methods.

Mi Cloud|Google Photo|Yandex Disc |Mail.ru Cloud |Other |Not using cloud-->

3. Search for photos through the explorer and hidden folders

Sometimes photos are not deleted completely, but remain in hidden folders or system directories, which is true if you have used third-party galleries (QuickPic, Simple Gallery) or editors (Snapseed, Lightroom).

How to find:

• 🔍 Open Explorer (standard app MIUI or Files by Google).
• 📂 Go to Internal Memory → DCIM (all photos from the camera are stored here).
• 👁️ Enable the display of hidden files: click on three dots → Settings → Show hidden files.
• 🔎 Look for folders with names:.thumbnails – thumbnails (sometimes saved even after the originals are deleted);.pic or.media – temporary files; MIUI/Gallery/cloud – cloud sync cache; Android/data – there may be photos from messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp).

If you find files with the.nomedia extension, rename them.jpg or.png — this often helps to "resurrect" the image. For mass renaming, use applications like File Commander.

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Do not delete the DCIM folder completely - this can cause the camera to crash. If it is damaged, restart the phone or reset the camera settings to Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear the data.

4. Computer Recovery (without root)

If previous methods failed, connect Redmi to your PC and use specialized memory scanning software, which is effective even if the photos were deleted a few months ago (provided that their disk space was not overwritten).

The best recovery programs:

• 💻 Recuva (free, simple, supports FAT32/exFAT – Xiaomi file system)
• 💻 DiskDigger (there is a version for Android, but it works more stable on PC)
• 💻 EaseUS Data Recovery (paid but free trial period)
• 💻 PhotoRec (for advanced users, works via command line).

Step-by-step instructions for Recuva:

1. Download and install the program from the official website.
2. Connect Redmi to the PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
3. Run Recuva → select the type of Image files → specify your phone’s drive.
4. Click Analysis → wait for the scan to be completed (may take up to an hour).
5. View the files found (green circle – high chances of recovery, red – low).
6. Select the photos you want → Restore (save them to your PC, not back to your phone!).

If the program can’t see the phone, try:

• 🔌 Use another USB- cable (preferably original from Xiaomi)
• 🔄 Reboot your phone and PC.
• 🛠️ Install the Mi PC Suite drivers from the official website.

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered files to the same disk that is being scanned! This can lead to overwriting deleted data and permanent loss of photos.

5. Deep scanning with root rights (for experienced)

If the photos were deleted long ago or after resetting to factory settings, the usual methods may not work, in which case deep scanning with root rights will help, but this method is only suitable for users who are ready for risks (loss of warranty, possible "break" of the phone).

What you need:

• 📱 Redmi with unlocked bootloader and root rights (see model-specific instructions at XDA Developers)
• 💻 DiskDigger (Android version) or Undelete for Root Users
• 🔋 Phone charge at least 50% (the process can take several hours).

Instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Start → provide root access (if requested).
3. Select the scan method: Full scan (requires root).
4. Specify the search section (usually /data or /sdcard).
5. Wait until completion (may take 1 to 5 hours).
6. Save the files found on the SD- card or cloud.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Finds photos even after full formatting
• ✅ Restores files from a corrupted file system.
• ✅ Supports RAW- format (if you have filmed in manual mode).

Risks:

• ❌ Loss of warranty (if the phone is warranty, Xiaomi will refuse repairs);
• ❌ Possible "brick" (turning the phone into a "brick") when errors occur in the process;
• ❌ Difficulty for beginners (Knowledge of ADB and Fastboot required).

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Root access gives you the best chance of recovery, but you should only use it as a last resort. If the photos are not critical, you should contact the Xiaomi service center - they can restore data using professional equipment.

6.Recovery after reset to factory settings

If you have done a Hard Reset (reset via Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset), the chances of returning photos drop dramatically, but they do.

1. Checking cloud copies (Mi Cloud, Google Photos) – if sync was enabled before reset.
2. PC scanning (see section 4) – Some programs (e.g. EaseUS) are able to recover data after formatting.
3. Contacting the service center – if the photos are extremely important (for example, documents or unique pictures), specialists can extract data using the chip-off method (direct reading of the memory chip).

Which won't help:

• ❌ Recovery through the basket (it is cleaned upon discharge);
• ❌ Search in hidden folders (they are also deleted);
• ❌ Standard tools MIUI (they don't work with formatted partitions).

If the reset was done via Fastboot, the odds are almost zero, in which case the data is erased at a low level, and the only way out is to call the professionals.

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After reset, don't install new applications or take photos or videos, which reduces your chances of recovery, and the fewer write operations to the disk, the more data you can get back.

7.Prevention: How to avoid future loss of photos

The best way to combat data loss is to prevent it, and here are proven methods to help save photos even when crashes occur:

• ☁️ Automatic Cloud Sync: Enable autoboot in Mi Cloud and Google Photos; Configure Wi-Fi-only download to avoid wasting traffic; Periodically check that sync is working (go to the cloud from another device).
• 💾 Local Backup: Copy photos to the SD- card (if the phone supports); Use Explorer to manually copy to the Backup folder; Connect your phone to your PC once a month and save photos to your hard drive.
• 📱 Gallery settings: Increase the storage life of the cart to a maximum (30 days); Turn off the option to Delete from the device after downloading to the cloud (in Google Photos settings); Use third-party galleries with the "secret folder" function (for example, KeepSafe).

For Redmi models with OTG support (e.g. Redmi Note 12, Redmi 11 Pro), you can use a flash drive with an adapter for quick backup. Just plug in the drive and copy the DCIM folder manually.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to recover photos, users often make mistakes that reduce the chances of success to zero.

Another common problem is corrupted files after recovery, and if photos open with artifacts or don't open at all, try:

• 🖼️ Use Stellar Repair for Photo software
• 🔧 Convert the format via Paint or GIMP;
• 📧 Send the file to the mail and open it on another device.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions