Accidental deletion of important photos, documents or contacts on a Xiaomi smartphone is a panic-provoking situation for any user. It would seem that valuable data is lost forever, but this is not always the case. Modern operating systems and cloud services leave many “digital traces” that allow you to return information. In this article, we will discuss proven ways to help you cope with the problem without going to expensive service centers.
Before you get into action, one critical thing to understand is that the less you use your device after you delete it, the better the chances of success. When you write new data, your phone's memory is overwritten, and old sectors can be permanently lost. Immediately stop taking new pictures or downloading volumetric applications, which will increase the likelihood that software recovery methods will work correctly.
There are several levels of recovery, from simple built-in features to the use of specialized software on the computer, and we will look at them in order of increasing complexity and efficiency, and owners of Redmi and Poco smartphones will find here the latest solutions for the MIUI and HyperOS shells.
Checking the basket in the Gallery and the Conductor
The easiest and often ignored way is the built-in Recycle Bin. In the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, deleted media files are not erased instantly, but moved to a special buffer where they are stored for 30 days. To check this out, open the standard Gallery app and go to the Album tab. Scroll down to the very end and you will find the Deleted folder.
A similar system works with files in the document manager. Open the Explorer application, select the menu or the Recycle Bin item (sometimes it is hidden in the settings or in the side menu, APK-files and archives that you recently deleted. If you find the right object, just highlight it and click Restore.
⚠️ Note: The storage period of files in the Recycle Bin is limited to 30 days, after which the system automatically clears the buffer, and manual recovery becomes impossible by standard means.
If you manually cleaned the cart or it took too long, this method won't help. However, statistics show that up to 40% of users simply forget to check this folder when they spend time installing third-party software. Make sure you check all albums, including those that sync to the cloud, if this option is enabled.
Recovery via Google Photos and Cloud Mi
Xiaomi’s ecosystem is closely integrated with Google’s services and its own Mi Cloud. If your device has been synced, deleted files may be in cloud storage. First, check Google Photos. Open the app, click on the menu (three bars) and select Library → Recycle Bin. This is where files are stored for up to 60 days.
The second option is Mi Cloud. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Cloud. If the gallery or contacts sync was active, your data could be stored there. You can also use the web version at i.mi.com by logging in to your Mi Account, which is especially true if the phone is broken or not turned on.
The advantage of cloud computing is that it doesn't require you to connect your phone to your PC and install questionable software, but it's a pretty stable Internet connection, but there's a caveat: if the cloud is out, the sync might have stopped long before the data is lost. Check the sync status in your account settings.
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Turn on automatic sync with Google Photos right now – it will take 1 minute, but save your memories in the future.
Use of backups on PC and in Mi Mover
Many prudent users regularly backup. If you've used the Mi Mover app or the standard Backup tool in your phone settings, your data can be stored as an archive. In the case of Mi Mover, files are often stored on an external drive or in the memory of another device.
If you've backed up your computer, find a folder that contains your device's data, which is usually a model or serial number, and inside it will be DCIM (photo), MIUI (settings and voice recorder) and others. To recover, simply copy the files you want back to the appropriate directories on your smartphone.
☑️ Verification of backup copies
So if you decide to deploy a full backup, make sure that the new important files are saved separately.
Memory analysis with PC programs
When embedded methods are exhausted, heavy artillery, a specialized software for deep memory scanning, comes into play (PC-version) or Tenorshare UltData can find the remnants of files that have not yet been overwritten by new data. USB and set up.
The process is this: you install the program on your computer, you connect the smartphone with a cable, and you run the scan. The software will request the rights of the Root for deep analysis. Without the root rights, the scan will be superficial and will only find the cached thumbnails, not the originals.
| Programme | I need a Root. | File types | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiskDigger | Preferably. | Photos, Videos | Low. |
| Dr.Fone | Yes. | All types | Medium |
| Recuva (via ADB) | Yes. | Anybody. | Tall. |
| UltData Android | Yes. | Media, Messages | Medium |
⚠️ Warning: Getting Root rights can result in a warranty cancellation and a reset of all data on your phone. Use this method only if the data is critical and other methods have not helped.
The effectiveness of this method depends on the type of memory your smartphone. Modern devices use the UFS protocol, which works faster and more aggressively cleans memory cells after removal than the old eMMC. Therefore, on the new flagship Xiaomi 13 or 14 chances are lower than on public sector in the past.
What are Root Rights and Should You Get Them?
Specialized applications for Android
If you can't connect to a PC, you can try to recover data directly on your phone. There are apps in the Google Play store like DiskDigger or Undelete Master, which work on a similar principle: scan internal memory and cache. Without superuser rights, they only find thumbnails of low-quality photos.
Installing such applications carries a risk: the installation process itself can write new data into memory, blocking the sector where your deleted file was located. APK-the program file on the computer, transfer it to the phone and install it in flight mode, minimizing network activity.
Some applications require a virtual memory image to be scanned, which takes up a lot of space. Make sure the device has at least 1-2 GB of free memory. If the phone is full, the process can end up in error or damage the file system.
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Android recovery apps are only effective for finding cache and thumbnails if the device doesn’t have Root rights.
Prevention of data loss and synchronization setting
The best way to recover is to have it out. Set up automatic backups right now so you don't have to deal with this problem in the future. On Xiaomi smartphones, this is done through Settings → Advanced Settings → Backup and Restore.
Set up sync with Google Drive for documents and Google Photos (in Save Space or Original mode) for the library. Also don't ignore the ability to periodically copy important data to an external hard drive or computer. Regularity is the key to security.
Use cloud storage as your primary work environment. When you edit a document directly in the cloud (Google Docs, Yandex.Disk), version history is saved automatically. You can always roll back to the version of the file that existed an hour or a day ago, even if the current version was deleted or corrupted.