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

Deleting photos from a Xiaomi smartphone is one of the most painful mistakes for users, especially when it comes to valuable footage, whether it's family photos, documents or unique moments. Fortunately, in most cases, files can be returned - even if you cleaned the basket or formatted the memory card. The rule of thumb is that the faster you start acting, the better the chances of success.

In this article, we will discuss all available recovery methods, from standard functions. MIUI It is important to understand that the effectiveness of the method depends on how the photos were deleted (normal deletion, formatting, resetting) and where they were stored (internal memory, SD-We will also reveal hidden nuances that are not mentioned in the official instructions, such as why recovery from the cloud is not possible. SD-Cards often give better results than internal memory.

If you deleted a photo less than a day ago, start by checking the gallery cart, which is the quickest way. Older files require special programs or access to backups. If the smartphone was reset to factory settings or the memory is formatted, the odds drop — but there are solutions.

⚠️ Warning: Don't install recovery software on the same disk where the deleted photos were stored! This can overwrite them irrevocably. Use a separate one. SD-card.

1. Checking the basket in the standard MIUI gallery

Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI 12 and later automatically send deleted photos to the cart, where they are stored for 30 days, this is the first and easiest way to return pictures.

To find the basket:

Open the Gallery app.
Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
Select the basket item.
Click on the photos you want to restore, then tap Restore at the bottom of the screen.

If the cart is empty or you don’t find it on the menu, check:

🔍 Version MIUI: on old firmware (up to) MIUI (11) the basket may have been missing.
📁 Storage: The basket only works for photos from internal memory. SD-cards are removed immediately.
⚙️ Gallery settings: sometimes the cart is disabled in Gallery settings → Basket → Autocleaning.

⚠️ Warning: If you have manually cleaned the cart or set up automatic cleaning (e.g., through Settings) → Warehouse → Cleaning, photos could be deleted irretrievably.

📊 Where you used to store deleted photos on Xiaomi?

Inner memory.

Nana SD-map

In the Mi Cloud

I remember.

Another option

2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (cloud storage)

If your Xiaomi had Mi Cloud sync enabled, the deleted photos could be saved to the cloud, which works even after the phone is reset to factory settings.

How to check and restore:

Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
Make sure that the gallery sync is enabled (the slider must be active).
Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other device.
Sign in with the same Mi Account as you do on your phone.
Select the Gallery section and find the photos you want, and you can download them back to your device.

Pay attention to the nuances:

🌐 Storage: Free available only 5 GB. If the space is over, old photos could be deleted automatically.
⏳ Sync Date: Check when the cloud last updated data (in Mi Cloud settings).
📱 Smartphone models: on Redmi Note 8 Pro, Poco X3 and other devices with MIUI 12+ Synchronization is more stable than on older versions.

If the photo is not in the cloud, but sync was enabled, try to restore the previous version of the gallery:

On the Mi Cloud website, go to Settings → Recycle Bin.
Check if there are deleted files (stored for up to 10 days).

💡

If you don't remember whether Mi Cloud was turned on, check traffic consumption in Settings → Connections → Data Use → Mi Cloud. If there is activity there, sync worked.

3. Use of Google Photos (if backed up)

Many Xiaomi users set up automatic backups in Google Photos without knowing it. If you've ever logged in to a Google account on your phone, check out this service.

Instructions for remediation:

Install the Google Photos app (if removed).
Open it and log in with the same account as you do on Xiaomi.
Go to the Library → Recycle Bin (photos are stored there for 60 days).
Check the archives, sometimes the photos are taken after they are deleted.

Important details:

📸 Photo quality: if the copy was in the mode "High quality", the photos could be compressed to 16 MP.
🗓️ Storage period: in Google Photos, the cart is cleared after 60 days (vs 30 in) MIUI).
🔄 Synchronization: If the Internet was disabled, the photos may not have time to upload to the cloud.

⚠️ Note: If you have deleted photos from the Google Photos Recycle Bin, you can only restore them within 30 days through the web version of the service (Section "Recently deleted").

4. deep scanning programs (if photos are deleted long ago)

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to use special data recovery tools that scan the device's memory at the file system level and can find photos even after formatting.

The best programs for Xiaomi:

Programme	Xiaomi support	Reconstruction with SD-map	Free version	Difficulty
DiskDigger	Yes (root required)	Yes.	Limited.	Medium
Recuva	Only through the PC.	Yes.	Yes.	Simple.
EaseUS MobiSaver	Yeah (no root)	No.	Trial.	Difficult.
PhotoRec	Yes (via ADB)	Yes.	Yes.	For the advanced.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (the most versatile option):

Install DiskDigger from Google Play.
Run the program and select Full Scan (requires root permissions for internal memory).
Wait until the scan is completed (may take 1-3 hours).
Tag the photos you found and click Restore. Save them on SD-map.

Recovery nuances:

🔧 Root rights: without them, programs see only miniatures of photos (size) ~100 KB).
📱 Models with UFS-Memory (e.g. Xiaomi 12, Redmi) K50): Recovery is more difficult due to encryption.
💾 SD-Card: The odds are higher because files are not encrypted by the system.

Critical information: If you've already tried to recover a photo and saved new data to your phone, the old files could be overwritten, in which case even professional software won't help.

Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data on your phone |

Charge your phone at least 50% |

Prepare a separate SD-file-card|

Install drivers ADB For Xiaomi (if necessary)-->

5. PC Recovery (using ADB or card reader)

If the photo is stored on SD-It can be connected to a computer through a card reader and scanned by programs like Recuva or TestDisk. USB (ADB).

Instructions for SD-map:

Remove the card from the phone and insert it into the card reader.
Connect to the PC and start Recuva.
Select the disk (SD-Map, File Type (Images) and Start Scanning.
After completion, mark the desired photos and save them to the hard drive of the PC.

Instructions for internal memory (requires ADB):

adb shell


su




dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0 of=/sdcard/recovery.img bs=4096

This command creates a memory image that can then be scanned on a PC. Careful: wrong actions can damage the data!

⚠️ Note: On new Xiaomi models (e.g., on newer ones, 13T, Redmi Note 12: Internal memory is encrypted by default. Without root rights or password, recovery is almost impossible.

6. Appeal to the service center (extreme case)

If all methods have been tried and the photos are critical (for example, they are the only copies of documents or family photos), you can contact the Xiaomi service center or a specialized data recovery laboratory.

What you need to know:

📱 Models: on older smartphones (e.g. Redmi) 4X, Mi A1) The odds are higher than new ones with encryption.

Before the service visit:

Do not turn your phone on or connect it to charge (this may overwrite data).
Check if they work with your model (like the Poco F3 or Xiaomi 11 Lite).
Ask if you have a guarantee of recovery.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone has been physically damaged (such as drowned or broken), recovery is more expensive and not always possible.

What to do if the phone is not turned on?

If Xiaomi doesn’t respond to the charging or power button, but the photos are critical: 1. Don’t try to turn it on – this can aggravate memory damage. 2. Take it to a service that has hardware for reading the memory chip directly (e.g. eMMC or UFS). 3. Check if they work with your model (on some, like the Redmi Note 10 Pro, the memory is soldered to the motherboard, which complicates the process).

7 How to Avoid Losing Photos in the Future: 5 Rules

To avoid the problem of deleted photos, follow these recommendations:

Basic safety rules:

🔄 Use it. SD-class-card A1 — She's less likely to fail.

Additional tips for Xiaomi:

🔧 Disable Autocleaning in Mi Cloud if storage capacity allows.
📲 Install Dumpster – it creates an additional basket for all deleted files.

💡

The most reliable way to keep your photos safe is to have three backups in the cloud, on a PC, and on an external medium, and even if two sources fail, the third one will remain.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi

Can I recover the photo after resetting to factory settings?

Yes, but only if: Photos were synced to Mi Cloud or Google Photos. You use deep scanning software (like DiskDigger), but the odds are lower than with a normal deletion. The phone was not re-flashed after the reset (this erases the data irrevocably). If the reset was done via Fastboot (like the fastboot erase userdata command), recovery is almost impossible.

Why do programs find photos, but they open like broken files?

This is due to: Partial overwriting (new data took up part of the old file); encryption (new Xiaomi has default internal memory); file system damage (e.g., after a sudden power outage); Solution: Try recovering files in.jpg format with a Hex editor (e.g., HxD) or contact a service center.

Can I recover a photo from a damaged one? SD-map?

Yes, but it depends on the type of damage: Logical errors (e.g., the card is not readable but physically intact) are fixed by programs like TestDisk. Physical damage (broken connector, burned controller) - require repair in the laboratory. ⚠️ Don't format the map if it had important data on it.

How to recover photos deleted more than a year ago?

The odds are extremely low, but you can try: Check archives in Google Photos (Archive or Dumpster section); go to a service that has memory chip readers (e.g. Chip-Off); check old backups on PCs or external drives; if photos were only stored on your phone and not synced, they are unlikely to be restored.

Does Xiaomi’s recovery methods work with MIUI Global and MIUI China?

Yes, the difference is: menu items (in Chinese firmware they can be in English or Chinese); Mi Cloud availability: on MIUI China, the cloud is more stable; Root rights: on the global version, they are harder to obtain (you need to unlock the bootloader); the recovery algorithms themselves do not depend on the firmware region.