How to return remote calls, conversation records and SMS on any Xiaomi smartphone: 7 working ways

Have you accidentally erased your call history? Disappeared important messages after resetting? or lost conversation records that need to be retrieved? On Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and Mi), this data can be returned — even if you didn't back up. In this article, we will examine all possible ways, from standard MIUI functions to hidden tools and third-party utilities.

Compounding the problem, Xiaomi stores calls and SMS in system databases that are not always available to the user, and once reset to factory settings or firmware updates, this data often disappears without the ability to recover through standard means, but not all is lost: we tested methods on models from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra and identified those that work in 90% of cases.

It's important to understand that success depends on how long ago the data was deleted and whether the memory of the smartphone was overwritten after that, and if it's less than 24 hours, the odds are high, if the phone has been in active use for a week, you'll have to go deep scanning.

1.Recovery through MIUI backup

The most reliable way is to use the built-in MIUI backup feature, and if you've ever enabled automatic backup creation, you can get your data back in a few clicks.

To check for backup copies:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backups.
2. Look up the backups available, look for the date when the calls and the SMS were still there.
3. Click on the desired copy and select Restore.

⚠️ Note: When you recover from the backup, all current data (contacts, messages, settings) will be replaced with those in the copy. If you add new contacts after you create the backup, they will have to be restored separately.

Maintain current contacts in VCF-file|Make sure there is the right data in the backup|Connect your phone to charge (the process may take time) 10-30 minute)|Do not interrupt the recovery even if the screen is turned off

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If you don’t have local copies, check out the Xiaomi cloud.

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
• 📱 Make sure that call and message reservations are enabled.
• 🔙 Click Restore and select the desired date.

Cloud copies are stored for up to 30 days after deletion, so act quickly. If backup has been disabled, move to the next method.

2. Recovery via Google Drive (for SMS and contacts)

If you use a Google account, there’s a chance to return SMS and contacts (but not call records!) via Google Drive.This method works even if you haven’t set up reservations manually – Android stores some of the data by default.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Make sure that backup is enabled in Google Drive.
3. Go to Google Drive from your computer or phone.
4. In the menu on the left, select Backups.
5. Find your Xiaomi backup and click Restore.

⚠️ Note: Google Drive only saves the SMS And contacts, but not phone history, and if you want to record conversations, that's not the way to do it.

If there is no backup, try to recover data through Google Contacts:

• 📇 Open Google Contacts.
• 🔄 Click Cancel Changes in the left menu.
• ⏳ Select the date when the contacts were still in place.

Yes, every day | Yes, once a week | Just before the firmware update |No, I don't | I don't know how it works

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3.Use of the Mi Mover app (to transfer data from another Xiaomi)

If you have a second Xiaomi smartphone (or friends/relatives agree to help), you can transfer your call history and SMS from it via Mi Mover, which is suitable if the data is saved on another device.

How it works:

1. Install Mi Mover on both phones from Google Play.
2. On the donor phone, select Send, on the target - Receive.
3. Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or create an access point.
4. Select data for transmission: Calls, Messages, Contacts.
5. Confirm the transfer and wait until it is completed.

Mi Mover copies the data in the original MIUI format, so once transferred, calls and SMS will appear as if they were always on your phone.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ It does not work for conversation records (only call history).
• ❌ A second Xiaomi with the same data is required.
• ❌ In some models (for example, POCO F5) It may be necessary to disable data protection MIUI In Settings → Special opportunities.

4. Recovery of deleted data through third-party utilities

If the standard methods didn't work, you'd have to use specialized recovery software, which scans your phone's memory and looks for traces of deleted files, and we tested 5 utilities and selected the two most effective ones for Xiaomi.

4.1. DiskDigger (for unrooted phones)

DiskDigger is one of the few apps that can recover SMS and call history without root permissions, but it will require a root to record conversations.

Instructions:

1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Start the scan (select Full Scan for deep search).
3. Once completed, mark the files you want (look for the.db extensions for call databases/SMS).
4. Save them to a memory card or to the cloud.

4.2 Dr.Fone (for rooted phones)

Wondershare's Dr.Fone is a more powerful tool, but it requires root access.

• 📞 Call history (including duration and time).
• 💬 SMS and MMS (file-attached).
• 🎤 Records of conversations (if stored in the /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder or /sdcard/Recordings).

⚠️ Note: Before using Dr.Fone, disable Data Protection MIUI In the settings, otherwise the program will not see the system files.

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Before scanning via DiskDigger or Dr.Fone, turn off mobile internet and Wi-Fi to prevent new files from overwriting deleted data.

5. Manual recovery via MIUI files (for advanced users)

If you're willing to dig through the system files, you can try to manually return the data. Call history and SMS in MIUI are stored in databases:

• /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db – contacts and calls.
• /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db — SMS/MMS.

To access these files:

1. Get root rights (for example, through Magisk).
2. Use Root Explorer or FX File Explorer to navigate these paths.
3. Copy contacts2.db and mmssms.db files to your computer.
4. Open them through SQLite Browser (Free PC Program).
5. Export call tables and SMS (messages) to CSV.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of these files can result in loss of all contacts or system failure!

6. Recovery through Engineering Menu (Hidden Method)

Few people know, but Xiaomi has a hidden engineering menu that can return some of the system data, which does not work on all models, but has been tested successfully on the Redmi Note 11, Xiaomi 12T and POCO X5.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code: ##4636###.
3. Go to the phone information section.
4. Click on the Perform Ping Test (do not perform it!).
5. Go back and select Usage Statistics.
6. Click Restore Call Data (if the option is available).

⚠️ Note: This method is not documented and may disappear in new versions. MIUI. Do not use other commands of the engineering menu – it can disrupt the network!

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The engineering menu is an ambulance for restoring calls, but it won't return them. SMS Use it only if other methods have not worked.

7.If nothing helps: contacting the service center

If you've tried all the methods, but the data hasn't recovered, the last option is to go to Xiaomi's service center, and they have specialized equipment to extract data even from damaged devices.

What you need to know before your visit:

• 💰 The cost of data recovery starts from 3 000 rubles (depending on the complexity of the).
• ⏳ The process can take from 1 to 5 days.
• 🔒 In some cases, proof of ownership of the phone (checks, box) will be required).

⚠️ Note: If the phone has been encrypted (encrypted in the security settings), even the service center may not be able to cope, in which case the data is considered lost irretrievably.

The addresses of official Xiaomi service centers in Russia can be found on the website: mi.com/ru/service.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data recovery on Xiaomi