How to Recover Deleted Data on Xiaomi After Resetting to Factory Settings

Resetting Xiaomi to factory settings is a radical but sometimes necessary step when selling a device, fixing critical bugs, or after a virus infection. However, many users face the unpleasant consequences of missing photos, WhatsApp messages, saved passwords, and other important data. Unlike temporary deletion, hard reset erases information from internal memory at a low level, which complicates recovery.

In this article, we will discuss the real ways to recover data after a reset — from official Mi Cloud tools and Google Account to professional utilities like Dr.Fone or Tenorshare UltData. We will focus on the nuances for different models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Poco X5, Mi 13 Ultra) and versions of MIUI. Importantly, the effectiveness of methods depends on whether backups were turned on before the reset — this will be discussed in the first section.

1. Check backups: Mi Cloud and Google Account

The first thing you need to do is check if the data has been saved to the cloud services. Xiaomi automatically backs up to Mi Cloud if the feature is activated in the settings to see if your data is in the cloud:

• 🔄 Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same Mi Account you linked to your phone.
• 📁 In the Cloud section → Backups, see the list of available backups, sorted by date and device model.
• 🔍 If you have a copy, click Restore and select the categories you want (contacts, messages, notes).

Similarly, Google Account works: synchronize contacts, calendar and some applications (such as Google Photos) automatically.

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and enable synchronization for the data you need.
3. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: If you have already added a new Mi or Google account after a reset, the old backups may be overwritten, in which case it will be impossible to restore data through the cloud.

2. Recovery via Mi PC Suite (official utility)

Mi PC Suite is a software from Xiaomi that allows you to recover data from local and cloud backups, even if the phone was dropped.

1. Download Mi PC Suite from the official website and install it on PC.
2. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB-cable (original cable is recommended).
3. In the program, select Backup → Restore.
4. If you have a local copy (a file with the.mbk extension), specify its path. If not, log in to Mi Cloud and select the cloud backup.

Important nuances:

• 🔌 The phone must be enabled File Transfer mode (MTP) (Notification will appear when connecting).
• 🛠️ If the program does not see the device, try reinstalling drivers through the Mi Flash Tool.
• ⏳ Recovery of large amounts of data (e.g. 64GB of photos) can take hours.

Install Mi PC Suite from the official website |

Connect the phone to the original USB-cable|

Enable file transfer mode (MTP) on Xiaomi|

Sign in to the same Mi Account as before the reset|

Check for backups in the cloud or on PC-->

3. Use of third-party programs (Dr.Fone, Tenorshare UltData)

If you don't have backups, the only option is to scan the phone's internal memory using specialized utilities, which work on the principle of recovering deleted files, but the effectiveness depends on:

• 🕒 The time after the reset (the earlier you start, the better).
• 📱 Phone models (on Xiaomi with Snapdragon chip, chances are higher than on Mediatek).
• 🔄 root rights (without them, only a part of the data will be restored).

Let’s look at two proven programs:

The following is a step-by-step guide for Dr.Fone:

1. Install the program on your PC and connect Xiaomi via USB.
2. Select the Android Data Recovery mode.
3. Specify the types of files to scan (e.g. Gallery and Contacts).
4. Wait for the analysis to be completed (may take a while) 20-60 minute).
5. View the files found and save them to your computer.

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered files back to your phone immediately after scanning! this can overwrite the remaining unrecovered data.

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If the program does not find files, try to enable the developer mode on Xiaomi and activate debugging over USB. To do this, click on the MIUI version 7 times in the phone settings, then turn on debugging in Additional → For developers.

4.Recovery of data from the memory card (if installed)

If your Xiaomi used a microSD card, the chances of returning data are much higher. reset to factory settings does not affect external drives (unless the option to Clean everything, including the option was selected). SD-To recover files:

• 📁 Connect the memory card to the computer through the card reader.
• 🔍 Use programs like Recuva (free) or DiskDigger to scan:1. Select a memory card in the list of drives. 2. Run a deep scan. 3. Mark files for recovery (for example, with the.jpg extension,.mp4). 4. Save them to your PC hard drive.
• 📂 If the files are not damaged, they can be transferred back to the phone.

Important points:

• Do not save the recovered data to the same memory card, as this will result in the loss of the remaining files.
• If the card has been formatted after being reset, the chances of recovery drop dramatically.
• For exFAT cards (usually >64 GB), R-Studio or TestDisk is suitable.

5. Features of recovery for specific Xiaomi models

The recovery process may vary depending on the model and version of MIUI. Let’s consider the key nuances:

For devices with an unlocked bootloader (bootloader), additional methods are available:

• 🔧 Recovery through TWRP (Custom recovery) from the backup.zip.
• 📥 Use of the ADB-commands to extract data from the section /data:adb pull /data/media/0/ C:\Xiaomi_Backup\

6. Recovery of deleted messages and correspondence

Messages from SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram and other messengers are restored in different ways:

• 💬 SMS/MMS: If sync with Google was enabled, check Google Messages in the web version (messages.google.com).For local recovery, use Dr.Fone (Messages section).
• 📱 WhatsApp: Messenger creates automatic backups in Google Drive (if configured). To restore: Install WhatsApp again. When you first start, the system will prompt you to restore chats from backup. Confirm the recovery and wait until it's finished.

Telegram:

Telegram

For Viber and Facebook Messenger, check out:

• Account settings → Chats and calls → Backup.
• If you have a copy, restore it when you first start after resetting.

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WhatsApp stores backups only if they were created in the last 7 days, and if the reset was earlier, it will be impossible to restore correspondence.

7 What should I do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods work, there are extreme measures:

• 🔧 Contacting a service center: Some workshops offer data recovery using professional equipment (e.g. Chip-Off or other services). JTAG). Cost: from 5 000 to 20 000 rubles.
• 📦 Checking other devices: Perhaps some of the data (photos, documents) is stored on another gadget or in cloud services (Yandex.Disk, Mail.ru Cloud).
• 🔄 Resetting with the right settings: Sometimes helps to reset your phone again, but without creating a new account and immediately connecting to Wi-Fi to recover from the cloud.

If data is critical (such as work documents or unique photos), consider contacting data recovery specialists, and companies like Hetzner or ACE Lab work even with physically damaged drives.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t use dubious programs with promises of “100% recovery” – they may contain viruses or permanently damage data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data recovery on Xiaomi