How to recover data after formatting your Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Formatting a Xiaomi smartphone is a radical way to make it work, but it often results in the loss of important data: photos, contacts, messages or documents. Even if you haven’t backed up, there are chances of recovery. In this article, we will discuss current methods in 2026 that work on Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and other devices running Android 12-14 with the MIUI 14/15 shell.

The key point is that success depends on whether you write new data to your phone after you reset, and the fewer things you do (install apps, take photos, upload files), the more likely you are to recover, and we'll look at both PC and mobile applications, and we'll look at hidden MIUI features that aren't covered in the official documentation.

Why data can be recovered after formatting

When you reset to factory settings through Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset, the operating system doesn’t physically erase files. Instead, it labels memory sectors as “free,” allowing new information to be written on top of them, and until those sectors are overwritten, specialized software can scan them and retrieve data.

On Xiaomi devices there are nuances:

• 🔹 File system F2FS (It is used in new models, more difficult to restore than ext4, But modern utilities can handle it.
• 🔹 Data encryption (included by default in the MIUI 12+) It makes it harder. It's almost impossible to recover without a password.
• 🔹 Internal memory. UFS 2.2/3.1 (Xiaomi flagship 13/14) requires special drivers for deep scanning.

Important: If the phone was formatted via Fastboot by the fastboot erase userdata command, the chances of recovery are lower – this method erases data more aggressively than a standard reset via menus.

Preparing for Recovery: What to Do IMMEDIATEly

Before you start your recovery, follow these steps to avoid making things worse:

If the phone is already on:

1. Transfer it to flight mode (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Flight mode).
2. Turn off autosynchronization (Settings → Accounts and Sync → Autosynchronization of data).
3. Do not run apps, especially messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) – they can overwrite deleted data.

⚠️ Note: Do not connect your phone to Mi PC Suite or Xiaomi Cloud – these programs will automatically start syncing, which will reduce the chances of recovery.

If you plan to use a PC for recovery, prepare:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11 macOS 12+ (Some utilities need a virtual machine with Linux).
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (cheap cables may not provide a stable connection for scanning).
• ⚡ At least 50% charge of the phone battery (the process can take several hours).

Method 1: Recovery through MIUI (without PC)

If you’ve recently resetted and haven’t written new data, try the built-in MIUI tools, which only work for unencrypted data and don’t restore everything, but can return some files.

Step 1: Open the Files app (folder icon) and go to the Recycle Bin. In MIUI 14/15, some deleted files are saved here for 15-30 days. Click Restore next to the desired items.

Step 2: To restore contacts:

1. Open Contacts. → Settings (three dots at the top).
2. Select Contact Management → Re-establish contacts.
3. The system will prompt you to recover data from the last Mi Cloud backup (if it was created).

Step 3: For SMS messages, use the SMS Backup & Restore app (available on Google Play) which can recover messages from automatic backups if they were saved before resetting.

⚠️ Note: Do not restore files back to your phone – save them to your phone SD-A card or cloud. A record of internal memory can overwrite the remaining data.

💡

Built-in tools MIUI They only work for data that's not encrypted, if the phone's been locked. PIN-before the reset, this method will not help.

Method 2: PC programs (deep scanning)

We tested 5 programs to get the fullest recovery possible, with DiskDigger and EaseUS MobiSaver (supporting F2FS and ext4) showing the best results.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download and install DiskDigger (select the Windows version).
2. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Start the program, select the phone drive and press Dig Deep (deep scan).
4. After the scan is completed, mark the desired files and press Recover by specifying the folder on the PC.

EaseUS MobiSaver will require root access (instruction below) and can even recover WhatsApp call history and messages, but the process is more complicated.

Method 3: Recovery through ADB (for power users)

If the phone is not defined as a removable drive, but USB debugging is enabled, you can try extracting data via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires command line knowledge, but sometimes saves you when other methods don’t work.

Step 1: Install ADB Tools on your PC and connect Xiaomi with debugging enabled (Settings → Developers → USB Debugging).

Step 2: In the command line (cmd), do:

adb devices

If the device is displayed, enter:

adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.media/databases/external.db


adb pull /data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db

This will copy the database of media files and contacts on the PC, and you will need special tools to view them, such as DB Browser for SQLite.

⚠️ Note: Not all data is stored in the public domain, for example, gallery photos can be encrypted and their recovery will require additional manipulation of encryption keys.

To restore WhatsApp, use the command:

adb pull /data/data/com.whatsapp/databases/msgstore.db

This file contains a message history, but you need WhatsApp Viewer or similar software to read it.

Method 4: Contact Xiaomi Service Center

If your own efforts have failed and data is critical (such as work documents or unique photos), contact the official service center. Xiaomi has partner labs specializing in recovering data from encrypted and corrupted drives.

What you need to know:

• 📍 The addresses of the centers can be found on the Mi Service website.
• 💰 The cost of restoration starts at 5,000 ₽ and depends on complexity.
• ⏳ Timeframes - from 3 days to 2 weeks.
• 🔒 Guaranteed result only for unencrypted data.

Before the visit:

1. Don’t say you tried to recover the data yourself, it can make it harder for the specialists to do the job.
2. Bring checks or a warranty card (if the device is warranty).
3. Check whether the center provides a report on the recovered files before payment.

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If you go to an informal service, check reviews and request a license to work with data. Fraudsters often promise recovery, but simply format the phone again.

Method 5: Restore from Mi Cloud or Google backup

If you've been able to sync to the cloud before formatting, you can get it back in a few minutes.

For Mi Cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the Devices section, select your phone and check the available backups.
3. Download the archive with data (if the backup was created manually).

For Google Account:

1. Open Google Drive → Backup copies.
2. Find your Xiaomi backup (it can be named after a model like the Redmi Note 12 Pro).
3. Restore data through Settings → System → Backup on your phone.

Please note:

• 📁 Mi Cloud stores backups for 30 days, Google Drive for 60 days (unless paid space).
• 🔄 Automatic recovery when you first turn on your phone only works if you used the same Mi Account.
• 🚫 Some data (such as Wi-Fi passwords or app settings) may not be restored.

What to do if nothing helps

If all methods are useless, then extreme measures remain:

1. Checking the physical state of memory

Sometimes data is not recovered because of damage to the memory chip (for example, after a phone crash), in which case only a replacement of the memory module will help, which is expensive and not always possible, and you can check this with diagnostic software such as ChipGenius.

2. Memory dump analysis

Specialized laboratories (such as DriveSavers or Ontrack) can create a bit-by-dump of memory of the phone and recover data from it. ₽, But this is the only way to get data back from badly damaged devices.

3. Alternative sources

Check it out.

• 📧 Mailboxes (you may have sent yourself important files).
• 💬 Messengers (Telegram, Viber – they often save copies of documents).
• 🖥️ Other devices (for example, photos could sync with a tablet or laptop).

⚠️ Note: If the phone was stolen or lost before formatting, data recovery may not be possible due to remote cleaning (Find Device feature in Mi Cloud).

FAQ: Frequent questions about data recovery on Xiaomi