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

Have you deleted valuable photos from your Xiaomi smartphone and you don't know how to get them back? Don't panic - there are chances of recovery even if you cleaned the cart or formatted the memory card. In this article, we will analyze all possible ways, from standard MIUI features to professional utilities that will help you return pictures with Redmi, POCO or flagship Xiaomi 13/14 models.

The rule is, the faster you start, the more likely you are to succeed. When you delete files, they don't physically disappear -- they're just labeled as "free space" and can be overwritten with new data. So don't install new apps, take photos, or record videos until you try to recover deleted files.

We tested all methods on current versions of MIUI 14/15 (including HyperOS) and collected only working solutions. No water, only clear instructions based on the features of Xiaomi firmware.

1.Check the Recycle Bin at Xiaomi Gallery

The easiest way to do this is to use the built-in Recycle Bin feature in the standard Gallery app, where deleted photos are stored for up to 30 days in MIUI (some models have a reduced time to 15 days).

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
3. Select the Recycle Bin (may be called Recently Deleted on newer versions).
4. Find the right photos, click on them and select Restore.

If the basket is empty or you have manually cleaned it, then you can go to the following methods: Note that on some models (POCO X3, Redmi Note 10), the basket can be disabled by default.

⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party gallery (like Google Photos), check the cart in this app - the shelf life there may vary (usually 60 days).

Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage → Enable “Basket”

2. Recovery via MI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If your Xiaomi has enabled sync with MI Cloud, the chances of returning a photo are much higher.The cloud keeps backups of media files even if they are deleted from the device.

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi Account.
• 📁 In the Gallery or Cloud section, find the Deleted Files (or Recycle Bin) folder).
• ⏳ Deleted photos are stored there for up to 60 days - highlight them and click Restore.
• 📱 If you don’t have the right pictures, check the main cloud gallery – they may not be synced with your phone.

If sync has been disabled, try turning it on now and wait for files to download (it can take several hours depending on Internet speed). On newer models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, POCO F5), cloud sync works automatically, but on budget devices (Redmi A2) it is often turned off to save traffic.

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Before restoring, check if there is enough space on the phone – MI Cloud may not download files if the memory is less than 10% of the total.

3. Use Google Photos (if backup was enabled)

Google Photos is another reliable way to return deleted photos if you’ve used it. Unlike MI Cloud, photos are stored in a shopping cart for 60 days, and a free cloud provides 15 GB (common with Gmail and Google Drive).

Instructions:

1. Open the Google Photos app or go to photos.google.com.
2. In the menu (three lines at the top left), select the Recycle Bin.
3. Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.
4. If the basket is empty, check the Archive folder – sometimes photos are moved there automatically.

If Google Photos has not been installed or backup is disabled, this method will not work, however, on some Xiaomi models (such as the POCO F4 GT), the service is pre-installed and can run in the background.

⚠️ Note: If you delete photos from Google Photos and clear the cart, you can only restore them through Google support – but the chances are minimal (requires proof of the importance of files, for example, for a court case).

4. Software for recovery from PC (without root)

If standard methods don't work, it's time to connect professional utilities, which scan internal memory or microSD card at the file system level and can find photos even after formatting.

• 💻 DiskDigger – works without root, supports FAT32/exFAT (perfect for memory cards).
• 🔍 Recuva – Free version restores photos in their original quality.
• 📱 EaseUS MobiSaver – specializes in Android, there is a deep scan mode.
• 🛠️ 7-Data Recovery – suitable for damaged memory partitions.

The following is a step-by-step instruction on the example of DiskDigger:

Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version → 7 times tap)

Connect Xiaomi to your PC and allow access to data

Select "Basic scan" (without root) or "Full scan" (with root) in DiskDigger

Specify the folder to scan (usually /storage/emulated/0/DCIM)

Wait for completion and select the right photos to restore-->

Xiaomi with HyperOS may require additional storage permission. If the program can't see the device, try:

Settings → Additional → Privacy → Special Permits → Access to Storage (enable for DiskDigger)

5.Recovery from a damaged memory card

If the photo was stored on a microSD and the card is no longer defined, don't rush to throw it away. In 80 percent of cases, the data can be saved even if the system asks you to format the media.

• 💾 Cartridge (better) USB 3.0 for speed).
• 🖥️ PC Windows/macOS.
• 🛠️ PhotoRec (free, works with corrupted file systems).

Instructions:

1. Connect the card through the card reader (don’t use your phone – it can overwrite the data!).
2. Download PhotoRec and run through testdisk_win.exe.
3. Choose your card (be careful not to confuse it with a PC drive!).
4. Specify the file system (FAT/exFAT for most cards).
5. Select a folder to save the recovered files (not to the card itself!).
6. Start the scan (may take several hours).

PhotoRec does not save the original file names, so after recovery, you will have to manually sort the photo by date (it is stored in the metadata). If the card is physically damaged (for example, after falling into water), do not dry it with a hair dryer - take it to a service center for professional recovery.

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Never save recovered files to the same memory card or partition of the phone from which they were deleted!

6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all of these methods failed, and the photos are critical (for example, these are the only pictures from an important event), you can contact the official service center Xiaomi (eMMC/UFS).

What you need to know:

• 📍 The addresses of the centers can be found on the official website.
• 💰 The cost of restoration starts from 3 000-5 000 rubles (depending on the model and complexity).
• ⏱️ Term - from 3 to 10 working days.
• 🔒 Warranty on the device is maintained if the recovery is carried out without opening the case.

Before the service visit:

⚠️ Warning: Don't say you've tried to recover data yourself with software, it can make it harder for the technicians to do it.

The alternative is private data recovery labs (e.g. HDD Recovery or FlashFix) that can even be used for complex cases (damaged memory chips), but can cost up to 20,000-30,000 rubles.

7. How to prevent future photo loss

To avoid the problem of deleted photos, set up automatic backup and follow the simple rules:

• ☁️ Turn on sync with MI Cloud and Google Photos (Simultaneously for Reliability).
• 📁 Copy your photo regularly on PC (for example, once a month).
• 🔄 Use class memory cards A2/UHS-I — They're less likely to fail.
• 📱 Do not store a single copy of important photos on your phone – duplicate them to an external drive or USB-accumulator.

Set up automatic backup in MIUI:

Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Cloud → Gallery (include)


Settings → Google → Backup → Data Backup (include)

For additional protection, install the Simple Gallery app – it allows you to create hidden folders with a password and automatically copy photos to the Dropbox or OneDrive cloud.

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If you take photos often, set up the “Free Space” function in Google Photos – it will automatically delete photos from your phone that are already uploaded to the cloud, freeing up memory.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi