How to recover deleted photos on Xiaomi phone: from cart to deep scan

Remove important photos from Xiaomi by mistake or after resetting? Don't panic -- 80 percent of the time, files can be returned even if they're gone from the gallery. Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones store deleted photos in a hidden bin folder for up to 30 days, and sync with Mi Cloud for even longer. But what if the photo is permanently erased or the phone doesn't turn on?

This guide provides proven recovery methods from simple (through standard MIUI tools) to complex (using PC and professional software).

• 🗑️ How to find deleted photos in Xiaomi shopping cart (including hidden folders)
• ☁️ Step-by-step recovery with Mi Cloud and Google Photos
• 💻 Methods of returning files using a computer (without root rights and with them)
• ⚠️ What to do if the phone is not turned on or photos are overwritten

The more important thing is that the faster you start, the better the chances of success. When you delete files, they are not erased immediately, they are marked as "free space" and can be overwritten with new data. So do not install new applications or take photos/videos until you recover.

1. Recovery through Xiaomi Cart (the fastest way)

In MIUI 12 and later, all deleted photos are automatically placed in a 30 day shopping cart, and even if you have cleaned the gallery or used the Delete Forever feature, check the hidden folders.

How to find the basket:

1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with colored squares).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select the basket.
3. Hold your finger on the desired photo → click Restore.

If the basket folder is missing:

• 🔍 Check out hidden albums: in the gallery click Albums → All the albums and scroll down.
• 📁 Use the File Manager: Go to the /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/recyclebin (The folder can be called a trash or.trash).
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes the basket appears after a restart.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 11 and older, the cart is disabled by default. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings. → Basket → Enable (but it won’t return deleted files).

Make sure that the photo is not deleted until 30 days ago

View hidden folders through the file manager

Do not use the "Clean the Cart" function in the gallery

Check both the standard basket and the Mi Cloud-->

2.Recovery via Mi Cloud and Google Photos

If your Xiaomi is enabled to sync with the cloud, the chances of returning a photo increase by up to 90%, even after resetting or breaking the phone, the files remain in the account.

Method 1: Mi Cloud (for Xiaomi account holders)

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select the Gallery → Cart section (photos are stored there for 60 days).
3. Tag the desired files → click Restore.

Method 2: Google Photos (if Autoboot is enabled)

• 🌐 Open photos.google.com on PC or in the app.
• 🗑️ Go to the Recycle Bin (Storage – 60 days) or check the Archives.
• 🔄 If the photo is not in the cart, try searching by date or location.

If the photos were deleted from the cloud or sync was not configured, go to recovery methods via PC.

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Before resetting your phone to factory settings, always check if sync with Mi Cloud is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery Sync.

3. Recover deleted photos via computer (without root)

If the photos are not found in the cart or cloud, connect Xiaomi to your PC and use software to scan internal memory, which works even if the phone is locked or not turned on (provided the PC recognizes it).

Tools required:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 📱 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Programs: DiskDigger, Recuva, EaseUS MobiSaver (free versions are limited).

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 your phone’s drive → click Next.
4. Specify search formats (e.g. JPG, PNG, HEIC) → Next.
5. After scanning, mark the desired photos → press Recover and save them to the PC.

For Mac users: use PhotoRec (a free utility with support for ext4/f2fs - Xiaomi file system).

brew install testdisk


photorec /d [path to folder for recovery] /cmd [disk phone] fileopt,search,jpg,png,heic

⚠️ Note: If the phone is defined as an "Unidentified Device", try it: 🔌 Use the other USB-cable. 🔄 Turn on Debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers. 📱 Reboot your phone to Fastboot (hold power) + Volume down) and connect to PC.

4. Deep scanning (with root rights)

If standard methods don't work, and photos are critical, you'll have to get root access, so that software can scan system partitions where fragments of deleted files may remain. Note: root is not warranty and can disrupt MIUI!

How to get root on Xiaomi:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires an account to be linked to the device and wait 7-15 days).
2. Install custom TWRP recaps for your model (see instructions on XDA Developers).
3. Sweep Magisk through the Recovery to get root.

Recovery programs with root:

• 🛠️ Dr.Fone – Supports deep partition scanning /data.
• 🔍 Undeleter – Searches for files by signatures (supports) HEIC and RAW).
• 📱 GT Recovery – a mobile application for root devices.

After receiving root:

1. Run the selected program and grant superuser rights.
2. Select /data/media/0/DCIM to scan.
3. Save the recovered files to SD-card.

⚠️ Note: On models with dynamic partitioning (e.g. Redmi Note) 11 Android 12+) root can cause data loss due to encryption. Before the procedure, backup through adb backup: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

5. Recovery from damaged or non-emerging phone

If Xiaomi doesn’t respond to charging, hovers on the logo or goes to bootloop, try the following methods:

Method 1: Extract via Fastboot

• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (hold power). + Loudness down).
• 🖥️ Use it. ADB to create an image of user data:

fastboot devices


fastboot pull /dev/block/by-name/userdata userdata.img

Then scan userdata.img via PhotoRec or R-Studio.

Method 2: Through Custom Recavery (TWRP)

• 📱 Install. TWRP Fastboot Flash Recovery twrp.img.
• 🔄 Load into the Recovery (Food) + Volume up) and connect the phone to the PC.
• 📁 Copy the folder. /data/media/0/DCIM computer MTP or ADB:

adb pull /data/media/0/DCIM

Method 3: Contacting a Service Center

If the phone is physically damaged (e.g., drowned or broken board), self-repair is not possible.

• 🛠️ Contact the authorized Xiaomi service to remove the memory chip (eMMC/UFS).
• 💾 Specialists will connect the chip to the programmer and remove the data image (cost – from 3 000). ₽).
• 🔍 The resulting image can be scanned on a PC using R-Studio or UFS Explorer.

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If you physically damage your phone, DO NOT try to turn it on or charge it, it can lead to overwriting the data.

6. How to prevent future photo loss

To avoid looking for recovery methods, set up automatic backup and follow the simple rules:

Cloud backups:

• ☁️ Enable autoload in Google Photos: Settings → Backup and synchronization.
• 📱 Set up Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Synchronization of the gallery.
• 🔄 Use Yandex Drive or Dropbox for an extra backup.

Local copies:

• 💾 Regularly copy the photo to a PC or external drive.
• 📁 Use applications like FolderSync to automatically sync with NAS or FTP.
• 🔄 Set up export in Telegram Saved Messages (without compression).

Phone settings:

• 🗑️ Increase the storage period of the basket to the maximum (in) MIUI 14: Gallery settings → Basket → Storage period).
• 🔒 Disable Storage Optimization: Settings → Memory. → Cleanup → Auto Clean (install manually).
• 📵 Avoid Cleaners – they often delete files without recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi