Recovering deleted photos on Xiaomi Redmi 9 Note: 7 proven ways

Have you deleted important photos from Xiaomi Redmi 9 Note and you don’t know how to get them back? Don’t panic – even after cleaning the cart or formatting the memory card, the chances of recovery remain. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from standard MIUI features to professional tools that work on Android 10/11/12 (including the latest updates for the Redmi 9 Note).

The rule is, the faster you start, the more likely you are to succeed. After deleting, files don't disappear instantly -- they're labeled "free space" and can be overwritten with new data. So don't install new apps, take photos, or copy files to your device until you try to recover deleted images.

We tested all methods on the Redmi 9 Note (M2003J15SC and M2003J15SS models) with MIUI 12.5-14 firmware. If your phone has root access or custom recovery (TWRP), you will have an additional method, as we will discuss at the end of the article.

1. Checking the basket in the Xiaomi Gallery

The first thing you need to do is to look into the built-in Gallery application basket, where in MIUI, deleted files are stored there for up to 30 days (by default), and can be restored in one click.

How to check:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (image with multi-colored squares).
• 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• 🔍 Scroll through the list or use the search (loop at the top).
• ↩️ Select the right photos → Click Restore (Icon with a down arrow).

If the Recycle Bin is empty or files have been deleted long ago, go to the following method. Please note that in some versions of MIUI, the Recycle Bin may be disabled. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings → Recycle Bin → Enable.

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If the cart does not have the necessary photos, but you remember the date of deletion, try sorting the files by the option "Date of deletion" (the filter button in the upper right corner of the cart).

2. Restore via Google Photos (if synchronized)

If your Redmi 9 Note enabled autosynchronization with Google Photos, deleted images could be saved to the cloud. Even if you manually cleaned the shopping cart on your phone, Google Photos stored files separately.

Instructions:

1. Open the Google Photos app (or install it from the Play Market if you have deleted it).
2. Sign in with the same account that was linked to the phone at the time of the photo deletion.
3. Tap on the profile avatar. → Basket.
4. Select the necessary photos → click Restore.

Google Photos Recycle Bin is 60 days old. If more time has passed, try searching the web version of the service (photos.google.com) with a filtered date. Use keywords in your search, such as type: photo date: 15.05.2023.

Yes, Google Photos.|Yes, MI Cloud|Yes, other (Yandex, iCloud, etc.)|No, I don't.|I don't know what it is.-->

3. Search for backups in MI Cloud

Xiaomi offers its own cloud storage, MI Cloud, which automatically saves backup photos if the feature has been activated, and you can check this even without your phone - from any device through the browser.

How to restore:

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi Account.
• 🖼️ In the Gallery section, find the Remote or Cart folder.
• 🔄 Select the photo → Click Restore (or download them to your computer).

If the cloud doesn’t have the right pictures, check your phone’s backup settings: Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud → Gallery. If the option has been disabled, this method won’t work.

4.Use of third-party recovery applications

If standard methods did not help, it is time to turn to specialized utilities. For Android without root access, the following programs will work (tested on the Redmi 9 Note):

We recommend starting with DiskDigger, which is easy to use and does not require a PC connection.

1. Install DiskDigger from Play Market.
2. Launch the app and select Full Scan (for deep search).
3. Wait until the analysis is completed (it may take 10–30 minutes).
4. Check the photos found by ticks → click Restore.

Important: When you restore your files via DiskDigger, save them to a different medium (such as the cloud or PC) rather than the phone’s internal memory, which will prevent you from overwriting deleted data.

Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data on your phone | Connect your phone to your PC via the original cable | Enable File Transfer Mode (MTP) | Do not run other programs during the scan-->

5. Computer Recovery (for power users)

If the photos were deleted from a microSD, it can be connected to a computer and scanned using desktop utilities, a method that offers a better chance of success because the PC software works with the file system at a low level.

Step-by-step instructions for Recuva:

1. Remove the memory card from the Redmi 9 Note and insert it into your computer through the card reader.
2. Download and install Recuva from the official website (ccleaner.com).
3. Start the program, select the type of Image files and specify the memory card disk.
4. Click Analysis → wait for the scan to be completed.
5. View the files found (you can use a preview) → restore them to your PC hard drive.

To recover from the phone’s internal memory, connect the Redmi 9 Note to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode and select the appropriate drive in Recuva. note that scanning the internal memory can take several hours.

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Desktop utilities (such as PhotoRec) often find files even after formatting the memory card, as they ignore the file system and work with raw data ("raw recovery").

6. Restoration with root access (advanced method)

If your Redmi 9 Note has custom recovery (TWRP) installed or root access, you can use powerful tools like Undeleter or GT Recovery, which scan memory partitions at the superuser level, which increases the chances of success.

Instructions for Undeleter:

1. Install Undeleter from the Play Market and grant root rights when requested.
2. Select a section to scan (e.g. /data or /sdcard).
3. Start a deep scan (can take 1-2 hours).
4. View the results and restore the necessary files to an external medium.

⚠️ Note: using root access will void warranty on Xiaomi and may lead to unstable system operation. If you are not sure of your actions, it is better to consult a specialist.

7. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all of these methods have failed and photos are critical (such as documents or unique photos), you can contact the official Xiaomi service center, they have specialized equipment to recover data from internal memory, including the eMMC and UFS chips that are used in the Redmi 9 Note.

What you need to know before your visit:

• 💰 The cost of the service starts from 3 000-5 000 rubles (depending on the complexity of the service).
• ⏳ Recovery period – from 1 to 5 working days.
• 📄 Passport and phone check (to confirm possession).
• 🔒 The warranty on the device will be retained if the recovery is carried out by an authorized service.

The addresses of Xiaomi service centers in your city can be found on the official website: mi.com/ru/service/center. Check by phone before visiting whether they are engaged in data recovery – not all centers provide this service.

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Xiaomi service centers in Russia often cooperate with data recovery laboratories (for example, Hetman Software or R-Studio), which increases the chances of success, but also increases the cost of the service.

Frequently asked questions

If none of these methods worked, don't despair: modern data recovery technologies are advancing rapidly. For example, some labs offer services to extract data directly from the chip-off recovery, but it's expensive and time-consuming. Anyway, now you know all the ways you can do it, from the simple to the most complex.