Accidental deletion of photos is a stress that almost every smartphone owner has faced. On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, the situation is often exacerbated by the fact that the user is not aware of the hidden backup features or the specifics of the MIUI and HyperOS file system. However, it is too early to panic: in most cases, data does not disappear irretrievably, but only disappears from view or is marked as free space.
Before you go to radical measures like installing specialized software on your computer, you need to check the regular tools of the system. The speed of actions here is crucial: the less new data you write to the disk after deleting, the better the chances of success. In this article, we will examine all possible methods, from simple checks of the Recycle Bin to the use of advanced utilities.
Recovery of images on smartphones of the Chinese brand has its own nuances associated with aggressive optimization of memory and features of synchronization of accounts. We will look at the algorithms of actions that will help to return valuable frames taken on the camera of your device, and explain why standard methods may not work in a particular case.
⚠️ Warning: If you detect file loss, immediately turn on In-Air mode or turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data, this will prevent the deletion from synchronizing with cloud services and stop the recording of new temporary files.
Checking the built-in basket in the Gallery
The first place to look is the Recycle Bin or Recently Deleted folder, which in the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, the deleted photos are not erased instantly, but moved to a buffer where they are stored for 30 days, a security mechanism that saves from random swipes.
To access the archive, open the Gallery app and go to the Albums tab. Scroll down to the Other Albums section, where you'll find Deleted. Here, files are sorted by deletion date, and you can selectively restore the images you want or clear the memory permanently.
If you use Google Photos as your primary storage, the algorithm is slightly different, in which case remote objects end up in Google’s cloud shopping cart, which also has a limited shelf life.
- 📸 Open the Gallery app on the home screen.
- 📂 Go to the Albums tab and scroll down.
- 🗑️ Find the folder “Deleted” and select the desired photos.
- ↩️ Click the Restore button to return to the main album.
☑️ Pre-reconstruction checks
It is worth noting that if you deleted a photo through the file manager, bypassing the gallery, or used the "Removal of the Removal" function, then this folder will not have them, in which case you need to move to deeper search methods.
Use of the Mi Cloud cloud service
Xiaomi smartphone owners often ignore the creation of a Mi Account, and in vain. This ekosistema provides access to the Mi Cloud, where by default can enable gallery synchronization. If this feature was active, your photos could be saved on the company's servers even before you delete from the device.
To check, log into your phone’s settings, select your Mi Account, and go to the Cloud section, where you can control sync and (view) cloud storage content, and users often find that the “deleted” images are safely in the cloud, freeing up space on the phone.
An alternative way to check is through the web version of i.mi.com. Sign in with your login and password from your computer. The web interface allows you not only to view, but also to download the original photos in full resolution, even if they were deleted locally on the phone.
| Parameter | Free fare | Paid fare (Premium) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory capacity | 5GB | From 50 GB to 2 TB |
| Remote storage period | 30 days | Up to 60 days. |
| Quality of synchronization | Original | Original + 4K video |
| Search for photos | Basic | Extended (objects, places) |
What to do if there is not enough space in the Mi Cloud?
Recovery via Google Photos and Google Drive
Google's ecosystem is the standard for Android, and many camera apps, including stock on Xiaomi, offer instant backups. Even if you're not actively using the app, it could have run in the background. Check sync status in the Google Photos app.
Go to the Library -> Recycle Bin. This is where the deleted items are stored. The thing about Google is that even if the photo is removed from the phone gallery, a copy of it can stay in the cloud account. Try turning off the Internet and open the app again, sometimes forcing it to download data from the server cache.
In addition to the photos, check Google Drive. Some users have set up automatic uploads of media files to that location, and it is also worth looking at the Archives section of Google Photos, which often includes images that the system considers to be screenshots or memes, and the user could delete them from there, thinking that he was erasing garbage.
⚠️ Note: If you delete a photo from the Google Photos Recycle Bin, you can only recover it within 60 days through Google Support, and then not always.
Analysis of Local Folders and Hidden Albums
Sometimes photos are not deleted, but simply “hidden” because of a failure of indexing media files or getting into hidden directories. On Xiaomi smartphones, there is a feature “Hidden Album”, accessed by swiping up in the viewing of miniatures of albums.
You should also check the file system through Files' built-in Explorer. Go to DCIM/Camera or Pictures. If you see files with the.nomedia extension, delete them. This instructs file system does not scan the folder for media files, which causes them to disappear from the gallery but physically remain on the disk.
Another nuance is the.thumbnails folder in the DCIM directory, which stores smaller copies of your photos, and if the original is lost, you can try to find a thumbnail of the image you want, and the quality is low, but in some cases, it's the only way to preserve the memory of the event.
- 🔍 Open the Files app (Conductor).
- ⚙️ Enable the display of hidden files in the settings.
- 📁 Go to the folder. DCIM and check the attached directories.
- 🚫 Find and delete the.nomedia file if it blocks viewing.
Use of specialized software on PC
When standard methods fail, heavy artillery, deep memory scanning software, comes into play, and the most popular Android solutions, including Xiaomi, are DiskDigger, Dr.Fone, and Recuva (for memory cards), all of which work by looking for the tails of files in the file system.
Most of these programs on the phone require you to activate the USB debugging mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI Version 7 times. In the Developer Menu, turn on USB Debugging.
adb devices
adb shell pm grant com.diskdigger.permission.ACCESS_MEDIA_LOCATIONThe process of recovery usually looks like this: you connect your smartphone with a cable to your computer, run a scan and wait for the result. It's important to understand that without Root rights, programs only see cached thumbnails. Full recovery of the originals is possible only on rooted devices or if the phone was properly debugged.
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Use the original USB cable that came with your phone. Cheap cables often only support charging and don't transmit data, which will cause a connection error to the program on your PC.
Preventing Data Loss in the Future
The best way to recover is to back up on time. Set up automatic sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud right now. It'll take a couple of minutes, but it'll save thousands of nerve cells in the future.
Regularly copy important files to an external hard drive or to a third party cloud storage, such as Yandex.Disk or Dropbox. The three-copy rule states that your data should be stored in three places: on your phone, on your computer and in the cloud.
Be careful when cleaning your memory through the built-in Cleaners. Often they label old photos as "junk files" and suggest that they be deleted in bundles. Always check the contents before confirming the cleanup.
⚠️ Warning: Don't install recovery apps directly on the memory that lost the photos. By writing a new program, you can wipe out sectors where your deleted images are theoretically still lying.
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Automatic cloud sync is the only 100% reliable way to protect against loss of photos when your phone is broken or stolen.