Recovering deleted photos from the cart on Xiaomi: all ways

Why are the photos disappearing from the gallery and can they be returned?

Did you accidentally delete important photos on your Xiaomi smartphone and now panic? Don't despair - most Redmi, POCO and Mi models have a built-in Recycle Bin feature that temporarily saves deleted files. Unlike full formatting or resetting, where data is irrevocably erased, with normal removal through the gallery, the chances of recovery remain high.

The storage period of files in the Recycle Bin depends on the MIUI version and device model. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14, photos are stored there for up to 30 days, and on older versions (for example, MIUI 12) only 15 days. After this period, files are deleted automatically, and it will be more difficult to return them without specialized programs. It is also important to remember that the Recycle Bin takes up space in the device memory: if there is little space, the system can clear it early.

But what if the cart is empty and you still need a photo? In this article, we'll look at all the ways you can do it, from standard MIUI features to third-party utilities that can help you recover even long-deleted images, and you'll also learn how to set up backups to avoid similar situations in the future.

Method 1: Recovery through the built-in MIUI Gallery Recycle Bin

The easiest and fastest method is to use the standard shopping cart in the Gallery app, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 9 and later, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11. The main condition is that the photos must be deleted no earlier than 15-30 days (depending on the firmware version).

To return the files:

1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with colored squares).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines in the lower right corner (menu).
3. Select the Recycle Bin (or recently deleted on some versions).
4. Find the photos you want, click on them (you can highlight a few) and select Restore.

If the button is not on the menu, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI: on old firmware (below) MIUI (9) the basket may not be available.
• 🗑️ Gallery settings: go to Settings → Cart and make sure the function is enabled.
• 🔄 Updates: sometimes after a firmware update, the basket "resets." Try rebooting your phone.

Important: If you deleted a photo through a file manager or third-party apps (like Google Photos), they may not make it to the MIUI Recycle Bin.

⚠️ Note: Some users confuse the cart MIUI It's different storage! If you've used Google Photos to delete, you can only recover images through this app (Basket section in the side menu).

Method 2: Recovery via MI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If your Xiaomi has MI Cloud enabled sync, the chances of returning photos are much higher.The cloud automatically saves copies of files even if they were deleted from the device.This method is suitable for all models that support MIUI Account, including Redmi 10, POCO F4 and Mi Mix 4.

Instructions for remediation:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud
2. Make sure that the gallery sync function is enabled. If not, turn it on and wait for the data to load.
3. Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same account.
4. In the Gallery section, find the Recycle Bin folder or Recently Deleted.
5. Select the desired photos and click Restore.

If there are no deleted files in the cloud, check:

• 🔄 Last sync date: Photos may have been deleted before backup enabled.
• 📁 Gallery folders: Some pictures (e.g. screenshots) may not sync automatically.
• 💾 Cloud storage: If the space is over, no new files are saved.

Critical nuance: if you manually deleted photos from the cloud (via the web version or application), it will be impossible to restore them - MI Cloud does not have a "basket" function for cloud files.

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Before you recover from the cloud, check if there is enough space on your phone. If there is not enough space, the files will not be downloaded back.

Method 3: Using third-party programs for deep scanning

If the photos were deleted long ago (more than 30 days ago) or the basket was cleared, standard methods will not help, in which case you will have to resort to specialized programs to restore data, they scan the internal memory of the device at the file system level and can even find fragmented files.

The best tools for Xiaomi:

• 🛠️ DiskDigger — works without root rights, but with them the efficiency is higher. Supports recovery of.jpg,.png and.heic.
• 🔍 Recuva (Windows only) – requires a phone connection USB file transfer (MTP).
• 📱 Dumpster is an analogue of the basket, which can be installed from Google Play.
• 💻 EaseUS MobiSaver is a paid program with a free trial period. Suitable for recovery after resetting settings.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (on the example of Redmi Note 10 Pro):

1. Download and install DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Launch the app and select Full Scan (requires root rights for maximum efficiency).
3. Wait for the analysis to be completed (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour).
4. Check the photos you found and click Restore.
5. Save files to a memory card or cloud (not internal memory!).

⚠️ Note: When you restore without root rights, the software only sees cached thumbnails of photos, not the originals in full resolution. If you want quality images, you will have to get root access (but this voids the warranty!).

If you are using Recuva on PC:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB-cable.
2. Enable File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification curtain.
3. Start Recuva, select the type of Image files and specify your phone’s drive.
4. After scanning, mark the desired files and restore them to the hard drive of the PC.

Method 4: Restore through Google Photos Backup

If your Xiaomi has Google Photos installed and automatic sync enabled, deleted images could be saved to the Google Drive cloud, which works even if you deleted the photos a few months ago, as long as they have time to download to the cloud before they are deleted.

How to get back a photo:

1. Open the Google Photos app on your phone or go to photos.google.com.
2. In the side menu, select the basket.
3. Find the photos you need (they are stored there for 60 days).
4. Select them and press Restore.

If the basket is empty, check:

• 🔄 Synchronization settings: go to Settings → Backup and sync and make sure the function is enabled.
• 📅 Deletion Date: If more than 60 days have passed, the photo is deleted permanently.
• 📁 Google Drive folders: sometimes photos are saved in the Archives section (not to be confused with the basket!).

Important: Google Photos compresses images for free storage (unless you pay for Google One).To keep the original quality, check your backup settings:

Google Photos → Settings → Backup and Synchronization → Download quality

Method 5: Manual recovery via ADB (for advanced users)

If all previous methods have failed and photos are critical, you can try extracting them through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires command line skills and is only suitable for users willing to experiment. Wrong commands can lead to data loss or system failure!

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Xiaomi with enabled debugging on USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Press 7 times, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed).

1. Back up the photo section (usually /data/media/0/DCIM):

adb pull /data/media/0/DCIM C:\Xiaomi_Backup

1. If the DCIM folder is empty, try scanning the partition for deleted files using PhotoRec (included in the TestDisk package).

Warning: This method does not guarantee 100% results, especially if you have been using your phone after deleting the photo (installing apps, shooting new videos, etc.) and the new data may have been overwritten.

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ADB-It's only for the experienced, and if you're not sure what you're doing, you should go to the service center.

How to prevent future loss of photos: 5 tips

The best way to combat data loss is to prevent it, and here are proven methods to avoid repeat problems:

1. Automatic backup: Set up sync with MI Cloud or Google Photos: 📱 MI Cloud: Settings → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud → Synchronization of the gallery. 📷 Google Photos: Settings → Backup and synchronization.

Regular export to PC

Once a month, plug your phone into your computer and copy the DCIM folder to your hard drive, which will take 5-10 minutes, but save your data in case of a crash.

Use of memory card

Configure photo saving to microSD (if your model supports): Camera → Settings → Save Place → Memory Map.

Installation of the third-party basket

Apps like Dumpster or Recycle Bin create an extra layer of protection, and they intercept deleted files before they get to the system basket.

Checking before cleaning

Before cleaning the cart or resetting the settings, always check the contents of the cart, sometimes files deleted by mistake fall into it.

Additional Life Hack: If you travel frequently, turn on the option of Autoboot over Wi-Fi in Google Photos, so photos will only sync when connected to trusted networks, saving mobile traffic.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When recovering photos, users often make critical mistakes that reduce the chances of success to zero.

• 🚫 Continued use of the phone after deletion: Every new photo, video or installed application can overwrite deleted data. Immediately turn off mobile Internet and Wi-Fi if you detect file loss.
• 🔄 Reboot or reset: This is almost guaranteed to destroy your chances of recovery.Do not attempt to "fix" your phone before retrieving data.
• 🗑️ Cleaning cache or data from the Gallery app: This will remove thumbnails and photo metadata, making it harder for recovery programs to work.
• 💾 Formatting a memory card: Even if the photo was on SD-You can use programs like Recuva to scan the removable drive.

If you've already made one of these mistakes, don't panic. Try the methods in this article, but be prepared for the fact that some of the data may be lost forever.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions