How to recover photos on Xiaomi after firmware: the full guide 2026

Xiaomi’s smartphone firmware is a procedure that can both revive the device and result in data loss. It’s especially painful to lose photos: family photos, important photo documents or unique frames that can not be restored. Unfortunately, the standard MIUI update does not always warn the user about the risks, and a factory reset (Wipe Data) during firmware through Fastboot or Recovery erases internal memory irrevocably. But not all that bad: there are several proven ways to return lost files, from official Xiaomi tools to third-party utilities.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods for recovering photos from firmware, including nuances for different models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11, etc.), and explain why some methods may not work. Importantly, success depends on whether you wrote data to your phone after you have firmware — if so, the odds drop dramatically. Let's start with the most reliable option, the MI Cloud Storage.

Recovery through MI Cloud: The Official Way

MI Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that automatically syncs photos if the feature has been activated before the firmware, a major advantage of the method: files are stored on the company's servers and are independent of the internal memory status of the phone.

• 🔄 Autosynchronization should have been enabled in the settings (Settings) → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud → If the option has been disabled, this method will not help.
• 📅 Last sync date. Check when the last time photos were uploaded to the cloud, no new images will be recovered after that date.
• 💾 Volume limit. Free rate. MI Cloud provides only 5 GB, so some of the photos may not fit.

To recover the photo:

1. Sign in to your phone under the same Mi Account you used before your firmware.
2. Open the Gallery → Albums → MI Cloud app.
3. Select the photos you need and click Save on the device.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your Mi Account after you have firmware or forgotten your password, it will be difficult to restore access to the cloud. In this case, contact Xiaomi with proof of ownership of the device (checks, IMEI).

2. Local backups: where to look for backups

Many users don't know that Xiaomi creates local backups of photos in hidden folders, and these copies can remain intact even after you have firmware, unless you have formatted internal memory manually.

• 📁 folder MIUI/Backup. Contains backups created by the system before the upgrade.Path:Internal memory → MIUI → Backup → AllBackup.
• 🖼️ folder DCIM/.thumbnails. Here are stored miniatures of photos, which can sometimes be restored in full size.
• 🔍 folder Pictures/Screenshots. If you took screenshots of important photos, they could have been saved.

To find these folders:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (File Transfer Mode).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden Items).
3. Use the search for keywords:.jpg,.png, backup.

💡

If you find files with the.bak or.tmp extension, try renaming them.jpg – sometimes this helps open an image.

3.Recovery programs: DiskDigger, EaseUS MobiSaver

If previous methods didn't work, it's time to turn to third-party utilities that scan the internal memory of the phone at the file system level and look for traces of deleted data. Importantly, the less you use the phone after firmware, the better the chances of success.

• 🛠️ DiskDigger (Android) works without root rights, but with them more efficiently. Supports recovery JPG, PNG, HEIC.
• 💾 EaseUS MobiSaver (PC) Requires phone connection over USB. Looking for photos even after formatting.
• 🔍 Recuva (PC) is a free deep scanning utility, suitable if the phone's memory is displayed as a removable disk.

Instructions for DiskDigger (on the phone):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select Full Scan (requires root rights) or Basic Scan.
3. Mark the file types: JPEG, PNG.
4. Wait for the scan to finish and save the photo found on SD-map.

For EaseUS MobiSaver (on PC):

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer in File Transfer mode.


2. Launch the program and select "Android Data Recovery".




3. Specify the file type: "Photo and video".




Start the scan and wait for the results (may take up to 1 hour).




5. View the files found and save them to the PC.

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered photos back to the phone's internal memory - this can overwrite the remaining unrecovered data. SD-map.

Disable debugging over USB in the developer settings|

Install Xiaomi drivers (Mi PC Suite) |

Use the original USB-cable|

Charge your phone at least 50% |

Don't plug others in. USB-device during scanning-->

Recovery through TWRP: for advanced users

If your Xiaomi has custom recovery installed TWRP, The chances of returning a photo are much higher, and this method is suitable for users who have flashed the phone manually and have experience with the use of the phone. ADB Or Fastboot. The essence of the way: create a partition image. /data And scan it on a PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Upload the phone to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up).
2. Connect the device to your PC and in TWRP, select Mount → Enable MTP.
3. In the PC command line, run: adb pull /dev/block/mmcblk0pXX data.img (replace XX with /data partition number – you can find it through fdisk -l in TWRP Terminal).
4. Scan the resulting data.img file with PhotoRec or R-Studio.

This technique requires technical skills, but it gives you the best chance of recovery, and if you're not sure about yourself, you should consult a specialist.

5. Contacting a service center: when nothing helps

If all independent attempts to restore the photo failed, the last option is to contact the Xiaomi service center or a specialized data recovery laboratory.

• 🔧 Physical memory damage (for example, after a failed firmware through Fastboot).
• 🔒 Encrypting data (starting with Android) 6.0, Xiaomi encrypts partition /data default).
• 📉 Overwrite data (if after firmware you actively used the phone).

What to do before visiting the service:

1. Not trying to re-stitch the phone can make things worse.
2. Prepare a check or a warranty card (if the device is warranty).
3. Check with specialists whether they work with chip-off recovery (removal of memory chips for direct reading of data).

The cost of the service varies from 3 000 to 15 000 rubles depending on the complexity, in some cases (for example, if the hardware damage to the memory controller), recovery may not be possible.

💡

Xiaomi service centers don’t do data recovery, they just refish the device. For memory, look for data recovery labs.

6.Prevention: How to avoid loss of photos in the future

The best way to combat data loss is to prevent it, and here are 5 rules that will protect your photos when you run the next firmware:

• ☁️ Enable autosynchronization with MI Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud → Set a download limit on the mobile network if you are afraid of traffic.
• 💾 Make backups on your PC regularly, plug your phone into your computer once a month, and copy the folder. DCIM.
• 📱 Use third-party clouds (Google Photos, Yandex Drive). Set up automatic download.

Critical information: Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi defaults on /data partition encryption.This means that without a phone password (or key file), it is almost impossible to recover data after firmware, even with TWRP. If you plan to stitch the phone, be sure to unencrypt it in advance or save the key backup (/data/misc/vold/).

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi