Deleting photos on Xiaomi smartphones is a situation that almost every user faces: You accidentally clicked Delete, cleared your cart or lost pictures after resetting your settings - and now you're looking for a way to get back precious footage. Fortunately, Redmi, POCO and Mi devices have built-in protection mechanisms, as well as third-party tools that will help restore files even months after deleting them.
In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to return photos from the cart to Xiaomi, including hidden MIUI functions, cloud backups and professional utilities. You will learn how to act depending on the phone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11, etc.), firmware version and storage type (internal memory or microSD), and also – what distinguishes the basket in MIUI from the standard Android gallery and why sometimes files “disappear” from it ahead of schedule.
If you deleted a photo less than 30 days ago, the chances of recovery are close to 100%. If it's been more than a month, do not despair: in 70% of cases, data can still be returned with deep scanning. The main thing is not to write new files to your phone until the procedure is completed, otherwise deleted photos can be overwritten irrevocably.
1.How the Recycle Bin Works on Xiaomi: What You Need to Know Before Recovery
The shopping cart in Xiaomi smartphones is not just a folder for temporary storage of deleted files, but part of the MIUI Gallery multimedia management system, which works differently than similar features on Samsung or Google Photos, and this affects the recovery process.
Here are the key features:
- 📅 Storage period: By default, files are stored in the Recycle Bin for 30 days, but this period can be changed in settings (maximum 60 days).
- 🗑️ Autoclean: If the device’s free space runs out, the system can delete files from the cart ahead of schedule – even if 30 days have not passed.
- 🔄 Cloud Sync: If Mi Cloud is enabled, deleted photos can stay in the cloud basket longer than on your phone.
- 📱 Different shopping carts for different apps: files deleted through Google Photos end up in another shopping cart that isn’t connected to the Internet MIUI Gallery.
It's important to understand that the Recycle Bin in MIUI is not a backup. It just postpones the final deletion of files. If you manually cleaned the Recycle Bin or it was automatically cleaned due to lack of space, you won't get a photo back by standard means - you'll need special utilities.
⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with HyperOS firmware (released after 2023), the algorithm of the basket has changed. Now files can be stored in it for up to 60 days, but you need to activate the advanced mode in the gallery settings (Settings) → Basket → Extended storage).
2. Method 1: Restore from the MIUI Gallery Recycle Bin (if the files are still there)
This is the easiest and fastest method that will work if less than 30 to 60 days have passed since you removed and you haven't cleaned your cart manually.The manual is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 13C, POCO F5 and Mi 14.
To get the photo back:
- Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
- Slip on three horizontal lines in the lower right corner (menu).
- Select the Recycle Bin (on some firmware - Recently deleted).
- Find the photos or videos you want, and you can search by date or file type.
- Select files with a long tap, then click Restore (the icon with the arrow down).
The recovered files will return to the same folder from which they were deleted, and if the folder no longer exists (for example, you deleted it too), the images will appear in the All Photos section.
Check filters (possibly hidden videos or screenshots)
Make sure you view the cart in MIUI Gallery, not in Google Photos
Try restarting your phone – sometimes files are displayed after restarting.
Check the Mi Cloud cloud cart (if sync was enabled)-->
If the cart doesn’t have the right files, but you’re sure you deleted them less than a month ago, try updating the gallery: go to Settings → About → Update the gallery. Sometimes this helps to return “lost” thumbnails.
Method 2: Recovery via Mi Cloud (if synchronization was enabled)
Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that automatically backs up photos if the feature is activated, and even if you deleted the pictures from your phone, they could be saved to the cloud, and the main condition is that sync had to be enabled before you delete the files.
To check the cloud cart:
- 🌐 Open your browser on your PC or phone and go to i.mi.com.
- 🔑 Sign in with the same Mi Account you used on your phone.
- 📁 Go to the Gallery section → Recycled cart (or recently deleted).
- 🔍 Find the right files and click Restore.
Please note:
- 🕒 In the cloud bin, files are stored for up to 60 days (as opposed to 30 days on a phone).
- 📥 Recovered photos will be uploaded back to the phone gallery when you next connect to the Internet.
- 💾 If the cloud is full, old backups can be automatically deleted.
⚠️ Note: If you manually deleted photos from the cloud cart or they were deleted due to expiry of storage, it is no longer possible to restore them via Mi Cloud.
Mi Cloud
Google Photo
Other service (Yandex, Mail.ru, etc.)
Don't use the cloud.
I don't know what it is.-->
Method 3: Restore through Google Photos (if sync was enabled)
Many Xiaomi users default to Google Photos instead of the standard gallery, and if you have this app installed and autoload enabled, deleted photos could be saved in the Google Photos Recycle Bin, which works independently of the MIUI Recycle Bin.
To check:
- Open the Google Photos app (if not, install it from the Play Market).
- Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
- Pick the basket.
- Find the files you need and click Restore.
Features of the Google cart Photos:
- 🗓️ Files are stored for 60 days (as opposed to 30 days in a single file). MIUI).
- ☁️ If you have Backup and Sync enabled, deleted photos will remain in the cloud even after cleaning the shopping cart on your phone.
- 📤 Recovered files will appear in the Google Photos folder in the gallery MIUI.
If you don’t find the right pictures in the cart, check the Google Photos archive (Library) → Archives. Sometimes files deleted from other applications get there.
5. Method 4: Deep Memory Scanning with DiskDigger (if the Recycle Bin is Empty)
If photos have been removed from the cart or more than 60 days have passed, standard methods will not work, in which case deep scanning of internal memory using specialized utilities will help. One of the most effective for Xiaomi is DiskDigger, an application that looks for traces of deleted files at the file system level.
Instructions for remediation:
- Install DiskDigger from the Play Market (or download the APK from the official website if the app is not available in your area).
- Run the utility and grant root permissions (if any) for the deepest scan possible. Without root access, the chances of recovery are lower, but they are.
- Select the file type to search for: tick JPG, PNG, HEIC (for photo) and MP4 (for video).
- Click Scan the device and wait for the process to complete (can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours).
- Once scanned, select the files you want and click Restore. Save them to a microSD or cloud — don't restore them to internal memory so you don't overwrite other deleted data.
Important nuances:
- 🔍 Without root rights, DiskDigger will only find thumbnails (previews) of photos, not full-size files.
- 📱 On HyperOS phones (2023-2026), the scanning can be blocked by security.
- 🚫 If you have removed the photos, you have installed updates. MIUI or reset the phone to factory settings, the chances of recovery are close to zero – the file system is completely overwritten.
Why does DiskDigger not find deleted photos?
6. Method 5: Recovery via PC with Tenorshare UltData
If you don't have any deleted photos on your phone, but you haven't reset your settings, you can try professional computer data recovery software. One of the best tools for Xiaomi is Tenorshare UltData for Android, which works even without root rights and supports all models, including the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO X6 Pro.
Step-by-step:
- Download and install Tenorshare UltData on your PC (Windows or Mac).
- Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable (turn on debugging by USB developer-setting).
- Start the program and select the Android Data Recovery mode.
- Select the file types to scan: tick Photos and Videos.
- Press Start and wait for the analysis to be completed (may take up to 1 hour).
- Go through the files you find, select the files you want, and click Restore. Save them to your PC.
The advantages of Tenorshare UltData:
- 🖥️ It works on non-rooted devices (unlike many analogues).
- 📸 It not only restores the photo, but also HEIC, RAW, GIF.
- 🔄 Supports recovery after resetting settings (if there was no flashing).
The license starts at $39.95, but there is a free trial for pre-scanning.
| Recovery method | Duration of validity | Root is required. | Probability of success | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI Gallery basket | Up to 60 days. | ❌ No. | 95% | Free of charge. |
| Mi Cloud | Up to 60 days. | ❌ No. | 80% | Free (if there is space in the cloud) |
| Google Photo | Up to 60 days. | ❌ No. | 75% | Free of charge. |
| DiskDigger (without root) | Unlimited* | ❌ No, but better root) | 40–60% | Free (paid version - $2.99) |
| Tenorshare UltData | Unlimited* | ❌ No. | 70–85% | From $39.95. |
* Provided that the files have not been overwritten with new data.
7 What to do if nothing has worked: alternative methods
If none of these methods worked, don't despair. There are a few less obvious, but sometimes effective, options:
1. Check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder
Sometimes, thumbnails of photos are saved in a hidden folder called.thumbnails to find it:
- Connect your phone to your PC in File Transfer mode.
- Enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden Items).
- Go to the Inner Memory → DCIM →.thumbnails.
- Try opening the files you find through a graphics editor (such as GIMP or Paint.NET).
2.Recovery through MIUI backup
If you’ve ever done a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset, you can try extracting a photo from the archive:
- Connect the phone to the PC.
- Find the backup file in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.
- Rename the extension from.bak to.zip and unpack the archive.
- Look for photos in the media or dcim folders.
3. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center
If the photos are critical (for example, they are the only pictures from an important event), you can try contacting the official service center of Xiaomi.
- ⏳ The process can take up to 2 weeks.
💡
If you regularly lose important photos, set up automatic sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery Sync and enable the option. It is also useful to copy the photo once a month to a PC or external drive.
8 How to Avoid Losing Photos in the Future: 5 Rules for Xiaomi Owners
It is better to prevent a problem than to solve it, and here are the necessary precautions to keep your photos safe:
- 🔄 Enable autosynchronization with Mi Cloud or Google Photos. Even if the phone breaks, the images will remain in the cloud.
If you travel frequently or film important events, consider buying a portable one. SSD-storage device (for example, Samsung) T7 Shield is compact, reliable and allows you to instantly transfer photos from your phone without the risk of loss.
💡
The most reliable way to protect photos is a combination of cloud backup + The data is stored on a local backup to the PC/memory card, and even if one source fails, the data will remain in the other.