How to recover deleted photos from the cart on Xiaomi: all ways

Deleting photos by mistake is one of the most common problems among owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. Fortunately, MIUI provides a shopping cart that temporarily stores deleted images before final erasure. However, not all users know how to use it correctly, especially if files are missing from the folder or the basket suddenly cleared. In this article, we will discuss all possible recovery methods, including hidden system functions, cloud services and specialized programs.

Xiaomi's specialty is that the cart not only works in the standard Gallery app, but also integrates with the Mi Cloud, which means that even if you delete a photo from your phone, it can stay in cloud storage for up to 30 days. However, there are nuances: for example, on some models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), the cart is disabled by default, we will show you how to turn it on and what to do if the storage period expires.

If you have deleted photos recently (in the last 30 days), the chances of recovery are as high as possible, but even in difficult cases — when the basket is empty or files were deleted months ago — there are backup options, the main thing is: do not write new data to your phone before you try to restore, as this can overwrite deleted files.

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1. Standard Recovery through the Cart in the Gallery

The easiest way to return deleted photos is to use the built-in basket in the Gallery app (MIUI By default, deleted files are stored there for 30 days, then automatically erased. Here's how to restore them:

1. Open the Gallery app on your Xiaomi.

2.Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper left corner.

3. Select the item "Basket" (Trash or the icon of the garbage can).

4. Find the photos you want, click on them (you can highlight several) and select Restore.

If the Recycle Bin button is not on the menu, the function is disabled to activate it:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → gallery → Basket.
• 🔄 Turn on the switch Enable Trash (Enable Trash).
• ⏳ Set a shelf life (by default 30 days, you can increase to 60).

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50) The shopping cart may be called Recently Deleted. If you don't find this section, update the Gallery app through the Mi App Store.

If there are no photos in the cart, check:

• 🗑️ It is possible that the basket was manually cleaned (long-term pressing of the basket icon). → Clean the basket).
• ⏳ Expired storage period (files older than 30 days are deleted automatically).
• 📁 The photos were deleted not through the Gallery, but through the file manager (in this case, they fall into another basket – more about this below).

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2. Recovery via file manager (for photos removed from the Gallery)

If you delete photos through a MIUI File Manager or a third-party guide (like Total Commander), they end up in another shopping cart, the system one, which works independently of the Gallery Recycle Bin and also stores files for 30 days.

To recover the photo through the file manager:

1. Open the Files app (folder icon).
2. In the lower menu, select Recycle Bin (or Deleted Files).
3. Find the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder, which usually stores photos.
4. Select the files you need and click Restore.

If the file manager basket is empty, check:

• 🔍 It is possible that the files were deleted from the external memory card – in this case, the basket does not work, and recovery is possible only through the PC (see section 5).
• 🛠️ On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 for POCO F3) The file manager basket is disabled by default. Enable it in the application settings.

⚠️ Note: If you used the Clean Memory feature in your phone settings (Settings) → Memory. → Cleaning, files can be deleted irrevocably, bypassing the basket.

Make sure the cart is not manually cleaned

Check both baskets (Gallery and Files)

Do not install new applications until recovery

Connect your phone to charge (for long-term operations)-->

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Recovery via Mi Cloud (if synchronization was enabled)

If your Xiaomi was enabled to sync with Mi Cloud, the deleted photos could be saved to the cloud, and even if you erased them from your phone, they are stored in the cloud for up to 60 days (depending on your settings).

To recover photos from Mi Cloud:

1. Open the Gallery → Mi Cloud (or go to i.mi.com from your computer).
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account you used on your phone.
3. Go to the Trash section in the cloud.
4. Select photos and click Restore.

If the photo is not in the cloud basket, try:

• 🔎 Use a search by date or keyword (e.g., “beach” or “2023").
• 📂 Check the Auto Backup folder – sometimes photos are saved separately there.
• 📱 Make sure that sync has been enabled before deleting (check in Settings) → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → gallery).

* With the connected tariff Mi Cloud+.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings without leaving your Mi Account, the photos will remain in the cloud, but if you delete your account or reset your password, your access to the cloud will be lost and your files deleted after 30 days.

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4. Use of Google Photos (if there was a backup)

Many Xiaomi users set up automatic uploads of photos to Google Photos, and if you have enabled this feature, you can restore photos even years after deleting.

Instructions:

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

If the photo is not in the Google Photos Recycle Bin, check:

• 📁 Archives – sometimes users accidentally archive photos instead of deleting them.
• 🔍 Search by date or place (e.g., "Moscow, July 2023").
• 📱 Backup settings: Go to Google Photo Settings → Backup and sync and make sure the function is active.

Google Photos stores deleted files longer than Mi Cloud (60 days vs 30), but requires manual backup configuration. If you've never enabled this feature, it won't work.

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If you regularly delete photos but want to save them, set up automatic archiving in Google Photos instead of deleting. To do this, select Move to Archive in the app settings instead of Delete from Device.

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5. PC Recovery (if the basket is empty)

If the photos are not found in the phone basket or the cloud, the last chance is to use specialized data recovery software, which works even if the files were deleted months ago, but only if the phone has not recorded new data (they can overwrite deleted photos).

The best recovery programs with Xiaomi:

• 🖥️ DiskDigger (there is a version for Android, does not require root).
• 💻 Recuva (for PC, you need to connect the phone in storage mode).
• 📱 EaseUS MobiSaver (paid but with free trial period).

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (without root):

1. Install DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Launch the application and select Full Scan.
3. Wait until it is completed (it may take up to an hour).
4. Tag the photos you find (usually in.jpg or.png format) and click Restore.
5. Save files to your PC or cloud (not your phone!).

For recovery via PC (using Recuva):

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Install Recuva and start the scan.
3. Select your phone’s drive (usually a removable drive).
4. After scanning, filter the results by file type (.jpg,.heic).
5. Restore the photo to the hard drive of the PC.

⚠️ Note: If your phone was connected to your PC in Charging Only mode, recovery programs won’t see its memory. Be sure to select File Transfer in the notification curtain when you connect.

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6. Features of recovery on different models Xiaomi

The algorithm for the cart and cloud sync may vary depending on the phone model and MIUI version. Below are the key nuances for popular devices:

On devices with MIUI 12 and older, the Recycle Bin works steadily, but on earlier versions (such as MIUI 11 on the Redmi Note 8 Pro) there may be failures. If you have outdated firmware, update it through Settings → About Phone → System Update.

For models with hybrid memory (for example, Xiaomi 12T), where internal storage is divided into partitions, recovery is complicated.

• Use it. ADB-commands to access hidden partitions (skills required).
• Connect your phone in Fastboot mode and use the Mi Flash Tool to create a backup.

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On newer models (MIUI 14+), the shopping cart can be hidden in the privacy settings. To find it, go to Settings → Privacy → Special Permissions → Recycle Cart and turn on the display.

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7. What should I do if nothing has worked?

If all of these methods fail, radical measures remain, depending on how long ago the photo was deleted and whether the phone was used after that.

The latest chances of recovery:

• 🔧 Factory reset (sometimes returns deleted system files, but is risky).
• 🛠️ Contact Xiaomi Service Center (if photos are critically important, specialists can extract data from the memory chip).
• 💾 Checking other devices (possibly photos were sent via Mi Share or Bluetooth to another gadget).

If the photos were of high value (such as documents or unique pictures), consider contacting the data recovery laboratory. The cost of the service starts from 5 000 rubles, but the chances of returning files are up to 80% (provided that the memory was not overwritten).

The only time when recovery is impossible is when a large amount of new data is recorded on the phone (for example, installing games or shooting videos), in which case the deleted files are overwritten irrevocably.

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FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi