How to recover deleted photos on Xiaomi phone: from cart to deep scan

Deleting photos from a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that almost every user faces. One careless click in the gallery, resetting or even a system failure can deprive you of valuable images. Fortunately, in most cases, files are restored - the main thing is to act quickly and correctly.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current recovery methods for MIUI devices (including Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi Note/Pro/Ultra models), from simple methods like checking the cart to advanced tools like ADB and DiskDigger – with step-by-step instructions, nuances for different firmware versions, and warnings about typical bugs.

Importantly, the less you use your phone after deleting, the better the chances of success. Every new photo, app installed, or even system update can permanently overwrite deleted data, so start recovering immediately after you find a problem.

1.Check the basket at Xiaomi Gallery

Modern versions of MIUI (starting with MIUI 12) automatically send deleted photos to the recycle bin, where they are stored for 30 days, the first and easiest way to return files without third-party software.

How to check:

• 📁 Open the standard Gallery app (icon with colored squares).
• 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• ✅ Select the necessary photos (long press) → press Restore.
• 🔄 If the basket is empty, try updating the page with a swipe down.

Nuances for different models:

• 📱 Nana POCO F3/F4 Redmi Note 10/11 The cart may be called the recently deleted cart.
• ⚙️ V MIUI 13/14 The storage period can be extended to 60 Days: Gallery settings → Basket → Storage period.
• ❌ If you manually cleaned the cart or used features like Memory Optimization, files cannot be restored.

⚠️ Attention: Basket in MIUI It only works for photos deleted through a standard gallery, and if you erase files through Explorer or third-party apps (like Google Photos), this method won’t work.

2. Restore via Google Photos (if synchronized)

If your Xiaomi has enabled Google Photos sync, you can get deleted images back from the cloud, which works even if you reset your phone to factory settings or lost access to your device.

Instructions:

1. Open Google Photos in your browser or app.
2. Sign in with the same account that was linked to the phone.
3. Go to the section of the basket (in the mobile application - swipe left → basket).
4. Select the necessary photos → click Restore.
5. Synchronized files will appear in the gallery in 5-10 minutes.

What to do if there are no photos in the cart:

• 🔍 Check the Archive section – sometimes files are moved there automatically.
• 📅 Search by date: Google Photos can filter photos by month/year.
• 📥 If synchronization has been disabled, try other methods from this article.

⚠️ Note: If you used the Free Space feature in Google Photos, local copies of the photos were deleted from your phone but left in the cloud, in which case you can only restore them to your device via the web version of the service.

3. Use of recovery applications (without root)

If the photos are not in the cart and are not synced with the cloud, you will have to resort to specialized programs. For Xiaomi, the following tools are suitable (work without superuser rights):

• 📱 DiskDigger – scans internal memory and microSD card, supports recovery JPG, PNG, HEIC.
• 🔍 Recuva (for PC) – if you connect your phone to your computer in file transfer mode (MTP).
• 📂 EaseUS MobiSaver – specializes in media files, there is a free version.
• 🛠️ Undeleter – supports recovery from damaged partitions (relevant after failures).

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Start and select Start a simple scan (to search for photos and videos).
3. Wait until the process is completed (it can take 10–30 minutes).
4. Tick the files found → click Restore.
5. Save your photos to a memory card or cloud (do not restore them to internal memory!).

Nuances:

• 🔋 Charge your phone at least 50% – scanning consumes a lot of energy.
• 🚫 Do not install programs on internal memory – this reduces the chances of recovery.
• 📌 If no photos are found, try the full scan (requires root rights).

Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data | Charge your phone ≥50% | Do not install new apps | Use a memory card to save files-->

4. Recovery with ADB (for power users)

If standard methods didn’t work, you can try extracting photos via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that’s suitable for users who previously included USB debugging on their phone.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 USB-Type-C Cable (preferably original).
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Recovery teams:

adb shell


su




cd /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/




ls -la

If the DCIM folder is empty, try searching for temporary files:

find /storage/emulated/0/ -name ".jpg" -o -name ".png"

Limitations of the method:

• 🔒 Without root rights, you will only see files that have not been overwritten.
• 📂 Recovered photos may be damaged (partially black or with artifacts).
• ⚠️ Wrong teams ADB It can cause the system to fail.

⚠️ Please note: if you have never used ADB, It is better to skip this method or consult a specialist. errors in commands (for example, rm). -rf) You can erase all data on your phone without the possibility of recovery.

5. Recovery after reset to factory settings

If you have done a hard reset (reset via Settings) → Additionally. → Recovery and reset, the chances of recovering photos drop dramatically, however, there are several ways that can help:

Method 1: Verification of MIUI backups

• 🔄 If before reset you created a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup, connect the same Mi Account after resetting.
• 📥 Restore data from the copy: Settings → Additionally. → Data recovery.

Method 2: Search for a memory card

• 📷 If the photos were stored on a microSD, remove the card and connect it to the computer via a card reader.
• 🔍 Use programs like Recuva or PhotoRec to scan.

Method 3: Contacting a service center

• 🛠️ If the photos are critical (such as documents or single pictures), the specialists can extract the data using the chip-off method (removal of the memory chip).
• ⚠️ The cost of such a service starts from 5 000 rubles and success is not guaranteed.

Why resetting kills the chances of recovery:

• 🗃️ In hard reset, the system formats a partition /data, where user files are stored.
• 🔄 New firmware can overwrite memory sectors where photos were previously located.
• 📛 Even if files are physically left behind, their signatures are erased and recovery programs can’t see them".

(1) They were stored on a memory card (not in internal memory).

(2) A backup was created through Mi Account or Google Photos.

3) You are willing to pay for professional data recovery (chip-off method).-->

6. How to prevent future loss of photos

The best way to combat data loss is prevention, and here are the proven methods for Xiaomi owners:

• ☁️ Automatic Sync: Enable backup in Google Photos (Settings) → Backup and sync) or Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery).
• 📁 Local Copies: Regularly transfer important photos to your computer or external drive.
• 🔄 Backup copies MIUI: Create backups through Settings → Additionally. → Backup (choose save to Mi Cloud or Google Drive).
• 🚫 Caution with cleaning: Do not use features like Memory Optimization or Garbage Cleanup in the Security App – they can delete photos without warning.

Backup settings in Mi Cloud:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select the Gallery and enable synchronization.
3. Set the download quality on the original (so as not to lose quality).
4. Click Backup Now for immediate sync.

Warnings:

• ❌ Don’t store only copies of photos in Mi Cloud – the service has a limit of 5 GB for free accounts.
• ⚠️ Before selling or transferring your phone, be sure to untie your Mi Account and delete all data via Settings. → Resetting settings.

💡

If you take pictures often, set up automatic download only over Wi-Fi in Google Photos, which will save mobile traffic and prevent loss of images when the connection is poor.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi