How to recover deleted photos on Xiaomi Redmi 9: from the cart to deep scanning

Losing photos on a smartphone is one of the most painful situations for a user. On Xiaomi Redmi 9, it can happen due to accidental deletion, resetting, file system damage, or even a virus attack. Fortunately, the chances of returning pictures remain high if you act quickly and correctly.

In this article, we’ll look at all the recovery options available, from basic (checking your cart and cloud storage) to advanced (using a PC and specialized utilities), and focus on the nuances of MIUI that are often overlooked in general-purpose instructions, such as why the standard Recycle Bin in Redmi 9 only stores files for 30 days, and how to get around this limitation.

Importantly, the less you use your phone after you lose a photo, the more likely you are to return it. Every new photo, app installed, or system update can overwrite deleted data, so start recovering it as soon as you find the problem.

1. Checking the basket in the standard MIUI gallery

The first thing you need to do is to look in the Gallery's application basket, and in MIUI, deleted photos are not erased immediately, but are sent to temporary storage for 30 days.

1. Open the Gallery app on Redmi 9.
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper right corner.
3. Select the basket item.
4. Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.

If the cart is empty or the 30-day deadline has expired, move on to the following method. Note: in some versions of MIUI 12/13, the cart may be called Recently Deleted or hidden behind the Albums → Cart button.

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On Redmi 9 with MIUI 14+, the cart automatically clears when memory is scarce. To avoid this, go to Settings → Storage → Cleanup and turn off the Auto Clean Recycle Bin option.

If the photos were deleted long ago or the shopping cart was cleared, try an alternative way through Google Photos – even if you didn’t actively use this service, it could automatically back up.

2. Restore via Google Photos (even if no sync was available)

Google Photos is one of the most reliable ways to recover lost images. Many Redmi 9 users don't realize that the service could automatically save their photos even if the sync wasn't manually configured.

• 📱 Install Google Photos from Play Market if it is not available.
• 🔍 Sign in to the same Google account you used on your phone before.
• 🗃️ Go to the Library tab → Recycle bin (photos stored there for 60 days).
• 🔄 If the basket is empty, check the Archive folder or use the date search.

If photos are not found, try to restore them through the web version of Google Photos on your computer. Sometimes the mobile application does not display all backups. Also check the Devices folder → Xiaomi Redmi 9 – it can store automatically uploaded pictures.

⚠️ Note: If you reset Redmi 9 to factory settings and don’t remember the password from a Google account that was previously linked, it won’t be possible to restore it via Google Photos.

3.Using Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud) for Recovery

Xiaomi offers its own cloud storage, Mi Cloud, which automatically syncs photos if the feature has been activated.

1. Go to the Mi Cloud website and log in.
2. Select the Gallery or Photos section.
3. Check the folders Recently deleted (stored for 30 days) and All photos.
4. To recover, click on the photo and select Download or Restore on the device.

If you don't have photos in the cloud, make sure that sync has been enabled before. For that, on Redmi 9, go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery and check the backup status. If the option is disabled, this method won't work.

If cloud services don't work, it's time to move to recovery directly from the phone's memory, which requires a computer and special programs.

4. Recover deleted photos via computer (without root)

If the photos are not synced to the cloud, you can try extracting them directly from Redmi 9’s internal memory.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS;
• 📱 Cable USB (better-than-original);
• 🛠️ Recovery software (e.g. DiskDigger, Recuva or EaseUS MobiSaver).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC via USB by selecting File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Install and run a recovery program (e.g., DiskDigger).
3. Choose the phone’s internal memory (usually displayed as Xiaomi Redmi 9 or Internal Storage).
4. Run a deep scan – it will take from 30 minutes to several hours.
5. Once completed, select the photos you want and save them to your PC.

Connect your phone in MTP |Install the program (DiskDigger/Recuva) |Deactivate battery optimization for USB |Do not interrupt the scan-->

Important: Don't save the recovered photos back to your phone until the process is complete, as this can overwrite the remaining deleted files, and it's better to copy them to your PC or external drive first.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is not detected by the computer, try another one. USB-Redmi 9 sometimes helps reboot in Fastboot mode (hold power). + Volume down when switched on) and reconnection.

5. Advanced recovery with root rights (for experienced)

If standard methods don't work, and photos are critical, you can try root recovery, which allows software to scan system partitions where traces of deleted files may remain, but there are risks.

• 🚨 Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty);
• 🔓 The ability to damage the system if you do wrong things;
• 🛡️ Vulnerability to viruses (root opens access to system files).

How to get root and restore photos:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account and wait 7-15 days).
2. Install custom recovery (such as TWRP) for Redmi 9.
3. Please use Magisk to obtain root rights.
4. Use programs like Root Explorer or Undeleter Recover Files & Data to scan /data and /sdcard partitions.

This method requires technical skills. If you are not sure about your actions, you should consult a specialist. Also remember that once you unlock the bootloader on Redmi 9, all data is reset — so try other methods first.

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Root access increases the chances of recovery, but the risks outweigh the benefits for most users. Use this method only if the photos are critical (such as documents or unique snapshots).

6. Recovery from a damaged memory card (if the photos were on SD)

If the photos were stored on a microSD card and it was no longer determined by the phone, don't rush to throw it away. Often, the data can be saved even from damaged media.

• 💾 Connect the card to your computer via a card reader (not via phone!).
• 🔧 Use programs like PhotoRec (free) or R-Studio (paid).
• 🔍 Run the scan in Full Scan mode (full scan).
• 💾 Save the recovered files to your PC hard drive (not to the card!).

If the card is not defined at all, try the following steps:

1. Clean the contacts of the card with a sweeper (no fanaticism!).
2. Connect it to another device (such as an old phone or camera).
3. If the card requests formatting, don't agree! It will delete all the data.
4. Use the SD Card Formatter utility from the SD Association for soft file system recovery.

For Redmi 9, it is important: if the memory card was encrypted through Settings → Security → Encryption SD-You can't recover without a password, and only a backup will help.

7. Contacting a service center: when nothing helps

If all of these methods failed and the photos are of high value (for example, they are the only pictures of an important event), you can contact a professional data recovery service.

• 🔬 Clean rooms to work with damaged memory chips;
• 🖥️ Specialized software for low-level scanning;
• 🔧 soldering and replacement of components (if the problem is in the memory controller).

The cost of such services starts from 5 000 rubles and depends on the complexity of the work. For Redmi 9 it is important to choose a service that works specifically with Xiaomi, since the memory architecture in these phones has features (for example, using UFS 2.1 instead of eMMC in some versions).

⚠️ Note: Not all Xiaomi service centers are dedicated to data recovery – most are dedicated to hardware repair.Look for companies that mention “data recovery” or “data recovery” in their service descriptions.

Before contacting the service:

• 📝 Make a list of lost files (dates, formats, approximate number).
• 📱 Don’t try to disassemble your phone yourself – this can make the problem worse.
• 💰 Check the cost of the diagnosis (sometimes it is free if you agree to a recovery).

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Redmi 9