Recovery of a remote folder on Xiaomi smartphones: from the basket to deep scanning

Deleting an important folder from a Xiaomi phone is a familiar situation: vacation photos, work documents, or email archives can disappear in a single click due to an accidental gesture or system failure. Fortunately, owners of Redmi, Poco, and Mi smartphones have several ways to recover lost data, from standard MIUI features to professional recovery tools.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, including working with the MIUI basket, cloud backups, connecting to a PC and using specialized software. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances for different versions of firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and smartphone models – from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Importantly, the recovery effectiveness depends on how much time has passed since deletion and how actively used the memory of the phone after the incident.

1.Basket check MIUI — first step in recovery

Modern versions of MIUI firmware (starting with MIUI 12.5) have a built-in recycle bin that temporarily retracts deleted files, the easiest way to return a folder if no more than 30 days have passed since deleting (by default).

To find the basket:

• 📁 Open the Files app** (Files by Google or standard) MIUI File Manager).

If the basket is empty or the folder is not there, it means one of three:

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If the MIUI Recycle Bin doesn’t show up, update the Files app via Google Play. On some models (like Poco F5), the Recycle Bin is hidden – go to Settings → Storage → Recycle Bin to activate it.

2.Recovery via MIUI Cloud and Google Drive backups

If the cart didn't work, the next step is to check cloud backups. Xiaomi offers two main ways to sync data: through MIUI Cloud (branded cloud) and Google Drive (for Android devices). The effectiveness of the method depends on whether automatic sync was enabled before deleting the folder.

Option 1: MIUI Cloud (only works if sync is activated):

• ☁️ Go to Settings. → Xiaomi account → MIUI Cloud.
• 📥 Select the Backups section and check for the current copy.
• 🔄 Click Restore and select the data you want (be aware that the entire copy will be restored, not a separate folder).

Option 2: Google Drive (suitable for contacts, photos and some documents):

• 📱 Open the Google Photos or Google Drive app.
• 🔍 In the Recycle Bin (Google Photos) or Recent (Google Drive) section, look for deleted files.
• 🔙 Select the folder and click Restore (in Google Photos, the storage period is 60 days, in Google Drive – 30 days).

Important: If a folder contained unique files (such as screenshots or downloads from Telegram), their recovery through the cloud is unlikely – these data are rarely synchronized automatically.

3. Connect to a PC and use recovery software

If standard methods don’t work, it’s time to move to “heavy artillery” – specialized data recovery software that works for any Xiaomi model, but requires connecting the phone to a computer and installing additional software.

Top.-3 File recovery software with Xiaomi:

Step-by-step instructions for EaseUS MobiSaver (recommended for beginners):

1. 🖥️ Install the program on a PC with Windows or Mac.
2. 📱 Connect Xiaomi to the USB, Selecting File Transfer Mode (MTP).
3. 🔍 Run the scan (select Deep Scan for maximum results).
4. 📂 Once completed, mark the folders you need and click Restore (save files to your PC, not your phone!).

Enable USB debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (7 times) → Developer → USB debugging)

Use the original USB-cable (not contactless charging)

Charge your phone to at least 50%

Disable screen locking during the procedure-->

⚠️ Note: If the phone is not defined by the program, try it:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone and PC.
• 🔌 Use the other USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0).
• 📋 Install Mi drivers PC Suite from the official Xiaomi website.

4. Recovery through TWRP and root access (for advanced)

If the folder contained critical data and previous methods failed, the last option is custom recovery (TWRP), which requires an unlocked bootloader and root rights, which voids the warranty and can cause system failures. Use it only if you understand the risks!

What you need:

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (instructions on the official Xiaomi website).
• 📱 Established TWRP Recovery (the version should support your model).
• 💾 DiskDigger or Undelete program with root support.

Step-by-step process:

1. 🛠️ Put the phone on mode. TWRP (clamp down on power. + Loudness up).
2. 📲 Connect the device to the PC and start ADB (Team: Adb devices).
3. 🔍 V TWRP Choose Mount → System and run scanning through DiskDigger.
4. 💾 Save the recovered files to SD-card.

⚠️ Attention: On models with Dynamic RAM (for example, Xiaomi 13T) recovery TWRP It may cause problems with the section. super.img. Before the procedure, create a full backup through fastboot:

fastboot flash backup_name.img

5. Features of recovery for different types of files

Not all files are restored equally well, for example, photos and videos have a high probability of returning, while application databases (such as correspondence on Telegram or WhatsApp) are often corrupted when deleted.

Photos and videos (.jpg,.png,.mp4):

• 📸 Restores best, even after formatting.
• 🔍 Use the extension filter in recovery programs.
• 🖼️ If files are damaged, try opening them through VLC Photoshop (File tool) → Open As).

Documents (.docx,.pdf,.xlsx):

• 📄 Recovery probability is medium (depending on memory fragmentation).
• 🔎 Use the keywords from the file name to search.
• 📎 If the document opens with errors, try converting it through Google Docs.

Audio files (.mp3,.aac,.m4a):

• 🎵 Recovering worse due to small size and fragmentation.
• 🔊 Check the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder — Sometimes the records are duplicated there.
• 🎧 If the file is played with noise, use Audacity to clean it up.

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Files deleted from SD-It's easier to recover cards than it is from internal memory, and that's because of the file system. F2FS, Which Xiaomi is using in new models.

6. How to prevent future data loss

The best way to combat data loss is to prevent it, and here are 5 rules that will keep your files safe on Xiaomi:

• 🔄 Automatic reservation: Set up weekly sync with MIUI Cloud or Google Drive (Settings) → Account. → Backup).
• 📁 Duplicating important files: Keep copies of photos and documents on your computer SD-card.
• 🚫 Caution with cleaning: Do not use the Garbage Cleanup feature in the Security App – they can delete files without the ability to recover.
• 🔒 Folder protection: B MIUI 14+ You can hide and block folders with a password (Files) → Select → Block it).
• 📱 Regular checks: Once a month, review your cart and cloud backups for important data.

For owners of Poco and Redmi with limited memory, it is useful to use the function “Memory Extension”** (Settings) → Warehouse → Memory extension: It allows you to transfer rarely used files to SD-card automatically, reducing the risk of their loss when the internal drive fails.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to restore a deleted folder, Xiaomi users often make critical mistakes that reduce the chances of success to zero.

Error 1: Continuing to use your phone after deleting it

Every new photo, app installed, or browser cache overwrites memory sectors where deleted files may have been stored. If you delete the folder, immediately turn off mobile internet and Wi-Fi to stop background processes.

Error 2: Save recovered files to the same phone

When you restore it through a PC, always save it to an external disk or cloud, and writing it to the same drive can damage the remaining fragments of files.

Mistake 3: Using Unreliable Software

Avoid little-known utilities like Super Recovery Pro or Mi File Recovery — they often contain malicious code or don’t work with ext4/F2FS (Xiaomi file systems).

Mistake 4: Ignoring root rights in deep scanning

Without root, programs only see the metadata of files, not their contents. If the folder contained important documents, unlocking the bootloader may be a justified risk.

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On phones with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (like the Xiaomi 13 Pro), root-free recovery is almost impossible due to File-Based Encryption (FBE) hardware encryption.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions