How to Restore Xiaomi Phone from Backup: 3 Proven Ways

Smartphone data loss is one of the most frustrating situations for users. Photos, contacts, correspondence and app settings can disappear at once due to factory reset, device breakdown or accidental deletion. Fortunately, Xiaomi offers several ways to back up, and recovering information from the backup is often easier than it seems. In this article, we will examine all the current methods of data recovery on Redmi, POCO and Mi phones, from standard Mi Cloud tools to manual recovery via TWRP.

It's important to understand that the recovery process depends on the type of backup. If you've created a backup through the Xiaomi cloud, you can even return data to a new device. Local copies (save to your phone or computer) require more attention, you have to monitor the compatibility of firmware versions and connect the device correctly. And for advanced users, there is a customized recovery method that saves in the most difficult cases.

Before you start, check:

• 📱 Phone model – instructions may be different for the Redmi Note 12 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
• 🔄 Version MIUI — on old firmware (below) MIUI (12) some functions may not be available.
• 🔋 Battery charge – the recovery process should not be interrupted due to discharge.

If you have never backed up, please read our Xiaomi data backup manual first. You can only recover information if you have a saved copy!

1.Recovery from Mi Cloud: The easiest way

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s cloud storage that automatically syncs contacts, notes, photos, and even some system settings, and the main advantage of the method is that data is accessible from any device connected to your Mi Account. However, there are limitations: only 5 GB of storage is provided for free, and a stable Internet connection is required to restore the full backup.

To recover data from Mi Cloud:

1. Open Settings → Mi Account and log in under the same account that created the copy.
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Restore from Backup.
3. Select the last copy available from the list, and the system will show you what data can be restored (contacts, SMS, applications, etc.).
4. Click Restore and wait until the process is complete. The phone will reboot.

⚠️ Note: If you are restoring data to a new device, first perform the initial system setup (language selection, Wi-Fi connection.

What data is recovered from the Mi Cloud:

• 📞 Contacts and call log
• 💬 Communications (SMS/MMS)
• 📝 Notes and calendar
• 📷 Photos and videos (if synchronization is enabled in the Gallery)
• ⚙️ Wi-Fi settings, wallpaper, sound profiles

What's NOT being regenerated:

• 🎮 Game data (conservation, progress)
• 📁 Manually uploaded files (documents, music)
• 🔐 Passwords from apps and browser

2. Local recovery: how to return data from a computer or phone

If you backed up to an external drive (a flash drive, a computer) or saved it in your phone's memory, you can recover data without the Internet.

• 🌐 No access to Mi Cloud (for example, changed your account).
• 📦 You need to recover large files (video, music) that do not fit in the cloud.
• 🔧 You need to return the settings of a particular application (for example, WhatsApp or Viber).

Local backups in Xiaomi have the extension.mbk (for copies created through Settings) or.zip (if the copy is made through TWRP).

1. Copy the backup file to the phone’s root directory of internal memory (e.g., MIUI/backup/AllBackup).
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
3. Click Restore and select the desired.mbk file.
4. Confirm the recovery and wait until it's done.

⚠️ Note: If a backup file is corrupted or created on another Xiaomi model, the system may refuse to restore it. In this case, try renaming the file by removing unnecessary characters from the name (for example, with the name of the file). backup_20260515_1234.mbk backup.mbk).

Compatibility table of local backups:

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If the local copy is not restored, try connecting the phone to your computer and transfer the backup file to the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder through the Explorer. Sometimes the system does not see files copied over USB.

Recovery through TWRP: for advanced users

TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a custom recovery that allows you to create and restore complete system images, including user data.

• 🔧 You have unlocked the bootloader (bootloader).
• 📱 The phone will not turn on (for example, after a failed update).
• 🔄 You need to return the system to its previous state with all applications and data.

⚠️ Attention: Use TWRP This method can lead to loss of warranty and locking of the device if the process is broken!

Step-by-step:

1. Download TWRP for your Xiaomi model from the official website twrp.me.
2. Install the recavators with fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.7.0_12-1-redminote12.img fastboot reboot recovery
3. In TWRP, select Restore and specify the path to the backup file (usually /TWRP/BACKUPS/).
4. Check the recovery sections (Data, System, Boot) and confirm the action.
5. Once completed, restart the phone (Reboot System).

Common errors in recovery through TWRP:

• 🚫 Error 255, which usually means that the backup file is corrupted.
• 🚫 "Unable to mount /data" — The partition is encrypted. You need to enter a password or format Data (data will be lost!).
• 🚫 Hanging on the logo MI — Perhaps the incompatible Boot has been restored. boot.img.

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Recovery via TWRP is the only way to get data back if the phone doesn't turn on or is stuck on load, however, this method requires an unlocked bootloader and can result in a loss of warranty.

4. Recovery of specific data: contacts, photos, WhatsApp

Sometimes you don't have to return the entire backup, but only individual files -- like contacts, photos, or messaging -- you don't have to restore the full backup. Let's look at how to selectively return the most important data.

Contact:

• 📱 If your contacts are synced with Mi Cloud or Google, they will be restored automatically when you add an account.
• 💾 For local backup: copy the file contacts2.db backup /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/ (Root rights are required).

Photos and videos:

• ☁️ If sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos is enabled, files can be downloaded via the web version of the service.
• 📁 Local copies are usually stored in a folder. MIUI/backup/AllBackup/media. Copy them in. DCIM/Camera.

WhatsApp and other messengers:

• 💬 For WhatsApp: Remove the app and reinstall it. When you first start, it will prompt you to restore chats from Google Drive or local copy (/sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt14).

Viber

Telegram

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If you lost access to your Mi Account, but you have a local copy of your contacts (contacts2.db), You can use the Contacts Backup & Restore app from Google Play, which can import data from the Internet. SQL-base.

5. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with backup, the recovery process may not go according to plan, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

Error 1: “Impossible to restore backup” in MIUI

• 🔹 Reason: Backup file created on another phone model or version MIUI.
• 🔹 Solution: Try renaming the file (remove the date from the name) or recovering the data selectively through TWRP.

Error 2: After recovery, the phone is stuck on the logo

• 🔹 Reason: Incompatibility of firmware versions or damaged Boot-partition.
• 🔹 Solution: Reflash your phone through Fastboot with the official firmware (you can download it on the Xiaomi website).

Error 3: Mi Cloud does not show backups

• 🔹 Reason: You are logged in to another account or a copy has been removed from the cloud.
• 🔹 Solution: Check that you are using the same Mi Account. If a copy is deleted, try to restore it through the web version of Mi Cloud (the files are stored in the basket for 30 days).

⚠️ Attention: If you restore data to a phone with an unlocked bootloader, anti-rollback may be triggered after the procedure, which will lock the device.

6. How to recover data if the phone does not turn on

If Xiaomi doesn’t respond to the power button or is stuck on the boot, standard recovery methods won’t work.

Option 1: Use the Fastboot mode

• 🔌 Connect the phone to your computer and transfer to Fastboot (clip the power supply) + Loudness down for 10 seconds).
• 🖥️ Download the Mi Flash Tool and run the official firmware, which will delete all the data, but bring the phone back to life.
• 🔄 After firmware, restore data from Mi Cloud or local copy.

Option 2: Connect the phone memory to another device

• 🛠️ If the screen is not working, but the phone is determined by the computer, you can extract data through the computer. ADB: adb pull /sdcard/MIUI/backup/AllBackup C:\Xiaomi_Backup
• 🔧 For physically damaged devices, you will need to solder out flash memory and connect it to the programmer (this is an expensive procedure, contact service centers).

If there was no copy, you can only return data through specialized programs (for example, Dr.Fone), but the chances are low.