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

Deleting photos on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most common causes of panic among users. Whether you accidentally clicked “Delete”, formatted a memory card or lost pictures after resetting settings, there are almost always chances of recovery.

In this article, we will discuss all working ways to return deleted photos on Redmi devices, POCO and Mi, from basic (check basket) to advanced (use) ADB We will focus on the nuances of working with MIUI, For example, why recovery through Google Photos may not work on some models, or how to get around the limitations of Xiaomi Cloud when syncing.

Important: the effectiveness of the methods depends on how long it has been since you deleted it and whether you have used your phone after that. The more you work with the device -- installing apps, taking new pictures, updating the system -- the lower the chances of success. So start recovering as soon as you find the problem.

1.A check of the basket at MIUI Gallery

The easiest and fastest way is to check the built-in basket in the standard Gallery app. MIUI Deleted files are stored there for 30 days (some models have 15 days), after which they are permanently erased. SD-card, provided it is connected to the phone.

How to open the basket:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
• 🔍 Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper right corner.
• 🗑️ Select the Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted on Older Versions) MIUI).
• ✅ Find the right photo, click on it and select Restore.

⚠️ Warning: If the bin doesn't have the right files, but you're sure you've deleted them recently, check your storage settings. MIUI The cart is disabled by default. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings. → Basket → Turn on the basket.

If the cart is empty and the photos were deleted a long time ago (more than a month ago), move on to the following methods.

• 🖥️ Conductor (manually through file manager);
• 🔄 Formatting a memory card or internal memory;
• ⚙️ Resetting settings to factory.

2.Restore via Google Photos

If your Xiaomi has Google Photos enabled, the chances of returning deleted photos are much higher. the service stores backups of photos in the cloud, and even if you erase them from your phone, they can stay in the cloud basket for up to 60 days.

How to check:

1. Open the Google Photos app (if not, install it from the Play Market).
2. Sign in with the same Google account that was used for sync.
3. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner → Cart.
4. Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.

If the basket is empty, try:

• 🔍 Use a search by date or keywords (e.g., “beach”, “cat” or “cat»).
• 📅 View the archive by month in the Photos section.
• 🔄 Enable the display of hidden files (in the settings of Google Photos).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (especially with the MIUI 12-14) Sync with Google Photos may be blocked due to battery optimization.Check permissions for the app in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google Photo → Permissions and disable background activity restriction.

Critical: If you delete a photo before you sync with Google Photos, this method will not work, and the service does not restore files deleted through Explorer or third-party file managers (for example, ES Explorer).

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To avoid losing photos in the future, turn on the “Backup and Sync” option in Google Photos and select the “Original” quality (if it is important to maintain the original resolution).

3.Using Xiaomi Cloud (Mi Cloud)

Xiaomi Cloud is a proprietary cloud storage that automatically backs up photos, contacts and notes. If you've logged in to a Mi Account on your phone, chances are that deleted images are stored there.

• 📦 The free rate only provides 5 GB (this is the case). ~2000 photos of average quality).
• ⏳ Files are stored in the cloud for 30 days after deleting from the device.
• 🔒 Only available for photos uploaded through a standard Gallery or Camera.

Instructions for remediation:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select the Gallery section → Basket.
3. Tag the desired photos and click Restore.
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).

If the photo is not in the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin, check the main cloud gallery – sometimes files remain there even after you delete them from your phone.

4. Recovery with PC and software

If the previous methods didn't work, it's time to connect the phone to the computer and use specialized software, which is effective even if:

• 🗑️ The basket is cleaned;
• ☁️ Synchronization with the clouds is disabled;
• 🔄 The phone was reset to factory settings (but not used after resetting!).

Recovery will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS;
• 📱 Cable USB (preferably original);
• 🛠️ One of the programs is DiskDigger, Recuva, EaseUS MobiSaver or Dr.Fone.

Step-by-step (as in DiskDigger):

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in File Transfer mode (when you request on your phone, select this option).
2. Install and run DiskDigger (you can download from the official website diskdigger.org).
3. Select the drive that matches the phone’s internal memory (usually Removable Disk or Xiaomi).
4. Run a full deep scan – it will take from 30 minutes to several hours.
5. After completion, mark the found photos (they are displayed as thumbnails) and click Recover.
6. Save your files to your PC (not your phone!).

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered photos back to Xiaomi - this can overwrite the remaining "bugs" of data and make it impossible to recover other files.

If the program doesn't see the phone:

• 🔌 Try another one. USB-cable;
• 🔄 Turn on Debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers);
• 🛠️ Install Xiaomi drivers for PC (download from the official website).

Disable Wi-Fi and mobile data on your phone

Charge your phone at least 50%

Use the original USB-cable

Do not connect other devices to your PC during scanning

Save the recovered files to an external disk

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Reconstruction of c SD-map

If the photos were stored on a microSD, the chances of success are higher - memory cards are less likely to be overwritten by system files.

• 📷 Photos taken on Xiaomi are often saved to a folder. DCIM/Camera;
• 🔄 After formatting the map, recovery is possible, but more difficult;
• 🚫 Do not use the card after deleting files – each new snapshot reduces the chances of recovery.

The best programs to work with SD-map:

Instructions for PhotoRec (for experienced users):

1. Extract. SD-card from your phone and connect it to your PC via card reader.
2. Download PhotoRec from cgsecurity.org (part of the TestDisk package).
3. Launch it. photorec_win.exe (for Windows or photorec (for Windows) macOS/Linux).
4. Select the disk corresponding to the SD-map.
5. Specify the file system (FAT32 or exFAT for most cards).
6. Select a folder to save recovered files (not to the card!).
7. Start the scan (Search).

After recovery:

• Check the files for integrity (some may be damaged)
• Sort them by date of creation (the file name will indicate the date in the format f1234567.jpg);
• Transfer important images to the cloud or PC.

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SD-ExFAT files are recovering worse than FAT32. If you plan to delete / restore photos often, format the map in the FAT32 (But consider the 4GB file size limit).

6. Advanced Methods: ADB and Hex Editors

If standard methods don't work, and photos are critical, you can try low-level tools, which require technical skills and can lead to data loss if used incorrectly.

• 📱 The phone was not used after the photo was deleted;
• 🔧 You are prepared for possible system failures;
• 💾 There is a backup of important data.

Method 1: Finding File Residues from ADB

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool allows you to access raw internal memory data, which does not guarantee the recovery of entire photos, but will help you find fragments.

Steps:

1. Install ADB on your PC (instruction: developer.android.com).
2. Enable USB debugging on your phone (see section 4).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command:

adb shell


su




dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0 of=/sdcard/recovery.img bs=4096 count=1000000

This command will create an image of a part of the memory on the SD-And then you can scan it with programs like Foremost or Scalpel.

Method 2: Hex editors

Programs like HxD or 010 Editor allow you to manually search for file signatures (such as FF D8 FF for JPEG), which is a very laborious process, but sometimes it helps you extract photos that other utilities do not find.

⚠️ Attention: Working with hex-editors can damage the file system. If you are not sure of your skills, contact the specialists. The cost of professional data recovery on Xiaomi starts from 3000 rubles.

7.Prevention: How to avoid loss of photos in the future

The best way to keep your photos safe is to prevent them from being deleted.

• ☁️ Automatic backup: Set up sync with Google Photos and Xiaomi Cloud (duplication increases your chances of recovery).
• 📁 Manual copying: Once a month, transfer important photos to a PC or external drive. Use folders with clear names (for example, use folders with a clear name, 2026_05_Holiday Sochi).
• 🔄 Regular cleaning: Remove unnecessary pictures immediately so you don't accumulate garbage in the gallery.
• 🔒 Blocking important files: In the Gallery MIUI You can hide or password-block individual albums (Private folders section).

Automatic backup settings in MIUI:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. Turn on the gallery sync.
3. Select Download Quality (Original is recommended if there is space in the cloud).
4. Activate the autoboot option when connecting to Wi-Fi.

For Google Photos:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Slip on the avatar → Backup settings.
3. Enable Backup and Synchronization.
4. Select the download quality (Original or High).

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Even if you use cloud storage, check periodically that photos are actually loading, for example, Google Photos may block downloads when the Internet is weak or battery is limited.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi