Recovering a Remote Folder on Xiaomi Phone: From Recycle Bin to Deep Scanning

Deleting an important folder on a Xiaomi smartphone is a familiar situation. Vacation photos, work documents, or email archives can disappear in a single click due to accidental clicking, resetting, or system failure. Fortunately, it is often possible to recover deleted data on Android devices — even if you haven't made backups.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to return folders to Xiaomi Redmi, POCO or Mi, from standard tools (MIUI Recycle Bin) to professional utilities like DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver. We’ll focus on the nuances of the Xiaomi file system that affect recovery success. For example, did you know that the chances of returning data are higher if you don’t write new files to your device after deletion? This is due to the peculiarities of ext4, the file system used in most of the brand’s smartphones.

Before you start the instructions, answer the key question: how exactly was the folder deleted?

If the folder disappeared after updating MIUI or flashing, the algorithm of actions will be different – read about this in the section on recovery after reset.

1. Checking the MIUI basket is the first step

Modern versions of MIUI 12-14 have a built-in recycle bin that temporarily includes deleted files, which are stored there for 30 days by default, but this period can be changed in settings. Importantly, the recycle bin only works for files deleted through the standard MIUI Explorer or File application. If you used third-party managers (for example, Solid Explorer), this method will not work.

How to check the basket:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) top-left.
3. Select the basket item.
4. Find the folder you want, click on it and select Restore.

⚠️ Note: If there are thousands of files in the basket, search (the magnifier in the upper right corner). Type part of the folder name - for example, Documents or 2023 (if the name had a date in it).

If the basket is empty or the folder is not there, move on to the next method, but first make sure that the basket function is activated at all:

1. Open the files. → ☰ → Settings.
2. Check the Recycle Bin switch - it should be on.
3. Here you can also increase the storage period to 60 days (maximum).

2.Recovery through MIUI backups

Xiaomi offers two types of backups: local (save on the device) and cloud (in Mi Cloud). Local backups are created manually or on schedule, but take up space in internal memory. Cloud copies automatically sync contacts, notes and some files, but not all folders get there — only those selected in the settings.

How to restore a folder from a local backup:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset.
• 🔍 Select Local Backups and find the one you need by date.
• 📂 Click Restore and tick the folder (or select Selective Restore).
• ⚠️ Important: When you restore system data (such as messages), the phone will restart.

For cloud recovery:

• 🌥️ Go to Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• 🔄 Select Data Recovery and specify the backup date.
• 📁 Check if sync is enabled for the Files application (in the Mi Cloud services list).

⚠️ Note: If you are not logged in to the same Mi Cloud account from which the copy was made, you will not be able to recover the data. Xiaomi does not provide access to the backups of previous owners of the device (relevant when buying a used phone).

You didn't find the folder in the backups, maybe it didn't get backed up, see what data is saved by default.

3.Use of third-party programs for deep scanning

If the bin is empty and there are no backups, there is software recovery, and the way these utilities work (like DiskDigger, EaseUS MobiSaver, or Recuva) is based on scanning the device's memory at the file system level, looking for file signatures -- unique tags that remain even after deletion.

• 🔧 Root rights increase the chances of success, but are not required (without them, only cache and thumbnails are scanned).
• ⏳ The process can take several hours, depending on the amount of memory.
• 💾 Don't save recovered files to the same phone! use cloud or PC.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (free version):

1. Download APK from the official website (or via APKMirror if the app is removed from Google Play).
2. Install by allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).
3. Run DiskDigger and select Full Scan (requires root) or Basic Scan (no rights).
4. Wait for the process to end and mark the files for recovery.

Critical: If you have written new files to your phone after deleting the folder (for example, downloaded a video or updated an application), the chances of recovery fall to 10-30%, due to overwriting memory sectors.

Disable Wi-Fi and Mobile Data|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Free 1-2 GB of memory|Connect charging (scanning drains the battery)-->

4. Recovery after resetting settings (Hard Reset)

Resetting to the factory settings (Wipe Data) is one of the most difficult situations, in which case the files are not just deleted, but the File Placement Table (FAT) is erased, and the system stops "seeing" the data, but they physically remain on the disk until overwriting.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows or Mac.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original to avoid connection issues).
• 🛠️ Dr.Fone or Tenorshare UltData (please, but with trial version for scanning).

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Start the program and select Android Data Recovery.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen – you may need to enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap to unlock the developer mode).
4. After scanning, select the files and save them to the PC.

⚠️ Note: If the reset was made via Fastboot, recovery is almost impossible – the data is overwritten with zeros. In this case, only a professional service with a chip-off method (cost from 5 000) will help. ₽).

5. Features of recovery on phones with unlocked bootloader

If your Xiaomi bootloader is unlocked, you have additional features like access to TWRP Recovery and creating full /data partition images. This is relevant for users who often experiment with firmware.

How to recover data via TWRP:

• 🔧 Install. TWRP For your model (see instructions for the 4PDA or XDA Developers).
• 📱 Load into the Recovery (clutch the power supply) + Loudness up).
• 💾 Choose Mount → Enable MTP And connect the phone to the PC.
• 🔍 Use PhotoRec (Free Utility) to scan a partition /data.

The advantage of this method is access to raw data without the limitations of MIUI.

• ⚠️ Incorrect actions in TWRP They may cause the device to blink.
• 🔒 Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) protect ARB, This is a block on changes to the data section, even in TWRP.

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Before working with TWRP, always back up the data partition via Backup → Select Partitions. This will take up a lot of space (10–50 GB), but save the data if you make a mistake.

6 Prevention: How to avoid future data loss

The best way to combat file loss is to prevent it. Here are the proven methods:

• ☁️ Automatic sync with Mi Cloud: Enable backup for Files app (Settings) → Mi Cloud → Synchronization of files).
• 📁 Use cloud services: Google Drive, Yandex Disk or Mega with automatic photo upload (Google Photos).

For owners of Xiaomi root-rights there is another life hack – creating an image of the data section through ADB:

adb pull /dev/block/by-name/userdata userdata.img

This file can later be mounted on a PC and retrieved using Autopsy or FTK Imager. However, the method requires technical skills.

💡

Even if you don't plan on recovering data now, don't write new files to your phone after you delete them. Each new file reduces the chances of a successful recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about folder recovery on Xiaomi