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

Have you deleted important photos from your Xiaomi smartphone and you don't know how to get them back? Don't panic -- even if they've disappeared from the gallery, they can often be recovered. In this article, we'll look at all the ways you can do it, from standard MIUI features to professional tools. It's important to act quickly: the less time has passed since you deleted them, the better the chances of success.

Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark) have unique file storage features, such as the built-in recycle bin in the gallery holds deleted photos for up to 30 days, and the Mi Cloud can automatically sync images. But what if the recycle bin is cleared and there is no backup? We tested 7 recovery methods, from simple to advanced, and collected them in one guide.

Before you start, check out two key points:

• 📱 Smartphone model: On new devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13/14, Redmi Note 12) The cart works differently than the old ones (Redmi). 4X, Mi A1).
• 🔄 Version. MIUI: In the firmware MIUI 12+ Photo Backup is often confused with the cloud.

1.Recovery through the basket at Xiaomi Gallery

The fastest way to return deleted photos is to check the built-in Recycle Bin in the Gallery app, which works on both stock MIUI and custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU), with up to 30 days of storage time (on some models, 15 days).

How to open the basket:

1. Launch the Gallery app (flower icon).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) lower-right.
3. Select the Recycle Bin (on some versions – Recently deleted).
4. Hold your finger on the desired photo and click Restore.

If the cart is empty or not on the menu, it means:

• 🗑️ Files were deleted more than a month ago (automatic cleaning).
• 🧹 You manually cleaned the cart through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 📱 You're an old model. 3S, Mi 5), where the basket is disabled by default.

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On some firmware, the basket is hidden. To turn it on, go to Gallery Settings → Other features → Show the basket

2. Checking the cloud storage Mi Cloud

If your Xiaomi has Mi Cloud sync enabled, the deleted photos could be saved to the cloud, and this method works even after you reset your phone to factory settings.

• 📁 Is synchronization enabled: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
• 🔄 When was the last backup (date under the Gallery item).
• 📱 Is the same Mi Account used as when you delete a photo.

How to recover photos from Mi Cloud:

1. Open i.mi.com on your PC or in your phone browser.
2. Sign in under the same account as on your smartphone.
3. Go to the Gallery → Cart section (or All photos → Deleted).
4. Select the files you need and click Restore.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Free tariff Mi Cloud gives only 5 GB – if the space is out, old photos could be deleted automatically.
• ⏳ Recovery takes time: with a large amount of data, the process can take hours.

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Mi Cloud stores deleted photos for up to 60 days, but only if synchronization was enabled before they were deleted from the phone.

3. Use of Google Photos (if backed up)

Many Xiaomi users set up automatic photo backups in Google Photos. If you've logged in to a Google account and enabled sync, chances are high for your photos to come back.

1. Open the Google Photos app (if not, download from the Play Market).
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select the Recycle Bin - it stores deleted photos for 60 days.
4. To recover, click on the photo and select Restore.

If the basket is empty, try:

• 🔍 Search by date or location (e.g., type in beach 2023).
• 📁 View the archive: Library → Devices → [name of your Xiaomi].

Important: Google Photos compresses photos when you back up (unless you select the "Original Quality" mode), and restored images may lose quality.

4. PC Recovery: DiskDigger and Recuva

If you don't find the photos in the cart or the cloud, you'll have to connect your smartphone to your computer and use specialized software, and we tested two reliable tools.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (recommended for Xiaomi):

1. Download the program from the official website.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Launch DiskDigger and select your Xiaomi from the device list.
4. Press Full Scan – it will take 30-60 minutes.
5. After scanning, mark the desired photos and press Recover.

⚠️ Note: Without root rights, DiskDigger will only find thumbnails of photos (size) ~Full recovery will require unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk.

For Recuva, the algorithm is simpler:

• 🖥️ Connect Xiaomi as a removable disk.
• 🔍 Select the type of Image files.
• 📂 Enter the path to the phone’s internal memory (usually this one) PC → [model]).
• 🔄 Start the scan and wait for the results.

Disable “Optimized charging” in Xiaomi settings

Use the original USB cable

Charge your phone at least 50%

Don't plug others in. USB-device during scanning-->

5. Recovery via TWRP (for advanced users)

If you have a custom TWRP recap, you can try to recover photos directly from the /data partition. This method is suitable for models with an unlocked bootloader (Xiaomi 11T, POCO F3, etc.).

Instructions:

1. Turn off your phone and press Volume Up + Power to enter TWRP.
2. Go to Advanced → File Manager.
3. Open /data/media/0/DCIM (or /storage/emulated/0/Pictures) folder.
4. Find files with the.jpg,.png or.thm extension.
5. Copy them on SD-map OTG-accumulator.

Please note:

• 🔧 No TWRP This method does not work – standard recavery MIUI It does not have a file manager.
• 🛠️ If the section /data encrypted MIUI 12+), You will need to enter the password from the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect actions in TWRP If you're not sure about your skills, you can use other methods.

6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all of these methods have failed and photos are critical (such as documents or unique photos), you can contact the official Xiaomi service center.

What you need to know before your visit:

• 📍 Addresses of the centers: official list.
• 💰 Cost: from 1,500 to 5,000 rubles (depending on the model and complexity of the work).
• ⏳ Timeline: 3-7 days (in some cases up to the 2 week-long).
• 🔒 Privacy: Check whether your data will be available to third parties.

Alternatively, private data recovery labs (e.g. HDD Recovery or Flashback Data) work directly with memory chips, but the cost can reach 10,000-20 000 rubles.

Before you bring your phone to the service:

• 📱 Don’t install new apps – they can overwrite deleted photos.
• 🔋 Do not drain the battery to zero (this can damage memory).
• 📝 Make a list of lost files (dates, folder names).

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

To avoid the problem of deleted photos, set up automatic backup and follow the simple rules:

• ☁️ Cloud Services: Enable sync in Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Gallery.Configure Google Photos to automatically download (Settings) → Backup and synchronization).
• 💾 Local Copies: Move your photos to your PC or external drive regularly. Use applications like Simple Gallery with export function.
• 📱 Phone Settings: Turn off automatic cart cleaning (Gallery settings) → Basket → Autoclean! Set a password for folders with important photos (via File Manager Pro).

Additional advice:

• 🔄 Before resetting your phone to factory settings, be sure to make a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 📸 If you take pictures of important documents, immediately send them to the mail or messenger (for example, to yourself in Telegram).

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Even if the photos are permanently deleted, their thumbnails can be saved in the gallery database. Try to find them through applications like DiskDigger with deep scanning.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi