How to recover deleted photos on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10: all working ways

Delete important photos with Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 and don't know how to get them back? Don't panic: even if the pictures are gone from the gallery, they often remain in the device's memory or cloud backups. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to restore, from standard MIUI features to professional tools that work even after resetting.

The Redmi Note 10 (mojito/sunny) is a hybrid storage system, where some files can stay in DCIM/.thumbnails or app cache, and we take these nuances into account and show you how to handle scenarios like accidentally deleting, formatting a memory card or resetting your phone to factory settings. Importantly, the faster you start recovering, the better the chances are of returning the photo in its original quality, as you overwrite the new data, the old files are erased forever.

The first thing you need to do is to look into the built-in Gallery application cart, and in MIUI 12/13/14, deleted photos are stored there for up to 30 days (default settings) to find the shopping cart:

  1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
  2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select the basket.
  3. Hold your finger on the desired photo → click Restore (the arrow icon down).

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

  • 🗑️ The files were deleted a long time ago (more than 30 days ago).
  • 🔄 You cleaned the basket manually through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
  • 📱 Use a third-party gallery (such as Google Photos) that has its own shopping cart.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 basket may be hiding behind Album option → If you can't see the item, update the Gallery app through Play Market.

📊 Where do you usually keep your photos?
Only in the memory of the phone.
On the memory card.
Google Photos
In Mi Cloud
Another option

2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If the Redmi Note 10 has been enabled to sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning a photo are very high. Xiaomi Cloud automatically saves backups of the gallery (provided you were logged in to Mi-account and activated the option).

  1. Go to i.mi.com from your PC or phone.
  2. Sign in with the same account as Redmi Note 10.
  3. Select the Gallery section → find the Camera or Screenshots folder.
  4. Tag the desired photos → click Download (cloud icon with arrow).

If the photo is not in the cloud, check:

  • 🔄 Whether synchronization was enabled: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
  • 📅 Date of last backup (in the same menu).
  • 📶 Did the phone connect to Wi-Fi after deletion (synchronization works only with a stable Internet connection).
Problem.Decision
No access to Mi CloudReset your password via account.xiaomi.com or use email/SMS recovery.
Photos in the cloud croppedMi Cloud compresses images. Search for originals through other methods (see section 4).
There's not enough space in the cloud.Remove unnecessary backups or buy extra space (5GB for free).

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If Mi Cloud didn’t sync your photo, try Google Photos – it could back up automatically (check photos.google.com).

3. Use of Google Photos (if backup was enabled)

Google Photos is another reliable source for recovery, and if the Redmi Note 10 was enabled to automatically copy, the photos could have been saved to the Google cloud even after being deleted from the device.

  1. Open Google Photos in your browser or app.
  2. Sign in with the same Google account as you do on your phone.
  3. In the menu on the left, select the Recycle Bin (photos are stored there for 60 days).
  4. Or search by date/place (if geotags are included).

If the photo is not in the cart, but has been uploaded to the cloud:

  • 🔍 Use the Photo filter → Archive (screenshots and some automatic shots are included there).
  • 📁 Check Camera, Screenshots or WhatsApp Images folders.
  • 🔄 Click on the profile avatar → Storage management → Backups to see download history.

⚠️ Note: If Google Photos are compressed (“High Quality”), the originals may have been removed from the phone after downloading, and you can’t restore them in full resolution.

Turn off mobile internet and Wi-Fi on your phone|Connect Redmi Note 10 to PC with original cable|Do not save new files to your phone.|Use proven programs (DiskDigger, Recuva)-->

4. PC recovery: programs for deep scanning

If the photo is not found in the clouds and cart, it’s time to connect Redmi Note 10 They scan the internal memory and the microSD card at the file system level, recovering even partially overwritten data. Windows/macOS:

  • 🛠️ DiskDigger - Supports FAT32/exFAT (Xiaomi memory card format) and deep scanning.
  • 🔍 Recuva is a free utility with a simple interface, finds.jpg,.png,.heic.
  • 📱 EaseUS MobiSaver – specializes in Android phones, recovers metadata (date, geotags).

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger:

  1. Download and install DiskDigger (Windows version).
  2. Connect Redmi Note 10 to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
  3. In the program, select the phone drive (usually Internal Storage) → press Dig Deep.
  4. After scanning, mark the desired photos (filter format.jpg) → Recover Selected.
  5. Save files on your PC (not your phone!) to avoid overwriting.

For a memory card (microSD):

  • Remove the card from your phone and connect it to your PC via a card reader.
  • In DiskDigger, select a removable disk (e.g. E:).
  • If the card is formatted, use the Undeleter option to restore the folder structure.

⚠️ Warning: Don't install recovery software on the phone itself, it will overwrite deleted data and reduce the chances of success!

Why don't the programs find all the photos?
Files may have been overwritten with new data (e.g. after shooting or installing apps). If the phone is used after deleting, the chances of recovery fall by 30-50% for each day of activity. Some programs do not support the.heic format (used in newer versions of MIUI) - convert them through online services.

5. Manual recovery via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can try extracting photos from Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level file system access tool that works if:

  • 📱 Phone is not rooted (root rights are not required).
  • 🔧 You are ready to work with the command line.
  • 📂 Photos stored in internal memory (not on a microSD card).

Instructions:

  1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it into the C:\adb folder.
  2. On your phone, activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB (Enable)
  3. Connect Redmi Note 10 to your PC and type in the command line: adb devices (the device name, for example, abc123456789 device, should appear).
  4. Back up the photo section: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM C:\backup\DCIM (replace C:\backup\ with your folder).

If the DCIM folder is empty, try extracting the gallery cache:

adb pull /sdcard/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/cache C:\backup\gallery_cache

Recovered files can have names like thumb_123456789.jpg — You'll have to rename them manually. Use Exif data to search by date (viewed through Windows Properties or online services like exif.viewer).

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ADB-If more than a week has passed since deleting, the chances are minimal - use professional utilities (section 4).

6.Recovery after reset to factory settings

If you made a Hard Reset on a Redmi Note 10, the chances of returning a photo depend on whether the backup was enabled in the Mi Cloud or Google Account, otherwise only low-level memory scanning remains, but this requires special skills.

What can be done:

  • 🔄 Check out Mi Cloud (Section 2): Even after a reset, cloud data is saved.
  • 📱 Use the old one. SIM-The card: if the photo was sent through MMS, They may have been saved by the operator (request history).
  • 💾 Contact the service center: some workshops recover data from memory chips (expensive but effective).

For self-scanning after reset:

  1. Do not set up the phone after resetting – connect it to the PC right away.
  2. Use DiskDigger in Dig Deep mode (see section 4).
  3. If the phone asks for unlock, activate it. USB-Fastboot: fastboot oem unlock (requires an unlocked bootloader).

⚠️ Note: Do not update after resetting MIUI — New firmware will overwrite memory sectors where fragments of photos may have been left, and avoid using your phone for calls or installing apps.

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

To avoid the problem again, set up Redmi Note 10 according to these rules:

  • ☁️ Enable automatic synchronization: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Gallery (incl.) Settings → Google → Backup → Copying in Google Photos (included.)
  • 📁 Use the class memory card A1/A2 (For example, SanDisk Ultra for storing photos – it is less prone to failures.
  • 🔄 Regularly copy your photo to PC via MTP Cloud services (Yandex Disk, Dropbox).
  • 🛡️ Install a backup app, such as SyncMe Wireless (copies photos over Wi-Fi on PC) FolderSync (synchronizes folders with clouds).

Also useful:

  • 📌 Set up an automatic photo upload to Telegram Saved Messages or WhatsApp (as an additional copy).
  • 🔧 Turn off storage optimization in Google Photos if you want to save originals: Google Photos → Settings → Backup and synchronization → Quality of loading → Original

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Even if you can’t recover your photo, set up a dual backup (Mi Cloud + Google Photos) to protect you from loss 99% of the time.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Redmi Note 10

Can I recover a photo if my phone is not turned on?
Yes, but you'll need to remove the memory chip and connect it to a programmer (like a UFi Box). ₽), If the phone is responsive to charging (vibrates, lights), try logging into Fastboot (Power). + Vol Down) and flash the stock firmware through the Mi Flash Tool – sometimes this returns access to files.
Why do programs find photos, but they open with artifacts?
That means that the memory sectors where the photos were stored were partially overwritten, and you can't recover them completely, but you can try: Open them in Photoshop and trim the damaged areas; use online services like Office Recovery to restore the structure; try another program (like Stellar Phoenix instead of Recuva).
How to recover photos from a damaged memory card?
If the microSD card is not determined by the phone: Connect it to your PC via the card reader. Use DiskDigger or PhotoRec (a free utility for Linux/Windows). If the card asks for formatting, don't agree - it erases data. Instead, use chkdsk /f [disk letter] in the command line (for FAT32 only!). For physical damage (for example, after falling into water), contact the data recovery lab.
Can I return photos that were deleted more than a year ago?
The odds are minimal, but there are nuances: If you've had a photo in Mi Cloud or Google Photos, check the archives -- some services have been storing data for years. If the phone has been unused, try a deep scan through R-Studio (paid, but more effective than Recuva); check old backups on your PC (folders like Backup\MiPhone); 90% of the time after a year, the photos are overwritten, but sometimes you can find thumbnails in the messenger cache (WhatsApp, Viber).
What programs are best not to use for recovery?
Avoid doubtful utilities that: 🚫 Ask for root rights without explanation (risk of virus infection). 💰 Requires payment before scanning results are shown. 📥 Install additional software (for example, Clean Master). Trust only proven programs: DiskDigger, Recuva, EaseUS MobiSaver, PhotoRec. Disk Drill is suitable for Mac.