Recovery of deleted photos on Xiaomi Redmi Note: from the cart to deep scanning

Deleting photos on your smartphone is one of the most painful mistakes, especially when it comes to valuable footage: family photos, documents or unique moments. Xiaomi Redmi Note owners face this problem more often than others due to the features of the MIUI file system and automatic cleaning of the gallery cache. The good news is that in 80% of cases, photos can be returned even if you have already cleaned the basket or formatted the memory card. Bad news: the longer you delay with recovery, the chances of success.

In this article, 7 proven methods, from basic (checking the cart and the cloud) to advanced (using ADB and hex editors), we took into account the specifics of the Redmi Note from different generations (from the Note 7 to the Note 12 Pro+) and the versions of MIUI (12-14), and also analyzed cases when the phone is not turned on or photos are deleted by a virus. Importantly, not all methods are universal – the effectiveness depends on how files were erased and root access was used.

1.A check of the basket at MIUI Gallery

The first thing to do is to look into the hidden cart of the standard Xiaomi gallery. Unlike Google Photos, where files are stored for 60 days, in MIUI, the period depends on the firmware version and phone model. For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro with MIUI 13, the basket is cleared automatically after 30 days, and on the Note 9 with MIUI 12.5, the cart is cleared automatically after 15.

How to open the basket:

1. Launch the Gallery app (flower icon).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select the basket.
3. Hold your finger on the desired photo → click Restore.

⚠️ Warning: If the cart is empty or you've already manually cleaned it, move to the next way. Don't create new files (photos, videos, downloads) on your phone, they can overwrite deleted data.

On some models (Redmi Note 8T, Note 7 Pro) the cart can be disabled by default to activate it:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage.
2. Tap Clean the Recycle Bin → turn on the option to Save Deleted Files.

2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If your Redmi Note has been enabled sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning a photo increase by up to 90%.

• 📱 Automatic synchronization works only when connected to Wi-Fi and battery charge >20%.
• 📅 Photos are stored in the cloud indefinitely, but take up space in your tariff (5 GB free).
• ⚠️ If you manually delete photos from the cloud, you can’t restore them – Mi Cloud doesn’t have a cart.

Instructions for remediation:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same Mi Account as you do on your phone.
2. Select the Gallery section → find the right photos.
3. Click on three dots next to the file → Download or Restore to the device.

If the photo is not in the cloud, check:

• 🔄 Whether synchronization was enabled: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
• 📡 Has an antivirus (such as Avast or 360 Security) blocked access to the cloud.

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Before you recover from the Mi Cloud, check if there is enough space on your phone. If your memory is less than the weight of your photos, download them first to your PC.

3. Use of Google Photos (if connected)

Google Photos is a more reliable option than Mi Cloud because:

• 🗃️ Recycle Bin stores files for 60 days (versus 15-30 in) MIUI).
• 🔍 There is a feature called Face/Spot Search that makes navigation easier.
• 📱 It works even if you have removed the app from your phone (the data is stored in your Google account).

How to recover photos:

1. Open photos.google.com on your PC or mobile browser.
2. In the menu on the left, select the basket.
3. Please mark the desired photos → click Restore.

⚠️ Note: If you used Storage Optimization in Google Photos, the original photos could be compressed to 16 MP (even if the Redmi Note 11 Pro camera shoots at 108 MP.

If the photos are not displayed in the cart, try:

• 🔎 Search by date or keyword (e.g. beach 2023).
• 📅 View the archive for past years in the Photos section on the map.

4. Programs for recovery from the memory of the phone (without root)

If the photos are not synced to the clouds, you have to scan the internal memory or microSD card.

• 🖥️ DiskDigger (there is a version for Android and PC).
• 📱 EaseUS MobiSaver (requires the phone to connect to a computer).
• 💻 Recuva (only for memory cards retrieved from your phone).

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (on the phone):

Disable Wi-Fi and Mobile Data

Charge your phone to 50% or more

Not installing new applications

Use the original cable USB (if you connect to a PC)-->

1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Run the program. → Select a full scan (longer but more efficient).
3. Mark the file types: JPG, PNG, HEIC (for Redmi Note 12 with 200 MP camera).
4. Wait for the scan to finish → highlight the desired photos → click Restore.
5. Save files to a memory card or cloud (not internal memory!).

⚠️ Attention: Redmi Note with MIUI 14 and later, DiskDigger may not see system partitions due to Scoped Storage limitations, in which case, connect your phone to your PC and use the desktop version of the program.

Comparison of recovery programs:

5. Restoration with root access (advanced method)

If your Redmi Note has root rights, the chances of returning a photo increase by 60-70%. Root allows you to scan system partitions where standard programs do not have access.

Instructions for Root Browser + PhotoRec:

1. Install Root Browser from Google Play.
2. Go to /data/media/0/DCIM or /storage/emulated/0/Pictures.
3. Find files with the extension.jpg-thumbnail – these are thumbnails of deleted photos.
4. Copy them on your PC and rename them to.jpg.

For deep scanning, use PhotoRec (works through ADB):

adb shell


su




photorec /data/media/0/DCIM

⚠️ Attention: On the Redmi Note 11/12 s MIUI 13/14 PhotoRec may not see files due to encryption FBE (File-Based Encryption. Only a physical memory connection to a PC via an adapter will help.

6.Recovery from a damaged microSD card

If the photo was stored on a memory card and it:

• 🔋 I stopped being determined by the phone.
• 💥 Asks to format when connected.
• 🐢 It is very slow (a sign of damage to the controller).

...don't format it! Use these methods.

Method 1: Through an adapter on a PC

1. Remove the card from the phone → insert into the card reader.
2. Run TestDisk (free utility) → select a map → click Analyse.
3. After scanning, select the section → Search → save the found files.

Method 2: Replace the controller (for experienced)

If the card is defined as RAW or has a volume of 0 MB, the problem is the controller.

1. Find a controller model on the map (e.g. SM3257 or PS2251-07).
2. Buy a donor card with the same controller on AliExpress (~300-500 rubles).
3. Re-sweeten the memory chip (NAND) from your card to the donor card using a soldering station.
4. Connect the donor card to your PC → Use Flash Extractor to extract data.

⚠️ Attention: Chip soldering is a last resort, soldering error can permanently destroy data. If the photos are very valuable, contact the lab (for example, Data Recovery or Hetman).

7.If nothing has worked: Professional services

When all independent methods are exhausted, you have to turn to specialists. In Russia and the CIS, there are laboratories that restore data even from physically damaged drives.

• 📱 Internal memory of the phone: 8–15 thousand rubles (depending on the model of the chip) eMMC/UFS).
• 💾 MicroSD card: 3-7 thousand rubles (if the controller is not damaged).
• 🔧 Complex cases (water, fall, overheating): 20–30 thousand rubles.

How to choose a service:

• 🔍 Check reviews on Yandex.Maps or 2GIS (look for mentions of Redmi Note).
• 📄 Request a confidentiality agreement (your photos should not be shared online).
• 💰 Beware of too low prices – it could be a scam.

Top.-3 data recovery lab:

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If photos are critical (such as documents or evidence), don’t skimp on professional recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Redmi Note