Accidental deletion of important photos is a stressful situation that almost every smartphone owner has faced. In Xiaomi devices running on the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS, file storage has its own specifics, different from “pure” Android. Understanding these features greatly increases the chances of successful return of lost data without having to go to a service center.
The first thing to realize is that when you delete a file, the operating system doesn't physically erase it from the flash memory instantly, it just marks the place as free to write. That's why immediately stopping using your smartphone is a critical step. Any new information, whether it's a message in a messenger or a new application, can overwrite the memory sector where your photo was located, making it impossible to restore it.
In this article, we will look at the algorithm of actions from the simplest built-in tools to the use of specialized software on a computer, we will examine the nuances of working with the Mi Cloud cloud service, hidden folders and methods of deep memory scanning.
Checking the built-in basket in the Gallery
The most obvious but often ignored step is to check the system folder “Deleted”: in modern versions of Xiaomi firmware, files do not disappear irrevocably immediately after clicking the delete button, they are moved to a special buffer where a certain time is stored, usually this period is 30 days, after which the system automatically cleans the storage.
To get there, open the standard Gallery app and go to the Albums tab. Scroll down to the very end, and you'll see Deleted. If you use the new version of the interface, this section may be called Recently Deleted, and it's sorted by deletion date, which makes it easier to search.
Select the images you want and click the Restore button, and the photos will return to their original albums, but if you have manually cleaned the cart or it has been more than a month, this method will not work and you will have to move on to more complex options.
- 📸 Open the Gallery app and go to the Albums section».
- 🗑️ Find the “Deleted” folder at the bottom of the list.
- ⏳ Check the Deletion Date – Files are stored for up to 30 days.
- ✅ Select the desired pictures and click "Restore».
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If you deleted photos through the file manager instead of through the Gallery, they can also end up in the file manager bin, which is a separate storage.
Working with the Mi Cloud cloud service
Mi Account owners often forget that they have automatic sync enabled, which is a key feature of the Xiaomi ecosystem, and even if you deleted a photo from a device, a copy of it could be saved in the cloud, and you need to log in to your account through a browser on your computer or any other device to verify it.
Go to i.mi.com and enter your Mi ID. In the cloud interface, select Gallery. This displays all the images that were uploaded before you deleted them. It's important to note that if you deleted a photo from your phone and the sync was active, the file can also be deleted from the cloud, but often it stays in the cloud basket.
The web version of the cloud also has a section called Remote, which works similarly to a phone, and the advantage of cloud storage is that it doesn't depend on the physical state of your smartphone's memory, and if the phone crashes or is reset to factory settings, the cloud will remain the only source of data.
How much space does the Mi Cloud give you for free?
There's a caveat: if you delete a photo from the cloud, it disappears from all synchronized devices, so before you delete files in the cloud, always check if the important information is left only there.
Use Google Photos and other clouds
Many Android users use Google services by default. Google Photos is often preinstalled on Xiaomi smartphones and can automatically back up. Even if the sync was turned off in the Mi Cloud settings, Google could silently save your pictures.
Check the Library -> Recycle Bin folder in the Google Photos app. Deleted files here are also stored for 60 days for Google One users and 30 days for regular accounts.This is a reliable way to find snapshots that have been removed from Xiaomi's internal gallery.
Also worth checking other installed cloud storage: Dropbox, Yandex.Disk or OneDrive. Often users install these applications to automatically upload photos, forget about it, and then find lost files there.
| Service | Storage period in the basket | I need an account. | Autosynchronization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Cloud | 30 days | Mi Account | Yeah (in settings) |
| Google Photo | 30-60 days | Google ID | Yes (default) |
| Dropbox | 30 days | Dropbox ID | Adjustment required |
| Yandex.Disk. | 30 days | Yandex ID | Adjustment required |
Recovery through computer and software
If the built-in methods didn't work, you'll have to use third-party software, USB-The method is to scan the device's memory deeply, and programs analyze the file system and try to find the tails of deleted data.
One of the conditions for most of these programs is that they have Root rights, without which the program can scan only the visible part of the file system, where deleted files are no longer available, and getting root access on Xiaomi requires unlocking the bootloader, which can cancel the warranty.
Popular tools include Dr.Fone, DiskDigger (Android version), Recuva (only works if the phone is defined as a flash card, which is rare for modern models), or PhotoRec. The process usually looks like this: installing the software on a PC, connecting the phone in debugging mode via USB, launching scans.
☑️ Preparing for recovery via PC
Be careful when choosing free versions of software. Often they find files but require payment to actually restore them. Always check the previews of the files you find before you buy a license.
⚠️ Note: Using data recovery software does not give 100% guarantee. If the memory sector has been overwritten with new data, the photo will not be restored, even with professional software.
Analysis of hidden folders and app cache
Sometimes users think that the photo is deleted, but in fact it is simply hidden or moved. There is a feature called Hidden Album in the MIUI shell. Photos from there are not visible in the shared feed. To check them, open the Gallery, go to Albums and pull the list of albums down until you have a password request or fingerprint.
It’s also worth checking the messenger folders. If a photo was sent or received on WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber, a copy of it could have been saved in the application system folders even if the original in the gallery is deleted. Use a file manager, such as the built-in Explorer from Xiaomi or Google Files.
Follow the path: Internal Memory → Android → media → com.whatsapp → WhatsApp → Media → WhatsApp Images. Similar paths exist for other instant messengers. There are often smaller copies or originals that were not deleted when cleaning the gallery.
- 🔍 Check out "Hidden Album" at the Gallery (swipe down).
- 📂 Use the file manager to search for extensions (.jpg,.png).
- 💬 Check the messenger folders in the directory Android/media.
- 📄 Look for files with the prefix “.thumbnails” in hidden system folders.
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Thumbnails are the last frontier, and the quality is low, but it's better than nothing. They're stored in a hidden DCIM/.thumbnails folder.
Prevention and setting up of auto-saving
To avoid future data loss, you need to set up automatic backups, and on Xiaomi smartphones, this is very flexible, you can set up Wi-Fi-only sync to avoid wasting mobile traffic, or you can choose to sync only certain albums.
Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery and make sure the switch is activated. It is also recommended to periodically make full backups to your computer, connecting the phone via cable and copying the entire DCIM folder.
Regularly checking backups is an important habit: Open the cloud or external hard drive once a month and check if files are opening, avoiding the situation where you find a broken backup in a moment of urgent need.