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

Deleting important folders with photos, documents or work files on a Xiaomi smartphone is a familiar situation for many users, most often through negligence: accidentally tapping, resetting settings or even a virus attack. Fortunately, owners of Redmi, POCO and Mi have several ways to recover lost data, from standard MIUI features to specialized utilities.

In this article, we will discuss all the current recovery methods, including working with the MIUI basket, Xiaomi Cloud and Google Drive cloud services, as well as software solutions for deep memory scanning, paying special attention to the nuances for different models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro vs Redmi Note 10) and the risks that can make recovery impossible.

Important: speed is critical! The longer you delay recovery, the greater the chance that deleted data will be overwritten by new files. If the folder contained HEIC photos or Excel documents, the chances of success are higher — these types of files often retain fragments even after deletion.

1.Basket check MIUI — first step in recovery

Modern versions of MIUI 12-14 firmware have a built-in bin that temporarily includes deleted files, similar to the Recycle Bin on PCs, but with a limited shelf life of 30 days for most models, except that the Xiaomi Pad 6 and some flagships (Mi 13 Ultra) can store files for up to 60 days.

To check the basket:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the home screen).
2. In the lower menu, tap on the basket section (dumpster icon).
3. Find the folder you want, click on it and select Restore.

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Note: If the recycle bin is empty, it doesn’t mean that the files are permanently deleted; they could have been deleted by by bypassing the recycle bin (e.g., via Settings → Storage → Cleanup) or by using third-party file managers like Solid Explorer.

On devices with MIUI 11 and older, the Recycle Bin is disabled by default for files deleted via a PC (USB connection), in which case you can only restore folders through specialized programs.

Check out cloud backups (Xiaomi Cloud, Google Drive)

Make sure files are not hidden (enable the display of hidden folders in the file manager settings)

Do not write new data to your phone (photos, videos, apps)

Try connecting your phone to your PC and scanning your memory with a program-->

2.Recovery through Xiaomi Cloud: When Synchronization Saves

If your Xiaomi has enabled synchronization with Xiaomi Cloud, the chances of returning folders are significantly increased.

• 📁 Photos and videos (if AutoSave is enabled in the cloud)
• 📄 Documents (PDF, Word, Excel from Documents folder
• 🔖 Notes and Contacts (if standard Appendices Notes and Contacts were used)

Instructions for remediation:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Sign in with the same account you used before you deleted it.
3. Select the Backups section and find the last copy with the files you want.
4. Click Restore and confirm the action.

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Attention: Recovery from the cloud will overwrite the current data on the phone. If you create new files with the same names after deleting the folder, they will be lost.

On some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60) cloud backups are created only when connected to Wi-Fi. If files were deleted in roaming or without the Internet, a copy may not be saved.

3. Google Drive and other cloud services

If you use Google Photos or Google Drive, check these services first. For example, Google Photos defaults to save all media files to the cloud (unless autosynchronization is disabled) To restore the folder:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Tap on the profile avatar. → Basket.
3. Select the files you need and click Restore.

For Google Drive:

• 🌐 Go to drive.google.com.
• On the left menu, select the basket.
• Find the folder, right-click and select Restore.

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Note: The files in the Google Drive Recycle Bin are only stored for 30 days, and then deleted permanently. For Google Photos, the term is 60 days. If the folder was deleted a long time ago, you can not restore it through these services.

Alternative cloud services where copies can be saved:

• 📱 OneDrive (if used for auto-save photos)
• 📁 Dropbox (when manually uploading files)
• 🔗 Telegram (if files were sent to "Saved Messages»)

Deep scanning programs: when standard methods do not help

If a folder has been deleted bypassing the basket (for example, through an adb shell, formatting or resetting settings), specialized utilities will be needed, which scan the internal memory of the phone at the file system level and recover fragments of deleted data.

Top.-3 Xiaomi:

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (the most versatile option):

1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Launch the app and select Start basic scanning (without root).
3. Wait until the scan is completed (it can take up to 30 minutes).
4. Mark the files found and click Restore.
5. Save the data on SD-map or cloud (not internal memory!).

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Warning: When scanning, do not connect your phone to charging through an unoriginal cable. Unstable power can interrupt the process and damage memory sectors, making recovery impossible.

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If the program does not find deleted files, try connecting the phone to your PC and scan the internal memory through Recuva or PhotoRec. These utilities work at a lower level and sometimes detect data that is not available to mobile applications.

5. Recovery after resetting settings or firmware

If folders are lost after hard reset or flashing through the Mi Flash Tool, the chances of recovery depend on the type of reset:

• 🔄 Soft reset (via Settings) → Reset: Data remains on the device but is no longer available to the system, and can be recovered by programs like EaseUS MobiSaver.
• 🛠️ Hard reset (via Recovery Mode): The file system is recreated, but the data fragments can remain, and root access and specialized tools like UndeleteMyFiles Pro are required.
• 📱 Fastboot: data is deleted almost irrevocably, and only files that have been synced to the cloud can be restored.

For recovery after discharge:

1. Do not create new files on your phone (this reduces your chances of success).
2. Connect the device to your PC and scan the memory via Recuva or TestDisk.
3. If you need root rights, get them through Magisk (XDA Developers has instructions for Xiaomi).

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Note: On dynamic partition devices (such as the Xiaomi 12T or POCO X5 Pro), firmware recovery is almost impossible. These models use Dynamic Partitions technology, which completely overwrites the memory structure.

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If the reset was done via Fastboot, the chances of recovery are near zero, in which case there is only hope for cloud backups.

6. Contacting a service center: when nothing helps

If all of the above methods did not work, and the data is critical (for example, work documents or unique photos), you can contact the Xiaomi service center.

• 🔧 Xiaomi’s official SCs in Russia and CIS do not restore data – only repair iron.
• 💻 Specialized laboratories (for example, Data Recovery) can extract data from the memory chip, but the cost starts from 15 000 rubles.
• ⚠️ In 80% of cases, recovery is possible only if the flash memory is physically damaged (for example, after a phone drops).

What to do before visiting the service:

1. Do not turn on your phone (this will prevent overwriting data).
2. Check with the specialists if they work with models in UFS 3.1 (for example, Xiaomi 13 or POCO F4 GT) – they require special equipment.
3. Prepare proof of ownership of the device (checks, boxes) – many labs require them to work.

7. How to prevent future data loss

To avoid repeated problems, set up automatic backup on Xiaomi:

• 🔄 Enable Autosynchronization in Xiaomi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization).
• ☁️ Configure Google Photos to automatically upload photos in original quality.
• 📱 Use backup applications like Swift Backup (requires root) or Titanium Backup.

Additional security measures:

• 🔒 Set a password for folders with important data (via Files) → Select a folder → Password-protected).
• 🚫 Turn off automatic cleaning in Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 📡 Regularly copy important files to a PC or external drive.

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Even if you don't plan to recover data now, don't format your phone for a month after deleting.File fragments may remain in memory and will be available for recovery later.

FAQ: Frequent questions about folder recovery on Xiaomi