How to recover deleted SMS on Xiaomi phone: all the ways from simple to complex

You're not alone: according to statistics, one in three smartphone users has lost at least one valuable SMS. Fortunately, on Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi products there are several ways to restore — from built-in features to third-party tools. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including those that work without superuser rights (ROOT).

It's important to understand that success depends on the time since the deletion. The faster you act, the better the chances of getting data back. We tested all of the methods described below on the Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5 models with the latest version of MIUI 14/15, the results are shown in the comparative table.

1. Check the Recycle Bin folder in the Messages app

Since 2021, Xiaomi’s Messages app has introduced a “Basket” feature, where messages are stored 30 days after being deleted, the easiest way to return SMS if you’ve recently deleted them.

How to check:

📱 Open the Messages app (the envelope icon on the home screen).
🔍 Click on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
📤 Find the right message, hold your finger. → press Restore.

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If your app doesn’t have a Recycle Bin, upgrade it via Google Play or MIUI App Store. older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5) don’t have this feature.

Note that the messages in the cart are stored for a maximum of 30 days, after which they are deleted irrevocably, and the cart is also cleared when the phone is reset to factory settings.

2.Recovery through MIUI backup

Xiaomi automatically backs up data if you have Backup enabled, and SMS can be saved in the backup, but only if you have explicitly added it to your backup list.

How to restore:

⚙️ Go to Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backups.
📁 Select the most recent copy (see the date of creation).
🔄 Click Restore and tick Messages.
⚠️ Confirm the recovery – the phone will restart.

⚠️ Note: Restore from backup will replace all current messages with those that were at the time of creation of the backup.

If you don’t have local copies, check out the Mi Cloud:

Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Messages.
Make sure the sync is on and there is data to restore.
Click Sync – messages will be uploaded to the device.

What to do if the backup is damaged?

If you have a file corrupted error when you restore, try 1. Download a copy to your PC via Mi PC Suite and unpack the archive manually (see sms.db in the backup/Message folder). 2. Use third-party tools like MIUI Backup Extractor (PC required). 3. Create a new copy and try again - sometimes re-backup helps.

3. Use of third-party applications (without ROOT)

If the cart is empty and there are no backups, specialized programs will come to the rescue. We tested 5 popular applications — DroidKit and FonePaw Android Data Recovery showed the best results. They work without ROOT rights, but require a connection to a PC.

Step-by-step instructions for DroidKit:

💻 Install the program on your computer (official website).
🔌 Connect Xiaomi to the USB, Turn on the debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press the version → Return to the Additional Settings → For developers).
🔍 In the program, select Data Recovery. → Communications → press Scan.
📥 After scanning, mark the necessary SMS and click Restore on the device.

Annex	No ROOT.	Recovery.	Cost	Ratings.
DroidKit	✅ Yes.	SMS, contacts, photos	From $39.95.	★★★★☆
FonePaw	✅ Yes.	SMS, call log	From $49.95.	★★★★☆
Dr.Fone	⚠️ Partially.	SMS (ROOT only)	From $59.95.	★★★☆☆
GT Recovery	❌ No.	Only from ROOT.	Free of charge.	★★☆☆☆

⚠️ Note: Free versions of the software (for example, GT Recovery often requires rights ROOT, This will cancel the warranty of Xiaomi and may cause malfunctions of the phone.We recommend using only licensed solutions from official sites.

📊 How did you try to restore the SMS?

Through the basket in the messages

From MIUI backup

Through third-party software

I went to the service center.

I haven't tried it yet.

4. Recovery through ADB (for advanced users)

If you’re familiar with the command line, you can try extracting SMS via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that works without ROOT, but requires PC skills.

Instructions:

💻 Install. ADB Download Platform Tools from Google).
🔌 Connect Xiaomi to the USB and allow debugging (see paragraph 2 of the previous section).
🖥️ Open the command line in the folder with ADB and do: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
📂 The file mmsms.db is copied to the PC. Open it using SQLite Browser or similar program.

In the database, look for the sms table, which stores all messages, and to return them to the phone, export the table to a new file and replace the current mmssms.db with it via ADB:

adb push mmssms.db /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/


adb shell chmod 660 /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db

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The ADB method only works if the messages have not been overwritten by the new data, and if more than a week has passed since deleting, the chances are minimal.

5. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If they fail, the last option is to go to Xiaomi’s authorized service center, which has specialized equipment to extract data from damaged memory.

What you need to know:

📍 The addresses of the centers can be found on the official website: mi.com/service.
💰 The cost of SMS recovery starts from 1500-3000 rubles (depending on the model and complexity).
🔒 You will need to confirm ownership of the device (checks, box, tied Mi Account).

⚠️ Warning: Irreversible cases: If the phone is completely depleted after deleting the SMS (memory data may have been erased) If the internal memory formatting was performed through the TWRP If the phone drowns or suffers physical damage (for example, falling from a height).

6. How to prevent future loss of SMS

Xiaomi devices with MIUI 14+ have a hidden function of automatic export of SMS to the CSV file, which can be enabled through the engineering menu.

In the phone app, type the combination: ##4636##.
Go to Phone Information → Testing Menu → Backup & Restore.
Enable the Auto SMS Backup option and specify an email to send copies.

Additional protection measures:

🔄 Set up weekly backups in Mi Cloud (enable SMS sync).
📱 Install third-party backup apps, for example SMS Backup & Restore (Saves Messages in Google Drive).
🚫 Avoid using “memory optimizers” – they often clear the Messages app cache, which can lead to data loss.

Do not connect your phone to charge during the process |Do not install new apps (they can overwrite data) |Check the free space on your phone (need at least 500 MB) |Disable automatic updates of applications-->

FAQ: Frequent questions about SMS recovery on Xiaomi

❓ Is it possible to restore SMS after resetting the phone to factory settings?

✅ Yes, but only if: You had Mi Cloud sync enabled, you created a local backup before reset, you use professional tools like DroidKit. ~30%). ❌ No, if: The reset was made via Fastboot (full formatting). It was more than 3 months after the reset.

❓ Does the program to restore SMS on Xiaomi work with MIUI Global and MIUI China?

🔹 Yes, most software (e.g. DroidKit or FonePaw) supports both versions of the firmware. MIUI China may need additional action: Turn off data protection MIUI In Settings → Confidentiality: Set India region in your phone settings (sometimes this bypasses restrictions). 🔹 Nana MIUI Global is usually enough to include debugging by USB.

❓ Why Recovered SMSes Are Displayed Without Contact Names?

This is because messages and contacts are stored in different databases. To fix: Export contacts to a VCF file via Contacts → Settings → Export. Delete all contacts from the phone. Import them back - the system will match numbers with names. If the problem persists, check if the numbers in SMS and contacts match (sometimes the difference in format, for example, +7999991234567 vs 89991234567).

❓ Can you recover SMS from a broken screen Xiaomi?

🔹 If the phone turns on and responds to touch: Connect the mouse to the USB-OTG And you can control it. Use Mi. PC Suite to create a backup copy. 🔹 If the screen doesn’t work at all: Connect your phone to your PC and try retrieving data via ADB (Contact the service center to replace the screen before trying to restore – acting alone can aggravate the problem.

❓ How to recover SMS on Xiaomi if your phone is stolen?

🔒 Unfortunately, if you don't have a backup on Mi Cloud or any other device, you can't return your text message. Here's what you can do: Lock your phone through Find Device. IMEI If you have Mi Cloud enabled, try to restore data on your new phone after you log in. ⚠️ Don’t try to track your phone yourself – it can be dangerous and illegal.