How to recover deleted videos on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro: from the cart to deep scanning

Deleted the video from Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro by mistake - and now panic? Don't rush to drop the phone to the factory settings or carry it to the service center. 80% of the time, lost videos can be returned yourself, even if you cleaned the basket or formatted the memory card.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven recovery methods, from simple (through built-in tools). MIUI) You will learn how recovery algorithms work, which programs are safe for the Redmi 8 Pro, and why it is sometimes best not to write new files to the device after deleting. How to avoid future data loss with hidden smartphone features.

Important: The recovery effectiveness depends on how long it has been since you deleted it and what actions you have taken with your phone since, and if the videos were recently deleted (within 1-2 days) and you haven’t installed new apps or shot new videos, the chances of returning them are close to 100%.

1.Check the basket in the gallery MIUI — quickest

The standard Gallery app on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro automatically sends deleted files to a hidden bin, where they are stored for up to 30 days (unless manually cleaned), which works even without the Internet and does not require installing additional programs.

To find the basket:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (image with multi-colored squares).
• 🔍 Click on the three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper right corner.
• 🗑️ Select the Recycle Bin (may be called Recently Deleted).
• 🔄 Find the right video, click on it and select Restore.

If the cart is empty or the video is not there, then:

• 🕒 More than 30 days have passed since the deletion (files are automatically cleared).
• 🧹 You manually cleaned the basket through the Control menu. → Clean the basket.
• 📱 The videos were deleted not through the gallery but through the file manager (e.g., Explorer or File Manager). ES Explorer).

⚠️ Note: If you cleared the cart through a system notification ("Discard is full, clear?"), you can't recover files through the gallery.

2. Recovery through file manager: hidden folders and cache

Sometimes videos don’t make it to the gallery basket, but they do stay in system folders or app cache, and on Redmi 8 Pro, you can find them using standard Explorer (or third-party managers like Solid Explorer).

Where to look:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails — Video miniatures (sometimes saved even after the original is deleted).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots — If the video was recorded as a screencast.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data — cache of applications (for example, com.miui.gallery).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Camera — Backups if backup function was enabled.

How to check:

1. Open Explorer (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Enable the display of hidden files: click on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Click one of the paths above and look for files with the extension.mp4,.mov or.3gp.
4. If you find a video, copy it to a safe place (for example, on a PC or cloud).

If the folders are empty, try searching by date:

• In the guide, click on the magnifying glass (search).
• Enter.mp4.mov – This will show all the video files.
• Sort the results by date of change (Sort) → By date).

⚠️ Note: Do not move the found files back to the folder DCIM/Camera — It can erase their metadata, and you'd better copy it to your computer or to the cloud.

3.Use specialized programs for Android

If the video is not found in the cart or hidden folders, it is time to connect the software for data recovery. For Redmi 8 Pro, both mobile applications and desktop utilities will work (through a connection via a mobile device). USB). We tested 5 popular tools - the results in the table below.

We recommend starting with DiskDigger, a free application with a simple interface that doesn’t require root rights, which scans internal memory and microSD cards, even finding fragmented files.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Launch the app and select Start a simple scan (without root).
3. Specify the file type: mark the video (MP4, MOV, 3GP).
4. Select the section to scan: Internal memory or Map SD.
5. Wait for the scan to be completed (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour).
6. View the files found, mark the necessary ones and click Restore.
7. Save the video to the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox) or send it to email.

If DiskDigger didn’t find the video, try EaseUS MobiSaver (for PC):

• 🖥️ Connect the Redmi 8 Pro to your computer USB (file transfer).
• 🔍 Run EaseUS MobiSaver and select Android Data Recovery.
• 📱 Follow the instructions on the screen (the program will request access to the phone’s memory).
• 🎬 After scanning, select the video and click Recover.

⚠️ Note: Do not save recovered videos back to Redmi 8 Pro, this can overwrite the remaining fragments of deleted files.

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If a video is found but not played, try converting it through HandBrake, a free PC program, and often corrupted files can be "fixed" by recoding them to another format.

4. Deep root-rights scanning: when nothing helps

If standard methods fail, the last chance is deep root scanning, which is risky (may disrupt the system), but sometimes returns files that other programs can’t see.

What root does:

• 🔍 Access to system partitions where video fragments can be stored.
• 📊 Ability to scan /data and /cache — Folders that are not available without superuser rights.
• 🛠️ Use advanced utilities like PhotoRec or TestDisk.

How to get root on Redmi 8 Pro:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (you need a Mi Account).
2. Install custom recovery (such as TWRP).
3. Please use Magisk to obtain root rights.

fastboot flash recovery twrp.img


fastboot boot twrp.img




(in TWRP) Install → Select Magisk.zip → Swipe to confirm

After getting root, use PhotoRec (part of the TestDisk package):

• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC in mode MTP.
• 📥 Download TestDisk and unpack.
• 🔧 Launch it. photorec_win.exe (for Windows or photorec (for Windows) Linux/Mac).
• 📁 Select your phone’s drive and specify your file system (FAT/exFAT/NTFS for SD-card ext4/f2fs internal memory).
• 🎬 Select file types for recovery: MP4, MOV, 3GP.
• 💾 Specify the folder to save (not on the phone!) and start the scan.

⚠️ The risks of root access:

• 🚫 Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty).
• 🔄 Possible disruptions MIUI (For example, Mi Cloud or Google Pay will stop working).
• 🛡️ Vulnerability to viruses (root opens access to system files).

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Deep root scanning is a last resort, and if videos aren't critical, it's best to avoid rooting to avoid risking the stability of the phone.

5. MicroSD card recovery: features for Redmi 8 Pro

If the video was stored on a memory card, the chances of recovery are higher - the flash drives are less likely to be overwritten by the system.

• 📱 Redmi 8 Pro supports microSD up to 512GB, but some cards (especially cheap) can “glut” when recovering.
• 🔄 If the card is formatted in exFAT, some programs (such as Recuva) will not see the files.
• 🛡️ Some cards have hardware encryption (if used as internal memory in the Warehouse settings).

How to recover video from microSD:

1. Remove the card from your phone and connect it to your PC via a card reader (not your phone!).
2. Use R-Studio or EaseUS Data Recovery – they work better with external drives.
3. Select Deep Scan – it will take longer, but it will find more files.
4. After recovery, format the card in your phone (via Settings) → Warehouse → Map. SD → Formatting) to avoid future errors.

If the card is defined as RAW (not readable):

• 🛠️ Try chkdsk in Windows: chkdsk E: /f (where E: is the letter of your card).
• 🔧 If it doesn’t help, use TestDisk to restore partitions.

⚠️ Note: If the memory card is physically damaged (not detected on any device, warms or sounds), do not attempt to recover the data yourself.

6. Cloud backups: Mi Cloud and Google Photos

If your Redmi 8 Pro was enabled to sync to the cloud, the videos could have been saved there even after being deleted from your phone.

Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud):

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in.
• 📁 Open the Gallery section or backup copies.
• 🔍 Use date search – videos can be in the Autoload or Camera folder.
• 📥 If found, download to PC or send back to the phone.

Google Photos:

• 🌐 Open photos.google.com.
• 🗑️ In the menu on the left, select the Recycle Bin - the video is stored there for 60 days.
• 🔄 If the basket is empty, check the Archive or search for keywords (e.g., “sea”, “birthday").

If the sync was disabled, but you remember that the video was sent via messengers:

• 💬 Check WhatsApp: Open the chat → Click on the interlocutor's avatar → Media, links and documents.
• 📤 In Telegram, videos can be in Save Messages or in a folder. Telegram/Telegram Video on memory card.

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Enable automatic sync in Google Photos (Settings) → Backup and sync to keep files in the future, and 15GB is free, enough for thousands of videos.

7.Prevention: How to Avoid Losing Video in the Future

To avoid the problem of remote video, set up Redmi 8 Pro according to these rules:

Settings MIUI file protection:

• 🔒 Enable File Protection: Go to Settings → Privacy → File protection and add a folder DCIM/Camera securely.
• 📤 Set up automatic backup in Mi Cloud: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup of the device.
• 🗑️ Increase the shelf life of the basket: in the Gallery → Settings → Choose a basket for 30 days (maximum).

Third-party backup applications:

• 🖥️ Sync.com or pCloud – Cloud Storage with Encryption (Free 5-10 GB).
• 📱 FolderSync – Automatically sync folders with videos on Google Drive or Dropbox.
• 💾 Resilio Sync – backs up on another device (such as a home PC) without the cloud.

What to do if the video is critically important:

• 📼 Immediately after shooting, copy them to Google Drive or send yourself an email.
• 💾 Use it. OTG-cable to save video to the flash drive directly from the phone.
• 📱 Install AppLock to avoid accidentally removing the gallery.

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The most reliable strategy is the rule "3-2-1": 3 copy of video (telephone) + cloud + flash drive, on 2 Different types of media (internal memory) + SD-map), 1 copy outside the home (cloud).

FAQ: Frequent questions about video recovery on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro