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

Deleting an important video from a Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is a situation that almost every user has faced. Whether it’s a random click on “Delete”, a reset or a system crash, lost files often contain valuable memories: a child’s first birthday, wedding moments or unique travel footage. Fortunately, even after deleting the videos do not disappear from the device instantly — they can be restored if you act quickly and correctly.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods for returning deleted videos on Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 and other models of the series, from the simplest methods (checking the cart and cloud backups) to advanced ones (using a PC and specialized utilities), focusing on the nuances of the MIUI file system that affect the success of recovery, and also explaining how to avoid irretrievable data loss in the future.

1. Checking the basket at MIUI Gallery: The first step to rescue

Many users don't know that the standard MIUI gallery has a built-in bin where files are stored for up to 30 days after being deleted, the fastest way to return videos without additional software.

To check the basket:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app on your Xiaomi Redmi.
• 🗑️ In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and pick the basket.
• 🔍 Find the right video, hold your finger on it for selection, then click Restore at the bottom of the screen.

If the cart is empty or the video is not there, it means that:

• 🕒 More than 30 days have passed since the deletion (files are automatically cleared).
• 🧹 You manually cleaned the cart through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 📲 The video was not deleted through the gallery, but through the file manager (e.g., Explorer or Files by Google).

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If the video was deleted through a third-party file manager (like Google Files), check the shopping cart in this app - it may have its own "junk box."

⚠️ Warning: After cleaning the cart, files are permanently deleted for standard recovery methods. If video is critical, do not write new files to the device - this will reduce the chances of successful recovery in other ways.

2. Recovery through cloud services: Google Photos and Mi Cloud

If your Redmi has been enabled to sync with cloud services, the chances of returning video are much higher.

Google Photos (for videos uploaded to the cloud)

Google Photos automatically backs up videos if:

• 📤 In the application settings, the option Backup and Synchronization is enabled.
• 📶 The device was connected to Wi-Fi or mobile network (depending on settings).
• 📅 Video was captured/save until deleted (new files are not synced instantly).

How to check:

1. Open the Google Photos app (or install it from the Play Market if you have deleted it).
2. Sign in with the same Google account that was used on Redmi.
3. Go to the Photos → Video section or use the search (magnifying glass at the top).
4. If a video is found, click on the three dots next to the file and select Save to the device.

Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's proprietary cloud storage that not only stores contacts and notes, but also media to check:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure that the Gallery or Gallery Backup option is enabled.
3. Open the web version of Mi Cloud on your PC or in your smartphone browser.
4. Log in and check the Gallery section or backups.

⚠️ Note: Mi Cloud only provides 5GB of free space by default. If the gallery backup wasn't set up in advance, the video may not be in the cloud. Also check if the Mi Account was disabled after resetting, which will result in loss of access to backups.

3. Local recovery through file manager: hidden folders and cache

If the video is not found in the cart or cloud, it is worth checking the hidden system folders and application cache.

How to find:

1. Open Explorer (or any file manager, such as Files by Google).
2. Enable the display of hidden files: in Explorer, click ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Enter the video title (if you remember) or filter by extension (.mp4,.mov,.3gp).

💡 Tip: If the video was recorded in a messenger (such as Telegram or WhatsApp), check the folder of this application. Often the files remain there even after being deleted from the gallery.

4. PC recovery: programs for deep scanning

If previous methods have not worked, it’s time to connect Xiaomi Redmi to your computer and use specialized utilities that scan the device’s memory at a low level and can find files even if they were deleted months ago.

🔧 Essential tools:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS.
• 📱 Cable USB (Preferably original from Xiaomi for stable connection).
• 🔌 Initiated Debugging Mode USB (see the instructions below).
• 🛠️ One of the programs: Recuva, EaseUS MobiSaver, DiskDigger (for Android).

📌 Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (free version):

1. Download and install DiskDigger from the official website.
2. On Redmi, enable USB Debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
4. Start DiskDigger, select your device and press Full Scan (full scan).
5. After the scan is complete, filter the results by Video type and select the files to recover.

⚠️ Attention: In deep scanning, the program can find fragmented or corrupted files; videos can recover without sound, with artifacts or incomplete duration; the more time has passed since deletion, the higher the risk of quality loss.

USB debugging enabled

The original cable is used.

The battery is charged by more than 50%

There is enough free space on the PC to save files.

Other programs that work with the device (for example, MIUI Suite) are not running

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5. Recovery after resetting or system damage

If the video was lost after a hard reset or firmware failure, standard methods won't help, but a low-level recovery is required.

🔹 Option 1: Use TWRP and ADB

For advanced users who have custom recovery (TWRP) installed:

1. Boot to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up when turned on).
2. Connect the device to the PC and use the command: adb pull /data/media/0/ C:\Redmi_Recovery Copy all files from internal memory.
3. Use PhotoRec (part of the TestDisk package) to recover video from copied data.

🔹 Option 2: Contacting a service centre

If the videos are critically valuable (e.g., court evidence or unique footage) and the independent attempts have failed, go to a data recovery lab that uses analyzer chips and can extract data even from damaged memory chips, which starts at 5,000 rubles.

⚠️ Warning: After resetting, do not create a new Mi Account on your device or install updates. This can overwrite memory sectors where deleted videos were stored.

6.Loss prevention: how to protect video in the future

The best way to combat data loss is to prevent it. Here are the proven methods:

• ☁️ Automatic backup: Configure Google Photos to download video in Original Quality (free up to 15GB). Enable Mi Cloud to reserve gallery (Settings) → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → gallery).
• 📁 Manual duplication: Regularly copy important videos to your PC or external drive. OTG-cable for transferring files to a flash drive directly from a smartphone.
• 🔒 Protection against Accidental Deletion: In the Gallery MIUI hold the video → Lock (protects against deletion without password) Set a password on folders with important files through Explorer → File protection.

💡 Travel tip: If you shoot a lot of videos on your trips, make it a rule to transfer files to your laptop or portable daily. SSD. This will protect against data loss in case of theft or breakage of the smartphone.

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Even if the video is removed from the gallery, it can remain in the device's memory until its place is overwritten with new files, so the sooner you start recovery, the better the chances of success.

FAQ: Frequent questions about video recovery on Xiaomi Redmi