How to recover deleted video files on Xiaomi phone: a step-by-step guide

Deleting important video files from a Xiaomi phone is a familiar situation, with one awkward motion in the gallery, accidentally clicking "Delete Everything" or a system failure, and valuable memories disappear into the unknown. Fortunately, you can restore deleted videos on Xiaomi even without special skills. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from built-in MIUI functions to professional utilities that will save videos even after formatting memory.

The rule of thumb is, the faster you start, the better the chances of success. When you delete files, they don't physically disappear, they're just labeled as "free space," and they can be rewritten with new data. So don't write anything to your phone after you lose video, don't install programs, don't update the system, and then you have detailed instructions for different scenarios, from recovery from the trash to root rights.

1.Check the basket at MIUI Gallery

Modern Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 12) feature a built-in bin where files are stored for 30 days before final deletion.This is the first and easiest way to recover lost videos.

How to check:

• 📂 Open the Gallery app (or Photos on new versions) MIUI).
• 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• 🔍 Find the required video files (they are sorted by the date of deletion).
• 🔄 Select the rollers → Click Restore at the bottom of the screen.

If the bin is empty or there is no video, move on to the next method. Note: the basket only works for files deleted through a standard gallery. Videos erased through a file manager or third-party applications (such as Google Photos) will not appear there.

2.Recovery through MI Cloud backups

If your Xiaomi has MI Cloud sync enabled, the chances of returning a video are greatly increased. Cloud storage automatically saves copies of media files (provided the feature is activated in the settings).

Instructions for remediation:

1. 🌐 Go to Settings. → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud.
2. 📁 Select Gallery or Backups section.
3. 🔍 Check if you have the right video files in the cloud. If you have them, download them back to your device.
4. ⚙️ If the video is not in the main gallery, try restoring the entire backup: MI Cloud → Backup copy → Restore (select the date when the files were still on your phone).

Important: the free MI Cloud tariff provides only 5 GB of storage. If you do not pay for the extension, old backups can be automatically deleted. Also check if the sync is manually disabled - for this, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud → Data Sync.

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To avoid future data loss, enable automatic gallery sync in MI Cloud: Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud → Gallery → Auto Sync.

3.Use of file managers to find hidden files

Sometimes videos are not deleted completely, but simply become invisible to a standard gallery. This can occur due to a failure in the file metadata or a file system error, in which case any file manager with a hidden file display feature (for example, Mi File Manager, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) will help.

Step-by-step:

• 📱 Install a file manager (if not already installed).We recommend Mi File Manager – it is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones.
• 🔍 Open the manager. → Go to Categories → Video or manually check folders: /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ (camera-folder), /storage/emulated/0/Movies/ (video from other applications), /storage/emulated/0/Download/ (file-load).
• 👁️ Enable the display of hidden files: in Mi File Manager tap three points → Settings → Show hidden files.
• 🔄 If you find files with extension.mp4,.mov or.3gp, but they don't open - try renaming them (e.g. add recovered to the name).

A critical nuance: if the video is stored on SD-connect it to your computer via a card reader – so the chances of finding lost files are higher, since Android sometimes limits access to external drives.

4. Data recovery programs (without root)

If previous methods didn't work, it's time to move to specialized utilities, and Xiaomi will be good for programs that scan the device's memory at a low level and restore deleted files by signatures, and we tested several solutions and selected the most effective ones:

We recommend starting with DiskDigger, which is the easiest solution for beginners.

1. 📱 Install the program from Google Play.
2. 🔍 Run the scan (select Full Scan for deep search).
3. 📹 After completion, mark the required video files and click Restore.
4. 💾 Save files to another medium (not the same memory partition where they were deleted!).

Note: Free versions of software often have limits on how many files are recovered or how big they are. If videos are critical, consider buying the full version.

5. Restoration with root rights (for power users)

If the videos were deleted long ago or standard methods did not help, the last chance is to use root-access utilities.This is a risky method, since improper actions can lead to loss of warranty or failure of the phone. However, it allows you to scan /data and other system partitions where conventional programs do not have access.

Tools required:

• 📱 Xiaomi phone with unlocked bootloader and root rights (instructions for obtaining root for your model look at the 4PDA or XDA Developers).
• 💻 Computer with drivers installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 🛠️ Autopsy or PhotoRec (for deep scanning).

Step-by-step instructions for PhotoRec (works via PC):

1. Connect the phone to the computer in debugging mode (USB Debugging).


2. Launch PhotoRec through the terminal:




sudo photorec /d [way to save] /s /dev/sda1




(replace /dev/sda1 with the current partition of the phone's memory).




3. Select the file type to recover (check.mp4,.mov, etc.).




4. wait for the scan to be completed (may take several hours).




5. Check the recovered files in the specified folder.

⚠️ Note: Getting root rights voids Xiaomi's warranty and can lead to locking the device if you do not act correctly.There is also a risk of damaging system files, which will make the phone inoperable.

6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If the videos are critical (such as court evidence or unique footage) and independent recovery attempts have failed, contact Xiaomi's official service center.

What to do before your visit:

• 📋 Write down the serial number (Settings) → The phone. → General information).
• 📄 Prepare a check or warranty card (if the device is guaranteed).
• 🔒 Don’t try to recover data yourself – it can make it harder for specialists to work.

The cost of the service varies from 1,500 to 5,000 rubles depending on the complexity of the case. Some services offer free diagnostics, so check the conditions in advance. Keep in mind that even professionals do not guarantee 100% results, especially if it has been a long time after removal.

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Xiaomi service centers can recover data even from damaged memory chips, but only if the phone is not turned on after deleting files, each attempt to self-restore reduces the chances of success.

What not to do when losing a video

Some actions can irrevocably destroy the chances of file recovery.

• 🚫 Write new files to your phone (photos, videos, apps) – they can overwrite deleted data.
• 🚫 Formatting memory or resetting your phone to factory settings erases all traces of deleted files.
• 🚫 Use phone numbers or accounts that were linked to deleted videos (for example, if the videos were in Google Photos under another account).
• 🚫 Update MIUI Immediately after file loss, the update can overwrite system partitions.

Also, you shouldn't trust the dubious software that promises "magic recovery" in five minutes, many of which contain malicious code or simply don't work, and only use the proven utilities on our list.

FAQ: Frequent questions about video recovery on Xiaomi