Previous articleGone photos from the gallery on Xiaomi Redmi: all the reasons and ways to restore

You opened a gallery on your Xiaomi Redmi to show your friends fresh photos, but instead you have an empty folder or a message saying, "No media files," which is familiar to many smartphone owners of this brand. From simple user errors to system failures MIUI. In this article, we will discuss all possible reasons for missing photos on Redmi devices (including Note models). 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/13C and others, and give step-by-step instructions for data recovery and protection.

Xiaomi is actively modifying the standard Android, adding its own services like Mi Cloud, Xiaomi Gallery and memory optimization features, which sometimes work too aggressively, deleting or hiding files without the user’s knowledge. For example, in 2023, users massively complained about the disappearance of the photo after the update. MIUI 14 — the problem was related to a synchronization error Mi Cloud, but it is not only the updates that are to blame: often the culprit is the owner of the smartphone, accidentally activated the “smart” cleaning.

Before you panic, check out a few basics:

• 🔍 Are the photos really deleted or just hidden? (see the section on hidden folders)
• 📁 Has the photo folder moved to another location? DCIM/Screenshots or Pictures/Telegram)
• ☁️ Is sync enabled with Mi Cloud or Google Photos?
• 🗑️ Is the automatic cleaning function activated in the Settings → Memory?

1. Most common cause: "Smart" memory cleanup in MIUI

Branded shell MIUI One of the features, automatic memory cleaning, can delete files that the system considers "unnecessary:

• 📸 Photos and videos that have not been opened for a long time (more than 30 days).
• 📁 Duplicate images (for example, if you saved one photo in the Gallery and in Google Photos).
• 🗑️ Temporary files from cache folders (for example, thumbnails for previews).
• 🎥 Low quality videos or screenshots that take up little space.

How to check if the cleaning is to blame:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Check the cleanup history (if the function is active, there will be a list of deleted files).
3. Check if Auto Cleaning is enabled in the Settings section → Battery and productivity → Cleaning up memory.

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI (For example, 13-14) the cleaning function is in the background and can delete files without notification. If you see items in the cleanup history like "Optimized 1.2 GB", chances are that your photos have also been included.

How to turn off automatic cleaning:

Settings → Memory → ⚙️ (cog in upper right corner) → Autoclean → Turn off

We also recommend that you disable:

Settings → Battery and Performance → Memory Cleanup → Auto Cleanup (translate the slider to the “Off” position).

Disable autocleaning in memory settings|

Check the cleaning history in the "Memory" section"|

Move important photos to a folder that is excluded from optimization (for example, "Downloads")|

Regularly archive photos on PC or cloud-->

Sync with Mi Cloud: why photos "disappear" from the gallery

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's cloud storage that syncs photos and videos by default, and the problem is that in some settings, files can be hidden from the local gallery, creating the illusion of being lost.

1. Photos are uploaded to the cloud but removed from the device. Mi Cloud has a "Free Space" option in its settings that deletes local copies after uploading to the cloud.
2. Sync is disabled, but the photos are only in the cloud, and if you logged out of your Mi Account or dropped your phone, you lose access to the cloud photos.

How to check the synchronization status:

1. Open the Mi Cloud app (or Settings) → Mi Account → Mi Cloud).
2. See if the Gallery synchronization is enabled (the slider should be green).
3. Click on the Gallery. → Control and check if the Free Place option is activated.

If you logged out of your Mi Account or dropped your phone, try:

1. Log in to the same Mi Account that was previously linked.
2. Open the Mi Cloud → gallery → Recycle bin (files are stored there for 30 days).
3. If the photo is not in the cart, try to restore through the web version of Mi Cloud ("Recently deleted").

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If you frequently re-install MIUI Or you drop your phone, back up your photos to Google Photos or to a physical drive. Mi Cloud only stores deleted files for 30 days, whereas Google Photos only stores up to 60 days.

3 Hidden folders and system directories: where else can your photos be

Sometimes the photos are not lost, but simply moved to hidden folders or system directories that are not displayed in the standard gallery.

• 📲 Actions of third-party applications (for example, Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber save media in their folders).
• 🔄 Updates MIUI, Changes in the Structure of File Storage.
• 🖥️ Connecting your phone to your PC in file transfer mode (sometimes folders become hidden).
• 🔒 Use content hiding features (e.g., a private folder in Xiaomi).

How to find hidden photos:

1. Use a file manager. Open Files (a standard Xiaomi app) and enable the display of hidden folders: Files → ⋮ (menu) → Settings → Show hidden files Check folders: /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.nomedia /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ (messenger-folder)
2. Check out the "Private folder." Xiaomi has a file hiding feature: Gallery → Albums. → ⋮ (menu) → Private folder If the folder is password protected, try the standard folder. PIN-lock-screen.
3. Use file search in any file manager (e.g. Total Commander or FX File Explorer) enter the extension in search: *.jpg *.png *.heic

If you find photos in a hidden folder but they don't show up in the gallery, check for a.nomedia file. This file blocks the media players from scanning the folder. Delete it (not from system directories!).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /Android/data/ — It can disrupt applications. If you have photos in there, copy them to DCIM/Camera.

4. File system errors and memory card damage

If the photo is only missing from a memory card (microSD), the problem is most likely related to:

• 💾 Damage to the file system (for example, after retrieving the card without safely disabling).
• 🔋 Flash memory wear (cheap cards often fail after 1-2 years of active use).
• 🦠 Viruses that encrypt or hide files.
• 📱 Card incompatibility with phone (e.g. Redmi Note 10 does not support exFAT cards without an update).

How to diagnose the problem:

1. Connect the memory card to the PC through the card reader.
2. Check it for errors: Right click on the disk → Properties → Service → Check (on Windows) or through Disk Utility (on Mac).
3. If the card is not defined, try formatting it into FAT32 (Note: All data will be deleted!).

If the card is working, but the photo is not displayed:

• 🔍 Use data recovery software: Recuva, PhotoRec, DiskDigger.
• 🛡️ Check the map for viruses with Dr.Web CureIt! or Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.
• 📁 Try viewing files through another file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer).

⚠️ Warning: If the memory card starts to crumble (files disappear, read errors appear), immediately copy all data from it to another medium.

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Never remove a memory card while recording files (e.g., while taking a video or copying a photo), which can cause file system damage and data loss.

5. Resetting settings and updates MIUI: How they affect the photo

Updates MIUI And hard resets are common causes of missing photos:

MIUI Update:

• 🔄 In case of major updates (for example, with MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) folder permissions are sometimes reset and the gallery stops seeing the photo.
• 📦 The update can transfer media files to another folder (for example, from the DCIM/Camera into Pictures/Screenshots).
• 🐛 In some versions MIUI There was a bug that caused the photos to disappear after the update (the files themselves remained in place).

Resetting (Hard Reset):

• 🗃️ When reset via Settings → The phone. → Resetting of photo settings can be saved if the tick “Clear internal memory” is not marked».
• ⚠️ Reset via Recovery Mode (Volume Up buttons) + Power removes everything, including photos.
• ☁️ If you have synced with Mi Cloud or Google Photos before reset, files can be recovered from the cloud.

How to recover a photo after updating or resetting:

1. Check the folders. DCIM, Pictures and Download via File Manager.
2. If the photos were synced with Mi Cloud, log in to your account and download them back.
3. Use data recovery software (EaseUS MobiSaver, Tenorshare UltData) if the photos were deleted after resetting.

To avoid data loss during updates:

• 📤 Always back up your photo on your PC or cloud before upgrading.
• 🔋 Make sure the battery is over 50% (so that the phone doesn’t turn off during the process).
• 📶 Connect to stable Wi-Fi (internet breaks can cause disruptions).

6. Viruses and malicious applications

Malware can:

• 🔒 Encrypt photos and demand ransom (ransomware).
• 🗑️ Delete files to free up space for your needs.
• 🕵️ Hide a photo from the user (for example, move it to folders with the.nomedia attribute).
• ☁️ Upload photos to remote servers (spyware).

Signs of infection:

• 📱 The phone began to slow down, warm up or discharge quickly.
• 📊 Unexpectedly, the free space on the disk decreased.
• 🚫 There are pop-ups with advertisements or warnings.
• 🔍 There are unknown programs in the list of applications.

How to check and remove viruses:

1. Install antivirus (Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Dr.Web) and scan the device.
2. Check the application rights: Settings → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ (menu) → Special access Disable suspicious programs access to storage.
3. Remove unfamiliar apps (especially those that request access to photos and files).
4. If the photos are encrypted, try tools like Kaspersky RannohDecryptor (for some types of viruses).

⚠️ Warning: If you suspect that photos were stolen by spyware, immediately disconnect your phone from the Internet (plane mode) and change the passwords of all accounts (including Mi Account, Google, social networks).

7. Hardware malfunctions: when the problem is in the "iron"

If photos disappear regularly and for no apparent reason, the problem may lie in the hardware of the phone:

• 💾 Depreciation of internal memory (eMMC/UF). Cheap Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or Redmi 8) Often suffer from "degradation" of memory after 1–2 years.
• 🔌 Problems with memory controller: may manifest as the disappearance of files after a reboot or random "broken" sectors.
• 🔋 A motherboard malfunction, such as after a fall or moisture hit.
• 📡 Failures in the module Wi-Fi/4G, This causes synchronization with the cloud to be interrupted.

How to diagnose a hardware malfunction:

• 🔧 Run a memory test with applications like A1 SD Bench or AndroBench: If the read/write speed is significantly lower than normal, the memory is worn out.
• 🔄 Check if photos are lost after rebooting or removing the battery (on models with removable battery).
• 🛠️ Connect your phone to your PC and try to copy the photo. If the process is interrupted or files are copied with errors, the memory problem is in the memory.

What to do if the iron is to blame:

• 📤 Immediately copy all important data to another medium (PC, cloud, external disk).
• 🔧 Contact the service center, sometimes it helps to flash your phone or replace the memory module.
• 🆕 If the phone is old (like the Redmi 5 or Redmi Note 7), consider buying a new device – repairs can cost more.

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If your Xiaomi Redmi is older than 3 years and has started to “lose” files for no apparent reason, immediately back up all data.Memory wear is an irreversible process, and over time you may lose access to all files.

FAQ: Frequent questions about missing photos on Xiaomi Redmi