Where Xiaomi keeps backup: finding ways and managing

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the challenge of migrating data to a new device or securing information before flashing. The key to this process is understanding where files are physically located once a copy is created. MIUI and its global version of HyperOS offer multiple backup scenarios, each with its own unique storage path.

If you're planning to make room for memory or if you're looking for a specific configuration file, you need to know the exact directory structure. Depending on the method you choose -- local, Google's cloud, or Mi Cloud -- the data can be in different parts of the file system, and understanding this structure allows you not only to find but also to manually manage reserves, which is especially important in non-standard recovery scenarios.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the possible ways Xiaomi saves backups, and explain the differences between system folders: you will learn how to find hidden directories, understand the difference between app backup and multimedia, and learn how to avoid data loss when you change devices.

Local Storage: The Main Path in Device Memory

The most common method that users use is to create a local copy through the standard settings menu, in which case all the data is packaged in a special archive and placed in the phone's internal memory, and the main way the system defaults to folding these files is in the root directory of internal memory.

To access this data, you’ll need a file manager with system folder permissions or a standard explorer if it displays hidden directories. The path is: Internal memory → MIUI → backup → AllBackup. This is where the.bak file contains your settings, messages, call log, and application data.

Importantly, this file can be as large as tens of gigabytes if you choose to have a full photo and video backup, and the local copy takes up space on the same physical drive as the operating system itself, which means that if your smartphone is completely broken or lost, you will lose access to that data if you don't transfer it to your computer.

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Copy the AllBackup folder to your computer immediately after you create the backup, which will take a couple of minutes, but will save your data in the event of a physical breakdown of your smartphone.

The folder structure inside AllBackup can be supplemented by temporary files that the system creates during the archiving process. If the process has been interrupted, there may be broken files left here that can be safely deleted manually to free up space. However, the backup file itself, the date of creation of which coincides with your last successful backup, should not be touched.

Cloud Storage: Google Drive and Mi Cloud

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones are deeply integrated with cloud services, which changes the way we store data. When you choose to sync through a Google account, the system doesn’t create a single visible file in Explorer, but instead, the data is broken down into small packets and sent to Google Drive servers.

You can't find this data in the phone's file system, because it's stored remotely. To check if it's available, you need to go to Settings → Google → Backup. Here you'll see a list of apps and data that have already been sent to the cloud, and this is the most reliable way to save contacts, calendars and Wi-Fi settings.

The second option is Mi Cloud. Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud works in a similar way, but often offers more options for owners of the brand’s devices, and photos, contacts, notes and voice recordings can be synced automatically if the appropriate option is enabled.

• 📂 Google Drive: Data is broken into threads, does not have a single file, is restored at the first authorization on a new device.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Allows selective synchronization for different data types, available via i.mi.com web interface.
• 🔒 Encryption: Both services use end-to-end encryption, so without a password from the account, it is impossible to access data.

Keep in mind that cloud storage has limits on free space, and Google’s base rate provides 15GB, which is shared between Mail, Drive and Photos, and a backup can quickly run out of that limit if you don’t keep track of the amount of data you’re using.

Finding and accessing hidden system folders

The Android operating system in the latest versions (11, 12, 13, 14) has significantly restricted applications’ access to the file system for the sake of security, and standard conductors may not show the Android folder or its contents, where application data is often hidden.

To see hidden directories where redundancy traces or sync cache may remain, you need to use an advanced file manager, such as Total Commander or MT Manager. When you first run, these applications will request special permission for Access to All Files, which must be confirmed in the system window.

Special attention should be paid to the folder Android/data. Although direct system backups are not usually written there, some redundancy applications (third-party) can use this directory for temporary storage. → Android → data.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the folder Android/data or Android/obb manually, if you are not sure of their purpose, this can lead to malfunctioning of applications or loss of progress in games.

There is also a hidden.backup folder (with a dot at the beginning of the name) that some system processes can use for temporary files, and to see it, the Explorer settings must activate the "Show hidden files" option, which is usually empty or contains logs, but it is worth checking when searching for lost data.

Multimedia backup: Gallery and Dictaphone

Media files, which often take up the lion’s share of memory, are worth noting: unlike system settings, photos and videos don’t always make it into the AllBackup archive. Xiaomi’s Standard Gallery has its own cloud sync mechanism via the Mi Cloud.

If cloud sync is disabled, the original photos and videos are stored in standard folders: DCIM/Camera for camera images and MIUI/screen_rec Backups of these folders are only created if you manually copied them or used the Data Transfer feature when changing your phone.

The recorder and the document scanner also have their own isolated storage facilities. MIUI/sound_recorder. When creating a full local copy of the system, these files can be included in the general archive, but only if the appropriate tick was selected in the backup settings.

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Multimedia files are best copied separately to your computer or to the cloud, as the full backup system may not include them by default to save space.

Use of Mi PC Suite and third-party tools

For those who prefer to store data on a computer, there is a program Mi PC Suite (or its international counterparts), when you connect your smartphone over USB and start the backup procedure, the program creates a copy on the hard drive of the PC.

The way to save this case depends on the settings of the program on the computer. By default, this can be the Documents → Mi PC Suite → Backup folder or a similar directory in the Windows user profile. The files here also have a specific extension and are password protected if it was installed.

Third-party applications, such as Titanium Backup (requires Root rights) or Swift Backup, use their own paths, most often they create a folder at the root of internal memory with the application name, such as SwiftBackup. APK-Application files and their data in.tar.gz or proprietary format.

Using third-party tools gives more flexibility, but requires care. When recovering data from a third-party backup to a new version of Android, compatibility conflicts can arise, especially if the structure of system files has changed.

Data recovery and frequent problems

The recovery process depends on where the copy was saved. If the file is in the AllBackup folder, you need to go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore → Mobile device to activate it, the system will scan the folder itself and offer available restore points.

A common problem is when the phone doesn’t see the backup file, which can happen if the file has been renamed, moved to a different folder, or corrupted while copying, and the system may ignore the backup if the Android version on the device from which the copy is made is significantly newer than the current phone.

When you restore from the Google cloud, the process is automatically done when you first set up your phone or reset to factory settings, and the main condition is to use the same Google account. If you change your account region or device type (for example, from an iPhone to Android), some data may not be transferred.

• 📶 Wi-Fi connection: Cloud recovery requires stable and fast internet, preferably Wi-Fi, so as not to waste mobile traffic.

⚠️ Note: When you restore a full copy of the system, all current data on the phone can be overwritten. If there are important new files on the device, make a separate copy of them before starting the procedure.

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