Remove photos from the phone Xiaomi Redmi – how to recover: all working ways

Accidental deletion of photos from Xiaomi Redmi is one of the most frustrating situations for a smartphone owner, especially if the pictures capture important moments: family holidays, travel or documents. Fortunately, in most cases, files can be returned - even if you have already cleaned the basket or formatted the memory card. In this article, we will analyze all the current recovery methods, from standard MIUI functions to professional utilities, and also explain how to avoid data loss in the future.

It's important to understand that recovery success depends on three factors: time after deletion (the earlier you start, the better the odds), storage type (internal memory vs. microSD) and actions after deletion (writing new files over old ones reduces the likelihood of returning). For example, if you deleted a photo an hour ago and didn't install apps, the odds are close to 90%, and if a week has passed and you have shot new videos, they can be reduced by up to 30%.

We have tested all of the methods described below on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Redmi 10 and Redmi 9T models with the latest MIUI (14-15) instructions are universal and will be suitable for most devices in the line, including POCO and Mi. If your model is older than 2019, some features (such as the cloud cart) may not be available – we will warn you about this separately.

1.Check the basket at MIUI Gallery

The first thing you need to do is to look into the built-in Gallery app shopping cart, where in Xiaomi, deleted photos are stored there by default for 30 days (some firmware for 15 days), after which they are permanently erased, which is the simplest method and does not require additional programs.

How to restore:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
• 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• 🔍 Scroll through the list or use the search (loop at the top) to find the right photos.
• ✅ Select the pictures (long press) → Click Restore at the bottom of the screen.

⚠️ Note: If you don’t see the item in the menu, then:

• 🔄 The function is disabled in the settings (see the next section).
• ⏳ The storage period expired (photos deleted irrevocably after 30 days).
• 📁 You deleted the photo not through the Gallery, but through the file manager (for example, Explorer).

2. Turn on the basket if it is disabled

On some MIUI firmware, the basket is turned off by default, especially for older models (Redmi 5/6/7) or after resetting.

Instructions:

1. Open the gallery → three points → Settings.
2. Scroll down to the basket section.
3. Activate the switch Turn on the basket.
4. Set a storage period (we recommend 30 days).

If the cart is empty after you turn it on, then the photos were deleted before the function was activated, in which case move on to the following methods.

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On Redmi models with MIUI 12 and older, the bin works for video, too, but remember, video files take up more space, so when the storage is overflowing, they are deleted first.

Recovery via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If your Xiaomi Redmi had Mi Cloud sync enabled, the deleted photos could be saved to the cloud, which works even after the phone is reset to factory settings or internal memory is damaged, and the main condition is that you had to log in to your Mi Account and activate the gallery backup.

Step-by-step:

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com from any device (PC, other phone).
• 🔑 Sign in to the same Mi Account that was used on Redmi.
• 📂 On the left menu, select the Gallery → Basket.
• 🔍 Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.

⚠️ Attention: Mi Cloud only provides 5GB of free storage, and if you didn't buy additional storage, old photos could automatically be deleted if you exceeded the limit.

4. Use Google Photos (if backed up)

Many Xiaomi users are setting up automatic uploads to Google Photos instead of Mi Cloud. If you're one of them, check out this service, which stores deleted photos in the Recycle Bin for up to 60 days, the main advantage is that even if you format your phone, the photos will remain in your Google account.

How to check:

1. Open the Google Photos app on your phone or go to photos.google.com.
2. Sign up under your Google account.
3. In the menu (three lines), select the basket.
4. Find the photos and restore them (Restore button in the upper right corner).

⚠️ Note: If you used Storage Optimization in Google Photos, the original photos may have been compressed or removed from the servers.

Make sure you sign in under the correct Google account|Check the "Basket" section (photos are stored there for 60 days)|If the photo is not in the cart, try searching by date or keywords.|Disable storage optimization to avoid loss of quality in the future-->

5. Recovery with PC and software (for power users)

If the photos are not saved in the cart or cloud, you can still scan the phone's memory directly, and you need a computer and software to do that.

• 📲 Photos deleted from internal memory (not microSD card).
• 🔄 The phone was not re-interrogated after being removed.
• 💾 No new files were written on the device (this overwrites deleted data).

The best recovery programs:

Step-by-step instructions for Recuva (the easiest option):

1. 🖥️ Install Recuva on PC.
2. 📱 Connect Xiaomi Redmi to your computer via USB-cable.
3. 🔧 Turn on the phone file transfer mode (MTP) (connection-notification).
4. 🔍 Launch Recuva → Select All Files → Specify your phone's disc.
5. ⏳ Wait for the scan to be completed (may take 10 to 30 minutes).
6. 📷 Select the photos found (usually in the folder) DCIM) and press Restore.

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered photos back to your phone, this can overwrite the remaining deleted data. Use a PC or external drive.

6.Recovery from microSD card

If the photos were stored on a memory card, the chances of recovery are higher, since microSD is less likely to be overwritten by system files. You can use the same programs for scanning as for internal memory, but there are nuances:

Features of working with microSD:

• 🔍 Do not format the card after deleting – it will nullify the chances of recovery.
• 📁 Connect the card directly to the PC via the card reader (not via the phone).
• 🛠️ For deep scanning, use PhotoRec (free but requires command line knowledge).
• ⚠️ Avoid cheap memory cards – they often have “broken” sectors, making recovery difficult.

Instructions for PhotoRec (for advanced users):

1. Download PhotoRec from https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec


2. Connect the microSD to the PC via the card reader.




3 Launch photorec_win.exe (for Windows).




4. Select a disk with a memory card (arrows + Enter).




5. Specify the file system (usually FAT32 or exFAT).




6. Select a folder to save recovered files (not to the card!).




7.Tap Search and wait until it is completed (may take a few hours).

⚠️ PhotoRec recovers files without original names – they will be called f1234567.jpg. To avoid getting lost in hundreds of photos, sort them by date of creation (in file properties).

7. Appeal to the service center (extreme case)

If all of the above methods have failed and the photos are critical (for example, they are the only pictures from the event or scans of documents), you can contact the service center.

Pros and cons of service recovery:

How to choose a reliable service:

• 🔍 Look for data-licensed centers (such as Kaspersky Lab or Hetzner).
• 📄 Require a contract with an indication of the terms and cost.
• 🔒 Please specify whether it is provided NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement for Confidential Data.
• 💬 Read reviews on Yandex.Maps or 2GIS (pay attention to the fresh ones, for the last 6 months).

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Service recovery is only valid for mission-critical data, and otherwise it is cheaper and faster to use software on your own.

How to Avoid Losing Your Photos in the Future: 5 Rules

To avoid the problem of remote images, follow these recommendations:

1. Enable automatic sync: Set up a backup in Mi Cloud or Google Photos. Even 5GB of free space is enough for the most important photos. Way: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Sync → Gallery.
2. Use cloud services: Apart from Mi Cloud, consider Yandex Drive (10GB free) or Dropbox. Set up automatic photo uploads through their apps.
3. Transfer your photo to your PC regularly: Once a month, connect your phone to your computer and copy the DCIM folder to your hard drive, which will take 5-10 minutes, but save data when your phone breaks down.
4. Don’t just store your photos on a memory card: MicroSDs can suddenly fail (especially cheap models) and duplicate important images into internal memory or the cloud.
5. Install a reliable file manager: Applications like Solid Explorer or FX File Manager have a built-in basket and protection against accidental removal.

⚠️ Note: If you take pictures often, avoid features like Storage Optimization in Google Photos or Image Compression in Google Photos. MIUI. They reduce the quality of the images, and it will be impossible to restore the originals.

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Create a folder on your phone!Important (exclamation point at the beginning, so that it is first on the list) and copy the most valuable photos there, so you reduce the risk of accidental deletion.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi Redmi