Users of the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem often face the need to save important data before flashing or resetting settings. Built-in copymaking allows you to pack contacts, call logs, SMS and even system settings into a single archive, but after the process is complete, many people are lost, not knowing exactly where the data is physically stored on the internal drive.
Finding these files is critical if you plan to migrate them to a computer or external flash card for safety. Standard file managers can hide system directories, which makes navigation difficult. Understanding the structure of Android directories will help you quickly find the right archive and make sure that the process was successful.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at the full path to the backup directory, explain the nesting structure and how to safely extract data, learn how to distinguish between configuration files and the data archives themselves, and learn about the nuances of working with access rights in modern versions of the shell.
Standard path to backup files
The main directory where local redundancy saves its data is located in the root section of the device’s internal memory, and the path to it remains unchanged on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, regardless of the Android version. The full address is /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/.
It is in the AllBackup folder that files with the.bak extension containing your data are stored. It is important to understand that access to this directory may be restricted in new versions of Android 11, 12, 13 and 14 due to Google's security policy called Scoped Storage.
If you connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable (MTP), navigation along this path is usually available without problems. However, when using the built-in Explorer application, you may need to give permission to access files each time you open the folder. MIUI.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete or rename files inside the folder MIUI/backup manually through third-party file managers, as this can disrupt the integrity of the backup database and make recovery impossible through the regular menu.
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Use Xiaomi’s built-in Explorer app to navigate through internal folders, as it has the necessary system permissions to work with the MIUI directory.
Folder structure and file formats
Inside the AllBackup directory, files are not stacked, but sorted by data type. You'll see folders with names like system, user, or application names. Each backup is a set of files where the.bak extension points to the data archive itself, and.desc contains meta information.
The file with the.desc extension is text-based, and it contains a description of the backup: the date it was created, the version of the system it was made on, and the list of saved components. It is a critical file for the system, because it is from this restore menu that it understands what is in the archive and whether it is compatible with the current firmware.
The data itself can be packaged in different formats depending on the type of information. For example, contacts and messages are often stored in the.bak format, which is essentially a renamed archive. Applications are created with separate folders with their batch names, where the data and the installer's apk are stored.
| File type | Expansion | Description of the contents | Can I edit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data archive | .bak | The main file with user data (contacts, SMS, settings) | No (encrypted/packaged) |
| Description | .desc | Text file with backup metadata (date, OS version) | Yes (with caution) |
| List of annexes | .list | List of packets included in backup | No. |
| Temporary file | .tmp | Files created during the creation or restoration process | No (removed automatically) |
Can I open a.bak file on my computer?
Features of access in Android 11-14 and HyperOS
Since Android 11, Google has implemented strict restrictions on access to root directories, which means that even if you know the exact path /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/, standard file sharing apps can show that folder empty or not let it inside at all.
To get around this limitation and see the files, you'll need to use the built-in File Manager app, which has system privileges. When you first log in to the MIUI folder, the system will request a confirmation of access — you need to click "Allow." Without this step, you won't be able to copy files to your PC.
An alternative solution for advanced users is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge by connecting your smartphone to your PC and activating debugging USB, You can copy the entire backup folder with the command: adb pull /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/ C:/Backup_Xiaomi/. This method works more consistently than MTP-protocol for the transmission of large amounts of data.
How to transfer backup copy to the computer
Keeping a copy only on your phone carries risks: if your device breaks down or you have a cyclic restart (bootloop), you can lose access to files along with your phone. So transferring to an external medium is a must for important data. USB-cable.
Connect your smartphone to your computer, select File Transfer mode in the notification on your phone screen. Open My Computer, find your device, and follow the path Internal Drive → MIUI → backup → AllBackup. Copy the desired date folders to your PC hard drive.
If you don't have a cable connection, you can use Wi-Fi transmission. Send a backup file via Mi Drop (now Xiaomi Share) or any FTP/SMB-enabled file manager to your computer. The main thing is not to interrupt the transfer, since backup files can weigh several gigabytes.
⚠️ Note: When copying to a computer, make sure that there is enough free space on the target disk. A full copy of the system with photos and applications can take up more than 50 GB.
☑️ Pre-transfer check
Recovering data from a local copy
The process of returning data back to your phone also has its nuances: If you just copied the AllBackup folder from your computer back to your phone, the system may not “see” the new copy in the recovery menu, which is because the Backup application database has not updated.
To make the phone see the ported backup, the file must lie strictly on the path /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/. After copying, go to the settings, select "Additional" → "Backup and Restore." If the copy does not appear, try restarting the device or clearing the backup app cache through the Apps menu.
To recover, click on the date you want, enter your password (if it was set when you created it), and select the components to return.The process can take a long time, especially when you restore photos and large apps.At this time, the screen may go out — that's okay, but it's better to keep the phone charging.
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Xiaomi’s local backup is not just a copy of files, but a complex system database structure. Simply copying files without respecting the folder structure will not lead to successful recovery.
Problems with encryption and passwords
When you create a local backup, MIUI and HyperOS strongly suggest setting a password, which is AES encryption, which protects your personal data from prying eyes. If you forget this password, it will be technically impossible to recover data from the local backup even for service centers.
Backup files without password are stored in an open but packaged form. If the password is set, a cryptographic layer is added to the content of the.bak files. If you try to recover data on another device or after resetting the account passwords, the system will require you to enter the exact code that was specified when the archive was created.
There's a myth that the backup password syncs with the Mi Account. It's not true for local copies. The password is only stored in your phone's memory and in your head. If you're planning to store the backup on a PC for a long time, write it down in a secure location separate from the phone.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting your phone to factory settings (Wipe Data) will remove all local backups if they haven't been ported to a memory card or PC. Always check for a copy on an external media before formatting.