Remove photos on Xiaomi: how to recover with a 90% success guarantee

Removing photos on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most common problems users face. Whether you accidentally clicked Delete, reset your phone to factory settings, or lost pictures after a MIUI update, the chances of recovery remain high – provided you act quickly and correctly. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods to help return deleted photos, including hidden MIUI features, cloud services and professional tools.

It's important to understand that the less time has passed since deleting, the more likely it is to succeed. Xiaomi's system doesn't erase files instantly - it only marks them as "free space" that can be rewritten with new data. So the first rule is: immediately stop using your phone (don't take photos, install apps, don't update) so as not to erase lost photos.

We will also analyze why standard tips like “check the cart” often don’t work on Redmi or POCO, and what to do if photos are deleted more than a month ago or after resetting.

1.A check of "Baskets" in the Xiaomi gallery

On most Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 12), deleted photos first end up in a temporary storage, the Recycle Bin, where they lie for 30 days before being deleted, but many users don’t know where to find them, especially after the interface updates.

To open the basket:

1. Start the standard Gallery app (not Google Photos!).
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
3. Select the Recycle Bin (on some firmware - Recently deleted).
4. Find the right photos, highlight them and click Restore.

Why can the basket be empty?

• 🔹 You used a third-party gallery (such as Google Photos or Simple Gallery) that doesn’t sync with the system basket. MIUI.
• 🔹 Photos deleted more than 30 days ago – they are automatically cleared.
• 🔹 You manually cleaned the basket through the Control menu. → Clean the basket.
• 🔹 Deletion occurred through a file manager (e.g., Explorer), bypassing the gallery.

⚠️ Note: If you don’t see the Recycle Bin section in the gallery, update the app via Google Play or check the settings in the Gallery → Settings → The basket, some models (POCO X3, Redmi Note 10) This feature is disabled by default.

2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If your Xiaomi has enabled sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning photos increase by up to 80%, the cloud automatically saves copies of photos, even if they are deleted from the device.

How to check if synchronization is enabled:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Scroll down to the Gallery section and see the synchronization status.
3. If the switch is active, go to i.mi.com from your PC or phone.

Instructions for remediation:

1. Sign in with the same Mi Account you used on your phone.
2. Go to the Gallery → Recycle Bin (in the web version it stores files for up to 60 days).
3. Select the desired photos and click Restore.
4. If the cart is empty, check the main gallery – sometimes photos remain in the folder Mi Cloud.

What to do if the synchronization is disabled?

• 🔄 Try to turn it on now and wait for old photos to load (may take up to 24 hours).
• 📱 Check other devices linked to the same Mi Account – photos may have been saved there.
• 💾 If the phone has been activated backup (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup, restore backup (but this will bring back all data, not just photos).

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If you don't remember your Mi Cloud password, restore it via account.xiaomi.com using a linked email or phone number. Don't create a new account, it will lead to loss of access to old data!

3. Use of PCs and recovery software

If the photos aren’t in the cart and cloud, the next step is to connect Xiaomi to your computer and scan the internal memory with specialized programs, which works even after resetting, but requires root permissions for deep scanning.

Top.-3 recovery:

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (without root):

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode (MTP)).
2. Download and install DiskDigger from the official website.
3. Start the program, select your phone’s drive (usually Internal Storage).
4. Click Next and wait until the scan is completed (may take 1-3 hours).
5. Filter the results in.jpg,.png format and restore the files to your PC.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is not detected in mode MTP, Turn on the debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → Also check if the antivirus is blocking access.

Disable Wi-Fi and mobile data on your phone|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Use the original USB-cable|Do not connect your phone to other devices during scanning-->

4.Recovery after reset to factory settings

If the photos are gone after a hard reset, standard methods like a cart or a cloud won't help, and there are two options:

Option 1: Restore through MIUI backup

If you backed up through Settings → Additional → Backup before reset, do:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
2. Select Local Backup (if a copy is saved on your phone) or Mi Cloud.
3. Find the copy you want by date and restore it (the process will take 10–30 minutes).

Option 2: Deep scanning with root rights

Without root, the odds are minimal, but if you're ready to get root access (like through Magisk), use EaseUS MobiSaver or Dr.Fone in Advanced Scan mode.

1. Unlock the bootloader on Xiaomi through the official website.
2. Install TWRP and run Magisk to get root.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and run the scan in EaseUS MobiSaver with the Root Access option.

What will NOT help after the reset:

• ❌ Standard gallery basket (it is cleaned when reset).
• ❌ Google Photos if the sync was not set up in advance.
• ❌ Programs without root (they only see current files).

5. Alternative methods: Google Photos and Third-Party Clouds

Many Xiaomi users use Google Photos, Yandex Drive or Dropbox to back up. If you've logged in to these services on your phone, check:

Google Photos:

1. Open the app or go to photos.google.com.
2. Select the Recycle Bin (photos are stored there for 60 days).
3. If the basket is empty, check the Archive folder or search by date.

Yandex Disc/Dropbox:

• 📁 Check the Download or Autoboot folder – sometimes photos are saved there automatically.
• 🔍 Use extension search: type type:jpg or type:png in the search bar.
• 📅 Sort files by date of change – deleted photos can appear as “modified” on the day of deletion.

How to avoid losing photos in the future:

• ☁️ Set up automatic sync with Mi Cloud and Google Photos at the same time.
• 📁 Regularly copy the photo to a PC or external drive.
• 🔄 Enable the Backup function MIUI (Settings → Additionally. → Backup).

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Even if you haven’t used cloud services, check them out in case your phone is synced in the background (e.g., through a Google account tied to your device).

6. Professional assistance: when to contact the service

If all of these methods fail, the last option is to contact a dedicated data recovery service.

• 💥 Physical damage to the phone (for example, after falling or getting water).
• 🔧 Reflashing with full memory cleaning.
• 📵 Delete photos more than 6 months ago.

What service centers offer:

How to choose a reliable service:

• 🔍 Look for feedback on forums (4PDA, Mi Community).
• 📄 Require a contract with a guarantee (e.g., “no data – no payment»).
• 🛡️ Check if they use Chip-Off equipment (e.g., the same as the one used by the company, PC-3000 or DeepSpar).

⚠️ Warning: Avoid handicraftsmen who offer recovery for 500-1000 rubles. Often they use the same software as you (for example, DiskDigger), but without guarantees. Official Xiaomi service centers do not deal with data recovery - they only refish the devices.

Checklist of emergency actions when removing photos

If you just deleted the photo, follow these steps immediately:

Turn off mobile internet and Wi-Fi| Don't install new apps |Don't take new photos/video |Check the cart in the gallery and Mi Cloud |Plug your phone to charge (if battery level < 20%)|Don't reboot the device-->

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi