How to view SMS sent to Xiaomi Redmi: all working methods

Have you accidentally deleted an important message or want to restore your correspondence history on Xiaomi Redmi? Viewing SMS sent on MIUI smartphones has its own nuances - the standard Messages app does not always keep the full history, and some methods require pre-configuration. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways, including hidden shell features, backups and even developer tools.

It's important to understand that the viewing experience depends on the MIUI version, the Redmi model (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Redmi 10C behave differently), and whether backups have been enabled. If you've never synced with Mi Cloud or built local backups, some of the methods will be unavailable. But don't worry, even then there are workarounds.

Let me warn you beforehand: some of these methods require developer rights or PC connectivity. If you're not ready for technical manipulation, focus on the first three methods, which don't require any special knowledge. For advanced users, we've prepared a section using ADB and analyzing the SMS database.

1. Standard Messages app: where to look for SMS sent

So, to start with the obvious, the built-in Messages app, which is a white envelope icon on a green background, in most versions of MIUI, it stores the history of the messages that you sent, but access to it is not always intuitive. Here's how to find this data:

Open the app and follow the following steps:

• 📱 Slip on three points in the upper right corner (menu).
• 🔍 Select Send or Archive (depending on version) MIUI).
• 📤 If there is no such item, try swiping right in the main chat window - sometimes the folder is hidden behind the gesture.
• 🔄 In some firmware, sent messages are displayed directly in the contact dialog (scroll up).

Problem: MIUI 13/14 on Redmi Note 11 Pros and later on, the Send folder may not be available, and this is due to the optimisation of the interface, so move on to the next method.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Messages instead of the standard one, your SMS history is stored in the Google cloud. To see it, log in to messages.google.com from the same account as your phone.

💡

If you use SMS frequently, enable automatic archiving in Mi Cloud: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Messages. This will keep the story alive even after you reset your phone.

2.Keyword Search: How to Find an Old Post

If the Submitted folder is empty or missing, try using the built-in search. This method works even on Redmi with a heavily stripped-down version of the Messages app.

1. Open the "Messages" app**.
2. Slip the icon of the magnifier (search) at the top of the screen.
3. Enter a text fragment from the message sent or the name of the contact.
4. In search results, scroll down – SMS sent are usually marked with an arrow. ↗️.

Nuance: Search only for locally stored messages. If you haven't opened a contact in a long time, the data could have been deleted by the system to save memory, in which case only recovery from the backup will help (see section 4).

On Redmi models with MIUI 12.5 and older, search supports filters by date, for example, you can type in a query like:

from:Ivan date: 15.05.2026

This will show all messages (including those sent) from contact Ivan for the specified date.

3. Exporting SMS history to file: backup on phone

If you plan to clean your phone or just want to have a duplicate of your correspondence, MIUI allows you to export your SMS to a.xml or.txt file. This method won’t show the messages you sent directly, but will create a backup copy that you can then analyze on a PC.

Export instructions:

• 📱 Open the message»** → ⋮ (menu) → Settings.
• 📤 Select Message Export or Backup (name depends on version) MIUI).
• 📁 Specify a folder to save (for example, Downloads or Documents).
• ✅ Confirm the export. The file will have the species name. SMS_Backup_YYYYMMDD.xml.

To view the SMS sent in the exported file:

1. Connect Redmi to your PC and copy the file to your computer.
2. Open it in a notebook or a special program like SMS Backup & Restore (available on Windows/macOS).
3. Look for <sms type="2"> tags, which are the ones that indicate outgoing messages.

⚠️ Note: In the.xml file, the time is specified in the format UNIX timestamp (milliseconds since 1970) To make it readable, use online converters like Epoch Converter.

Make sure your phone has enough memory (the file can weigh 10+MB)

Connect the charger (the process takes 5-15 minutes)

Check that the settings have enabled MMS saving (if necessary)

Copy the file to the cloud or PC immediately after export-->

4.Recovery from Mi Cloud: If phone reset or messages deleted

If you are logged in to Mi Cloud and have previously enabled message sync, the chances of returning the history of your SMS are pretty high, and this method is especially relevant after resetting your phone to factory settings or switching to a new Redmi.

How to Recover Messages from the Cloud:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure the switch next to the Message is active (if not, turn it on and wait for the sync to be activated).
3. Return to Messages** and pull the screen down to update the data.
4. If no messages appear, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and check for MIUI updates – sometimes the latest firmware version is required for proper synchronization.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Messages are synchronized only if the function was activated before they were deleted.
• 🕒 The free version of Mi Cloud stores a limited time (usually 30 days) of history).
• 📵 If you changed the phone number associated with your account, the old SMS may not recover.

Redmi models with MIUI Global (like Redmi Note 12 5G) are more stable in cloud sync than Chinese firmware. If you have MIUI China, you may need to change your account region.

5. Viewing the SMS database via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work and messages are critical, you can go to the Android database, where all SMS are stored.This method requires debugging over USB and working with the command line, but gives access to the full history, including deleted messages (unless they were overwritten).

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB (You can download from the official Android website).
• 📱 Redmi phone with debugging enabled USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version, then return to the additional → For developers).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Redmi to your PC and confirm your trust in the device on your phone screen.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
4. Download the SMS database: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
5. Open the file mmssms.db using the DB Browser for SQLite program (free).
6. Go to the View Data tab and select the SMS table.
7. Sort the records by column type: type=1 - incoming SMS. type=2 - outgoing (sent).

⚠️ Note: Do not edit the mmsms.db database directly, this can cause the Messages app to crash. If you want to delete or restore messages, use specialized utilities like SMS Backup & Restore.

On some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi K40 or Redmi 10X), the path to the database may be different. If the command returns a No such file or directory error, try an alternative path:

adb pull /data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db

💡

The ADB method is the only way to recover SMS that were deleted more than a month ago if there were no backups, but it requires technical skills and may not work on phones with a locked bootloader.

6. Third-party applications for SMS backup

If embedded tools MIUI You don't like it, look at third-party utilities, which not only save the history of the messages you send, but also allow you to export it to convenient formats (.csv,.pdf or even.xlsx).-3 tested applications:

How to use SMS Backup & Restore (we recommend this option):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Launch it and press SET UP A BACKUP.
3. Select SMS and specify the location of the save (e.g. Google Drive).
4. After creating a backup, open the file through View Backups → find the desired message by date or contact.

If none of this has been done, the odds are minimal. Try the ADB method (Section 5), but don't expect 100% results.