Did you accidentally close an important notification on Xiaomi and now you don't know how to return it? Or do you want to see the history of all push messages for a day, a week or a month? Unlike iOS, where notifications are stored in the Notification Center before manual cleaning, the MIUI shell by default hides closed allerts. But that doesn't mean that they can't be restored.
In this article, we’ll break down 5 proven methods, from built-in MIUI 12/13/14 features to hidden ADB capabilities and third-party apps. Importantly, not all methods work on new models (Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5), so we’ll point out the limitations for each, and you’ll learn how to permanently save notification history and why some messages may not show up even after recovery.
1. Built-in notification history in MIUI (official method)
Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi added a hidden feature to view the notification archive — but it is disabled by default and does not work on all devices.
- Open Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification history.
- If there is no item, go to Settings → About Phone and click on the MIUI version 7 times to unlock the developer mode.
- Return to Settings → Additional → Special Features → Notification History and turn on the switch.
Once activated, all new notifications will be archived to view the closed ones:
- 📱 Open the notification curtain and run down to the end.
- 🔍 Click on the icon. ⚙️ (Settings) → History of notifications.
- ⏳ Messages are grouped by date (maximum 30 days).
⚠️ Attention: POCO F4/F5 redmi K50/K60 The function may be missing due to customized firmware, and the history does not save notifications from system applications (MIUI Security, Cleaner).
Update. MIUI last-minute|Check the availability of the item in "Special Opportunities"|Restart your phone after activation|Reset the "Notifications" settings (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ → Reset the settings)-->
2. How to Recover Notifications through MIUI Log (Hidden Method)
If the built-in history is disabled or not working, you can use the system event log.This method is suitable for Xiaomi on MIUI 11-14, but requires a connection to a PC:
- Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on your computer.
- Enable USB debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (7 taps) → Additional → For developers → Debugging over USB.
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and type in the command line: adb shell dumpsys notification --nolines
In the output, find blocks with "key" - this is the notification ID. To view the text of a particular message, use:
adb shell dumpsys notification <ID_ notification>This method shows all notifications in the last 24 hours, including system notifications.
- 🚫 Does not work on Xiaomi with a blocked bootloader (bootloader).
- 🔒 Requires root rights to view notifications from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
- ⏱️ Data is erased after the phone restarts.
What to do if ADB does not recognize the device
3. Third-party apps to view notification history
If the official methods didn't work, you can use apps from Google Play, and we tested 10 programs and selected the 3 most reliable ones:
| Annex | Functions | Cons | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notisave | Save text and notification icons, keyword search, export to PDF | Paid version for history >7 days, does not show notifications from system applications | MIUI 12–14, Android 10–14 |
| Notification History Log | Archive of notifications with grouping by application, backup | Interface in English, sometimes skips push messages | All models Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO |
| Unnotification | Recovering Deleted Notifications from the Last 3 Days, Supporting Dark Theme | Requires permission to access notifications, may conflict with MIUI Optimizing | Android 8.0+ (not running on Xiaomi 13 Ultra) |
To ensure that the applications work correctly:
- After installation, open Settings. → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ → Special access → Access to notifications.
- Find the installed application in the list and allow access.
- Restart your phone – this is necessary to sync with the system.
⚠️ Note: Apps won’t restore notifications received before they were installed, and they won’t work with secure messengers (Signal, Session) because of encryption.
Notisave|Notification History Log|Unnotification|Other|I don't use it.-->
4.Recover notifications via MIUI backup
If you regularly create backups through MIUI Backup, there is a chance to return old notifications.This method is suitable for Xiaomi on MIUI 13/14 and requires:
- 📱 Backup copy created prior to deleting notifications.
- 💾 Enough space on the phone (backup weighs 1-3 GB).
- ⚙️ Disabled function Data Protection in the settings of the Mi Account.
Instructions for remediation:
- Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
- Select the right backup and click Restore.
- In the data list, only mark Notifications (don’t restore everything – this can reset settings!).
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion (5-15 minutes).
After recovery, check notification history through the built-in MIUI function (Section 1).
- 🔄 Try another backup (if you have one).
- 📌 Make sure that the data of com.android.providers.telephony (responsible for notifications) is stored in the backup).
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Before restoring the backup, turn off automatic sync with Mi Cloud (Settings → Mi Account → Sync) to prevent data conflicts.
5 Manually extracting notifications from the database (for advanced)
This method is suitable for users with root rights or unlocked bootloader. Notifications in MIUI are stored in the database /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db. To retrieve them:
- Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer with root support.
- Go to /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/ and copy the mmssms.db file to your PC.
- Open the file via SQLite Browser or DB Browser.
- Please contact: SELECT * FROM notifications
In the results, you will see columns:
- id is a unique notification identifier.
- package_name — Application name (e.g. com.whatsapp).
- text - text of the message (can be encrypted).
- Time is the time of receipt in Unix timestamp format.
Use Epoch Converter to decrypt the time, if the text field is empty or encrypted:
- 🔐 Try the table. pending_notifications — There may be unprocessed push messages.
- 📜 Check the application logs in /data/data/<package_name>/files/ (For example, for Telegram it is com.telegram.messenger).
⚠️ Note: Modifying files in /data/data/ rootless can cause a phone to reset, and some apps (such as banking) encrypt notifications that cannot be recovered.
6.Why are some notifications not being restored?
Even if you used all the techniques in this article, some of the notifications may not be in the story.
| Problem. | Why is it happening? | Can we fix it? |
|---|---|---|
| No notifications from WhatsApp/Viber | Messengers use their own push message mechanism that is not integrated with MIUI | Partially – through a backup copy of chats |
| System notifications are not saved | MIUI blocks notifications from MIUI Security, Cleaner, Mi Cloud | No, it's a shell limitation. |
| Notifications older than 30 days | MIUI automatically clears the story once a month | Yes – through a backup or third-party cloud storage apps |
| Empty fields in the database | Applications can send notifications without text (e.g., beeps) | No, no, no such notifications are restored. |
If it is critical to keep all notifications:
- 📌 Set up automatic backups in MIUI Backup (weekly).
- 🔄 Use Tasker or MacroDroid to create a rule: When notified → file».
- 📧 Enable duplicate important notifications on email (for example, you can configure forwarding in Gmail). SMS).
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On the new Xiaomi models (13/14 series), notification history is stored for a maximum of 7 days - even if you have activated the feature in the settings. To get around this, use third-party apps with a cloud backup.