How to read deleted messages in WhatsApp on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways with nuances for MIUI

Have you accidentally deleted an important WhatsApp message on your Xiaomi (whether it’s Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 or Mi 11) and are desperately looking for a way to get it back? Or do you need to restore the correspondence that the interlocutor erased? In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from official backups to little-known tricks with the MIUI file system. It is important to understand: success depends on whether automatic archiving was enabled in Google Drive or locally on the device before deleting messages.

Xiaomi smartphones have features in memory and application rights that can make recovery difficult, such as MIUI 14 and later limited access to system folders without root, and older versions (before MIUI 12) made it easy to access WhatsApp database through a file manager, and we will take all these nuances into account and offer solutions for different scenarios, from simple recovery from the cloud to complex manipulations with msgstore.db.crypt14.

We warn you right away that some methods require technical skills or may violate WhatsApp’s privacy policy. Use them at your own risk.If messages were deleted long ago (more than 30 days ago) and backups are not available, the chances of success are minimal.

1. Restore via Google Drive (official way)

The most reliable and legal method is to recover messages from a Google Drive backup, which works if:

• 📱 Your Xiaomi has a Google account with enough space in the cloud.
• ⚙️ WhatsApp Settings enabled automatic archiving (checked in Settings) → chat → Backup).
• ⏳ Messages were deleted no later than 7 days after the last backup.

To restore the correspondence:

1. Remove WhatsApp from your smartphone (not just clear the data, but completely uninstall via Settings → Apps).
2. Install the messenger again from Google Play.
3. When you first start, enter the same phone number as before.
4. When a request for recovery from Google Drive appears, confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: If you change your phone number or reset your smartphone to factory settings, the backup may not pull up.In this case, try the local copy method (Section 2).

2. Local recovery from the msgstore.db file on Xiaomi

If you don't have a backup in Google Drive, but you have a local copy of the database on your smartphone, you can use it. The file is called msgstore.db.crypt14 (or crypt12/13 in older versions) and is stored in a folder:

/sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/

On Xiaomi, access to this folder may be limited. Here's how to get it:

• 🔧 Use the built-in file manager (MI File Manager) with the enabled mode Show hidden files (in the manager settings).
• 📂 If the folder is not visible - connect the smartphone to the PC through USB-debug and use ADB or Total Commander.
• 🔓 Nana MIUI 13/14 You may need permission to access files through Settings → Annexes → Special access → Managing all files.

When the file is found:

1. Copy msgstore.db.crypt14 to your computer or cloud.
2. Rename it to msgstore.db.crypt12 (if you use an older version of WhatsApp).
3. Install WhatsApp again and when you request a recovery, specify the path to the copied file.

Check if you have msgstore.db.crypt14 in the WhatsApp/Databases| folder

Make a copy of the file on external media |

Make sure there is enough free space on your phone (at least 1 GB)|

Turn off the automatic WhatsApp update on Google Play-->

⚠️ Note: If you updated WhatsApp after deleting messages, the local copy may have overwritten, in which case, try to find older versions of the file with dates in the title (for example, the name of the file is not available, msgstore-2026-05-15.db.crypt14).

3. Use of third-party utilities (without root)

If the official methods didn’t work, you can try specialized programs for data recovery.

• 🛠️ Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer (paid, but with trial period).
• 🔍 iMobie PhoneRescue (works with the phone) MIUI, but requires a PC connection).
• 📱 GT Recovery (free but displays ads).

The algorithm of actions (on the example of Dr.Fone):

1. Install the program on your computer and connect Xiaomi via USB.
2. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – Press 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers.
3. Select WhatsApp Data Recovery and follow the instructions.

💡 Useful tip: Before using such programs, disable antivirus on your PC – it can block access to WhatsApp files as “suspicious".

4.Recovery through root access (for advanced)

If you have root rights to Xiaomi, the chances of recovering deleted messages are greatly increased.

• 🔍 Access to the full file system, including hidden WhatsApp folders.
• 📁 Recovering deleted files via SQLite browser.
• 🔧 Using Titanium Backup to extract data from backups.

Instructions for Xiaomi owners with unlocked bootloader:

1. Install Magisk to manage root rights.
2. Download SQLite Editor from Google Play.
3. Open the file /data/data/com.whatsapp/databases/msgstore.db.
4. Export the message table in.csv format.

⚠️ Note: Getting root rights to Xiaomi resets all data and can lead to a loss of warranty. MIUI 14 and newer (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) Unlocking the loader takes 7 days of waiting.

5. How to read messages deleted by the interlocutor

If the message is deleted by someone you're not the one who deleted, there's no official way to read it -- WhatsApp deletes the message from the servers in 5 minutes.

• 📸 Notifications in the notification panel: If you did not open the chat, the text of the message may have been saved in the notification history. → Notifications → Notification history (available on the MIUI 12 and newer).
• 🔄 System Event Logs: Applications like Notification History Log can save notifications but require special permissions.
• 📱 Backup via Google Drive: If the person deletes the message after the last backup, it can be restored (see section 1).

💡 Useful tip: Set up automatic notifications saving in MIUI:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → Notification history.
2. Enable the option to Save Notifications.
3. Add WhatsApp to the list of permitted apps.

This will allow you to see the text of deleted messages in the future.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you restore messages on Xiaomi, users often face problems, and here are the most common solutions:

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi with dual apps (Dual Apps feature in the app) MIUI), WhatsApp backups for the cloned messenger are stored separately.Look for them in the folder /sdcard/CloneApp/WhatsApp/Databases/.

💡

On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 and later, access to WhatsApp system folders is limited. To restore a local copy, you may need an ADB or root right.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions