Recovering Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Xiaomi Redmi: What You Need to Know
Deleted WhatsApp messages are one of the most common problems for Xiaomi Redmi users, with someone accidentally erasing an important chat and someone wanting to return correspondence after resetting their phone. Fortunately, there are several ways to recover data, from standard backups to hidden messenger features.
It's important to understand that WhatsApp doesn't store deleted messages on its servers. All data is stored only on your device. So success in recovery depends on how fast you act and what settings were activated in advance. On Redmi smartphones (such as Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10 or POCO X5), the process has its own nuances due to the features of the MIUI firmware.
In this article, we'll look at all the current methods, from the official to the little-known, but remember: if more than 7 days have passed since the deletion and no backup has been created, the chances of recovery drop rapidly.
Method 1: Restore from a backup of Google Drive
The most reliable way to do this is to use an automatic backup in Google Drive, which works if:
- ๐น You previously enabled sync with your Google account in WhatsApp settings.
- ๐น Deletion of messages occurred no more than 7 days ago (otherwise the copy will be rewritten).
- ๐น There is enough space on the phone to download data (minimum 500 MB free).
To recover messages:
- Remove WhatsApp via Settings โ Apps โ WhatsApp โ Delete.
- Install the messenger again from Google Play.
- When you first start, enter the same phone number as before.
- When a request appears, click Restore (you may need to enter a password from Google).
โ ๏ธ Note: If you have already created a new backup after deleting (for example, reinstalled the application), the old data will be lost. MIUI Sometimes resets sync settings after updates โ check them in Settings โ Accounts. โ Google โ Synchronization.
Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi
Check the vacant space (minimum 500 MB)
Remember the password from the Google account
Disable two-factor authentication in WhatsApp (if enabled)-->
Method 2: Local backups on Xiaomi Redmi
If sync with Google Drive wasn't configured, WhatsApp could create a local copy on the phone's internal memory.
/sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/The file names are msgstore.db.crypt14 (where crypt14 is the encryption version).The last copy is usually called msgstore.db.crypt14, and the older ones have a date in their name (for example, msgstore-2026-05-15.db.crypt14).
To recover the data:
- Using a file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager) go to /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/.
- Find the right backup file and rename it to msgstore.db.crypt14 (remove the date from the name).
- Remove WhatsApp and install it again.
- At the first start, the messenger will offer to restore data from the local copy.
| MIUI version | The path to backups | Features |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12-14 | /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Databases/ | Permission to access files is required |
| MIUI 11 and below | /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/ | Root access may be required |
| POCO Launcher | /Internal storage/WhatsApp/Databases/ | The folder could be hidden. |
โ ๏ธ Note: Xiaomi Redmi with MIUI 13/14 Access to the WhatsApp folder may be restricted. If the file manager is not enough, use Total Commander with Root mode enabled (you need to unlock the bootloader).
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If the local copy is damaged, try renaming the file to msgstore.db.crypt12 (for older versions of WhatsApp) and repeat the recovery.
Method 3: Use of notifications (only for recently deleted messages)
If a message was deleted less than 2 hours ago, you can try it in the notification log.
- ๐น You have a notification history included in MIUI.
- ๐น The message came in the form of a push notification (not all chats show it).
- ๐น You didn't manually clean the notification log.
Instructions:
- Open Settings โ Notifications and Status bar โ Notification log.
- Turn on the option if it is disabled.
- Scroll down the list and find a notification from WhatsApp with the text of the message.
On Redmi with MIUI 14, the path may differ: Settings โ Applications โ Application Management โ WhatsApp โ Notifications โ Log.
Why not all the posts are saved in the journal?
Method 4: Third-party recovery programs (with risks)
If standard methods don't work, you can try specialized utilities like Dr.Fone, Tenorshare UltData, or EaseUS MobiSaver, which scan your phone's memory for deleted data, but have serious limitations:
- ๐น It does not work without root access on new versions. MIUI.
- ๐น Only fragments of messages can be restored (without attachments).
- ๐น Risk of installing malware (download only from official sites).
Algorithm of action:
- Install the program on your PC (for example, Dr.Fone for Android).
- Connect Redmi to USB in File Transfer mode.
- Select the option of Data Recovery WhatsApp.
- Follow the instructions of the program (you may need to unlock the bootloader).
โ ๏ธ Note: Xiaomi Redmi with MIUI 13/14 These programs often require you to disable Mi Account and unlock Bootloader, which cancels the warranty. โ Additionally. โ Backup and reset.
Backup copy of Google Drive
Local WhatsApp files
Notification log
Third-party programmes
I've tried nothing.-->
Method 5: Recovery via mail or other messengers
If the message was critical, there's a chance you sent it to yourself by email or other messenger.
- ๐น WhatsApp folder in your email (if you used the Export Chat feature).
- ๐น Save messages in Telegram (if sent there).
- ๐น Screenshots in the gallery (Screenshots folder or WhatsApp Images).
On Redmi, WhatsApp screenshots can be stored in:
/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/
/storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images/If you regularly back up your messaging through Mi Cloud, check the archive at Settings โ Mi Account โ Mi Cloud โ Backups. However, Mi Cloud doesnโt save WhatsApp messages separately โ just a shared system backup thatโs hard to selectively deploy.
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Exporting chat by email is the only official way to save your correspondence forever. Use it for important conversations: open a chat room. โ โฎ โ Chat exports โ Select No Media Files (to make the file smaller) โ Send it to your mail.
What do you do if nothing helps?
If all methods are useless, there are a few extreme measures:
- Contact the sender โ ask to send the message again.
- Check other devices โ if you logged in to WhatsApp on a tablet or PC, the correspondence could have been saved there.
- Use WhatsApp Web โ sometimes chat history is stored longer in the web version (web.whatsapp.com).
There is another little-known trick on Xiaomi Redmi with MIUI: if a message has been deleted in a group chat, try finding it through a keyword search on WhatsApp itself.
- Open the group chat.
- Press three points (โฎ) โ Search.
- Enter the phrase from the message (if you remember).
Sometimes WhatsApp doesn't delete messages instantly, it just hides them from the interface, and a search can give you results even if the message isn't visible in the feed.