The situation when your favorite messenger suddenly disappears from the screen of your smartphone, causes panic among many Xiaomi users. This is especially true if the message history remains important business correspondence or precious family photos. Deleting the application on Android often happens accidentally when cleaning the desktop or as a result of a system failure, but it is quite possible to restore access to the account.
The process of returning the messenger on Redmi and Poco devices has its own technical nuances related to aggressive optimization of the MIUI battery and the features of data storage. You do not need to be a programmer to cope with this task, but you will need to be careful when performing each step. Below we will discuss all possible scenarios, from simple reinstallation to deep recovery from hidden backups.
The key to success is that you have a backup that you've created before. If you've used standard sync settings, your chats could be saved automatically in the Google cloud or on the messenger servers. Even if it seems like nothing has survived, don't despair - there are often local traces left in the Android system that can be reanimated.
Checking Google Drive Cloud Backups
Before you start active reinstalling, you need to make sure that you have stored data in the cloud. The Android operating system installed on Xiaomi, by default, offers to synchronize application data with your Google Drive account. This is the most reliable way not to lose information when crashes.
To check, log into your smartphone settings and find the account management section, and it's important to make sure that the email address you used is active and has access to the network, and users often forget that they've been backing up months ago and it's waiting for the right time.
- π± Open the Settings app and go to the Google sectionΒ».
- βοΈ Select βBackupβ or βBackupβ in the account menu.
- π Find in the list of Viber apps and check the date of the last sync.
- π Make sure the switch opposite the messenger is activated.
β οΈ Note: If the last copy is older than a month, you risk losing all messages received during that period.
In some cases, the system may show that a backup exists, but it is a zero size alarm, which means that the process of saving data may have been interrupted, in such a situation, it is worth checking for free space in your Google Drive, since overcrowded storage blocks the creation of new archives.
Using the Mi Cloud on Xiaomi
Xiaomi smartphone owners have a unique advantage in the built-in Mi Cloud ecosystem, which is often ignored by users, but it can store not only contacts and photos, but also data from certain applications. If you previously activated a Mi Account, chances are that your data is already there.
The specifics of MIUI work allow you to create full system pictures, including application settings. To check this, you need to log into the Mi Account settings through the phone menu, and here you can see the amount of space occupied and the list of synchronized items.
Itβs important to understand the difference between syncing contacts and a full app backup. Mi Cloud can save your conversation list, but the correspondence history often requires a separate activation of the application backup function.
What to do if the Mi Cloud is full?
When recovering data via Mi Cloud, make sure you are using a stable Wi-Fi connection.Downloading large amounts of data via a mobile network can lead to errors or additional traffic costs.The process can take anywhere from minutes to an hour depending on the size of the archive.
Step-by-step recovery instructions via Google Play
The most standard and safe method of returning a messenger is to download the official version from the Google Play store. APK-Xiaomi files are not recommended as this may lead to the installation of a modified or malicious version of the program.
Before starting the installation, make sure that the phone is installed up-to-date SIM-The card that your number is registered to, and the verification is done through an SMS or a phone call, so access to the number is mandatory.
βοΈ Checklist before installation
Once the app is downloaded and launched, the initialization process will begin, the system will automatically detect the backup in Google Drive and prompt you to restore the data, and at this stage it is critical not to miss the pop-up with the recovery suggestion, as once you have completed the setup, this will be more difficult to do.
If the app requests permission to access contacts, media files and microphone, be sure to agree. Without these permissions, Viber will not be able to correctly display avatars, play voice messages and show names in the phone book.
| Phase | Action. | Expected output |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Search for Play Market | Found the official version from Viber Media |
| 2 | Entering a phone number | SMS confirmation code is coming in. |
| 3 | Request for a copy | The system offers to restore from Google Drive |
| 4 | Completion | Appearance of a list of chats and contacts |
Local Recovery Without Google Account
There is a scenario where cloud services were not used, but local database files could remain on the phone's internal drive. The Android file system on Xiaomi is designed so that when you delete an application, user data is not always erased instantly, especially if you used external storage.
To find traces, you need to use the Files Explorer built-in or download the file manager. You need to find a folder called Viber or com.viber.voip. The path usually looks like Internal Memory β Android β media β com.viber.voip.
If you find a folder with files that have a.vbk or.db extension, that's a good sign. These files contain your chats. However, just moving them is not enough, you need the application to pick them up when you first install them, sometimes you need to manually rename the backup folder and put it in the root of internal memory before you launch the messenger.
β οΈ Warning: Do not try to edit database files manually. Any change in the structure of the file will damage it, and recovery will become impossible even for specialists.
Some versions of MIUI have a "Second Space" or "App Cloning" function, and check if Viber was installed there, and if so, the removal of the main application did not affect the copy in the second space, and all the data is saved there intact.
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Tip: Before reinstalling any messengers on Xiaomi, always make a manual copy of the folder with data via your computer. This will take 2 minutes, but save hundreds of important correspondence.
Solving Verification and Access Problems
A common problem with recovery is the inability to pass a number check.On Xiaomi smartphones with two installed SIM-The messenger may try to send an SMS with the wrong SIM card, in which case the process freezes or gives an error.
The solution lies in manual selection. SIM-Outbound call cards or SMS. The code entry window often has a "Call me" or "Send me SMS" button. Click on it and select the SIM card that Viber is registered to in the system dialog.
If the SMS doesn't come in within minutes, check the spam blocker settings. MIUI has a powerful filter built in that can treat service messages from verification servers as spam and hide them. Go to the Messages app and check the Spam or Blocked folder.
Also, pay attention to the date and time. If Xiaomi's settings are timed down, the security certificate will fail, and the server connection will be severed. Set up automatic time synchronization over the network.
Cache cleaning and reinstallation in case of errors
Sometimes the recovery process is interrupted due to conflicting residual files from the previous installation, which requires a deep cleanup. Go to Settings β Apps β All apps, find Viber, and select Clear Data and Clear Cache.
After that, it is recommended to completely remove the application and restart the smartphone.Reboot on Android clears RAM and resets the suspended system processes that can interfere with the correct operation of the new installer.
- ποΈ Remove the app through the settings menu, not just from the desktop.
- π Reboot the device by clamping the power button.
- π₯ Download the latest version from the official source.
- β When you first start, re-confirm all permissions.
If the persists error, try logging into your Google account through your browser and removing the device from the trusted list, then adding it again.This updates security tokens and can solve the problem of accessing cloud data.
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Key point: Successful recovery depends 90% on having an up-to-date backup, and regular synchronization is the only way to ensure data is safe.