Removed Notes app on Xiaomi - how to recover data? full guide 2026

Deleting the standard Notes app on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is one of the most common user errors. Unlike third-party programs like Google Keep or Evernote, the system application is closely integrated with MIUI, and its removal can lead not only to loss of access to notes, but also to failures in sync with Mi Cloud. The worst case scenario is when the application is uninstalled and the notes themselves disappear, especially if the backup was not created in advance.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven ways to recover deleted notes, from simple (through cloud or backup) to complex (using) ADB You will also learn why deleting the Notes app via adb uninstall or Settings can lead to irretrievable data loss if certain features were not enabled. MIUI. The instructions are valid for all devices on MIUI 12–14 (including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5 etc.).

1. Check if the notes have been deleted

Before you panic, make sure that the problem is removing the app, not the display failure.

• 📱 The app is removed, but notes are saved in the Mi Cloud or local database.
• 🗑️ Notes deleted with the application (for example, via adb uninstall) --user 0 com.miui.notes).
• 🔄 The application is hidden by the system (for example, after updating) MIUI).

To check the status of the application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, enter “Notes”.
3. If the app appears to be disabled, turn it on. If it's not on the list, it's deleted.

If the application is simply hidden, it can be returned without losing data:

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.notes

This command will restore the system application without deleting user data. If the command does not work, move on to the following methods.

2. Recovery via Mi Cloud (the most reliable way)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s cloud storage that automatically syncs notes, contacts, photos and other data.If sync was enabled before the app was removed, the chances of recovery are close to 100%.

How to check and recover notes through the cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same Mi Account you used on your smartphone.
2. Select "Notes" from the menu.

Make sure your phone has Wi-Fi or mobile internet on

Install the Notes app from the Mi App Store (if removed)

Launch the application and wait for automatic synchronization

Reboot your phone if your notes don’t appear immediately-->

If there are no notes in the cloud, check:

• 📱 Phone model: on some devices (e.g, POCO X3 Pro) note synchronization disabled by default.

⚠️ Note: If you manually delete notes (not with the app), they can stay in the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin for up to 30 days.To check: on i.mi.com, go to the Trash section of the Notes menu».

3. Local Recovery through MIUI Backup

System system MIUI automatically backs up user data, including notes, if backup is enabled. /MIUI/backup/AllBackup on an internal storage device or SD-map.

How to recover notes from local backup:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select the most recent copy (check the date of creation).
3. Click Restore and select only Notes (do not restore all data so as not to overwrite other settings!).

If a local copy is missing, try to find it manually through a file manager (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).Look for files with the.bak extension or folders with the notes name in:

• 📁 /data/com.miui.notes (Root rights are required).
• 📁 /sdcard/MIUI/backup.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.notes.

💡

If the backup is damaged, try renaming the file from.bak to.zip and opening it through the archiver. Sometimes notes are stored inside in.json or.db format.

4. Recovery through ADB (for power users)

If the Notes app was removed via ADB or root and no backups are available, you can try to restore the system APK and database manually, which requires USB debugging enabled and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the original APK of the Notes app for your version of MIUI (can be found on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands: adb push Notes.apk /sdcard/ adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/Notes.apk /system/priv-app/Notes/chmod 644 /system/priv-app/Notes/Notes.apk reboot
3. After the reboot, check if the app has appeared.

If the notes are not restored, try returning the database from a backup:

adb pull /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/notes.db


adb push notes.db /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/




chmod 660 /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/notes.db




chown system:system /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/notes.db

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB or root can cause a complete reset of the phone or damage to system files. If you are not sure about your actions, contact a specialist.

5. Use of third-party tools for data recovery

If none of the previous methods worked, you can try specialized programs for data recovery from Android, which scan the internal memory of the device and look for deleted files, including note databases.

Top.-3 Recovery software for Xiaomi:

• 🛠️ Dr.Fone (Wondershare) – Supports.db and.sqlite database recovery, including notes MIUI.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver scans deep memory layers but requires root for full access.
• 📱 DiskDigger is a free file recovery utility that works without root, but with limitations.

How to Recover Notes with Dr.Fone:

1. Install the program on your PC and connect the phone.
2. Select the Android Data Recovery mode**.
3. Check “Messages and attachments”** (notes are often stored in this category).
4. Start scanning. Once completed, find files with the.db extension or the com.miui.notes folder.
5. Export your data to your PC and import it back through ADB or file manager.

💡

Third-party recovery programs work better if you've had no more than 72 hours to delete your notes, and the longer you wait, the better the chance of overwriting your data.

Extreme measures: reset to factory settings

If the notes are critical and other methods don't work, you can try resetting your phone to factory settings, and this only works in one case:

• 🔄 Automatic sync with Mi Cloud was enabled on the phone, but notes are not displayed due to a crash.

How to properly reset the settings:

1. After the reboot, log in to the same Mi Account and wait for sync.

⚠️ Warning: Reset will delete all local data, including photos, messages and installed apps. If sync with Mi Cloud has been disabled, this method will not restore notes.

If the notes did not appear after the reset, the last option remains to contact the Xiaomi service center with a request to extract data from the device’s memory (this is only possible with physical access to the memory chip).

How to Avoid Losing Notes in the Future

To never again encounter the problem of deleted notes, follow these rules:

• 📲 Use alternative note-taking apps (like Google Keep or OneNote) that sync with other clouds.

We also recommend exporting important notes manually:

1. Open the Notes app.
2. Select a note. → «More» → «Exports».

💡

If you often work with important notes, set up automatic export via Tasker or MacroDroid. These applications can save copies of notes to a given folder on a schedule.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Recovering Notes on Xiaomi