How to save data when resetting to factory settings Xiaomi

Owning a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone often requires periodic cleaning of the system. Sometimes the device starts to work unstable, accumulates software errors or requires transfer to a new owner. In such situations, the only right solution is a complete reset, but before that it is critical to take care of personal information.

Many users mistakenly believe that Hard Reset only affects system files, leaving media files intact. In fact, returning to factory settings ruthlessly destroys everything stored in the device's internal memory. Photos, correspondence, installed applications and saved passwords will be lost forever if you do not conduct a competent backup procedure.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to protect your digital assets: how to use the built-in MIUI and HyperOS tools, how to work with cloud services correctly, and how to create a full copy of the system on your computer. A full reset irreversibly deletes the Userdata partition, so creating a backup is the only way to restore information after the procedure.

Device preparation and storage inspection

Before you start backing up, make sure your device is ready for resource-intensive operations. Charge your Xiaomi smartphone to at least 60-70%, as the process of archiving data, especially if there are many, can take considerable time and require stable power.

Make sure you remember your Mi Account and Google Account details.After reset, the system will require authorization to accounts that were active on the device prior to clearing as a security measure (FRP Lock).

⚠️ Note: If memory encryption is enabled on the device, file access without unlocking the screen will not be possible even when connected to a PC. PIN-code.

To do this, go to Settings → Memory and analyze the space allocation. If you plan to use a cloud backup, make sure you have access to a fast and stable Wi-Fi connection, as mobile Internet may not be able to handle large amounts of data.

Backups via Mi Cloud and Google

The easiest and most integrated way to save basic settings and data is to use cloud services. Xiaomi ecosystem offers a deep level of synchronization through Mi Cloud. To activate it, go to the settings menu and select your Mi Account. Here you can configure synchronization of contacts, notes, voice recorder, calendar and even system settings.

In parallel, be sure to check Google’s sync status. In modern versions of Android and MIUI shells, calendar contacts and events are saved by default in your Google account. Go to Settings → Google → Backup and click “Start Copy”.

It’s important to understand the difference between these services. Mi Cloud better retains specific shell settings such as desktop icon layout, themes and system preferences. Google One or Google’s standard backup focuses on call history, SMS and application data. Use both methods for maximum reliability.

Don't forget to check the sync of photos separately. Google Photos or Mi Gallery should show the status "Sync is complete." If you see a download wait icon, connect to Wi-Fi and wait for the process to end before reset.

Local backup system Xiaomi

The built-in local backup tool in MIUI and HyperOS is one of the most powerful tools for full cloning of a smartphone’s state. It allows you to create an archive that includes not only contacts and messages, but also installed applications with their data, desktop settings and system settings. You can find this feature by Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore.

When you start the process, the system will prompt you to select data categories to save. You can tick applications, system settings, calls and SMS. After selecting, click the Restore button (in this context, the process start button may be called Backup or have a disk icon), set a password to protect the archive and wait for completion.

Critical: The backup file you create is stored in the device's internal memory. If you reset to factory settings without moving this file, it will be destroyed along with all the other data. Once you create the archive, copy the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder to your computer or to the cloud.

⚠️ Attention: Local application backups do not always correctly recover data from bank applications and secure messengers.

Preservation of multimedia and documents

Photos, videos and documents take up the lion's share of memory and are often the most valuable to the user. Built-in clouds are convenient but have free space limitations. To ensure complete safety, it is better to use manual transfer methods to a computer or external drive.

Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-In the menu that appears on the phone screen, select "File Transfer" mode" (MTP). On your computer, open the device in My Computer and copy the folders DCIM (Camera, Pictures (screenshots and images of apps), Download and Documents on your hard drive.

If your Xiaomi model has microSD card support, it makes it much easier to move all the heavy files to the card and then just retrieve them before the reset procedure. Select files, click "Move" and select SD-map.

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Use a USB 3.0 cable and a USB 3.0 port on your computer to speed up copying large video files. Standard cables often limit the transfer speed.

Don’t forget the WhatsApp or Telegram folder if you use these messengers and store important files there. The path to WhatsApp media files usually looks like Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media on newer versions of Android, or just WhatsApp/Media on older ones.

Export of data messengers and applications

Messengers require a personalized approach, as their databases often do not fall into the general system backup for security reasons. WhatsApp needs to go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats and click “Backup”. Make sure that the copy is saved in Google Drive, not only locally.

For Telegram, the situation is simpler: all the history of correspondence is stored on the messenger servers. You just need to remember the phone number to log in. However, if you used the function "Secret chats", they are not stored in the cloud and will be lost when reset. Also check the folder "Favorites" for important files that you could send yourself.

Banking applications and government services (Public Services and analogues) do not store session data during the backup. After the reset, you will have to re-identify, enter passwords and possibly confirm the login via SMS or PUSH-notifications on another trusted device.

Resetting procedure and initial setting

Once all the data is saved and rechecked, you can start the cleaning process itself. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. The system will show you a list of data that will be deleted. Read it carefully. Click "Reset" and enter the unlock password.

The smartphone will reboot and start the cleaning process, which can take 5 to 15 minutes depending on the amount of memory, and then the device will turn on as new, greeting you with the language selection screen, and the initial setup phase will begin.

When you connect to Wi-Fi, the system will prompt you to restore data from a backup. If you've used Google or Mi Cloud, you'll see a list of available backups with a date and time. Choose the latest and click "Restore".

During the recovery process, keep the screen on and keep the device connected to the charger. The system will start loading the list of applications and settings. The local copy, if you created it, can be restored through the same path in the settings, pre-returning the backup file to the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.

⚠️ Warning: After reset and restore, don’t panic if some apps are labeled “Waiting to Download.” Give your smartphone up to 1 hour in the background to install all updates and data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Regular automatic backup to the cloud eliminates stress and data loss in case of sudden breakdowns or the need for an urgent device reset.