Resetting Xiaomi to factory settings is a radical way to get your smartphone back to speed or get rid of viruses. But what if after this procedure you find that important data has disappeared? Fortunately, synchronizing with your Google account allows you to recover most of the information: contacts, calendars, Chrome bookmarks, some app settings and even photos (if you turned on Google Photo Backup), but there are nuances that the manufacturer does not mention.
This article provides a step-by-step guide to MIUI 12/13/14, and answers to questions about why data may not recover and how to increase the chances of success, and we will look at which file types are recoverable and which are not, and what to do if synchronization is not working.
⚠️ Critical Warning: If you reset Xiaomi without first linking to a Google account (for example, after buying a used phone), data recovery through Google will not be possible. In this case, there is only hope for local backups or third-party utilities like Dr.Fone – but their effectiveness is below 30%.
What data can be restored through Google after resetting Xiaomi
Not all files and settings sync automatically to the Google cloud, but here is a full list of things that can be returned:
- 📇 Contacts – if they were saved to a Google account, not to a Google account SIM-card or phone memory.
- 📅 Calendars and Reminders – Events from Google Calendar are fully restored.
- 🌐 Chrome Bookmarks – if you used the browser from Google.
- ⚙️ Settings of some applications – for example, Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube.
- 📸 Photo and video – only if Google Photo Backup is enabled (configured separately!).
- 📱 List of installed apps – Google remembers which programs you installed, but not their data (for example, save in games).
Here is what is NOT being restored through Google:
- 📁 Local files (documents, music, downloads) – they are stored only in the phone’s memory.
- 💬 SMS and call history – this requires a separate backup copy through MIUI Backup.
- 🎮 Application data (save games, chats in instant messengers) – it is only restored by the programs themselves (for example, WhatsApp through its cloud backup).
- 📌 System settings (wallpaper, sound circuits, gestures) are the prerogative of Xiaomi Cloud backup.
🔍 How do you check what's been synced? Go to the computer link myaccount.google.com/dashboard Sign in with the same account as Xiaomi, and it displays all types of data that are backed up in the cloud.
Preparation for Recovery: What to Do Before Resetting
If you haven’t dropped your phone yet, but are planning to do so, be sure to follow 3 steps:
- Check your Google account binding: Go to Settings → Google Accounts → [your email] and make sure sync is enabled for the right categories (contacts, calendar, etc.) If the option is disabled, turn it on and wait for the sync to complete (may take up to 10 minutes).
- Activate Google Photos Backup: Open the Google Photos app, click on the avatar → Photo settings → Backup and Sync. Make sure the switch is active and the right quality is selected (e.g. High quality for free storage).
- Create a local copy through MIUI Backup: This won’t replace Google, but will save SMS, call histories and system settings. Path: Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup. A copy can be saved to a memory card or to the Xiaomi Cloud (if configured).
⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with global firmware (MIUI Global), but the Google account is tied to a different region (e.g., the phone is bought in China and the account is Russian), there may be sync problems.
Check the synchronization of Google account
Enable backup in Google Photos
Create a local backup with MIUI Backup
Record the login/password from your Google account
Ensure a stable Internet connection-->
Step-by-step: Data recovery after reset
After the factory reset, Xiaomi will offer to configure the phone as new or restore data.
- Connect to Wi-Fi In the initial setup phase, select your Wi-Fi network and enter a password. Don't miss this step - without the Internet, recovery is impossible.
- When the system offers to add an account, select Existing and enter an email and password from the same account that was linked before the reset. If you use two-factor authentication, prepare the code from the SMS or Google Authenticator app.
- Select data to restore After authorization, a list of available backups (if any) will appear. Choose the latest one: 📱 Annexes (list of installed programmes) 📇 Contacts, calendars, bookmarks ⚙️ Settings for some applications (such as Gmail)
Wait for completion
It can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of data and the speed of the Internet, and don't interrupt the setup or turn off the phone.
Check the results.
Once you download your desktop, open Contacts, Google Photos, and other apps to make sure your data is restored. Apps from the list will install automatically, but their data (such as saving in games) won’t.
🔧 If recovery is stalled: At the data loading stage, the process can freeze by 0% or 99:
- Wait 15-20 minutes – sometimes Google servers are overloaded.
- Reboot your phone (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
- Repeat the recovery attempt via Settings → System → Backup → Restore data.
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If contacts are not fully displayed after recovery, check Contact Management → Display contacts from and select your Google account.
What to do if the data is not restored
Sometimes even after the right actions, contacts, photos or apps don't come back.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts have not recovered. | Synchronization was disabled before reset | Check backups at contacts.google.com. If contacts are available, export them to a.vcf file and import them into the phone. |
| Photos missing | Google Photo Backup Not Enabled | Try restoring it through Xiaomi Cloud (if sync is enabled) or using programs like DiskDigger to scan your phone’s memory. |
| No applications installed | Google Play Restrictions by Region or Incompatibility with Android Version | Manually install the desired programs from Google Play or download APK from trusted sources (for example, APKMirror). |
| The recovery process is interrupted | Unstable Internet connection or Google server error | Connect to another Wi-Fi network or use the mobile Internet. If the error repeats, try to recover the data later. |
⚠️ Note: If you dropped Xiaomi with firmware MIUI China (Chinese version), to recover through Google may require unlocking the bootloader and installing global firmware. Otherwise, the data recovery function will not be available due to manufacturer restrictions.
How do I check the MIUI version?
Recovery of data on Xiaomi without a Google account
If you don't remember the data from your Google account or the phone was dropped by a previous owner, there are no official ways to recover it.
- 🔄 Local backup MIUI If before reset you created a backup through Settings → Backup, connect the phone to your computer and check the folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup You can recover files with the.mbk extension through the standard backup menu.
- ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud If your phone was linked to your Mi Account, try recovering data via i.mi.com, SMS and even some of the system settings.
- 🛠️ Third-party software like Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver or Tenorshare UltData scans your phone’s memory for deleted files, up to 40% efficiency, but requires root access (which voids the warranty).
💡 Advice for used Xiaomi buyers: Before buying a phone from hand, be sure to check if it is tied to a Google or Mi Account:
- Perform a reset settings with you.
- Complete the initial setup before the stage of logging into the account.
- Make sure that the phone does not require input of other people’s data (this is a sign of binding to the previous owner).
💡
If your phone is blocked by a Google account after a reset (FRP-The only legal way to get around it is to contact the previous owner and ask him to enter the data to unlock it.
Features of recovery on different models Xiaomi
The process of data recovery through Google is the same for most Xiaomi smartphones, but there are nuances for individual lines:
| Model/Lineak | Features of recovery | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11/12 | Supports Dynamic Recovery – data is loaded in the background after setting up. | Do not interrupt your internet connection in the first 30 minutes after recovery. |
| POCO F3/F4/F5 | There may be problems with restoring applications due to the optimized shell. | Install the required programs manually through Google Play. |
| Xiaomi 12/13/14 | Supports quick recovery through Mi Account (if tied). | Prioritize recovery via Mi Cloud and then add data from Google. |
| Redmi 9/9A/9C | Budget models may not have a recovery option via Google due to limited memory. | Use Xiaomi Cloud or local backups. |
📌 For Xiaomi owners with MediaTek processor: On some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C or POCO M4 Pro) after reset, you may need to re-authorize in Google services (for example, YouTube or Gmail), even if the data is restored.
How to avoid data loss in the future
To avoid any more data loss, follow these rules:
- Set up automatic sync Go to Settings → Google Accounts → [your email] → Account Sync and enable the option for all important categories. Check this section once a month.
- Use multiple clouds Don't rely on Google alone: Activate Xiaomi Cloud (up to 5GB free) and set up backups in Google Photos, OneDrive or Yandex Drive.
- Create local copies Regularly (every 2-3 months) backup through Settings → Backup → Local Backup. Store files on a memory card or computer.
- Contacts can be exported to.vcf (via Contacts → Settings → Export / Import) and SMS can be exported to applications like SMS Backup & Restore.
⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi phones with MIUI 14 and later Auto Recovery may conflict with some apps (like WhatsApp or banking programs). Once you recover data, be sure to update those apps manually via Google Play.
💡
The most reliable way to avoid losing data is to combine cloud backup (Google + Xiaomi Cloud) with local backups to a memory card or PC.