How to Recover Data on Xiaomi Phone After Resetting: The Complete Guide

Resetting on Xiaomi smartphones is a radical but sometimes necessary step to solve system problems. However, after the procedure of hard reset, users often face the loss of important data: photos, contacts, messages and documents. You can recover information, but success depends on several factors: whether synchronization with Mi Account was enabled, whether third-party cloud services were used, and whether the data was overwritten after the reset.

In this article, we will discuss 7 working methods of recovery, including official Xiaomi tools, third-party utilities and hidden Android features. We will pay special attention to the nuances for different models - from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and also explain why some files can be restored almost impossible after writing new data to internal memory. If you have already performed a reset, do not panic: follow the instructions in order, starting with the simplest methods.

1. Verification of backups in Mi Cloud

The first and most reliable way is to recover from the Mi Cloud cloud storage, where if the phone has been synced, most of the data is automatically stored on Xiaomi servers, to check for a backup:

1. Sign in to i.mi.com under the same Mi Account you used on your phone.
2. Go to the Devices section → Backup copies.
3. Check the list of available backups – they are sorted by date of creation.

Backup copies may contain:

• 📱 Contacts and call log
• 📷 Photos and videos (if the option "Outload to Mi Cloud" was enabled")
• 📝 Notes and calendar
• 🎵 Playlists (for a standard player)

⚠️ Note: If you have already added a new Mi Account or logged in under a different login after the reset, previous backups may not be available. In this case, try to restore access to your old account through Forgot your password? on the Xiaomi website.

To recover data directly to the phone:

1. On the reset device, go through the initial setup before the Data Recovery stage.
2. Select Restore from Mi Cloud and log in.
3. Mark the categories you need (contacts, messages, media) and confirm your recovery.

2. Restoration through Google Account

If sync with Mi Cloud has not been configured, check Google Account. Many data (contacts, calendar, some app settings) are automatically saved to Google Drive provided that:

• 🔄 The phone has been enabled with the option Settings. → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of data.
• 📱 The device was connected to the internet before being reset.
• 🔑 Remember the login and password from the Google account linked to the phone.

To recover the data:

1. On the reset Xiaomi, go through the initial setup and log in to the same Google Account.
2. At the Copying stage, select Restore from Google Drive.
3. Select the latest backup (creation dates are displayed in the list).

You can return via Google:

• 📞 Contacts (from the Google Contacts app)
• 📅 Calendar events
• 📌 Notes from Google Keep (if used)
• 🎮 Data from some games (if they support Google Play Games)

⚠️ Note: Photos and videos are only restored through Google if Google Photos with Backup and Sync option were enabled. Check the Archive at photos.google.com - deleted files can be stored there for up to 60 days.

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If you don’t remember which Google account was linked to your phone, check the login history at myaccount.google.com/device-activity.

3. Use of data recovery software (without root)

If you don't have cloud-based copies, you can try software recovery directly from the phone's internal memory, and utilities like Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver, or Tenorshare UltData can do this by scanning the device's memory for "traces" of deleted files and recovering them, provided that:

• 📱 No new data was recorded on the phone after the reset (photo, video, application installation).
• 🔌 The device is determined by the computer in mode MTP (file transfer).
• 🛠️ The phone's on debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — 7 times to activate the developer mode).

The following is a step-by-step guide for Dr.Fone:

Enable debugging over USB (Settings → Additional → For developers)

Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable

Allow access to data on the phone screen

Install Xiaomi drivers (unless Windows can find them automatically)-->

1. Download and install Dr.Fone from the official website.
2. Connect Xiaomi to your computer and select Android Data Recovery mode.
3. Select the file types to scan (e.g. Gallery, Contacts, Messages).
4. Wait until the scan is completed (it can take 10 to 30 minutes).
5. View the files found and save the files to the computer.

The probability of a successful recovery depends on the phone model and MIUI version:

⚠️ Note: Free versions of software (e.g. EaseUS MobiSaver Free) often limit the amount of data to be recovered (typically up to 2 GB).

4. Recovery with TWRP and ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods didn’t work and the phone had a custom TWRP recap, you can try extracting data directly from the /data section.

• 🔧 They're good at working with ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 They have an unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
• 💾 Ready to risk damaging the system if incorrect actions are taken.

Instructions for devices with TWRP:

1. Load the phone into recovery mode: Turn off the device, then press Volume up + Power.
2. In TWRP, select Mount → Enable MTP.
3. Connect the phone to the PC - it will be defined as a removable drive.
4. Go to /data/media/0/ (there are user files stored).
5. Copy the necessary data to the computer.

If the TWRP is not installed, but the bootloader is unlocked, you can temporarily flash the Recovery:

fastboot flash recovery twrp.img


fastboot boot twrp.img

For devices without an unlocked bootloader, this method is not suitable – you will need an official unlock through the Xiaomi website, which will reset all data.

5. Recover deleted photos via Google Photos

If the phone has been enabled automatic backup in Google Photos, you can restore media files even after reset.

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Sign in with the same account you used before.
3. Go to the Library → Recycle Bin – it stores deleted files for up to 60 days.
4. To recover all photos, click on the profile avatar → Settings → Backup and Sync → turn on the option and wait for the download.

Features of recovery through Google Photos:

• 📸 Only media files (photos, videos, screenshots) are restored).
• 🔍 Files deleted more than 60 days ago cannot be restored.
• 📥 When you recover from the cart, files are returned to the Gallery, but may lose the original shooting date.

If there are no photos in the cart, check:

• 🌐 Archive at photos.google.com (Archive or Devices section).
• 📁 Google Photos folder on the phone’s internal memory (sometimes files are saved there the first time you back up).

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Google Photos is the only way to restore photos to their original quality if they were uploaded in Original Resolution (not High Quality).

Re-establishment of contacts from VCF-file SIM-map

Contacts are often lost after reset, but can be returned in several ways:

Method 1: Import from VCF-file

If you have previously exported your contacts to a.vcf file:

1. Download the file to your phone (for example, via email or cloud).
2. Open the Contacts app.
3. Click on three dots in the top right corner → Contact management → Import/Export → Import from.vcf file.

Method 2: Copying with SIM-map

If the contacts are saved on the SIM:

1. Put it in. SIM-phone-card.
2. Go to Contacts. → Settings → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-map.
3. Select contacts for import and confirm.

Method 3: Recovery via Mi Account (if synchronization was enabled)

Even if there is no backup in the cloud, the contacts could be saved to Xiaomi’s account:

1. Open i.mi.com and log in.
2. Go to the Cloud. → Contacts.
3. If contacts are displayed, export them to.vcf and import them to the phone.

⚠️ Note: Contacts stored only in the phone’s memory (not in a Google or Mi Account) are almost impossible to recover after a reset unless backed up.

7. What should I do if nothing has worked?

If all of these methods have not worked, there are two options:

Option 1: Contact the service center

Specialized laboratories (e.g. HddSurgery or FlashFix) can extract data using a chip-off method - direct reading of information from a memory chip. This is expensive (from 5,000 to 20,000 rubles), but sometimes the only way to return critical files.

• 💰 The cost depends on the phone model and the type of memory (eMMC or e-mail). UFS).
• ⏳ The process takes from 3 to 10 days.
• 🔧 Not all services work with Xiaomi – check in advance.

Option 2: Accept data loss and set up automatic backups

If the files are not critical, use the situation as a lesson:

• 🔄 Set up automatic sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account.
• 📱 Install backup apps like Swift Backup (requires root) or Titanium Backup.
• 💾 Regularly copy important files to a PC or external drive.

To set up automatic backup on Xiaomi:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Mi Cloud
2. Enable the options Contact Synchronization, Gallery, Notes.
3. Activate Autoboot in Mi Cloud for photos.

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Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi added the “Backup When Charging” feature – if the phone is connected to Wi-Fi and charging, the system automatically creates a local copy of the data 1 time per week. Check the MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder on internal memory.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data recovery on Xiaomi