Xiaomi Cloud is full: 7 proven ways to free up space without losing data

Xiaomi Cloud Cloud storage is a handy tool for backing up photos, contacts and notes, but its scope is limited. When space runs out, the system starts to give a notification “Xiaomi Cloud is full”, blocking the synchronization of new data. In this article, we will discuss why this happens, how to free up space in the Xiaomi cloud without losing important files, and what alternatives should be considered if even after cleaning up memory is not enough.

The problem is relevant for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, regardless of the model – whether it is the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the budget Redmi Note 12. The main causes of overflow: automatic synchronization of media files, accumulation of old backups and duplicates, and you can solve it through standard settings and using third-party services.

Why Xiaomi Cloud is Fast: The Main Reasons

Even 5GB of free space (the standard rate for new accounts) can run out in a few months, and here are the key factors driving cloud uptake:

• 📸 Autoload photos and videos in high resolution. By default, the Xiaomi Gallery saves all pictures in original quality, which eats up to 1-2 GB per month with active camera use.
• 📱 Backups of applications and system data. Each update MIUI Or resetting creates a new copy that can weigh up to 500MB.
• 📄 Synchronization of notes, contacts and SMS. It would seem small, but hundreds of contacts with photos and thousands of messages take hundreds of megabytes.
• 🔄 Duplicate files: When you reinstall applications or change devices, the same data can be copied again.

And many users don't realize that Xiaomi Cloud stores deleted files in the trash for 30 days -- they take up space, too -- and if you've ever used Mi Mover to move data between phones, there might be temporary files left in the cloud.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 14 and newer, check the settings of the Gallery → Cloud → Autoboot. Recent firmware versions have enabled video downloads by default. 4K, It eats up space 5-10 times faster than photos.

How to check what exactly occupies space in Xiaomi Cloud

Before you clean up the cloud, you need to know which data to delete and which to save.

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Go to the Accounts → Xiaomi Cloud.
3. Click on Storage Management (or Storage in older versions of MIUI).
4. The system will show a diagram of the memory distribution by category: photos, videos, backups, notes, etc.

On the storage control screen you will see:

• 📊 Total volume and occupied space (e.g., “5 GB out of 5 GB»).
• 📁 Breakdown by file type with weight of each category.
• ⏳ Retention period of backup copies (by default - 6 months).

If you have a list of "Other Files" or "Unknown Data," it can be an app cache or corrupted backups, and you can delete them, because they don't contain important information.

Method 1: Cleaning up unnecessary backups

Backups are the main space eater in Xiaomi Cloud, and the system creates them automatically when:

• 🔄 Updates MIUI.
• 📱 Resetting the phone to factory settings.
• 🔧 Use of the Mi Mover function.

To remove old copies:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Xiaomi Cloud → Storage Management.
2. Select the Backups tab.
3. View a list of copies sorted by date. Old ones (like last year's dump) can be deleted.
4. Click on the unnecessary copy and select Delete.

⚠️ Note: If you delete a backup of your current device, the synchronization of settings and application data will stop.Be sure that important data (for example, before deleting) is deleted, SMS or notes) stored locally.

Save contacts in SIM or Google Account

Export important SMS via the Messages app

Download photos from the cloud to your phone or PC

Check if data from applications (such as notes or calendar) is linked to the copy

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If you’re not sure which copy to delete, be size-oriented: copies over 1GB usually contain a full system snapshot and can be replaced with a fresh copy.

Method 2: Optimize the storage of photos and videos

Media files occupy up to 70% of the space in the Xiaomi Cloud, and you can optimize them in several ways:

If you store 4K video in the cloud, it can weigh up to 500MB in 1 minute.

• 🎥 Disable autoload video or limit it to files up to 100 MB.
• 📁 Transfer the video to Google Drive or Yandex.Disk, where free space is larger (15 GB and 10 GB respectively).
• ⚙️ Use compression through applications like Video Compress before downloading.

💡

If you shoot videos frequently, set up a limit on the length of the videos in the Camera (for example, 3 minutes instead of 30) to reduce the weight of the files without loss of quality.

Method 3: Remove unnecessary data from applications

Many Xiaomi apps sync data to the cloud by default, even if you don't notice it. Here's what you can safely delete:

• 📝 Notes: Old drafts or unnecessary lists. check the Notes app» → Recycle bin - there may be deleted records, taking place.
• 📞 Call log and SMS: Messages older than one year are rarely needed. → Settings → Archiving.
• 🎵 Mi Music: Cash offline tracks. Go to the app settings → Offline cache and clean it up.
• 📍 Mi data. Fit/Zepp: If you are not using a fitness bracelet, turn off sync in the Zepp App → Profile → Settings → Xiaomi account.

To disable synchronization for a specific application:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Select the Synchronization tab.
3. Turn off sliders in front of unnecessary apps (like Calendar or Browser).

Method 4: Cleaning the Recycle Bin and Temporary Files

Many users don’t know that files deleted from Xiaomi Cloud don’t disappear immediately, but instead end up in a basket that is stored for 30 days.

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Storage Management.
2. Scroll down and find the Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted) section.
3. Press Clear the basket.

In addition to the basket, in the cloud can accumulate:

• 🗑️ Temporary files from applications (for example, Mi Video cache or Mi Browser).
• 🔄 Uncompleted downloads (if synchronization is interrupted).
• 📦 Backup archives from old devices.

To remove them:

1. In Storage Management, select Other Files.
2. Sort by size and remove the largest items.

⚠️ Note: If you see files with the.miui or.backup extension, do not delete them unless you are sure of their content.

Method 5: Transfer data to another cloud

If there is not enough space after cleaning up, consider alternative services, and here is a comparison of popular cloud storage:

To move the data:

1. Download files from Xiaomi Cloud to your PC via the web version.
2. Upload them to the selected cloud (e.g. Google Photos).
3. Turn off autoboot in Xiaomi Cloud and set it up in the new service.

To automatically sync with Google Photos:

• Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
• Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
• Turn on the option and select quality ("High" to save space).

💡

Google Photos offers unlimited storage of photos in “high quality” (with compression up to 16 MP), but the video will still take up space in the total limit of 15 GB.

Method 6: Buying additional space or changing the tariff

If you can't do without Xiaomi Cloud, you can expand the storage. It's 2026.

To buy a place:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Storage Management.
2. Click Buy Place (or Update).
3. Choose the rate and pay through a tied card or Mi Pay.

Before buying, check:

• 💳 Auto-renewal – Disable it if you don’t plan to use the cloud all the time.
• 🎁 Stocks – sometimes Xiaomi gives discounts for the first 3 months.
• 🔄 Returns – if you change your mind, the money will be returned within 14 days (provided you do not use the extra space).

Method 7: Alternative solutions (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t help, try:

• 🔧 Use local storage: Connect OTG-drive or microSD (if supported) and set up the default photo/video.
• 🖥️ Synchronization with NAS: If you have a home server (such as Synology), set up an automatic download via Nextcloud or Resilio Sync.
• 📡 WebDAV-based cloud: Services like OwnCloud or Yandex.Disk WebDAV allow you to connect third-party storage like Xiaomi Cloud (manual configuration required).

To connect to WebDAV:

1. Install WebDAV Navigator from the Play Market.
2. Create an account with the service (for example, Yandex.Disk or Nextcloud).
3. In Settings → Accounts → Add an account → WebDAV enter server data.

⚠️ Warning: When using third-party solutions, disable autoboot in Xiaomi Cloud to avoid duplicate files.

Frequent Questions (FAQ)