Where do deleted files go on Xiaomi: where to look for a basket in the MIUI How to recover data

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a shopping cart — and where do deleted files actually go?

You have deleted an important file on Xiaomi Redmi or POCO, And you can't see the Recycle Bin folder in the gallery or the file manager? It's not a bug or a feature of your model, it's how the shell works. MIUI. Unlike Windows or macOS, where deleted files temporarily fall into the basket, on Android (and especially on Xiaomi smartphones), the mechanism for storing “garbage” is organized differently.

The thing is, the standard Android shopping cart is not on the system level, and it's being replaced by two alternatives:

1. Temporary storage in applications (gallery, file manager, Google Photos).
2. Hidden system folders where files are moved before final deletion.

Xiaomi is even more difficult to do because of proprietary solutions. MIUI. For example, in the gallery Mi Gallery basket is, but it is hidden from the user by default, and in the file manager Mi File Explorer it may not be at all – it all depends on the version of the firmware and regional build.

In this article, we will look at all possible places where deleted files can be stored on Xiaomi, including hidden folders, cloud backups and system log files, and learn how to recover data if the shopping cart is already cleaned.

1. basket in the gallery Mi Gallery: how to find and recover photos / videos

The most obvious place to look for deleted media files is the built-in gallery. MIUI (Mi Gallery: There's a basket here, but it's hidden in the settings and it doesn't work like it does on other Android smartphones.

To open it up:

1. Launch the Gallery app (an icon with colored squares).
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
3. Select the item Cart (if not - see the next section).
4. Hold your finger on the file to recover or click Restore Everything.

Important nuances:

• 📅 Storage period: files are stored in the basket for 30 days, after which they are deleted irrevocably.
• 🔄 Autocleaning: if the free space on the device ends, MIUI may clear the basket early.
• 📂 Media only: only photos and videos are stored here, APK and other files search elsewhere.

If the item is not on the menu, it means:

• 🔧 Your version. MIUI outdated (update the firmware through Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 🌍 You have a global firmware without a basket (try switching to European or Indian build).
• 🧹 The basket is disabled in the settings (see section below).

💡

If you frequently delete files by mistake, enable Deletion Confirmation in the Gallery Settings: → Additionally. → Confirmation of removal.

2. Hidden basket in Mi File Explorer: where to look for deleted documents and APK

Unlike the gallery, Xiaomi’s standard file manager (Mi File Explorer) doesn’t always have a visible bin, but files that are deleted through it don’t disappear immediately — they move to a hidden folder that can be found manually.

Search instructions:

1. Open the Mi File Explorer (Blue folder icon)
2. Go to the Category section → Memory of the device.
3. Turn on the display of hidden files: tap on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Show hidden files.
4. Scroll up and find the.trash or.recycle folder (may be called Recycle Bin in English firmware).

Inside, you'll see folders with names like files, images, videos -- that's your shopping cart.

1. Hold your finger on the desired file.
2. Choose Restore (if there is no option, use Copy and paste the file into the desired directory).

⚠️ Note: If there is no.trash folder, then:

• 🗑️ Files were deleted not through Mi File Explorer, but through another application (e.g. Google Files or Total Commander).
• 🔄 On your device disabled the function of the basket in the settings of the file manager.
• 📱 You have custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) where the basket mechanism is different.

3. Alternative File Managers: Where else can the Recycle Bin

If you use third-party file managers, the shopping cart may be in a completely different place.

If you don't remember which application you deleted files from, check all the options in the table.

• 🔍 Google Files is the most reliable option for Xiaomi, as it is integrated with Google Drive and can recover files even after resetting settings.
• ⚙️ In Solid Explorer and FX File Explorer can be set up to automatically back up your cart to the cloud.
• ⚠️ ES The conductor can create duplicate baskets, which leads to loss of disk space.

⚠️ Note: If you delete a file via adb, fastboot, or command line (e.g., rm), it will not get into any basket and will be deleted irrevocably, in which case only specialized recovery software will help (see section 6).

4. Cloud Carts: Google Photos, Mi Cloud and others

Many Xiaomi users are unaware that their files can be stored not only on the device, but also in the cloud - and there are also their own shopping carts.

1. Google Photo.

• 📸 All photos and videos uploaded to Google Photos are in the cloud bin when deleted.
• 🗑️ To open it: Open the application → Library → Basket.
• ⏳ Shelf life: 60 days (twice as long as in the MIUI).
• 🔄 If the file is deleted from the device and from the cloud, it will be more difficult to recover it.

2. Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

• ☁️ It only works if you have enabled synchronization in Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Cloud.
• 📂 The shopping cart here is called Recently Deleted and is available via the web version of i.mi.com.
• ⏰ Storage period: 30 days, but for some files (e.g. notes) only 7 days.

3.Other Clouds (Yandex Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)

• 📁 Each cloud has its own basket with different storage periods (from 7 to 90 days).
• 🔗 Related Posts: Yandex Dropbox OneDrive

⚠️ Note: If you delete a file before it syncs to the cloud, it won't get into the cloud bin. For example, if you erase a photo right after you shoot it and you don't wait to upload it to Google Photos, you can only restore it through the local cart. MIUI.

Open Google Photos → Library → Basket|

Log in Mi Cloud via browser → Recently deleted|

Check other clouds (Yandex, Dropbox)|

Make sure that synchronization has been enabled before removal-->

5. System folders and temporary files: where MIUI hides»

MIUI It creates several hidden folders where deleted or cached files are temporarily stored, and they're not visible in a standard Explorer, but if you have root rights or through a root file. ADB can be accessed.

The main system "baskets":

1. /data/data/com.android.providers.media/.trash — It stores media files deleted through the gallery.
2. /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer/.trash — file-manager basket.
3. /data/local/tmp — Temporary files that sometimes remain after incorrect deletion.
4. /sdcard/.thumbnails — Deleted image thumbnails (not the files themselves, but can help in recovery).

To view these folders:

1. Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer with superuser rights.
2. Activate Root mode in the conductor settings.
3. Take one of the paths above.

If root rights are not available, you can try ADB:

adb shell


su




ls /data/data/com.android.providers.media/.trash

⚠️ Attention:

• 🛠️ Without root rights, you can’t recover files from system folders – just view their list.
• 🚨 Deleting files from these folders manually can lead to errors in the work MIUI (For example, the gallery will stop opening).
• 🔧 If you are not sure about your actions, use specialized utilities (see the next section).

💡

System folders MIUI contain temporary copies of deleted files, but access to them requires root rights or ADB. Without experience, it is better not to edit them manually!

6.Data recovery software: when the cart is already cleaned

If all of the above methods didn't work, then the files were permanently deleted, but that's not a sentence. With specialized software, you can recover data even after cleaning the cart.

Instructions for recovery via DiskDigger (the easiest option for Xiaomi):

1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Start the app and select Start basic scanning (without root) or Full scanning (with root).
3. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 30 minutes).
4. Tick the files that need to be restored and click Restore.
5. Save files to a memory card or cloud (not internal memory!).

⚠️ Attention:

• 🛑 Do not save the recovered files to the same partition from which they were deleted – this can overwrite the remaining data.
• 🔋 Battery charge should be more than 50% – scanning heavily loads the processor.
• 📵 Turn off mobile internet during recovery to avoid interruptions.

If no program has found lost files, it means that:

• 🗃️ The data was overwritten with new files (for example, after taking new photos or installing applications).
• 🔄 The device was completely reset (hard reset).
• 🛠️ On the smartphone was re-flashed custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), which erased all data.

7. How to prevent future data loss: 5 work tips

To avoid losing important files on Xiaomi, follow these guidelines:

1. Turn on automatic synchronization: 📸 For photo: Google Photo → Settings → Backup and synchronization. ☁️ For documents: Mi Cloud → Settings → Autosynchronization.
2. Use cloud baskets: 🗑️ Google Drive and Dropbox store files in the Recycle Bin for up to 30 to 90 days.
3. Install an alternative file manager: 📁 Solid Explorer or Solid Explorer FX File Explorer has a reliable basket with a customizable shelf life.
4. Make regular backups: 🔄 Through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset (MIUI). 🖥️ Or through Titanium Backup (requires root).

Turn off automatic cleaning.

• 🧹 B Settings → Memory. → Autoclean disable the option to Delete files from the basket.

⚠️ Note: Even with synchronization enabled, some file types are not backed up:

• 📄 APK-files (application installers).
• 🎵 Music in format FLAC or WAV (Google Photos doesn't reserve them).
• 📊 Application databases (e.g. game savers).

For such files, use manual backup on your PC or external drive.

💡

The most reliable way to avoid losing data is a combination of cloud sync (Google Photos) + Mi Cloud) and local basket in an alternative file manager.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the cart on Xiaomi