Where is the cart on Xiaomi Redmi 7: search, recovery and hidden nuances of MIUI

Xiaomi Redmi 7 is still a popular budget smartphone, but its MIUI firmware is not always intuitive — especially when it comes to finding deleted files. Many users face the problem: where is the basket on this phone, where do erasable photos, documents or videos go? Unlike Windows or macOS, there is no familiar icon on the desktop, and the logic of working with garbage depends on the type of files and version of MIUI.

In this article, we’ll look at three key places that Redmi 7’s Recycle Bin can hide, including system folders, cloud services, and third-party apps, and why sometimes a folder disappears after an update, how to recover deleted data without root rights, and what to do if the Recycle Bin is empty and files are gone. The instructions are relevant for all versions of MIUI (from 10 to 14) and do not require technical skills.

1. Standard MIUI basket: where to look and how to use

In MIUI firmware, the shopping cart is built into two key applications: Gallery and File Manager, and its location and functionality depend on the system version. On Redmi 7 with MIUI 10-12, the search algorithm is as follows:

The Recycle Bin only appears in the Gallery after deleting at least one file.

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Swipe to the three dots in the upper right corner (or swipe left in the menu).
3. Select the Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted in Older Versions).

In File Manager, the path is more complicated:

1. Launch Files (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to Categories → Images / Videos / Documents.
3. In the upper right corner, press on ⋮ → Basket.

Important: by default, files are stored in the Recycle Bin for 30 days, after which they are deleted irrevocably. In MIUI 11 and later, this period can be changed in the Gallery settings (Settings → Recycle Bin → Storage Period).

2.Why the basket disappeared: 5 reasons and solutions

If you don’t find the Recycle Bin folder where it should be, the problem may lie in one of the following factors:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: After upgrading to a new firmware version (for example, with MIUI 11 on MIUI 12) the path to the cart may have changed. → The phone. → Version. MIUI Check the instructions for your version.
• 🗑️ Disabled function: In some regional assemblies MIUI The basket is deactivated by default. To enable it, go to Gallery Settings. → Basket → Turn it on.
• 📱 Resetting: After resetting to factory settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Recovery and reset) the basket can "set back." Check the folder MIUI/Trash via file manager.
• 🛠️ Damage to system files: If the phone was turned off during the upgrade or was "cleaned" through the Security App, the shopping cart could have damaged.Solution - reboot or reset the Gallery cache (Settings) → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
• 🌐 Cloud conflict: If you use Mi Cloud, files could sync to the cloud basket. Check it out via i.mi.com web version (Basket section).

⚠️ Note: If you connected Redmi 7 to your computer and deleted files through the MTP (Like a flash drive, they're going around the basket. MIUI In this case, only specialized recovery software (for example, DiskDigger or Recuva) will help).

3. How to recover files from the basket: step-by-step instructions

The recovery process depends on the file type and where it is stored, and below is a universal algorithm for photos, videos and documents:

Open the application where the file was deleted (Gallery or Files)

Go to the section of the basket (see section 1 of the article)

Select the required files with a long tap

Click Restore (or Move to) and select the destination folder

Check that the files appear in the original folder

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If files have been deleted from the cart or it is empty, try alternative methods:

Recovery through ADB will require:

1. Enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap → Developer → USB Debugging).
2. Connect the phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell ls /sdcard/ | grep -i trash to find the hidden folder of the basket.

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If you are recovering photos, check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder first – sometimes thumbnails remain even after the originals are deleted.

4.The basket in third-party applications: what you need to know

Many Redmi 7 users install alternative file managers (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Manager) or galleries (Google Photos, Simple Gallery), in which case the basket may work differently:

• 📁 Solid Explorer: Recycle Bin is enabled in settings (Settings) → Basket → The folder is stored along the way. /storage/emulated/0/.SolidExplorer/Trash.
• 🖼️ Google Photos: Deleted files are sent to the cloud basket (available via the web version of photos.google.com or the app.
• 🔍 ES Explorer: Recycle Bin is activated in Settings → Utilities. → The basket, but often works unstablely on MIUI.

Important: If you use multiple galleries or file managers at the same time, files can be duplicated in different baskets, for example, a photo deleted through Google Photos will not appear in the basket of the standard MIUI Gallery, and vice versa.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Xiaomi’s Clean Master or Security App can automatically clean the cart when you optimize your system, and to avoid this, disable auto-cleaning in the settings of these programs or remove them.

5. How to permanently delete files without passing the shopping cart

If you want to delete files without recovery (such as sensitive data), use one of these methods:

• 🗃️ Through File Manager: Select Files → Delete → No basket (option appears after a long tapa).
• 🔧 Through ADB: Connect your phone to your PC and execute: Adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/path/to file (replace path with current one).
• 🔒 Encryption + Delete: Encrypt files via Solid Explorer (Encrypt option) and then delete – this will make it harder to recover.

To completely clean the free space (so that erased files can not be restored even through software), use the Secure Eraser application or command:

adb shell dd if=/dev/zero of=/sdcard/zero.fill bs=1M

After execution, delete the zero.fill file.

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Recycle bin deletion doesn’t physically erase files — they stay in your phone’s memory until you overwrite them with new data. Use specialized tools to clean them completely.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Working with the Recycle Bin on Redmi 7 is often accompanied by typical problems that lead to data loss, and the most common ones are:

• 🔋 Cleaning the basket at low charge: MIUI It can automatically delete files from the cart if the battery is below 15.
• 📲 Use of “Quick Cleanup”: Security Function → Cleanup often deletes files from the trash without warning.
• 🔄 Update MIUI without backup: When upgrading the firmware, the basket may reset. Before upgrading, save important files to the cloud or PC.
• 🌐 Account Conflict: If multiple Mi Accounts or Google accounts are linked to a phone, files can be "mixed" between shopping carts.

To minimize the risks:

1. Set up automatic backup in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Cloud → Backup.
2. Export important files to a PC or external drive periodically.
3. Turn off autocleaning in Settings → Storage → Cleaning.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions