Recycle Bin in Xiaomi: where to look for deleted files on smartphones Redmi, POCO and Mi

You're not alone: MIUI users often find that the standard Recycle Bin folder appears and disappears from view. Unlike Windows or macOS, where the Recycle Bin is always in sight, in Android — and especially in MIUI firmware — its location depends on the system version, the smartphone model and even the file manager used.

For example, on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14, the basket can hide in the depths of the Gallery, and on the POCO X5 Pro it can be completely absent in its usual form. In this article, we will analyze all possible places where the basket can hide on Xiaomi, including hidden system folders, cloud storage and ways to restore files if standard methods do not work.

Important: If you are looking for a cart for a particular model (for example, Mi 11 Ultra or Redmi 10C), pay attention to the version of MIUI - this depends on whether the folder will be visible or you will have to search manually through system settings.

1. Standard basket in MIUI: where should it be?

In MIUI firmware (starting with version 12), the shopping cart is integrated into two key locations: Gallery and File Manager, but its visibility depends on the settings and the type of deleted files.

In the Gallery, the basket appears automatically if you delete photos or videos.

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper right corner.
3. Select the Recycle Bin item (if not, see the section below).

In the File Manager (File app), the Recycle Bin can be called Recently Deleted or Garbage. Path: Files → Categories → Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted).

⚠️ Note: If you have deleted files through third-party apps (such as Google Photos or Google Photos) ES Explorer, they're going to be in the shopping cart of that application, not the system one. For example, in Google Photos, deleted photos are stored 60 days in the Recycle Bin folder inside the application itself.

2 Why the basket is not on the menu - and how to return it

If you don’t see the Recycle Bin folder in the Gallery or Files, the reasons may be as follows:

• 📱 An outdated version MIUI: firmware MIUI 12 basket may have been absent or operated differently.
• ⚙️ Disabled function: in the settings of the Gallery or Files, the basket can be deactivated.
• 🗑️ Files deleted forever: if you manually cleaned the cart or used the Delete Forever feature.
• 🔄 Resetting: After resetting to factory settings, the basket can “reset” to the default state.

To return the basket to the Gallery:

1. Open the gallery. → Settings (⚙️) → Basket.
2. Make sure the switch to turn on the cart is active.
3. Set up a file retention period (by default 30 days).

For File Manager:

1. Launch the Files app.
2. Go to Settings → Recycle Bin.
3. Activate the option to show the cart.

💡

If the shopping cart never came up, try updating the Gallery and Files apps through Google Play or MIUI App Store. Sometimes bugs get fixed in newer versions.

3. Hidden basket folders: how to find manually

If standard methods fail, the recycle bin can be hidden in system folders. On Xiaomi, deleted files are often stored in the following ways (use the File Manager with hidden file impressions enabled):

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/.trash — basket-folder MIUI.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer/files/trash — file-basket.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails/.trash — thumbnail.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/trash — gallery-backup.

To see the hidden folders:

1. Open the files. → Settings (⚙️) → Show hidden files.
2. Go to one of the paths above (copy the path and paste in the Files search bar).
3. If the folder is empty, try recovering files via MIUI Cloud (see the next section).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from.trash folders manually, this can cause a crash in the basket. Use only the standard cleaning functions in the Gallery or Files.

4. File recovery via MIUI Cloud and Google Photos

If files aren't found in the local cart, check cloud storage. Xiaomi offers two main backup services:

1. MIUI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud): 🌐 Go to Settings. → Xiaomi account → MIUI Cloud. 📂 Select Gallery or Files → Basket. ⏳ Files are stored in the cloud bin for up to 30 days (depending on the tariff).

Google Photo

• 📱 Open the Google Photos app.
• 🗑️ Go to the Library. → Basket.
• ⏳ Retention period – 60 days (free account).

Important: If you delete files before you connect to cloud storage, they will not be available for recovery, and check if you have disabled the autoload in your account settings.

5. Alternative ways to recover deleted files

If files are not found in the cart or cloud, try specialized utilities. For Xiaomi, the following methods are suitable:

• 🔍 DiskDigger (photo/video): Download from Google Play (root required for deep scanning); select the memory partition (Internal Storage); Start by searching by formats (JPG, PNG, MP4).
• 📱 Recuva (via PC): Connect your smartphone to your computer in File Transfer mode (MTP). Run Recuva and select the scan of the removable disk. Restore the files on your PC, and then transfer them back to your phone.
• 🛠️ ADB-commands (for experienced users): adb shell ls /storage/emulated/0/.trash It will show the contents of the basket if the folder exists.

⚠️ Note: When restoring through ADB or root access is a risk of damaging system files. Do not change the.trash folder permissions unless you are sure of the actions.

To increase the chances of recovery:

Do not write new data to your phone (this will overwrite deleted files)|

Turn off automatic sync with the clouds|

Use a charged battery (the process may take time)|

Backup your current data before restoring it-->

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

If you need to permanently erase files (for example, before selling your phone), standard deletion through the Gallery is not enough.

• 🗑️ Hand-cleaning basket: Open the Gallery → Basket → Clear everything. Confirm the action.
• 🔄 Reset to factory settings: Go to Settings → The phone. → Reset settings. Select Delete all data. ⚠️ This will delete all files, including hidden copies.

Encryption and formatting

1. Enable encryption in Settings → Security → Phone Encryption.
2. After encryption, reset.

If none of the methods worked, you may have disabled the Recycle Bin feature at the firmware level, in which case the only way to return files is to use the recovery software (see section 5).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the cart on Xiaomi