Where do deleted files go on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: search for a basket and recovery methods

Why is the Redmi Note 8 Pro not a regular shopping cart?

If you’ve recently switched from an iPhone or smartphone to a pure Android to a Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro, you might have noticed that there’s no traditional Recycle Bin icon on the desktop or app menu. It’s not a system bug or bug — a feature of the MIUI shell. Unlike Windows or macOS, where the Recycle Bin is always visible, Android smartphones (including Xiaomi models) don’t have deleted files in a single storage store for later. Instead, each type of data has its own temporary storage mechanism — or doesn’t have one at all.

For example, photos from Google Photos or the standard Gallery app fall into the shopping cart for 30 to 60 days, and files deleted through Explorer are irreversibly erased immediately after confirmation. This often causes panic: users search for “where the shopping cart in Xiomy 8 notes is not aware that it simply does not exist in its usual form. Next, we will examine how the storage system of deleted data in MIUI 12/13/14 works and what to do if you accidentally erase an important file.

Where to look for a “basket” for photos and videos

The most common scenario is to search for deleted photos, and in Redmi Note 8 Pro, the standard Gallery app (or Google Photos, if installed) is responsible for this.

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
3. Select Recycle Bin (or recently deleted in some versions of MIUI).
4. Here you will see all photos and videos deleted in the last 30 days (the time period depends on the firmware version).

Important: the files in this basket take up space in the memory of the smartphone. If there is little space available, the system can automatically clear it early. To recover the file, click on it, then select Restore from the bottom menu.

💡

If you use Google Photos, the shopping cart is available in the Library → Recycle Bin section, which has a storage life of 60 days, but the files don't take up space on the device because they're stored in the cloud.

What to do if you delete the file through the Explorer

Here's the bad news: standard MIUI Explorer (or Google Files) doesn't have a Recycle Bin feature, and all files deleted through it are permanently erased, without the ability to recover through system tools.

• 📄 Documents (.doc,.pdf,.xlsx)
• 🎵 Music and audio files
• 📂 Archives (.zip,.rar)
• 🎮 Game saves (if stored in a folder) Android/data)

There are two ways to return these files:

1. Check cloud storage: If you have sync enabled with Mi Cloud, Google Drive or Yandex.Disk, files could be saved there.
2. Use recovery software such as DiskDigger or Recuva (requires root rights for deep scanning).

Table: Where to look for a basket for different file types

How to enable backup so as not to lose data

In order to avoid looking for "where is the cart in Xiomi 8 pro notes" in the future, set up an automatic backup that will save your data even if you accidentally delete or reset your phone.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Backup in Mi Cloud.
3. Turn on the switch and select which data to save (contacts, messages, notes, system settings).
4. Click Create a backup copy.

We also recommend you to sync with your Google Account:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Accounts and synchronization.
• 🔄 Select Google and enable sync for Contacts, Calendar and Google Photos.

Enable backup in Mi Cloud|Synchronize your contacts with Google|Activate autoloading photos in Google Photos|Periodically check the free space in the cloud-->

Yes, and I couldn't restore |Yes, but I did.|No, I always back up |I don't know how to check-->

Frequent mistakes when searching for a cart and how to avoid them

Many Redmi Note 8 Pro users make the same mistakes when trying to find deleted files.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse the system basket in the Gallery with the.Trash or Recycle Bin folder, which may be created by some fileymi managers (for example, Solid Explorer). MIUI They may not contain all deleted files.

• 🔍 Search for a basket in the application menu: it is not there – it is hidden inside specific applications (Gallery, Notes).
• 🗑️ Delete files through Explorer, waiting for them to appear in the Recycle Bin: as mentioned earlier, so files are erased forever.
• 🔄 Cloud storage is not checked: even if the file is deleted locally, it could have been saved to Mi Cloud or Google Drive.
• ⏳ Waiting too long: files in the Gallery Recycle Bin are stored for a limited time (usually 30 days).

If you deleted a file and didn't find it in the standard partitions, don't panic.

1. Search manually through Explorer by keywords (such as parts of a file name).
2. Use the Google Photo Search feature (if the file has been uploaded to the cloud).
3. Check DCIM, Downloads and Pictures folders – sometimes files “hide” there after crashes.

💡

The Redmi Note 8 Pro does not have a universal file bin, and each type of data (photos, notes, contacts) has its own temporary storage mechanism, or does not have one at all.

Third-party applications for basket management

If you don't have the standard MIUI capabilities, you can install alternative file managers that support the Recycle Bin.

• 📁 Solid Explorer: supports creating a.Trash folder where deleted files are moved. There's a 14-day trial.
• 🗃️ FX File Explorer: allows you to configure the Recycle Bin for any file type (manual configuration required).
• ☁️ Files by Google: No Recycle Bin, but offers Cleanup with pre-analysis of unnecessary files.

To set up the cart in Solid Explorer:

1. Open the app and go to Settings → General.
2. Turn on the option to use the basket.
3. Specify a folder to store deleted files (e.g. /storage/emulated/0/Trash).

Note that third-party baskets do not restore files deleted before they are installed; they only work with data deleted after they are set up.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions