Where did the basket go in Xiaomi Explorer and how to return it: 5 ways

You deleted an important file on Xiaomi, but you can't find it in the cart? Or you don't know where it's in the standard Explorer? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones -- the MIUI interface hides the basket in an unobvious way, and in some versions it's completely disabled by default. In this article, we'll look at all the possible places where the basket can hide, and learn to turn it on if it disappears.

It's important to understand that the Xiaomi Recycle Bin works differently than it does on computers or even other Android smartphones. It's not universal here: MIUI Explorer (embedded) and Google Files (if installed) have different shopping carts, and in some firmwares, the temporary storage of deleted files is completely disabled, so files are erased forever immediately after clicking "Delete." We'll show you how to check each option and recover lost data.

Why Xiaomi Explorer doesn’t have a basket: 3 main reasons

Before we look for the basket, we'll see why it might not be visible, and most of the time, the problem is related to one of these reasons:

• 🔹 An outdated version MIUI: In the firmware older MIUI 12 basket in the conductor was missing by default. System update may return the function.
• 🔹 Disabled function in settings: Even in newer versions, the basket can be hidden – it must be activated manually.
• 🔹 Used third-party conductor: If you have installed Total Commander, FX File Explorer or Google Files, their baskets work separately from the system.

Another nuance: on some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro) the basket is displayed by default only for files deleted from internal memory, but does not show files erased from SD-It's not a bug, it's a feature of the implementation. MIUI.

⚠️ Note: If you deleted files through the Gallery (photo/video), their shopping cart is elsewhere – read about this in the section on Media Recovery.

Method 1: Standard basket in MIUI Explorer (for MIUI 12 and later)

If you have a fresh firmware (MIUI 12/13/14 or HyperOS), the basket should be built into the system conductor.

1. Open the Explorer app (the blue background folder icon).
2. In the top menu, tap on three horizontal lines (☰) Swipe right to open the side menu.
3. Scroll down the list and there should be a Trash or Recycle Bin section.
4. Click on it to see the deleted files.

If you don't have the Recycle Bin, it's disabled to activate it.

1. In the same side menu, select "Settings" (cog at the top).
2. Find the option "Basket" or "Basket Management".
3. Switch the slider to the "On" position.
4. Set a file retention period (by default – 15 or 30 days).

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Update the firmware to the latest version

Make sure you use System Explorer and not a third-party.

Restart your phone if the changes don’t apply.-->

On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Xiaomi 11T) after the basket is turned on, it may be necessary to restart the device for the changes to take effect.

Method 2: Recycle Bin in Google Files (if installed)

If you use Google Files, the file management app from Google, it has its own shopping cart, independent of the system one, to open it:

1. Launch the Google Files app (an icon with a blue folder and a white triangle).
2. In the lower menu, click on "Cleaning" (basket icon).
3. Select the "Basket" tab at the top of the screen.
4. There will be files deleted through this application.

Note: Google Files only store deleted data for 30 days, after which it disappears forever, and the shopping cart in this application does not show files deleted through other conductors (for example, system MIUI or Total Commander).

⚠️ Note: If you delete files via Total Commander or FX File Explorer, they can't be recovered through the Recycle Bin - these applications don't use temporary storage, and only specialized recovery software (such as DiskDigger or Recuva for PC) will help).

Method 3: Recycle Bin in Gallery (for photos and videos)

Photos and videos deleted through the standard MIUI Gallery are placed in a separate bin that is not connected to the conductor.

1. Launch the Gallery app.
2. In the bottom menu, click on "Albums".
3. Scroll down the list and there will be a Recycle Bin folder (sometimes hidden under the Others item).
4. Slip it to see deleted media files.

This bin holds files longer than the Explorer, usually 60 days, to change the time:

1. In the Gallery basket, click on three dots (⋮) top-right.
2. Select "Basket Settings."
3. Set the desired period (15 to 60 days).

If there is no basket in the Gallery, check:

• 📌 Updated to the latest version (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → gallery → Update).
• 📌 Is sync with Mi Cloud disabled (sometimes this affects the display of the cart).
• 📌 Do you use a third-party gallery (such as Google Photos) that has its own shopping cart.

Standard Conductor MIUI|Google Files|Total Commander|Another (write in the comments)-->

Method 4: File recovery if there is no Recycle Bin at all

If none of the listed places have a shopping cart and the files have been deleted, there are two options:

1. PC Recovery: Connect your phone to your computer and use programs like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, or 7-Data Recovery, which scan the device's memory at the file system level and can find deleted data if it hasn't been overwritten.
2. Backups: Check if automatic backup is enabled in Mi Cloud or Google Drive. Even if files are deleted from your phone, they may have been saved to the cloud.

For recovery via PC:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Run a recovery program (e.g., DiskDigger).
3. Select your phone’s drive and start a deep scan.
4. After completion, mark the desired files and save them to the PC.

⚠️ Warning: The more you use your phone after deleting files (installing apps, downloading data, taking photos), the lower your chances of recovery. New data overwrites old data, and it becomes impossible to return it.

Method 5: Manually create a cart (for power users)

If your firmware doesn't support the basket, but you want to emulate its behavior, you can create a basket folder manually and set up automatic file transfers there instead of deleting.

1. In the Explorer, create a folder called.Trash (the point at the beginning will make it hidden) at the root of the internal memory.
2. Install a file manager with script support (e.g. FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
3. Set up a rule: When you select Delete, files are moved to.Trash instead of being completely deleted.

For automation, you can use the Tasker or Automate app to create a task:

1.Event: "File deleted" (root or ADB required).




2. Action: "Move the file" to the.Trash folder.




3. Condition: check the free space in.Trash (so that the memory is not filled).

This technique requires technical skills, but allows you to control file deletion even on older versions of MIUI.

💡

If you often work with important files, enable automatic backup in Mi Cloud or Google Drive, which will save data even if your phone is accidentally deleted or broken.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with a shopping cart on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

• 🚫 "Recycle Bin is empty, although files have been deleted": Check if "Delete immediately" mode is enabled in the Explorer settings. Also some files (e.g, APK) may be removed irrevocably.
• 🚫 "You cannot restore files from SD-"Maps": Most models only use the bin for internal memory. SD-Cards use backup or third-party guides with basket support.
• 🚫 "Recycle Bin Disappeared After Update": Reset the Conductor Settings (Settings) → Annexes → Conductor → Warehouse → Clear the data, then restart the phone.

Another common mistake is trying to recover files from the Google Photos Recycle Bin, thinking it's a system shopping cart, and Google Photos actually has its own shopping cart that's not connected to MIUI.

1. Run Google Photos.
2. Click on the profile icon in the upper right corner.
3. Choose the basket.

💡

The MIUI system basket and the Google Files/Google Photos basket are different storages, and files deleted through one application will not appear in the other's shopping cart.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions