Where in the smartphone Xiaomi is the basket – and how to return deleted files

You accidentally deleted an important file on Xiaomi and can't find the cart? Or just want to figure out how the remote storage system in MIUI works? Unlike Windows or macOS, where the basket is always in sight, in Xiaomi smartphones, its location depends on the type of file, the version of the firmware and even what application you used to delete. In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios, from the standard shopping cart in the Gallery to hidden folders with temporary files, and also explain why sometimes the basket is not available at all.

The main problem with Xiaomi users is that the manufacturer does not follow a unified approach: some applications (for example, in the standard Gallery) have a basket, others (for example, in Files) it may not be at all. Moreover, after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, the logic of the basket has changed - now deleted files can be automatically cleared after 30 days, not stored indefinitely. If you did not know about this nuance, the chances of data recovery fall sharply. Next, we will show you exactly where to look for the basket depending on the situation, and what to do if it is empty.

1.The basket in the standard Xiaomi Gallery

The most obvious place where users search for deleted files is the Recycle Bin in the Gallery app, which appears automatically after photos or videos are deleted and stores files for 30 days (in MIUI 14/15) or indefinitely (in older versions) to find it:

1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with a photo of the mountains).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) lower-right.
3. Select the basket item (dumpster icon).
4. This will show all deleted media files. To recover, click on the file → Restore.

⚠️ Note: If you don’t see the item in the menu, then:

• 📱 You're using it. MIUI 12 or older - the cart may be hidden.Try updating the Gallery app via Google Play.
• 🗑️ You have already cleaned the basket manually (clean button in the upper right corner).
• ⏳ More than 30 days have passed since the deletion (in new versions) MIUI).

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If the Recycle Bin is empty, check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder through the file manager – sometimes thumbnails of deleted photos remain there.

2. Where is the basket in the File Manager application

Unlike Gallery, Xiaomi's standard File Manager application doesn't have a default Recycle Bin, which means that if you delete a file through this manager, it will be permanently erased (unless you use third-party utilities like Recycle Bin).

1. Temporary folder.trash: Some versions of MIUI create a hidden folder /storage/emulated/0/.trash, where files are stored for up to 7 days. To see it, turn on the display of hidden files in Files settings (three dots → Settings → Show hidden files).
2. Mi Cloud Recycle Bin: If you have Mi Account sync enabled, deleted files can stay in the cloud for up to 60 days. Check through Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Recycle Bin.

⚠️ Note: If you deleted a file through Files and did not find it in.trash, do not use your smartphone to record new data (photos, videos, app installations) – this will reduce the chances of recovery through specialized programs like DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver.

3. Recycle cart in Google Photos and other third-party apps

If you use Google Photos or other galleries (like Simple Gallery), the shopping cart will be inside those apps — and its contents won’t overlap with the standard MIUI shopping cart.

🔍 Important: Files deleted through Google Photos don't make it to the standard Xiaomi Gallery basket, and vice versa. If you're not sure which application you deleted the file through, check all possible shopping carts.

4.Why the basket may disappear or not appear

If you remember exactly what the basket was, but now it is not, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: After the transition MIUI 14/15 The basket in the Gallery can reset if there was no backup. → The phone. → Version. MIUI.
• 🧹 Cache Clearing: When cleaning the Gallery application data (c Settings) → Annexes) basket reset.
• 📲 Reset to factory settings: After a hard reset, all temporary files, including the shopping cart, are deleted irrevocably.
• 🛠️ Manual deletion of.trash folder: If you manually cleaned memory through Files or Root Explorer, you could erase the hidden folder with backups.

⚠️ Note: If the cart is missing after the update MIUI, Try to revert to the previous version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select the service pack. This will require a pre-downloaded firmware file (for example, from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater site).

1.Make sure the battery is charged at more than 50%

2. Connect to Wi-Fi (for cloud carts)

3. Do not install new applications

4. Check all possible carts (Gallery, Google Photos, Mi Cloud)

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5. How to recover files if the basket is empty

If the recycle bin does not contain the necessary files, there are three options:

1. Recovery software: Use DiskDigger, EaseUS MobiSaver or Recuva (for PCs). Importantly, the less you use your phone after deleting, the better the chances of success. Connect your smartphone to your PC in file transfer (MTP) mode and scan internal memory.
2. Backups: Check if automatic backup is enabled in Settings → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud → Backup. Recovery is possible if the copy was created before the file was deleted.
3. Cloud Services: If files are synced to Google Drive, Yandex Drive, or Mi Cloud, check the shopping cart in the web version of the service (e.g. Google Drive Recycle Bin).

💡 Tip: For future cases, set up automatic sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud. In Google Photos, this is how it is done:

Open Google Photos → Profile → Settings Photos → Backup and Sync → Turn on the switch

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The faster you start recovering from deletion, the better the chances of returning files, and each new record on the device (photo, video, app installation) reduces these chances by 20-30%.

6. How to permanently delete files from the Recycle Bin (without recovery)

If you want to completely erase files from the cart (for example, before selling a phone), standard deletion is not enough - data can be restored by programs.

1. Remove files from the cart (in Gallery or Google Photos).
2. Use a secure erasure app like Shreddit or Secure Delete to rewrite free space.
3. For complete cleaning, reset to factory settings: Settings → About phone → Reset settings → Erase all data.

⚠️ Note: Even after a reset, you can recover data using professional equipment (for example, through the Chip-off method).If you sell a phone and want to securely delete personal information, format internal memory via Fastboot:

fastboot erase userdata


fastboot erase cache

7. Frequent mistakes when working with a basket on Xiaomi

Users often make mistakes that lead to permanent data loss, and here are the most common ones:

• 🔄 Update MIUI without backup: Postmajor updates (e.g., with MIUI 13 over 14) the basket may reset. Always back up before upgrading.
• 📁 Deletion of the folder DCIM manually: If you erase the entire folder through Files, it will be harder to recover photos than if you delete them through the Gallery.
• ⚡ Using Memory Optimizers: Apps like Xiaomi’s Clean Master or Security can clean the cart automatically.
• 🔌 Extraction SD-Cards without Safe Disabling: If files were stored on a memory card, abrupt removal of the card could damage the cart.

📌 Rule: If a file is important, never store it in just one place:

• 📱 Local storage (internal memory or storage) SD-map),
• ☁️ Cloud Reserve (Google Photos, Mi Cloud),
• 💾 External drive (flash drive, hard drive).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions