Recycle Bin on Xiaomi: where to look for deleted files in MIUI and how to return them

You accidentally deleted an important file on Xiaomi and now you don't know where to look for the cart? Unlike Windows or macOS, Android systems (including Xiaomi's MIUI) don't have a single "basket" for all file types. Instead, deleted data can be temporarily stored in different places - or disappear forever immediately after clicking "Delete." In this article, we'll look at where to look for the shopping cart on Xiaomi depending on the file type (photo, video, documents) and firmware version, and how to recover deleted data if standard methods do not work.

It is important to understand: the behavior of the shopping cart on Xiaomi depends on three factors: 1) the version of the MIUI (in older versions the basket could be absent at all), 2) the type of deleted file (photos, videos, documents are processed differently), 3) the method of deleting (via a gallery, file manager or a third-party application).

For example, photos deleted through a standard Gallery are in the shopping cart for 30 days, and files deleted through File Manager can disappear forever immediately.

1. Cart in the Xiaomi Gallery: how to return deleted photos and videos

The standard Gallery app on Xiaomi (including Redmi and POCO) has a built-in shopping cart where photos and videos are stored for 30 days before final removal.

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) top-right.
3. Select Recycle Bin (or Remote in some versions of MIUI).
4. Click on the file and select Restore.

⚠️ Note: If you have deleted photos through Google Photos, you should search for them in the shopping cart of this application (Basket section in the side menu.

Check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder in the file manager |

Make sure that Auto Clean is not enabled in the Gallery settings |

Try to restore via Google Photos (if you were synced) |

Use the DiskDigger app for deep scanning-->

In MIUI 14 and later, the Recycle Bin in the Gallery can be hidden if you have never deleted files. To activate it, just delete one photo - the section will appear automatically. Also check if the Recycle Bin is disabled in the settings: go to the Gallery → Settings → Recycle Bin and make sure that the Recycle Bin Slider is active.

Recycle Bin in MIUI File Manager: Where to Look for Deleted Documents

Unlike the Gallery, the standard File Manager on Xiaomi does not always save deleted files to the Recycle Bin.

• 📁 File type: documents (PDF, DOCX), APK archives are usually deleted irrevocably, and pictures and videos can be in the basket.
• 🔧 Versions MIUI: into MIUI 12.5 and older, the Recycle Bin in the file manager is stable, but may not be available in earlier versions.
• 🗑️ Delete Methods: If you used the option Delete Forever, files will not get into the Recycle Bin.

To check the basket in the file manager:

1. Open the Files app (folder icon).
2. Go to the Categories section in the lower menu.
3. Scroll down and find the Recycle Bin folder (or Deleted Files).

If there is no partition, then your version of MIUI does not support the document basket.

• 🔍 Check the folder. /storage/emulated/0/.trash through ES Explorer (hidden files must be enabled in settings).
• 📱 Use recovery applications such as Dumpster or Recuva (root rights required for deep scanning).

MIUI 14|

MIUI 13|

MIUI 12.5|

Old version (MIUI 11 or lower) |

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3. where the loading basket is stored and APK-file

Files downloaded through a browser or downloaded from the Internet (such as APK) do not enter the shopping cart in either the Gallery or the file manager.

• 🗑️ Remove permanently when selecting the option Remove in the download notification.
• 📂 Remain in the Download folder if you just cleared the browser download list (files are not physically deleted).
• 🔄 Can be restored through the download history in Google Chrome (Downloads section) → History).

To return a deleted APK or document:

1. Check the /storage/emulated/0/Download folder through any file manager (enable hidden file display).
2. If you don’t have a file, try recovering it through Google Drive (if you’ve synced) or specialized utilities like Undeleter.

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If you delete often APK-Install Dumpster, which creates a backup bin for all types of files, including installers.

4. How to turn on the basket on Xiaomi, if it is not

If you don't find the basket in either the Gallery or the file manager, it may be disabled in the settings. Here's how to activate it:

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI The recycle bin in the file manager 11 and older may not be available even after it is turned on, in which case the only way to return files is to use third-party utilities (for example, DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver).

If you upgraded your smartphone to MIUI 14 and the basket is gone, try resetting your file manager settings: go to Settings → Applications → Files → Storage → Clear the data. After the reboot, the basket should appear.

5. Recover files without a basket: 3 working methods

If files have been deleted past the recycle bin (for example, through Storage Cleanup or memory card formatting), try these methods:

Method 1: Through MIUI backups

Xiaomi automatically backs up some files to find them:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Local Backups.
3. Check if you have copies of the files you want (usually stored in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder).

Method 2: Using Google Photos or Drive

If you have synced with Google Photos or Google Drive:

• 📷 In Google Photos: Open the side menu → Basket → select files → Restore.
• ☁️ In Google Drive: Go to the Recycle Bin (stores files for 30 days).

Method 3: Recovery programs (without root)

To recover files without superuser rights, you can:

• 📱 DiskDigger scans internal memory for deleted files.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver – Recovers photos, videos and documents (free version limited).
• 📂 Recuva (for PC) – if you connect your smartphone to your computer in file transfer mode.

6.Why the Xiaomi basket might not work

Sometimes the shopping cart suddenly disappears or doesn't save files.

• 🔄 Update MIUI: after major updates (for example, with MIUI 12 on MIUI 14) basket settings may be reset.
• 📱 Reset to factory settings: the basket is cleaned along with the rest of the data.
• 🗑️ Manual cleaning: If you manually delete the.trash folder through root conductor, the shopping cart will stop working.
• 🛠️ System optimization: Some cleaners (such as Clean Master) can remove the contents of the shopping cart.

To get the basket back on track:

1. Reboot your smartphone.
2. Clear the cache of the Gallery and Files apps in the settings.
3. Update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI.
4. If nothing helps, reset your application-only settings (without deleting data): Settings → System → Settings Reset → Reset application settings.

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The Xiaomi Recycle Bin only works for files deleted through standard applications (Gallery, Files). If you used third-party managers (for example, Solid Explorer), you can only recover data through specialized utilities.

7. How to protect files from accidental deletion

To avoid future data loss:

• 🔒 Enable backup: Go to Settings → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backup and create backup of important files.
• ☁️ Sync with the cloud: Use Google Photos (for media files) or Mi Cloud (for documents).
• 📁 Hide important folders: Add a dot before the folder name (e.g.,.SecretFiles) – it will become hidden and will not appear in the standard manager.
• 🚫 Turn off auto-cleaning: in the Gallery settings, deactivate the option Automatic Cart Cleaning.

You can also install third-party applications to protect files:

• 🔐 AppLock – blocks access to the gallery and file manager.
• 🗃️ Hide It Pro – hides files under the guise of an audio player.
• 📲 Dumpster – Creates a universal basket for all types of files.

Frequently asked questions