Recycle Bin on Xiaomi Phone: Where to Find and How to Recover Deleted Files

Why you can’t see the cart on Xiaomi and what to do about it

You accidentally deleted an important photo or document on Xiaomi, but you can't find a basket to recover a file? The problem is that MIUI doesn't have a single universal repository for all types of deleted data -- like on a computer. Instead, the baskets are divided by application, and their location depends on which file you're looking for.

For example, photos and videos from a gallery are placed in one temporary folder and documents from a file manager are placed in another. Moreover, some applications (such as Google Photos or WhatsApp) use their own shopping carts that are not connected to the system. In this article, we will discuss all possible options where a shopping cart on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO can be located, and also explain how to return deleted files if standard methods do not work.

Before you start searching, keep in mind that the default storage time for files in the MIUI Recycle Bin is 30 days, and then they are deleted irrevocably (unless they were recovered earlier), so you need to act quickly.

Where is the photo and video basket on Xiaomi

If you have deleted photos or videos through the standard MIUI Gallery app, you can return them from the built-in shopping cart.

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select the basket item.
3. You'll see a list of deleted files. To recover, click on the file, then on the Recover icon (down arrow).

If the item is not on the menu, it means:

• 📱 You use Google Photos as your main gallery (the cart is separate there – see the next section).
• 🔧 Recycle Bin function disabled in settings (how to enable - read below).
• ⏳ Files deleted more than 30 days ago and deleted from the system.

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If you don’t see deleted photos in the shopping cart, try searching through the search bar in the Gallery – sometimes files remain in the system, but are hidden from the main view.

To check if the cart is included in MIUI Gallery:

1. Open the gallery. → three-point (⋮) → Settings.
2. Scroll down to the File Management section and make sure the Recycle Bin switch is active.

Recycle Bin in Google Photos: How to Recover Deleted Media Files

Many Xiaomi users either default or knowingly use Google Photos instead of the standard gallery, in which case deleted photos and videos are placed in a separate Google shopping cart, which works independently of the system.

To recover files:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. In the upper left corner, click on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) → Cart.
3. Select the files you want, click Restore (the icon with the back arrow).

Important nuances:

• ⏳ Google Photos Stores Files in Recycle Bin for 60 Days (Twice as Long as in Google Photos) MIUI).
• ☁️ If the photos are synced to the cloud, they can be restored even after you delete them from your phone (provided you haven’t manually cleaned the cart).
• 🚫 If you have deleted files from the Google Photos Recycle Bin manually, it will be impossible to restore them.

Recycle Bin in MIUI File Manager: Recovery of Documents

If you delete not photos, but documents (.pdf,.docx), archives (.zip,.rar) or other files through Files (MIUI File Manager, you can try to return them from the system basket.

Instructions:

1. Open the Files app (folder icon).
2. In the bottom menu, select the basket tab (dumpster icon).
3. Click on the file, then on the Restore button (or highlight a few files and click Restore All).

Please note:

• 📁 Basket in MIUI File Manager only stores files for 15 days (as opposed to 30 days in the Gallery).
• 🔍 If you don’t see the Recycle Bin tab, update the Files app via Play Market or App Store MIUI.
• 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F1 Or old Redmi Notes, the basket in the file manager may not be available at all.

How to recover files if the basket is empty or not

If you don't find a deleted file in your recycle bin or it's not in your app, don't despair. There are a few alternative ways to do this.

1. Verification of the.Trash folder through the conductor

In some versions of MIUI, the basket is physically a hidden folder of.Trash in the internal memory to see it:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB (in file transfer mode).
2. Enable the display of hidden folders in the Windows/macOS Explorer settings.
3. Go to the internal memory folder and find.Trash or Recycle Bin.

2. Use of third-party utilities

If the system methods don't work, you can use specialized data recovery software, such as:

• 📱 DiskDigger (for Android) – scans internal memory for deleted files.
• 💻 Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery (for PC) – works if you connect your phone as a drive.

3. Recovery from backup

If you have previously created a backup through Settings → System → Backup, you can try to restore files from there:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Recover Data and specify the desired copy.

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The most reliable way to avoid losing data is to back up regularly to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) or to a physical medium.

Why the cart may not work on Xiaomi

Sometimes users find that the Recycle Bin is not displayed or saved files, and here are the main reasons and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods helped, check:

• 📲 Version MIUI: on old firmware (below) MIUI (12) the basket may have operated differently or not.
• 🔄 Application Updates: Gallery and Files must be the latest version.
• 🛠️ Access Rights: Sometimes Resetting App Permissions Solves a Problem.

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Some models (such as the Xiaomi Mi A1/A2 with pure Android) don’t have a system basket at all, in which case use Google Photos or third-party file managers with a basket feature (such as Solid Explorer).

How to permanently delete files from Xiaomi Recycle Bin

If you want to completely erase files from your shopping cart (for example, before selling your phone), do the following:

For the Gallery:

1. Open the gallery. → Basket.
2. Press three points (⋮) → Clean the basket.
3. Confirm the action.

For Files:

1. Open the Files → Recycle Bin.
2. Click on the bin icon in the upper right corner → Clean.

For Google Photos:

1. Go to Google Photos → Basket.
2. Press three points (⋮) → Clean the basket.

⚠️ Warning: After cleaning the cart, files are permanently deleted. If you sell or transfer your phone, additionally reset to factory settings in Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the cart on Xiaomi