Recycle Bin in Xiaomi Mi 9: where to look for deleted files and how to return them?

Why Xiaomi Mi 9 doesn’t have a shopping cart and what to do

You deleted an important file on Xiaomi Mi 9 and now you can’t find a basket to recover it? You’re not alone: many users are faced with the fact that Xiaomi smartphones do not have a standard icon “Baskbasket” as on computers or even some other Android devices, the reason lies in the features of the file system MIUI, the proprietary shell from Xiaomi.

Unlike Windows or macOS, where deleted files are temporarily placed in a special folder, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (as with most Android smartphones) works differently. There is no single basket for all types of files - instead, each type of data (photos, videos, documents) can have its own garbage box or even be deleted permanently. But this does not mean that files are lost forever!

It's important to understand that the speed of your actions after deleting directly affects the chances of recovery, the longer you wait, the more likely it is that the system will overwrite the space that has been vacant, and then it will be impossible to return files, so if you just deleted something important, immediately go to the section on data recovery.

Where is the standard basket in Xiaomi Mi 9

The Xiaomi Mi 9 (and other smartphones with MIUI) has a built-in shopping cart, but it doesn’t work for all files, just for:

• 📷 Photos and videos - in the gallery Mi Gallery (appendix "Gallery»)
• 📄 Documents and downloads - in the File Manager app)
• 🎵 Audio files - in some versions MIUI (but not all)

To find a photo basket:

1. Open the Gallery app (a flower or film icon).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) top-left.
3. Select the Cart item (or Trash in English version).
4. Deleted photos and videos will be stored here for 30 days (by default).

For files from the Files app:

1. Start File Manager (Folder Icon)
2. Go to the Category section → Basket.
3. Deleted files will be sorted by date.

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If your File Manager does not have a Recycle Bin tab, update the app via Google Play or check your storage settings in Settings → Memory.

Note: the Recycle Bin in MIUI does not work for files deleted through third-party applications (such as Google Photos or ES Explorer), in which case recovery is possible only through specialized utilities.

Recycle Bin in third-party applications: Google Photos, ES Explorer and others

If you deleted files not through standard Xiaomi applications, but through third-party services, the shopping cart may be located elsewhere.

For example, if you delete a photo through Google Photos, it won’t appear in the Mi Gallery Recycle Bin – you need to search for it in the Google Photos app itself. The same applies to files deleted through ES Explorer or Solid Explorer: each file manager has its own basket (if it is enabled in the settings).

⚠️ Note: If you delete a file via adb, fastboot or command line (for example, via rm in Termux), it bypasses all the baskets and is deleted irrevocably.

How to recover files if the basket is empty

If you don't find a deleted file in your recycle bin or it's expired, don't despair - there are several ways to get it back. The effectiveness depends on how long it's been since you deleted it and whether you've used your smartphone after that (new files can overwrite old ones).

Here is a step-by-step plan of action:

Do not save new files to your device|Turn off automatic sync (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)|Charge your phone at least 50%|Install a reliable recovery application-->

Method 1: Recovery through DiskDigger (without root)

DiskDigger can find deleted files even without a superuser's permission. Download it from Google Play and follow the instructions:

1. Run DiskDigger and select Basic scan (if there is no root) or Full scan (if there is root).
2. Specify the type of files to search for (e.g. JPG, PNG, MP4).
3. Wait until the scan is finished (it can take up to 30 minutes).
4. View the files found and save them to the cloud or other media.

Method 2: Using Recuva (via PC)

If DiskDigger doesn’t help, connect the Xiaomi Mi 9 to your computer and use Recuva:

1. Download and install Recuva on PC.
2. Connect the phone in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. In Recuva, select your smartphone’s drive and run a deep scan.
4. After searching, mark the files for recovery and save them to your computer.

⚠️ Note: Do not save recovered files back to Xiaomi Mi 9 - this may result in their re-loss.

How to turn on the basket for all files on Xiaomi Mi 9

If you’re annoyed by the lack of a single bin for all file types, you can configure the Xiaomi Mi 9 so that deleted data always ends up in the garbage can.

Method 1: Configure in File Manager

The standard File Manager app allows you to include a basket for most file types:

1. Open File Manager.
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Settings.
3. Find the basket option and turn it on.
4. Set a storage period (from 1 to 30 days).

Method 2: Using Mi Cloud to Backup

If you sync files to Mi Cloud, they automatically enter the cloud bin when you delete:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired data types (photos, contacts, notes).
3. When deleted, files will be stored in the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin for 30 days.

You can also use third-party cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox, which have their own file recovery mechanisms, for example, in Google Drive, the shopping cart is accessible via a web version or an app.

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Enabling the Recycle Bin in File Manager does not guarantee the safety of files deleted through other applications. For full protection, set up automatic backup in Mi Cloud or Google Photos.

What to do if the cart is not working or files are lost

Sometimes users find that the shopping cart in Xiaomi Mi 9 does not display deleted files or they disappear prematurely.

• 🔄 Resetting settings - after resetting to factory settings, the basket is cleaned.
• 📱 Update MIUI — Some updates reset File Manager settings.
• 🗑️ Manual cleaning – it’s possible that you or another application (like a garbage cleaner) have deleted files from the trash.
• 🛠️ File system damage – if the smartphone is turned off while recording data, the basket may not work properly.

If the cart doesn't show files, try:

1. Reboot your smartphone.
2. Clear the File Manager app cache (Settings → Applications → Files → Storage → Clear the cache).
3. Update File Manager and Mi Gallery via Google Play.
4. Check the free space on the device – if the memory is less than 10%, the system can automatically clean the cart.

If the problem is not resolved, try recovering files via DiskDigger or Recuva as described in the section above.

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

If you want to completely erase files from the Recycle Bin so they can’t be restored, do the following:

For the standard MIUI basket:

1. Open the File Manager or Mi Gallery.
2. Go to the basket section.
3. Select files that need to be deleted forever.
4. Slip on the basket icon or choose Clean/Delete Forever.

For deep cleaning (if you are selling your phone):

If you are planning to sell or give away the Xiaomi Mi 9, cleaning the cart alone is not enough to guarantee that all data will be deleted:

1. Make a backup copy of important files.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose Delete all data and confirm.
4. After reset, fill the phone's memory with junk files (like videos), and then reset again. This will overwrite the space that has been vacant.

⚠️ Note: Even after resetting, files can be recovered using specialized software. If you need a 100% deletion guarantee (for example, for sensitive data), use programs like DBAN (PC) or Secure Erase via fastboot.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the cart in Xiaomi Mi 9