Where is cloud storage on Xiaomi Redmi 9: search and setup

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to transfer data or free up internal memory of the device. The question of exactly where the cloud storage on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is raised by users who want to protect their photos, contacts and important documents from accidental loss. Modern operating systems offer several layers of cloud integration, and it can be difficult for a beginner to understand the confusing settings menu.

In fact, two major services can be activated on your device simultaneously: the manufacturer’s proprietary Mi Cloud and the standard Google Drive. Each of them performs its own functions and has unique access paths through the system menu. Understanding the difference between these services is critical to managing your digital space properly.

In this article, we will take a look at all possible locations of cloud services, how to activate them and how to configure synchronization, and how to quickly find the desired partition in the MIUI system, even if the interface was changed after the last update.

Two Types of Cloud: Mi Cloud vs Google Drive

The first thing that Redmi 9 owners need to learn is the dual nature of cloud computing in the Android ecosystem. By default, the system offers to use a Google account, which is tied when the phone is first activated. However, Xiaomi has implemented its own Mi Cloud service, which is deeper integrated into the MIUI shell and allows you to synchronize specific data that is not available by standard means.

Mi Cloud is focused primarily on backing up system settings, desktop layouts, call and message history, making it an indispensable tool when switching to a new phone of the same brand, while Google Photos and Google Drive are better at handling multimedia content and third-party documents.

Users should be clear about where their files are uploaded. It often happens that a person searches for their photos in the Mi Cloud gallery, even though they are automatically sent to a Google account, and this confusion leads to a false opinion about data loss or memory overflow.

• ☁️ Mi Cloud – system service for backup settings, contacts, messages and notes.
• 📁 Google Drive – Universal storage for documents, archives and files from applications.
• 🖼️ Google Photos – a specialized service for unlimited (compressed) storage of images and videos.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse the local Cloud folder in the file manager with the real network storage. The local folder may simply be a shortcut or cache that does not guarantee data safety when resetting settings.

Search and activate Mi Cloud on Redmi 9

To find a native cloud from the manufacturer, you will need access to the main settings menu, the path to it is standardized, but may vary slightly depending on the version of the MIUI firmware installed on your Redmi 9. Most people overlook that for full operation of the service requires separate authorization through Mi Account, which does not always coincide with the Google account.

To log in, you need to go to Settings, which is usually represented as a gear on the home screen or in the notification curtain. At the top of the menu, you will see a user profile or login button. This is where the key to managing Mi Cloud lies. If you have not previously created Mi Account, the system will suggest registering it using a phone number or email.

Once you have successfully logged in, you will see a cloud management panel that displays your current storage capacity and available limit, and you will be provided with 5GB of free storage, which is standard for basic rates, but it is enough to store thousands of contacts and important documents.

It is important to note that in some regions, Mi Cloud may be limited or require you to choose China or India when registering, although this is rarely a problem for Redmi 9 on the global version. If you can't find a menu item, try searching at the top of the settings screen by typing in "Mi Cloud."

Location of Google Drive and Photos

Unlike Xiaomi, Google products are an integral part of the Android operating system. On Redmi 9, they are represented by separate applications that can be found on the desktop or in the menu of all programs. Access to the storage settings here is different and does not require a deep dive into the system settings of the phone.

The Google Photos app is often pre-installed and automatically starts when you first turn on the camera, and it's responsible for creating digital copies of your images. To check the sync status, you just open the app, click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner, and select "Photo Settings" → "Autoboot and Sync." Here you will see which account is saved.

Google Drive is used to manage files, documents and app backups, and its icon has a distinctive triangular logo, and it has folder navigation and occupied space information shared between Mail, Drive and Photos, a single 15GB space for a free account.

• 📱 Open the Google Photos app to work with media files.
• 📂 Use the Google Drive app for documents and WhatsApp backup.
• ⚙️ Synchronization settings are located within each application separately.

The convenience of Google services is that they are cross-platform, so you can access your data from any computer just by logging in to the service's website, making them the perfect complement to your local phone storage.

Setup of automatic data synchronization

Just finding cloud storage isn't enough -- you need to set it up correctly. Auto synchronization is the process where a phone updates data in the cloud itself when new files appear or settings change. On Xiaomi Redmi 9, this mechanism works in the background, but requires proper configuration.

In Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud, you’ll find a list of data categories to sync. These can be contacts, messages, voice recorders, notes, and even desktop icons. It’s important to only turn on switches for items you really need so you don’t waste precious traffic and space.

Special attention should be paid to the settings of synchronization over the mobile network. By default, the system can prevent downloading large files (for example, videos) over the mobile Internet while waiting for a connection to Wi-Fi. This is a reasonable restriction that saves your plan from quickly exhausting.

To activate sync via mobile network in Mi Cloud, go to sync settings and select “Use mobile network.” In the Google Photos app, a similar setting is in the “Outload and sync” → “Outload mode”.

⚠️ Attention: Enabling synchronization of large amounts of data via mobile network (3G/4G) This can lead to a fast battery drain and significant costs for Internet traffic.

Memory management and storage cleanup

Sooner or later, free cloud space is coming to an end. On Redmi 9, quota management is carried out through special cleaning interfaces, the system will tell you which files take up the most space, and suggest removing unnecessary or purchasing additional volume.

In Mi Cloud, when you overflow, you stop syncing new data. To make room, you can go to the web version of the service (i.mi.com) from your computer. There is a more convenient file manager available, which allows you to massively delete old screenshots, duplicate contacts or heavy video files. Deleting on the site automatically applies to the phone.

Google offers a “Free Space” tool that automatically removes photos already stored in the cloud from your device, a secure feature that allows you to return gigabytes of memory to the Xiaomi Redmi 9 without the risk of data loss.

• 🗑️ Use the “Free Place” feature in Google Photos for quick cleaning.
• 💻 Mi Cloud Web Interface is More Convenient for Mass File Sorting.
• 📉 Check your cloud shopping cart regularly, as deleted files are stored there for up to 30 days.

If you’re actively using your phone to shoot high-resolution video, 5GB or 15GB might not be enough for a month, and it makes sense to consider paid subscriptions, which are often offered at family rates, which is beneficial for a group of users.

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Periodically check the Recycle Bin folder in cloud services. Files deleted from your phone often stay there for 30 days, continuing to rank in your quota.

Solution: synchronization and input errors

Despite the stability of cloud services, Redmi 9 users may experience errors, most often the problem is an unstable Internet connection or an authentication failure. If you see an error icon next to the cloud icon, check network availability first.

Time and date desynchronization is a common problem. To properly operate the SSL/TLS security protocols used by cloud storage, the time on the device must match the server time. Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Date and time and enable automatic network time determination.

You may also need to clear the cache of cloud services apps. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find “Mi Cloud” or “Google Photos”, select “Memory” and click “Clear Cache” This will not delete your data, but will reset temporary files that may have been corrupted.

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90% of sync problems are solved by checking date and time, reconnecting to Wi-Fi or re-entering your account password.

In rare cases, MIUI antivirus settings can block background cloud services activity to save energy. Make sure that Mi Cloud and Google apps have background permission and auto-start.