Where to look for a Recycle Bin on Android on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to 2026

You accidentally deleted an important file on a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone and now you don't know where to look for a shopping cart like Windows? Unfortunately, pure Android doesn't have a universal shopping cart for all types of files - but there are several hidden recovery mechanisms in the MIUI shell. In this article, we'll look at exactly where deleted data is stored, how to return it and what to do if standard methods don't work.

Unlike computers where the Recycle Bin is a separate folder on the desktop, on Xiaomi it depends on the file type and how you delete it. For example, photos from the gallery can be sent to Recently Deleted, and documents from the file manager can disappear forever. We analyzed the work of the Recycle Bin on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 (Android 13/14) and collected all the relevant methods of recovery, including hidden functions and third-party tools.

It's important to understand that even if the file is deleted, it doesn't disappear from memory immediately. The system just marks it as "free space," and until those sectors are overwritten with new data, the chances of recovery remain, but you need to act quickly — especially if you're actively using your smartphone.

Where in MIUI to look for a basket for different types of files

Xiaomi smartphones don’t have a single basket for all files, but some system apps have their own “junk buckets.”

• 📷 Photos and video: Gallery MIUI It has a built-in folder called "Recently Deleted" where files are stored for up to 30 days. → Albums. → Recently deleted.
• 📄 Documents and Downloads: File Manager MIUI («Files) does not have a default shopping cart, but you can enable backup in Mi Cloud.
• 🎵 Audio files: The Mi Music app does not save deleted tracks, but can be restored via Mi Cloud or third-party programs.
• 📱 Annexes and APK: Remote programs don’t make it to the shopping cart, but they can be returned from Google Play. → Library or backup.

If you deleted a file through a conductor (for example, Total Commander or FX File Explorer), there may be no basket at all - it depends on the settings of the specific file manager, in which case only recovery through backups or specialized utilities will help.

Important! On some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), the recently deleted folder in the gallery may be hidden. To see it, make sure that the gallery settings include the display of hidden albums: Gallery → Settings → Show hidden albums.

How to recover files from the MIUI Gallery Recycle Bin

If you delete a photo or video through a standard gallery, the chances of recovery are as high as possible.

1. Open the Gallery app (flower icon).
2. Slip on the three horizontal lines at the bottom (Albums section).
3. Scroll down and select “Recently Deleted”.
4. Click on the file you want to restore, then tap “Restore” at the bottom of the screen.
5. The file will return to the original album (e.g., Camera or Screenshots).

By default, files are stored in the gallery basket for 30 days, and then they are deleted irrevocably (if there was no backup) to change the retention period:

1. Go to the Gallery → Settings → Basket.
2. Choose the period: 1 day, 7 days, 30 days or Always ask.

Make sure the file is not overwritten with new data|Check the free space on the device (minimum 10% of the memory capacity)|Disable automatic sync with the cloud (unless you need to duplicate files)|Charge your phone at least 30% (to avoid crashes)-->

On Xiaomi models with MIUI 14+ (e.g. Xiaomi 13T or POCO F5), the gallery cart can automatically clear when there is a lack of memory. If less than 500 MB is free, the system deletes the oldest files from the recently deleted files without warning.

What to do if the cart is empty or files are deleted forever

If you don’t have files in Recently Deleted or have deleted them more than 30 days ago, try these methods:

1. Check backups in Mi Cloud

Xiaomi automatically backs up photos, contacts and some documents to the Mi Cloud to recover data.

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select Gallery or Files (depending on the type of data).
3. Click Restore and select the desired files.

Note that the free Mi Cloud tariff only provides 5GB of space, and if you don't have a backup, this method won't work.

2.Use third-party recovery programs

If you don't have backups, you can use specialized utilities.

• 🛠️ DiskDigger – Recovers photos and documents without root rights (but with restrictions).
• 🔍 Recuva (for PC) – if you connect your phone to your computer in mode MTP.
• 📱 Dumpster – an alternative shopping cart for Android (you need to install it beforehand!).

Important: The less you use your phone after deleting, the better the chances of recovery. Every new photo, app installed or cache reduces the likelihood of success.

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Before using recovery software, turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data, which will prevent automatic synchronization and overwriting of deleted files.

3. Check the.trash folder (hidden cart)

Some files (especially those deleted via ADB or Termux) can be accessed by a hidden.trash folder to find it:

1. Open any file manager that supports hidden folder display (such as Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/).
3. Enable the display of hidden files (in the manager settings).
4. Find the.trash or.recycle folder.

If the folder is not there, then your deletion method did not use this mechanism.

How to turn on the basket for the file manager MIUI

By default, the standard MIUI file manager ("Files") does not have a shopping cart, but it can be emulated through Mi Cloud settings or third-party applications.

Method 1: Automatic backup in Mi Cloud

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
2. Enable Automatic Backup.
3. Select data types to save (e.g. Files, Notes, Downloads).
4. Set the frequency of reservation (only on Wi-Fi is recommended).

Deleted files can now be recovered from the cloud within 60 days (at a free rate).

Method 2: Install an alternative file manager

Some managers (like FX File Explorer or Total Commander) have a built-in basket to activate:

1. Install FX File Explorer from Google Play.
2. Open the application settings (☰ → Settings).
3. Go to Recycle Bin and enable the Enable Recycle Bin option.
4. Specify a folder to store deleted files (e.g. /storage/emulated/0/RecycleBin/).

Now all files deleted through this manager will go to the basket.

Table: Where to look for deleted files on Xiaomi depending on the type

If your file type is not listed in the table, try universal methods:.trash verification, ADB recovery, or contacting Xiaomi Support (for critical data).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users lose files forever because they don’t know the nuances of the Xiaomi shopping cart, and here are some of the most common mistakes:

⚠️ Note: If you deleted the file through “Memory Cleanup” in settings (Settings) → Memory. → Cleaning, it bypasses the cart and is deleted immediately, and you can only recover this data through low-level utilities (for example, for example, 7-Data Recovery, but it requires root rights.

• 🚫 Cleaning the cache gallery: Many think that cleaning the cache in Settings → Annexes → gallery → Memory will free up space, but it can remove thumbnails from the basket.
• 🔄 Reset to factory settings: When reset via Settings → The phone. → Reset all data (including the basket) is erased. Always back up before resetting!
• ☁️ Disable Mi Cloud: If you log out of your Xiaomi account or turn off sync, backups become unavailable.
• 📲 Using third-party cleaners (such as Clean Master): These applications often delete files without the ability to recover them.

To minimize the risks, set up automatic backups in Mi Cloud and Google Drive. It is also helpful to install an alternative shopping cart (like Dumpster) before files are deleted.

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On Xiaomi with MIUI 15 (2026), the gallery cart is smarter: it analyzes free space and can automatically clear at a critical memory level (less than 1 GB).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Cart