Recycle Bin in Xiaomi: where to look for deleted files and how to restore them

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a shopping cart — and where do deleted files actually go?

You deleted an important file on a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone — and now you can't find it? Unlike Windows or macOS, MIUI doesn't have a single basket for all types of data. Instead, files are sent to different temporary repositories depending on which application they were deleted and where they were stored.

Complicating matters, the manufacturer regularly changes the logic of dealing with garbage: in older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5), the basket was visible in Files, and in new ones, it was moved to the Gallery or removed altogether for some types of content. Even experienced users are lost when you need to restore a deleted photo, document or record from a recorder. In this article, we will analyze all possible places where Xiaomi can hide your “deleted” data, and learn how to return it.

1. basket in the Gallery app - for photos and videos

The most obvious place Xiaomi stores deleted media is the built-in Recycle Bin in the Gallery app, which works on a “30 Days to Recover” principle: after deleting the photos or videos, they stay here until the deadline expires or you manually clean the shopping cart.

How to get there:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app (image with multi-colored squares).
• 🗑️ Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• ⏳ All deleted photos and videos will be displayed here, indicating the days before automatic deletion.

Important: The basket in the Gallery does not store:

• 🚫 Files deleted through Explorer or Files.
• 🚫 Media saved in the Google Photos or Mi Cloud (they have their own shopping carts!).
• 🚫 Screenshots if removed via notification (bypassing the “Gallery»).

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If the cart does not have the right photo, check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder – sometimes thumbnails remain even after the originals are deleted.

2. Temporary storage in the "Files" (MIUI File Manager)

For documents, APKs, archives, and other files deleted through the standard MIUI File Manager, the logic is different: Here the basket is called Recent or Remote, but its behavior depends on the firmware version:

⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party file manager (e.g., Solid Explorer or a file manager) FX File Manager, it will have its own shopping cart — or it won't be at all. In this case, the files are deleted irrevocably (unless cloud backup is connected).

Open the Files app"|Check the "Category" or "Recent" section"|Look for the basket/garbage folder"|Make sure the storage period has not expired-->

3. Recycle Bin in Mi Cloud and Google Photos - Cloud Copies

If your Xiaomi enabled sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos, deleted files could be saved in cloud bins, which is especially true for photos and videos, but also works for some documents (for example, notes from Mi Notes).

How to check:

• 🌥️ Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Shelf life: 60 days.
• 📷 Google Photos: Open the app → Library → Recycle bin: Stored for 30 days (or 60 for paid accounts).

🔹 Important: If you delete a file before you sync, it won't get into the cloud bin, RAW-photo ZIP-archives) may not be automatically reserved.

Mi Cloud|Google Photo|Both options|Don't use the clouds.|Other-->

4.Hidden system folders - where Xiaomi hides "garbage"

MIUI creates temporary folders to store deleted files, but they are not always visible to the user. To find them, you need to turn on the display of hidden files:

1. Open Files → Click on three points → Settings.
2. Activate the option to show hidden files.
3. Go to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and look for folders:

/.trash # General basket for MIUI 12-14


/.recycle # Alternative storage (rarely)




/DCIM/.thumbnails # Miniatures of deleted photos




/Download/.temp # Temporary download files

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the.data or.system folders, which can cause firmware to crash. If you are not sure if the folder contains your data, you should use specialized recovery programs (about them below).

5. Recover deleted files without a basket

If the files are not found in any of the baskets, there are two options:

1. Recovery software: DiskDigger, Recuva (for PCs), Undeleter. They scan the device's memory at the binary data level and can find files even after formatting, and success depends on how long it's been since the deletion and how fragmented the memory is.
2. Backups: Check archives in Settings → System → Backup or connect your phone to your PC and look for copies in Google Drive/Mi Cloud.

📌 Advice: To increase the chances of recovery:

• 🛑 Stop writing new data to your device immediately (do not install apps, do not take photos).
• 🔌 Connect your phone to charge – recovery can take hours.
• 💾 Use a memory card (if the files were on it) – the chances are higher than with internal memory.

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The faster you start recovering, the better the chances of returning files, and once you overwrite the memory sectors, the data is lost forever.

6.Setting up the basket: how to increase the shelf life or turn it off

By default, Xiaomi stores deleted files for 5 to 30 days, but this can be changed.

1. Open the gallery. → ⋮ → Settings.
2. Select the Recycle Bin → Shelf life.
3. Set the value from 1 day to 60 days (maximum).

For Files (MIUI File Manager):

1. Go to the Files. → ⋮ → Settings → Basket.
2. Turn on/off the function or change the storage period.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the Recycle Bin will result in instant file deletion without recovery (unless cloud backup is used) and this is true for devices with low memory, but it is risky for important data.

7 Frequent Mistakes: Why the Recycle Bin doesn't work

Users often experience problems when trying to recover files, and here are the most common reasons:

🔧 Technical nuance: On some models (POCO F1, Redmi Note 8 Pro Recycle Bin may not work due to custom firmware or regional restrictions, in which case only manual recovery via PC will help.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions