Where to Find Cloud Storage in Xiaomi Phone: Detailed Guide 2026

You bought a new Xiaomi smartphone, Redmi or POCO, and you want to figure out where your cloud is stored? Or you find that photos are missing from your phone but should be backed up? Mi Cloud is not just an "internet drive," it's a full-fledged tool for synchronizing contacts, messages, notes, and even system settings. But finding it in the phone menu is not always intuitive: the manufacturer regularly changes the location of items, and in different versions of the MIUI shell, the path to the cloud may differ.

In this article, we will not only show you where to look for Mi Cloud on your device, but also explain how to use it effectively. You'll learn how to enable automatic sync, restore data from the cloud to a new phone, and what to do if the system requires account confirmation after a reset, and also, we'll learn about hidden functions that even official instructions don't mention. For example, did you know that you can remotely lock your phone through Mi Cloud if it’s stolen, even without access to the phone? SIM-map?

What is Mi Cloud and Why is it Necessary for Xiaomi?

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud storage integrated into the MIUI ecosystem, and it performs three key functions:

  • 📁 Backup: Automatically saves photos, videos, contacts, SMS, Call recordings and even desktop settings.
  • 🔄 Synchronization between devices: if you have several Xiaomi gadgets (smartphone, tablet, smartwatch), the data will be the same on all devices.
  • 🔒 Data protection: if you lose or steal your phone, you can restore information on a new device or remotely block an old one.

By default, each Mi Account is provided with 5 GB of free space, enough for ~2,000 photos in compressed format or a backup of system settings. If you need more, you can buy an extension (prices start from 100 rubles for 50 GB per month).

📊 You’ve already used Mi Cloud on your Xiaomi?
Yes, I do backups regularly.
Only for synchronization of contacts
I tried, but I didn't figure it out.
Never used it.

Where is Mi Cloud in the phone menu: 3 ways to open it

The location of the Mi Cloud item depends on the MIUI version and the phone model, and we have compiled the current paths for all modern firmware (2022-2026).

Method 1: Through basic settings (MIUI 12–14)

This is the most common method that works on most devices:

  1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
  2. Scroll down and find the Xiaomi Cloud section (or Mi Cloud on older versions).
  3. If there is no item, search in the settings (the magnifier in the upper right corner) and enter “cloud”.

Method 2: Through Mi Account (MIUI 13-14)

On new firmware, access to the cloud can be hidden in the user profile:

  1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account (at the top of the screen where your name is displayed).
  2. Tap the avatar or account name.
  3. In the menu that opens, select Xiaomi Cloud.

Method 3: Through the notification panel (fast access)

If you use the cloud frequently, add it to the curtain:

  1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
  2. Slip the pencil icon (or "Edit") in the lower right corner.
  3. Find Xiaomi Cloud tile and drag it to the active area.

☑️ Checking access to Mi Cloud

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How to enable automatic data synchronization

By default, Mi Cloud only syncs contacts and notes, and to save the rest of the data, you need to manually activate the backup:

  1. Open the Settings. → Xiaomi Cloud.
  2. Select the backup of the device.
  3. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
  4. Click Set up backup and tick the desired categories: 📱 System settings (themes, wallpaper, sounds) 📞 Call log and SMS 📸 Gallery (photo and video) 📝 Notes and notes

Create a backup copy

Important! The first backup can take a few hours, depending on the amount of data and the speed of the Internet, and we recommend connecting to Wi-Fi and leaving the phone on charge, and then synchronization will take place automatically when you connect to the network.

💡

If you are a photographer and shoot a lot in the format RAW, delete the folder DCIM/Camera auto-synchronization. RAW-Files take hundreds of megabytes and fill up free files quickly 5 GB.

How to Recover Data from Mi Cloud to a New Phone

When you first set up a new Xiaomi smartphone, the system will offer to restore data from the cloud. But what if you missed this step or want to transfer only individual files?

Method 1: Complete recovery (phone reset)

This is a radical method that will return the phone to its state at the time of the last backup:

  1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
  2. Choose to erase all data.
  3. At the stage of setting up the phone after reset, select Restore from backup.
  4. Log in to your Mi Account and select the copy you want.

⚠️ Warning: This method will delete all current data on your phone! Use it only if the phone is new or you are ready to lose local files.

Method 2: Selective recovery (without resetting)

If you only need to return photos or contacts:

  1. Open the Settings. → Xiaomi Cloud.
  2. Select a category (e.g. Gallery or Contacts).
  3. Slip on the three-point menu in the upper right corner and select Restore.
  4. Specify the date of the backup and confirm the action.

What if Mi Cloud is not visible in the settings?
If Xiaomi Cloud is not on the menu, it could mean: 1. You have an inactive Mi Account (check Settings). → Xiaomi account and log in. 2. Installed custom firmware without Xiaomi services (for example, LineageOS). 3. the region of the phone changed to informal (for example, from Russia to Global via EEA Unlock.The last two cases may not work at all.—> Mi Cloud's hidden features, which you didn't know about, are more than just storing photos. Here are 5 useful tips: Remote phone lock: If your phone is stolen, go to findmi.com, log in and lock the device. Even after the reset, it will require a password from your Mi Account.Share files between devices: In Xiaomi Cloud → You can send photos or documents to another Xiaomi phone without messengers. Application Backup: Apps are in the cloud settings to save game and program data (e.g. Genshin Impact progress or Google Maps settings). Location history: If synchronization is enabled, the cloud saves the phone's history (useful for tracking lost device) Wi-Fi password recovery: When you recover from a backup, the phone will remember all the saved networks and passwords to them. FAQ: Answers to popular questions: Can I use Mi Cloud without the Internet? No, all operations (download, restore, synchronization of the lost device) You can already download files from the Mi Cloud (how you can download the file from the Xiaomi backup? Free accounts can store up to 3 last backups (old ones are automatically deleted when you create new ones). For paid rates, the limit is increased to 10 copies. The retention period is unlimited if you log in regularly (inactive accounts can be deleted after 2 years). How do you transfer data from Mi Cloud to Google Drive? There's no direct export, but you can bypass: Restore the files you want from Mi Cloud to your phone. Install Google Photos or Google Drive. Manually upload files to Google services. Contacts: export them to a file. VCF via Contact → Settings → Import/Export, then import to Google Contacts. Is it safe to store photos in Mi Cloud? Xiaomi claims that data is encrypted during transfer (protocol) TLS 1.2+) They're stored on servers in encrypted form: 🔐 Account password is the only protection. If it is hacked, the attacker will get access to the files. 🌍 Xiaomi servers are located in China, Singapore and the United States, and local data retention laws may apply to Russian users. 📸 For sensitive photos, use closed albums in the gallery (they don't sync to the cloud). Why doesn't Mi Cloud sync notes? The problem is usually with the Mi Notes app: Open Notes and tap on the three-point menu. → Settings. Make sure you sync with Mi Cloud. If your notes are missing, try manually updating the data (swipe down on the app's home screen). If it doesn't work, reinstall Mi Notes via AppGallery (sometimes updates to Google Play don't work properly).