Where to look for a basket on the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 8: a complete guide with pictures and tips

Why You Can't See the Recycle Bin on Redmi 8 - and Where to Look for It

You deleted an important file on Xiaomi Redmi 8 and now you can't find a basket to recover it? The problem is that the standard Android file system (including the MIUI shell) doesn't have a universal shopping cart like on computers. Instead, each type of file -- photos, videos, documents -- gets into its own shopping cart inside the apps that process them, like deleted photos stored in the Gallery and documents in the File Manager.

On Redmi 8 (and other Xiaomi smartphones), the cart can be hidden because of:

• 📱 Versions MIUI: in old firmware (below) MIUI (12) the function of the basket was limited.
• 🔧 App settings: Some programs (like Google Photos) turn off the cart by default.
• 🗑️ Types of files: video, audio and APK-Files are often deleted irrevocably, bypassing the basket.

In this article, we will discuss where to look for a basket for different types of files, how to turn it on, and what to do if files are lost without recovery, and how to set up automatic backups to avoid losing data.

Where is the photo and video basket on Redmi 8?

If you delete photos or videos through the standard Xiaomi Gallery, they go to the hidden folder of the shopping cart.

1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with colored squares).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select the basket.
3. Hold your finger on the file to recover or click Restore Everything.

🔹 One important thing is that by default, files are stored in the bin for 30 days, and then they are deleted irrevocably if they have not been restored:

1. Go to the gallery. → Settings (⚙️) → Basket.
2. Select the storage period: from 1 to 60 days.

If you use Google Photos, the shopping cart is located elsewhere:

• 📸 Open Google Photos → pop on the avatar → Basket.
• 🕒 Files are stored for 60 days (cannot be changed).

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To avoid losing photos, enable autosynchronization: Settings → Backup and Sync in Google Photos, and photos will be duplicated to the cloud even after being deleted from your phone.

Recycle Bin for Documents, APKs and Other Files

For other file types (PDF, DOCX, APK, ZIP, etc.), the basket is located in the MIUI File Manager.

1. Open the Files app (an icon with a yellow folder).
2. In the bottom menu, select the Recycle Bin (Dumpster Bin icon).
3. Hold the file to recover or click Clear to delete everything irrevocably.

⚠️ Note: if you deleted a file through Explorer (e.g., Total Commander or ES File Explorer, basket MIUI He's not gonna see him:

• 🔍 Check the basket inside the conductor itself (usually in the side menu).
• 🛠️ Use data recovery software (about them in the next section).

File Manager Recycle Bin has a storage life of 15 days, which cannot be changed, but you can manually clean the Recycle Bin earlier to make room.

Gallery Xiaomi → Cart (photo / video)

Google Photos → Cart (cloud photos)

Files → Recycle Bin (Documents, APK)

Conductor (if used) → His own basket.-->

What to do if the cart is empty or files are lost irretrievably

If you didn’t find the files in the shopping cart, it could mean:

• 🗑️ Files have been deleted more 30/60 days ago (expired).
• 📲 Removal occurred through the Explorer or Terminal (bypassing the basket).
• 🔄 The phone was reset to factory settings.

In these cases, the software for data recovery will help. The best options for Redmi 8:

🔹 Importantly, the less you use your phone after deleting files, the better the chances of recovery.

How to set up automatic backup on Redmi 8

To keep your files safe, set up automatic backup. Redmi 8 has two reliable ways to do this:

1. Backup to MI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud):

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable Gallery Synchronization, Contacts, Notes.
3. Click Backup → select the data to copy.

🔹 5GB of cloud storage is available free of charge, and you can buy additional space if you need it.

2. Google Drive (alternative for those who do not use Mi Cloud):

1. Install Google Drive from the Play Market.
2. Open the app. → press ➕ → Download.
3. Select the files to be backed up.

📌 Tip: to automatically upload photos to Google Photos, turn on the option Backup and Synchronization in the application settings.

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Setting up automatic backup takes 5-10 minutes, but saves years of valuable data. Don't put it off for later!

Frequent mistakes when working with a basket on Xiaomi

Redmi 8 users often face the following common problems:

⚠️ Note: if you manually clean the Recycle Bin (Clean Everything), the files are deleted immediately and irrevocably).

Error 1: "The basket is not displayed in the Gallery"

🔧 Decision:

• Update MIUI to the latest version (old firmware may not have a basket).
• Clear the cache of Gallery: Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear the cache.

Error 2: Files are missing from the basket ahead of schedule

🔧 Decision:

• Check if there was an automatic cleaning (for example, when there was a lack of memory).
• Use DiskDigger to scan your internal memory.

Error 3: “I can’t recover files from Google Photos Recycle Bin”

🔧 Decision:

• Make sure you are logged in to the same Google account from which the files were deleted.
• Check the Archive folder in Google Photos – sometimes files move there.

How to Protect Files from Accidental Deletion

To minimize the risk of data loss:

• 🔒 Enable Deletion Confirmation: In Gallery: Settings → Deletion Confirmation. In File Manager: Settings → Confirm removal.
• 📁 Create backup copies of important files on SD-map.
• 🚫 Do not use garbage cleanup in applications like Clean Master – they can delete files from the trash.

🔹 Useful Lifehack: If you frequently work with important documents, install Dropbox or OneDrive and set up autosynchronization of Downloads or Documents folder.

Redmi 8 also allows you to use hidden folders to store sensitive files:

1. Open the files. → Go to the internal memory.
2. Create a folder with a name that starts with a dot (e.g.,.secret).
3. Move important files there – they won’t show up in standard browsing.

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To see hidden folders in the MIUI File Manager, turn on the display of hidden files: Settings → Show hidden files.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About the Redmi 8 Recycle Bin