How to Clean Xiaomi Cloud Storage: 7 Proven Ways

Why Xiaomi Cloud is filling up without your knowledge

Have you ever seen a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone suddenly give you a notification that says, "Mi Cloud storage is almost full"? Even if you haven't intentionally uploaded anything there, because the Xiaomi ecosystem syncs up to 12 types of data by default, from photos and contacts to voice recorders and logs, and some of them take up space invisibly, like automatic app backups or cloud cache.

According to Xiaomi data for 2023, the average user spends 3 to 5 GB of cloud storage per year on background processes alone, without conscious downloads. And if you have Galleries, Notes or Mi Fit synchronized, that can grow to 15 to 20 GB in a few months, and in this article, we will discuss how to find and delete unnecessary files, disable automatic synchronization, and optimize your Mi Cloud usage without losing important data.

Before you start cleaning, check what fare you have on your phone. The free plan only gives you 5GB, and the paid ones start at 50GB (≈150 ₽/Maybe it's not the garbage, it's the lack of it, but even with a paid tariff, it's worth cleaning the cloud regularly, which speeds up your smartphone and reduces the risk of personal data leakage.

Method 1: Delete files through the official Mi Cloud app

The easiest method is to use the built-in Mi Cloud app (or Xiaomi Cloud in newer versions of MIUI), which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. If it isn't, download it from Google Play or AppGallery (for Huawei).

Instructions:

1. Open the Mi Cloud app and log in under the same account as you do on your smartphone.
2. Go to Storage Management (or Storage in English).
3. Click on the file category (e.g. Photos, Videos, Documents).
4. Select unnecessary files and click Delete. Use a filter by date or size for mass deletion.

Note that deleted files are stored in the Recycle Bin for 30 days, and to make room immediately, clean the Recycle Bin manually (Bin section). → Clear it all up).

Only unnecessary files (no important photos/documents)

Checked the basket for the presence of old files

Autosynchronization for unnecessary categories is disabled

Backup of important data on a PC or other cloud service

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Method 2: Cleaning up via the web version of Mi Cloud

If you don't have enough space on your smartphone or if the Mi Cloud app is not running smoothly, use the web version, which gives you more options to sort and search files. Here's how to do this:

Click on i.mi.com and log in. On the left menu, select:

• 📷 Photo/Video — you can filter by album, date or size.
• 📄 Documents — PDF, Excel, Word and other files. Often, temporary files from messengers accumulate here.
• 🔄 Backups are backups of applications and system settings. They take up a lot of space, but you need to be careful about removing them.
• 📱 Devices are a list of connected gadgets, and you can untie old phones that you don't use anymore.

For convenience, use keyword searches (e.g., “screenshot”, “telegram”, “backup”). Files can be downloaded to your PC before being deleted – highlight them and click Download.

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If the web version is slowing down, try opening it in incognito or through another browser (like Firefox instead of Chrome).

Method 3: Disable autosynchronization of unnecessary data

By default, Xiaomi syncs almost everything from call history to voice recorder records to the cloud, and many of that data can be painlessly disabled, saving gigabytes of space.

To turn off synchronization:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select a category (e.g. Gallery or Contacts).
3. Move the slider to the off position.
4. Confirm the action if a warning appears.

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Disabling sync does not delete files that have already been downloaded - it only stops adding new ones. To free up space, manually delete the old data (see Method 1 or 2).

Method 4: Delete old backup copies

Backups are one of the main “eaters” of space in the Mi Cloud. Every time you change your firmware, reset your settings or update your MIUI, the system creates a new copy that can weigh 1-5 GB. Over time, a dozen of them accumulate, although you only need the last one.

How to remove unnecessary backups:

1. Open the web version of Mi Cloud (i.mi.com).
2. Go to the Backups section.
3. Select the device you want to clean your copies for.
4. Press three points (⋮) Next to an unnecessary copy and select Delete.

Tip: Before you delete, check the date you created the copy. If it's older than 6 months, it's probably no longer relevant. You can also download the backup to your PC (download button) to have a backup locally.

Method 5: Clearing Cache and Temporary Files

Few people know, but Mi Cloud stores not only your files, but also your application cache, temporary sync data, and even error logs, which are not visible on the main interface, but can take up to 1-2 GB of space to delete:

On a smartphone:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Cloud (or Xiaomi Cloud) and select it.
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Also click Clear Data, but keep in mind that this will reset the application settings (you will have to log in again).

On PC (via browser):

• 🧹 Clear the browser cache (Ctrl) + Shift + Del in Chrome or Edge).
• 🍪 Delete cookies for the i.mi.com domain.
• 🔄 Restart your browser and log in to Mi Cloud again.

This method will not free up much space in the cloud, but will speed up the application and the web version, and reduce traffic consumption during synchronization.

Method 6: Transfer data to another cloud

If you've run out of free 5GB, but don't want to pay for the extension, you can transfer some of your files to another cloud storage, for example:

• 📁 Google Drive – 15GB free, easy integration with Android.
• ☁️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB free, fast download for users from Russia.
• 🍎 iCloud – 5GB free, but handy if you have Apple devices.
• 📦 Mega – 20GB free, but with traffic restrictions.

How to transfer files:

1. Download the necessary data from Mi Cloud to your PC (via the web version).
2. Upload them to a new cloud (drop files in your browser or use a desktop application).
3. Remove duplicates from Mi Cloud.

To automate the transfer, you can use services like MultCloud or rclone (for advanced users), which allow you to synchronize files between different clouds without manual download.

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If you’re moving photos, use Google Photos – it offers unlimited storage for compressed images (up to 16 MP) and video (up to 1080p).

Method 7: Resetting the Mi Cloud to factory settings (last resort)

If the cloud is full of debris and you don't have time to figure it out, you can do a complete reset, which will delete all the data from the Mi Cloud, including:

• 📸 Photos and videos
• 📝 Notes and documents
• 📱 Backup copies
• 🔑 Synchronized settings

How to reset:

1. Open the web version of Mi Cloud (i.mi.com).
2. Go to Account Settings → Delete your account (or Reset the Cloud in some versions).
3. Confirm the action by SMS or email.
4. Wait 24 hours – the data will be permanently deleted.

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Resetting the Mi Cloud does not affect the data on the smartphone itself — it only deletes cloud copies, but after the reset you will have to reconfigure the sync and create new backups.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When cleaning up Xiaomi Cloud, users often face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

⚠️ Warning: If you don't free up space in the cloud after you delete your files, check the Recycle Bin. Files stay there for 30 days and continue to take up space!

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), sync with Mi Cloud may not work smoothly).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions