How to completely clean the cart on Xiaomi Mi A1: all ways

Xiaomi Mi A1, released in 2017 on Android One, is still popular with users due to its clean Android and stable updates. However, many owners face a problem: the basket in the Files app ceases to be cleaned by standard methods, takes up gigabytes of memory or does not display deleted files at all. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to clean the basket from basic to advanced, including solving typical errors like “failed to clean the basket” or “Folder.trash is busy”.

The Mi A1 is a stock Android without a MIUI shell, so the standard instructions for other Xiaomi smartphones don't fit here. We've taken that into account and adapted the methods for this model. If you tried to clean the cart through the app menu, but nothing worked out, don't rush to reset the phone to the factory settings. Most likely, the problem is solved in a few clicks.

Before you start, check how much space the basket takes up:

1. Open the Files app (Blue folder icon).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Basket.
3. At the top of the screen will be shown the amount of occupied space.

If the figure exceeds 1-2 GB, and the files in the basket are not visible – this is a reason to act.

1. Standard cleaning of the basket through the Files app

To start with, the most obvious method, which works 70 percent of the time: In the Xiaomi Mi A1, the Recycle Bin is integrated into the standard File app (not to be confused with MIUI File Manager, which isn't here), the algorithm is simple, but there are nuances:

• 📁 Open the Files app. → tap the icon ⋮ (three points) in upper right corner.
• 🗑️ Select the Recycle Bin. If you don't have one, update the app via Google Play.
• 🧹 In the upper right corner, click Clear Everything or select files manually and tap on the basket icon.
• ✅ Confirm the action in the dialog window.

If the cart didn't clear after this, and the memory is still busy, the problem goes deeper. Possible reasons: The Files version of the app is outdated (it had a bug with invisible files in the cart before 2021).

Or the system can't delete files because of a permission failure, so we're going to go to the next one.

⚠️ Note: If you fail to delete an item during cleaning, do not try to repeat the action repeatedly. This may damage the file system.

2. Clean through Android Storage Settings

Android has a built-in memory management tool that can force files to be deleted from the cart even if the standard app refuses to do so.This method does not require root rights and works on all versions of Android, including the one installed on the Mi A1:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Slip on Free up space (or Memory Cleanup depending on the Android version).
3. Wait for analysis → select Recycle Bin category or Deleted Files.
4. Click Clean and confirm the action.

If the Recycle Bin item is not on the list, try another way: Settings → Applications → Files → Storage → Clear the cache.

This won’t remove files from the recycle bin, but it can restore the app’s health.

⚠️ Note: If after cleaning through the storage settings memory is not free, check the folder /storage/emulated/0/.trash manually (see section) 4). Sometimes files stay there because of Android malfunction.

3. Cleaning the cart through ADB (no root)

If the standard methods didn't work and you don't have root rights, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which removes all files from the bin by force, including those that don't appear in the interface, you'll need a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled on the phone.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → Build Number (shap 7 times).
2. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → System → For Developers.
3. Connect the Mi A1 to your PC and confirm your trusted device.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell


rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/.trash/*




exit

If the.trash folder is missing, try an alternative command:

adb shell


rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher/files/.trash/*




exit

This folder is used in some versions of Android to store temporary files.

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC

Enable debugging over USB on your phone

Connect your phone to the original cable

Check the visibility of the device by the adb device command-->

After you've completed the commands, restart the phone. The memory should be free. If not, move on to the next section.

4 Manual cleaning of root-rights basket

If you have root access, you can manually delete all files from the trash, including system junk folders.This method is guaranteed to clean all temporary files, but requires caution - wrong actions can lead to a system failure.

Use any root conductor, such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer.

1. Open the guide and provide root access.
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/.
3. Find folders:.trash is the main shopping cart;.Trash-1000 is an alternative folder for some files; Android/data/com.android.providers.media/.trash is junk media files.

Delete all files inside these folders (you don’t need to touch them!).

Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete the.trash folders completely – they will be created again, but this may disrupt the work of some applications (for example, gallery). /data/media/0/ without rooting to prevent damage to the system.

5.Reset the Files app to factory settings

If the Recycle Bin is still not cleaned, but the files in it are not critical, you can reset the Files app itself, which will delete all its settings and cache, but will not affect user data.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Files.
2. Slip the Warehouse → Clear the data and Clear the cache.
3. Go back to the main menu of the app and check the cart.

Once reset, the app will create a new basket folder, and the old one will be left in the memory like garbage.

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. On your computer, open the phone folder and manually delete:.trash.Trash-1000 @Recently-Deleted (if any)

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If the Files app is unstable after a reset, install an alternative file manager, such as FX File Explorer or Total Commander. They have their own baskets that are cleaned without problems.

6. Alternative methods: cloud services and third-party applications

If none of the methods worked and the cart still takes up space, consider the following options:

• ☁️ Cloud carts: If you use Google Photos or Mi Cloud, check their carts separately.In Google Photos: Library → Basket → Clean up.
• 📱 Third-party file managers: Applications like Files by Google or Amaze File Manager have their own shopping cart mechanisms. Install one of these and move files there before deleting them.
• 🔄 Factory reset: The last resort if the basket is "stuck" due to a system failure!

For the Xiaomi Mi A1, Files by Google is especially relevant, as it is optimized for stock Android and does not conflict with system processes.It automatically clears the cart after 30 days, eliminating the need to do it manually.

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If the problem with the cart occurred after the Android update, try to roll back on the previous version of the firmware or wait for a patch from Google. In the Mi A1, such bugs are often fixed in the next updates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning the cart on Xiaomi Mi A1