How to Clean the Recycle Bin on Xiaomi Phone: Instructions for MIUI 14/13

When you delete files on a Xiaomi smartphone, many users wonder why the space that has been vacant is being recycled over time, because of the hidden MIUI basket, a temporary storage bin that hosts deleted photos, videos and documents. Unlike Windows or macOS, the shopping cart is not always visible in the file manager on Android, and its contents can take up up to 15% of internal memory without the owner’s knowledge.

In this article, we will discuss exactly where the basket is stored on Xiaomi Redmi, POCO and other models with the MIUI 13/14 shell, how to clean it manually or automatically, and what to do if the files from the basket are lost after a system update.

If you’ve never cleared a shopping cart on your Xiaomi, chances are there are hundreds of unnecessary files, from duplicate photos to temporary documents from instant messengers, that don’t always notify you of a storage overflow, and users are lost in guessing why the phone says “Memory is full” even though there are few visible files.

Where is the basket on Xiaomi and how to open it

In MIUI, the basket is integrated into the standard File Manager app, but its location depends on the shell version. On the new smartphones (Xiaomi 13/14/15, Redmi Note 12/13), the path to the basket has changed — it is now hidden deeper than in the older versions of MIUI 12.

To find the basket:

  • 📱 Open the Files app (Folder icon on the home screen).
  • 🔍 In the upper panel, press three horizontal lines (menu) → pick the basket.
  • 📁 In some models (POCO X5, Redmi 10C) The Recycle Bin can be called Recently Deleted or Deleted Files.
  • 🔄 If there is no item, update the Files app via Google Play.

On smartphones with MIUI 14 and later, the basket can be divided into two sections: Local Recycle Bin (files from the phone) and Cloud Recycle Bin (deleted files from Mi Cloud), which syncs with the Xiaomi account and can take up space even after the phone is reset to factory settings.

📊 How often do you clean your smartphone basket?
Once a week.
Once a month
Only when memory ends
Never cleaned.

Why Xiaomi’s Recycle Bin Won’t Clean Automatically

By default, MIUI is set to automatically delete files from the recycle bin after 30 days, but this mechanism often fails.

  • ⚙️ Time synchronization is disabled. If the date/time on the phone is lost, the system will not recognize the expired files.
  • 📵 Application cache errors Files. After updates MIUI cache may block cleaning.
  • 🔒 Secure files: Some documents (such as those from Mi DocViewer) are marked as "important" and not deleted.
  • ☁️ Cloud Recycle Bin: Files from Mi Cloud are stored separately and require manual cleaning.

To check the automatic cleaning settings: Files → Basket → ⚙️ (setting) → Autocleaning.

If the option is disabled, turn it on and set a period (we recommend 7-14 days to save memory).

💡

If the memory is not free after cleaning the basket, check the.trash folder in the root directory through the root file manager (for example, FX File Explorer).

How to clean the cart on Xiaomi manually: step-by-step instructions

Manual cleaning is guaranteed to delete all files, including those that the system does not recognize as junk.

  1. Open the basket through Files → Menu → Recycle Bin.
  2. Select the files: 📌 To highlight all, click on the icon ✓ top-right → Choose everything. 🔍 To select specific files, hold your finger on any item. → mark out.

Delete it definitively.

  • 🗑️ Click on the basket icon at the bottom of the screen → confirm.
  • ⚠️ On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, POCO F5) You will need to enter a password or pattern lock.
What if the basket is empty but the memory is busy?
Sometimes the system doesn't display files in the Recycle Bin, but they're physically left on the device. In this case: 1. Connect your phone to your PC and use DiskInternals Linux Reader to scan your internal memory. 2. Find hidden folders with the.trash-* extension (e.g..trash-1000). 3. Delete them manually. Be careful - this may affect the operation of some applications!

How to Clean the Mi Cloud Cart

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s cloud storage that automatically backs up deleted files. Even if you cleared your local cart, copies of photos and documents can stay in the cloud, taking up space in your account (usually up to 5GB for free).

To clean up the cloud basket:

  • 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in.
  • 📁 Select the section of the basket in the side menu.
  • 🗑️ Tag Unnecessary Files and Click Delete Forever.
  • ⚠️ Note: Files in Mi Cloud are stored for 60 days before final deletion.

⚠️ Warning: If you use one Mi Cloud account on multiple devices, cleaning the cart will delete files from all tied phones and tablets.

To save space in the cloud, we recommend:

  • 📱 Turn off automatic photo/video downloads in Mi Cloud Settings → gallery.
  • 🔄 Regularly check the Storage Management section of the Mi Cloud site.
  • 💾 Transfer important files to Google Drive or physical media.