How to completely clean the cart on Xiaomi Redmi: from files to garbage

The Xiaomi Redmi smartphone basket is a temporary storage for deleted files that many users forget to check. Meanwhile, it can take up gigabytes of memory, slowing down the device. Unlike iPhone or Samsung, where the basket is often integrated into cloud services, on MIUI it operates according to its own rules: files are stored locally, and their lifespan depends on the settings of the system.

Not everyone knows that the Recycle Bin in Redmi is divided into two parts: one for the standard file manager of Files, the other for the Photo Gallery. While cleaning one does not affect the other, in this article we will discuss how to properly delete files from both baskets, recover accidentally erased data and why sometimes the Recycle Bin "does not clear" despite all the efforts.

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Where is the basket on Xiaomi Redmi and how to open it

On Redmi smartphones, the cart is hidden from direct access, and you can't find it through a search on the system or on the desktop, and you need to go to the appropriate application to open it:

• 📁 For Files: Open the Files app → tap three points in the upper right corner → pick the basket.
• 📷 For photo/video: Launch the Gallery → swipe right or click on the basket icon in the bottom menu.

In MIUI 14/15, the interface of the shopping cart has changed, so that files are sorted by date of deletion, not by type, which makes it harder to find a specific document if you delete a lot of data at a time, for example, photos from a vacation that were deleted a month ago will end up at the bottom of the list.

Important: The Recycle Bin in Redmi is not synced to the cloud (unlike Google Photos), and all files are stored only on the device, so it will be more difficult to recover them once cleaned.

Method 1: Standard Recycle Bin Cleaning Through File Manager

The easiest method is to use built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable for removing unnecessary files, but it will not help if the basket is “hanging” or does not respond to commands.

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. In the upper right corner, click on three points → Basket.
3. Select the files you want to delete permanently: 🔘 To select all files, tap on the circle at the top of the list. 📌 For selective removal, keep your finger on the desired file.

Delete

Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

Note that MIUI 15 has Autoclean feature that deletes files from the Recycle Bin after 30 days. If you need to save something longer, transfer files back to the main storage (Recover option).

Check the free space on the device|Backup of important files|Close background annexes|Connect charging (if the memory is almost full)-->

Method 2: Cleaning the gallery basket (photos and videos)

The Recycle Bin in the Gallery app works separately from the file manager, only storing media files: photos, videos, GIFs and screenshots, and the main feature is that the default storage period is 15 days (as opposed to 30 days for regular files).

Cleaning instructions:

1. Open the Gallery (the icon with colored squares).
2. Swipe to the right or click on the basket icon in the lower menu.
3. Select files: 🖼️ To delete all photos, click Clear everything. 🎥 For selective removal, keep your finger on the file. → mark the rest.

Delete forever

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos or Mi Cloud, deleted files from the Recycle Bin can remain in the cloud. To erase them completely, go to the web version of the service and clear the Recycle Bin there.

There's a bug in Redmi Note 12 and later: once you clean the gallery basket, thumbnails of files can stay on the list for a few more minutes. It's not a mistake, just wait for the sketches to update.

Method 3: Forced cleaning through storage settings

If the Recycle Bin doesn't open or if it says "Can't upload files," try clearing it through system settings, which will work even if the Files app is frozen.

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Slip on the Cleanup (or Free up space in MIUI 15).
3. Select the basket tab.
4. Click Clean and confirm the action.

This method removes all files from the Recycle Bin without any possibility of recovery. If you need to save something important, first try to restore data through Files → Recycle Bin → Recover.

On Redmi 10C and Redmi 9A, this method may not work due to a stripped-down version of MIUI. In this case, use Method 4 (via ADB).

Method 4: Cleaning the Recycle Bin via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can manually delete your shopping cart files via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting your smartphone to your PC and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Debugging. USB smartphone: 🔧 Go to Settings. → Put 7 taps on the version. MIUI, To activate the developer mode. Go back to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers, turn on the debugging. USB.

Redmi

cmd

adb devices

If the device appears in the list, enter:

adb shell pm clear com.android.documentsui

This command will reset the file manager settings, including the basket.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB This can cause unsaved data to be lost or applications to crash. Don't use this method unless you're sure you're doing it. MIUI 14 and later, instead of com.android.documentsui, you may need a package com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer.

After executing the command, the basket will be empty, but files deleted before that can not be restored – they are physically erased from memory.

How to recover files from the Xiaomi Redmi basket

If you accidentally cleared your cart or deleted important files, you can try to restore them, and success depends on how long it has been since you deleted and whether the data has been overwritten.

Recovery methods:

• 🔄 Through the Recycle Bin: If the files are still in the Recycle Bin (not passed) 15/30 Open it and press Restore it.
• ☁️ From the cloud: Check Mi Cloud or Google Drive – it’s possible that files synced automatically.
• 🛠️ Use software like DiskDigger or Recuva (requires root access for deep scanning).

Redmi with MIUI 15 has Recycle Bin Backup: If you turn it on in advance, files can be restored even after cleaning. To activate: Files → Recycle Bin → Settings → Backup.

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If you are recovering photos, check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder first – sometimes thumbnails are saved even after the originals are deleted.

Why the Recycle Bin on Redmi is Not Cleaning: 5 Reasons and Solutions

Sometimes users find that the Recycle Bin does not respond to commands or files are "returned" after deleting, and here are the main reasons and ways to eliminate them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the file manager settings: Settings → Applications → Files → Storage → Clear the data.

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On Redmi with MIUI 13 and older, the cart may freeze due to conflict with Smart Clean. Turn it off in the storage settings if you encounter bugs.

How to turn off the cart on Xiaomi Redmi forever

If you don't want the files to get into the bin, you can turn it off, which will free up space, but the deleted data will be erased without any recovery.

Instructions:

1. Open the Files → Recycle Bin.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
3. Turn off the option to use the cart.
4. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

For gallery: Gallery → Cart → Settings → Disable the cart.

⚠️ Warning: Once you disable the Recycle Bin, all files deleted earlier will be deleted immediately. If you need to save something important, restore the data from the Recycle Bin first.

On Redmi Note 11 and later, disabling the Recycle Bin can cause some system applications (like Notes) to stop saving drafts, in which case turn the Recycle Bin back on or use third-party backup apps.

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FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning the cart on Xiaomi Redmi