Redmi and Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the system notifies about a lack of space in the cloud, this happens when the free 5 GB allocated to each user of the Mi Account expires, at which point new backups are no longer created, and the synchronization of photos is suspended, which can lead to the loss of important data when the device breaks.
Cleaning the cloud is not just about removing redundant files, it's also about managing the data structure to free up gigabytes of really important information. Many users mistakenly believe that deleting a photo from a smartphone screen automatically cleanses the cloud, but in reality, it works the other way around, or requires manual intervention in sync settings, and we'll figure out how to safely delete the excess by saving the right pictures on your device or computer.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at manual and automatic freeing up of space, working with the basket and alternative ways to store media files. You will learn which folders take up the most space and how to configure automatic synchronization so that it does not block the system. Proper organization of files in Xiaomi Cloud will prolong the life of your data and ensure peace of mind for their safety.
Analysis of occupied space in Mi Cloud
Before you start mindlessly deleting files, you need to understand what exactly takes up precious megabytes. Often users are surprised where 5 GB went, because there are not many photos. The Mi Cloud system has a built-in analyzer that shows the allocation of memory into categories: photos, contacts, notes and backups of applications.
Go to your account settings via Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud. Here you will see a color diagram or category list. Usually, photos and videos are the lion’s share, since they have the most weight. However, it is worth checking the Backup section, which can store old data from previous smartphones that are no longer relevant.
Pay attention to the synchronization status, if the red light is on, it means that the process is stopped due to overflow, cleaning the storage should be a priority in this case. Don't ignore the notifications, because without active synchronization, you risk losing fresh contacts and messages in the event of a system failure.
It's important to understand the difference between a phone's local storage and a remote server. Data can be duplicated, occupying space in both places, or be de-synchronized. Visual analysis in the Gallery app also helps: go to the Albums tab and scroll down to Cloud Albums to see the download status.
Delete photos and videos through the Gallery
The most obvious and effective way to free up space is to work with media files. Xiaomi Cloud is primarily focused on storing photos and videos. To start, open the standard Gallery app and go to the Cloud tab or click on the cloud icon at the top of the screen.
This shows all the files that occupy space on the server. You can sort them by date or size. Pick out the unnecessary pictures, hold your finger on one of them to highlight, then mark the rest. After you select, press the delete button. Importantly, the file will first go to the bin.
- 📸 Select albums with duplicates or screenshots that don’t carry value.
- 🗑️ Use the “Clear the Recycle Bin” function to permanently delete data.
- 🔄 Check your sync settings so that deleted photos don’t load again.
⚠️ Note: When you delete photos from the cloud through the sync menu, they can automatically delete from the smartphone itself, if two-way sync is enabled!
If your goal is to leave photos on your phone but remove them from the cloud, you need to first turn off sync for a particular folder or an entire account. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud → Gallery and turn off the switch. Only then delete files via the web interface or file manager so that you do not lose them locally.
💡
Use the Gallery’s “Recent” mode to quickly locate and remove a series of failed shots or videos taken by mistake that often weigh hundreds of megabytes.
Working with backups of applications and systems
The second most important source of traffic and space consumption is the backup of settings and applications. Mi Cloud can save a list of installed programs, the placement of icons on the desktop, alarm settings and even call history, which can take from several hundred megabytes to several gigabytes if messengers are included in the backup.
To manage this, go to the cloud management section, and you'll see a list of devices that have backups. If you have an old phone that you've sold or lost, you can safely delete it. Click on the device name and select "Delete backup."
Also worth checking backup settings for your current device. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Reserve and Restore. Here you can choose which data to save. For example, disabling the backup of videos from WhatsApp or Telegram can save a huge amount of space, since the messenger media files are very heavy.
☑️ Verification of backup copies
Pay attention to the frequency of copy creation. If you use Daily, you use up space faster than a weekly update. For most users, you just need to keep the latest version of the system and contacts. You don't need old firmware backups, because when you restore it, the phone will still upgrade to the current version of MIUI.
Cleaning through the web interface i.mi.com
Managing files from your smartphone screen isn’t always easy, especially if you need to highlight thousands of photos at once. Xiaomi’s web-based cloud service provides a more powerful toolkit for mass operations. Open your browser on your computer or tablet and go to i.mi.com.
Log in to your Mi Account. The site interface allows you to see the file structure in more detail. Here you can go to Gallery, Contacts, Notes and Dictophone. The advantage of the web version is the ability to use hotkeys (for example, Ctrl+A to highlight all files in the folder) and a more convenient preview.
| Section of the cloud | What's taking place | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| gallery | Photo in original quality, 4K video | Delete blurry photos and long videos |
| Dictaphone | Long recordings of lectures or meetings | Download important to PC, remove the rest |
| Notes | Text and attached images | Clean drafts and old lists |
| Bekap | System pictures and settings | Leave only the latest version. |
It's also convenient to check the Recycle Bin folder through the web interface, and often users delete files but forget to clear the partition, so that space is not vacated, and there's a separate button on the site to completely clean the Recycle Bin, which guarantees a return of storage.
Why do files return after deletion?
Synchronization settings to save space
To keep the overflow problem from returning in a month, you need to configure sync settings correctly. Xiaomi allows you to flexibly manage what data is sent to the cloud and what remains only on the device. This is a key point for owners of a 5 GB tariff.
First of all, turn off sync for heavy and unimportant data. For example, status sync in Status (similar to storis) or automatic download of video from instant messengers is often enabled by default. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud and go through the list of applications.
Leave the sync on only for critical data: Contacts, Messages, Notes and Calendar. This data takes up the minimum space (text weighs kilobytes), but its loss is most painful. Photos and videos are better stored locally or use third-party services such as Google Photos or Yandex.Disk, which give more free space.
- 📵 Turn off Mobile Data Sync to avoid wasting traffic.
- 📂 Eliminate Screenshots and Uploaded Files from Autoboot.
- 🔒 Check which applications have access to the cloud in the Security section».
⚠️ Warning: Disabling the Gallery sync will stop you from making new copies of your photos. Make sure you have an alternative way to save important photos, such as regularly copying to your computer.
💡
The optimal strategy is to store only contacts and settings in Xiaomi Cloud, and transfer media files to Google Drive or physical media.
Use of alternatives and memory expansion
If 5GB isn't enough after all the cleanups, consider alternatives. Xiaomi Cloud isn't the only storage space. Android's ecosystem allows you to bundle with Google services, which are often integrated deeper and offer more generous rates.
You can set up automatic uploads to Google Photos in Save Space (High Quality) mode, which is not part of the Google Drive quota (although conditions may change, the base limit of 15GB remains the standard), enough for most users to spend several years shooting.
Also, don't forget about local storage: Buy a quality microSD card if your Redmi supports this format, or use USB-OTG flash drives to periodically reset archives. Transferring old photos to your computer's hard drive is the most reliable way to free up both your phone and the cloud.
As a last resort, you can consider a paid subscription to Mi Cloud+. However, when you estimate the cost per year, it is often more profitable to buy an external hard drive that will last for years and will not be dependent on changes in company policy or tariffs.