How to Clean Xiaomi Cloud Storage and Free Up Space

Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are equipped with high-quality cameras that take high-resolution images, which quickly fills the available space. Mi Cloud cloud storage becomes an indispensable tool for backup, but its limits are often exhausted faster than expected. When the meter shows overflow, the system stops syncing new data, and the user loses current backups.

Cleaning the cloud is not just about removing redundant files, it's about managing your digital archives properly. Securely removing data from the cloud requires checking local copies on your device to ensure you don't lose important documents permanently. In this article, we'll look at proven methods for freeing up gigabytes, setting up automatic cleaning and optimizing your Mi Account.

Analysis of vault occupancy

Before we take drastic action to remove, we need to know exactly what is taking up the lion's share of space. Often users mistakenly assume that the space is taken up by photos, while the bulk of the consumption is backed up by WhatsApp or high-resolution video.

For detailed statistics, go to your device settings. Open Settings, select your Mi Account at the top of the screen, and click on Mi Cloud. This displays a visual employment scale and categorization of Gallery, Recorder, Notes, and Application Backups.

If you're using a computer, it's easier to do a web-based analysis. Go to i.mi.com, log in and go to the memory management section. The system automatically ranks files by size and download date, which helps identify heavyweights you may have forgotten about.

⚠️ Before mass deletion, make sure that the sync is complete and all data is correctly displayed in the cloud if you plan to clear the phone’s local memory.

Understanding the structure of your data is key to success, for example, 4K video files can take up gigabytes, while thousands of Word documents take up only megabytes, and the priority removal should be focused on bulk media files, which are not critical.

Delete photos and videos through the Gallery

The most obvious and effective way to free up space is to work with the media library. The Xiaomi gallery is closely integrated with the cloud service, so deleting a photo on your phone automatically triggers the process of deleting from the cloud when synchronization is enabled.

When you delete a photo, it doesn't disappear instantly. The file moves to a special folder of Albums → Recently deleted, where it is stored for 30 days. While the file is there, it continues to occupy a place in your Mi Cloud quota. To instantly free up space, you need to clean this folder too.

You can also look at the "Storage Optimization" feature, and you can set up a mode in the Gallery settings where the originals are stored in the cloud in full resolution, and only reduced previews are left on the device, which saves the memory of the smartphone itself, but does not reduce the amount of occupied space in the cloud.

To selectively remove large videos, use date or location viewing mode. Often, old videos from events or travels made a few years ago can be deleted without regret, freeing up a significant amount of video. Video files are the main consumer of traffic and space, so they are revised quickly.

Cleaning App Backups and WhatsApp

Many users are unaware that messenger backups can take up more space than personal photos. WhatsApp and Viber are set to automatically back up their correspondence and media history in Mi Cloud. If you actively use these apps in work chats, the backup can be as large as tens of gigabytes.

To manage this data, you need to go to the settings of a particular messenger. On WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats. Here you will see the date of the last copy and its size. It is often wiser to turn off automatic video upload to the cloud, leaving only text, or even migrate the backup to Google Drive if the phone’s functionality allows you to do this directly.

Also check the Backup section in the settings of the Mi Cloud itself, which can store old copies of system settings, call lists and SMS from previous devices, and if you changed your phone six months ago, you don't need a copy of your old device, and you can easily delete it.

Managing Files through a Web Interface

Working with the cloud through a computer (browser) is often more productive than through a mobile application. The web version at i.mi.com provides convenient access to the file system, allowing you to drag and drop files with your mouse and use keyboard shortcuts for quick selection.

One of the great things about the web interface is that it can be batched, you can select hundreds of files by holding a Shift or Ctrl key and delete them at a single click, and this is especially true for folders with documents, scans and downloads that accumulate over the years.

In addition, the web version allows you to download important archives to your computer’s hard drive before deleting, which is the perfect scenario for creating a cold backup: you download old photos from last year on your PC, archive them, and then erase them from the cloud, making room for new data.

⚠️ Note: When you delete through the web interface, the changes are not instantly synchronized. If you immediately open the gallery on your phone, deleted photos may be displayed there for some time before the status update.

Remember to check the "Dictorney" section, recordings of lectures, meetings or just noise files can take up significant space, and in the web interface they are convenient to listen to before deleting, so as not to erase important information.

Synchronization and auto-removal setting

To prevent the overflow problem from returning regularly, you need to configure synchronization settings correctly. Automatic uploading over a mobile network often leads to random screenshots and unsuccessful frames flying to the cloud.

In the Mi Cloud settings, you can select specific albums to sync, for example, you can leave the sync for Camera and Selfie albums on, but disable it for albums of apps like Instagram, Telegram or screenshots, which will significantly reduce the flow of junk files.

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Use the Clean Device feature in the Xiaomi Gallery settings, which finds similar photos, blurred images and screenshots on your phone, suggesting that you remove them from both devices (locally and in the cloud).

It’s also worth considering buying extra space if cleaning doesn’t have a long-term effect. Xiaomi’s tariffs are relatively inexpensive, and 50GB or 200GB are often more profitable than constantly fighting for each megabyte.

It is important to keep in mind the status of your account: If you are not active for a long time or exceed storage limits, Mi Cloud may stop syncing new data or even start deleting old files under the terms of the agreement (although they usually simply block the download of new ones).

Alternative methods of data storage

If the Mi Cloud limits are exhausted and you don't want to pay, you should consider alternatives.The Android ecosystem makes it easy to use Google Photos or Google Drive. Many Xiaomi users don't even know that they have unlimited (with some compression conditions) storage in the Google ecosystem.

Another option is to use third-party cloud services such as Yandex.Disk, Dropbox or MEGA. By installing the corresponding application, you can set up automatic uploading of photos to these services, and in the Mi Cloud settings, disable the synchronization of the gallery.

Local storage on PC or external SSD-The storage device is the most reliable way to archive. Once a month, connect your phone to your computer and copy the folder. DCIM You can then delete files in your phone and the cloud.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party clouds, make sure they don’t conflict with the Xiaomi system gallery by creating duplicate files or endless sync cycles.

The combined approach is often the best solution: important documents and contacts are stored in the Mi Cloud for quick synchronization between Xiaomi devices, and heavy media archives are located on Google Drive or local computer.

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Regular audit of cloud storage every 3-4 months allows you to maintain order and avoid sudden synchronization stops at the most inopportune moment.