Xiaomi Cloud Cleanup: How to Free Up Space in Mi Cloud Without Losing Data

Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud cloud storage is a handy tool for backing up photos, contacts and documents, but it’s limited. Even 5GB of free space (or 100GB for premium users) can fill up quickly if you don’t follow the content. Unlike Google Drive or iCloud, Mi Cloud’s interface is less intuitive, and file management features are hidden in the back of the menu. This article will help you figure out how to clean Xiaomi’s cloud from your phone or computer, which data can be safely deleted, and which ones better transferred to another storage.

The problem of crowded cloud is relevant not only for owners of flagship Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+, but also for users of budget models like POCO M6. The fact is that automatic synchronization of photos in the original resolution can eat up to 2-3 GB per month if you do not configure the compression. In addition, many do not even suspect that the cloud stores duplicate messages from Mi Messages, call records or logs of the system. We will tell you how to find and remove this “garbague”, and how to disable unnecessary synchronization so that the problem does not happen again.

Why is Xiaomi’s cloud filling up so fast?

The main reason is automatic downloading of data without the user's knowledge. By default, Mi Cloud stores:

• 📸 Photos and videos in original quality (even if you have already deleted them from your phone).
• 📱 Backup copies of applications, settings and SMS (They can weigh up to 1-2 GB each).
• 📞 Call records (if feature is enabled in Settings) → Recording of conversations).
• 📄 Documents and downloads from the Downloads folder or file manager.
• 🔄 System logs (error logs, sensor data, etc.).

The second reason is file duplication, for example, if you took a photo on Xiaomi 13T, it automatically uploaded to Mi Cloud, and then you manually copied it to Google Photos. Now the same photo takes up space in two clouds, and many apps (like Mi Gallery or Mi Video) create thumbnails and cache that can also be synchronized.

The third trap is outdated backups, and every time you change your phone or reset your settings, Mi Cloud creates a new copy, but it doesn't automatically delete the old ones, and in a year or two, you can have redundancy in the cloud with Redmi 9, POCO X3, and other devices that you haven't used in a long time.

How to check what is in the Mi Cloud

Before you delete files, you need to understand which data takes up the most space, and you can do this directly from your phone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to the Accounts → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
3. Click on Storage Management (or Storage in older versions of MIUI).
4. Wait for the data to load – the system will show a diagram with the distribution of space by category.

If you have MIUI 14 or newer, the interface may be slightly different. In some firmware, the path will be: Settings → Memory → Cloud Storage. On the screen, you will see a list of categories (photos, videos, backups, etc.) with their size. Click on any category to see a detailed list of files.

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If the chart doesn’t load, check your internet connection or restart the Mi Cloud app through your app settings.

You can also check the occupied space through the web version of Mi Cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. On the left menu, select Warehouse.
3. Click on the details next to the usage schedule.

The web version is more convenient for mass file management, as it allows you to sort them by size or date. For example, you can filter videos larger than 100 MB or find all backups older than a year.

How to remove files from Xiaomi cloud from your phone

The easiest way to clean up is through the Mi Cloud mobile app, and here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select the category you want to clear (such as Photos or Videos).
3. Click on the Control (or the basket icon in the upper right corner).
4. Mark the files you want to delete and click Delete.
5. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

For mass removal:

• In the Photo or Video section, click on Select All (if you want to delete everything).
• Or sort files by size (click on the filter icon) and remove the largest ones.
• For backups, select Backups, then click on the unnecessary copy and select Delete.

Outdated backups (over 6 months)

Duplicate photos (such as screenshots or repeat shots)

High-resolution video (takes up the most space)

Logs and temporary files of the system-->

If you delete backups, be careful: some may contain important data, such as message history or application settings. Before deleting, check the date of creation of the copy - it may already be outdated and irrelevant.

⚠️ Attention: Deleted files are sent to the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin, where they are stored for 30 days. If you clean the Recycle Bin or 30 days later, it will be impossible to recover data.

Cleaning the cloud through the web version (i.mi.com)

The Mi Cloud web interface is more convenient for working with large amounts of data, as it allows:

• 🔍 Use search by file name.
• 📊 Sort files by size, date or type.
• 🗑️ Clean the basket in one click.
• 📁 Download folders as a whole (not one file as in a mobile application).

Cleaning instructions:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi Account.
2. In the left menu, select Files (or Gallery if you want to clear the photo/video).
3. Check boxes for unnecessary files or folders.
4. Click on the basket icon in the top panel.
5. Confirm removal.

To clean the basket:

1. On the left menu, select the basket.
2. Click Clear the Recycle Bin (or highlight individual files and delete them permanently).

If you want to download files before you delete them, select them and click Download. ZIP-The archives:

• The maximum size of one archive is 2 GB (if more files, they will be broken into several archives).
• Downloading a lot of data can take time (depending on the speed of the Internet).

How to turn off automatic synchronization

To keep Xiaomi’s cloud from filling up again, you need to disable or limit automatic sync, which is especially true for photos and videos that eat up the lion’s share of space.

To turn off synchronization of photos:

1. Open the Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Find the Gallery (or Photos) section.
3. Turn off the gallery synchronization switch.
4. If you want to keep synchronization but reduce the amount of data you download, click on Synchronization Settings and select Compressed Quality over Original.

To disable backup:

1. In the same Mi Cloud section, find Backup.
2. Turn off automatic backup.
3. If you need to leave a copy, but less often, click on Settings and select an interval (for example, Once a week instead of Daily).

It is also recommended to disable the synchronization of unnecessary data:

• 📞 Call records (if you don't use them).
• 📝 Notes (if you are logging them on another service, such as Google Keep).
• 🎵 Music and sounds (unless you store them in the cloud).

⚠️ Note: Disabling Contact and Calendar Sync may cause data loss when you reset your phone. If you use these features, it’s best to leave them enabled or move them to your Google Account.

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Disabling automatic sync of photos in original quality can save up to 70% of the space in the cloud.

How to transfer data from Mi Cloud to another storage

If you don’t want to lose files, but you need to free up space, you can transfer them to another cloud (for example, Google Drive, Yandex Drive or Dropbox).

1. Download files from Mi Cloud to your computer (as described in the previous section).
2. Upload them to another cloud storage:

You can use the Google Photos app to automatically transfer photos:

1. Install Google Photos from the Play Market.
2. Log in to your Google Account.
3. Enable Backup and Synchronization in the application settings.
4. Choose High (free unlimited) or Original (with Google Drive quota).

After transferring the data, be sure to delete it from the Mi Cloud to make room, and make sure that the new files have successfully downloaded to another service.

What to do if Xiaomi’s cloud isn’t cleaned

Sometimes files are not deleted or space is not released even after cleaning.

• 🔄 Cash not updated: Restart your phone or clear the Mi Cloud app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Mi Cloud → Clear the cache).
• ⏳ Sync delay: After deleting files, it can take up to 24 hours before changes are reflected in the storage.
• 📱 Account Error: Log out of Mi Account and log in again (Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Account → Get out).
• 🔒 Premium subscription restrictions: If you had a premium quota (e.g. 100GB) but your subscription has expired, files may be blocked. → Storage management.
• 🛠️ Xiaomi server failure: Check the status of services on status.mi.com.If there is a problem, wait a few hours.

If none of these methods worked, try clearing the cloud with another device:

1. Sign in to your Mi Account on another Xiaomi phone (or via the web version).
2. Repeat the file deletion procedure.
3. If the problem persists, contact Xiaomi via the live chat app in the Mi Community app.

In extreme cases, you can reset the Mi Cloud settings, but this will result in the deletion of all data:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Mi Cloud
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset Settings.
3. Confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: Resetting Mi Cloud will delete all synchronized data (photos, contacts, backups) without recovery. Use this method only if other methods have not helped, and you have backups elsewhere.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up Mi Cloud