Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones are overflowing with data, and the company’s standard 5GB is often not enough to store important photos and backups. When storage is crowded, data sync stops and you risk losing new images or contacts when your device breaks. Owners often wonder how to effectively free up space without permanently deleting the necessary information.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the process of cleaning the Mi Cloud cloud storage and its correct configuration, which files take up the most space, how to set up automatic cleaning, and whether you should purchase a paid subscription to expand your limits.
Proper cloud management is not just about removing junk, it is about creating a reliable system for the security of your personal data. The right synchronization setting will allow you to maintain a balance between free space on your phone and the availability of files anywhere in the world.
Analysis of storage occupancy and identification of heavyweights
The first step before cleaning up should always be to analyze in detail what exactly is taking up precious space. Often users delete unnecessary files at random, not realizing that the lion's share of memory is occupied by automatic messenger backups or high-resolution video. To see the real picture, you need to go to the account settings.
Open Settings on your device and go to Mi Account. Here you will see a visualization of the occupied space, divided into categories: Gallery, Recorder, Notes and other applications. Click on a specific category, you can see the details by file size.
The main cause of overflow is 90% of photos and videos that are automatically uploaded in full resolution, even if they are already saved to your computer, and the “Deleted” section, which is often ignored but continues to store deleted files for 30 days, is also worth paying attention to.
- 📸 Gallery: usually takes up to 80% of the available volume due to video 4K and serial.
- 📱 System data: backups of settings and application lists that may be duplicated.
- 📝 Notes and voice recorders: Voice recordings of lectures or meetings can weigh hundreds of megabytes each.
Understanding the structure of the storage allows you to act point-by-point, so instead of deleting everything, you can free up gigabytes by deleting just a few heavy video files or clearing the cart.
Instructions for cleaning Gallery and deleted files
The fastest way to free up space is to work with media content. Photos in the cloud are often duplicated: the original can be on the device, and a copy can be in the cloud. However, if you use the function "Storage Optimization", then the original is stored in the cloud, and on the phone - a thumbnail.
To clean up, go to Settings → Mi → Mi Cloud → Gallery. You can manually select albums to remove or use the mass selection feature. Pay special attention to the folder “Recently deleted”.
⚠️ Note: Files deleted from the recently deleted folder in the cloud disappear forever and cannot be restored even by support.
It’s also worth checking your video settings. If your device shoots in 4K or 8K, a single minute video can weigh more than 500MB. Removing those videos from the cloud is the most efficient way to get free space quickly.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
After deleting heavy files, the system can update the statistics for a while. Don't panic if the numbers don't change instantly - servers take time to recalculate.
Managing application backups and system data
In addition to photos, Mi Cloud actively backs up app data, which is convenient when changing phones, but can create a dead weight from data from long-deleted programs, and checking this section regularly helps maintain order.
In the cloud menu, look for the Backup section, which shows you a list of apps that are stored, and often you can find old messenger backups that are no longer in use, or backups of games that you haven't played in years.
Turn off sync for unnecessary applications by simply switching the corresponding slider to the off position.This will not delete data immediately, but will prevent it from updating and increasing in volume in the future.
- 🔧 System settings: include icon location, Wi-Fi passwords and alarm settings.
What happens when you turn off the reservation?
It is recommended to review this list every six months, deleting the data of applications that you no longer plan to use or reinstall.
Comparison of tariff plans and memory expansion
If cleaning doesn’t help and you need to store large amounts of data in original quality, it’s worth considering expanding storage. Xiaomi offers multiple subscription tiers that integrate directly into the system.
The base 5GB tariff is free forever, but it only lasts for contacts, notes and a few dozen photos. For an active video user, this is categorically not enough. Paid rates offer 50GB, 200GB and 2TB of space.
| Tariff. | Volume | Price (exemplary) | Who's right for? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 5GB | Free of charge. | For contacts and settings |
| Standard | 50GB | ~100 rub/mo | For a photo archive of a single user |
| Premium | 200GB | ~250 rub/mo | For family and video in 4K |
| Maximum | 2 TB | ~600 rubles/month | For professionals and large families |
You can pay directly from your mobile phone or credit card account management menu, and there are often promotions for new users, giving you a month of free use of the full functionality.
Synchronization and optimization of work
To ensure that the cloud works correctly and does not waste mobile traffic, you need to adjust the sync settings correctly, and by default, the system can try to upload photos over a mobile network, which is not always desirable.
Go to the sync settings and find “Use mobile network.” For photos and videos, you’d better set the limit “Using Wi-Fi only” to save your data plan from running out quickly.
Also useful is the gallery's "Storage Optimization" feature, which, when it's turned on, stores the original photos in the cloud, and then leaves the device with smaller copies of them, allowing you to free up space on the smartphone itself, while retaining access to all the photos.
⚠️ Warning: Enabling storage optimization requires a constant internet connection to view photos in full resolution. Without the network, you will only see thumbnails.
For stable operation, it is recommended to periodically check the status of the account. If you change your password or security data, the sync may stop before re-authorization.
💡
Use the Quiet Sync feature at night by connecting your phone to charging and Wi-Fi so you don’t slow down your device during the day.
Customizing these settings takes a couple of minutes, but ensures a comfortable use of the service in the long run without unexpected traffic costs.
Frequent problems and ways to solve them
Users often experience sync errors when status is hung on “Waiting” or “Network Error,” and in most cases, the problem lies in an unstable connection or crowded cache of Google and Mi services.
The first thing you need to do is check the date and time, and if they're downed, the security server blocks the connection, and set the time automatically in the system settings.
The second step is to clean up the Mi Cloud Services data. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Mi Cloud Services → Memory → Clear the data. This will not delete your files, but reset the sync settings, forcing the system to start the process again.
- 🔄 Reconnect: Try logging out of your Mi Account and logging in again.
- 📶 Change network: switch from Wi-Fi to mobile internet or vice versa to check.
- 📲 Update: Make sure the Security app and system services are updated through GetApps.
💡
If sync errors are repeated all the time, try to delete your account and add it again, which solves 95% of software conflicts.
In rare cases, the problem may be on the side of Xiaomi servers, and you can check the status of services on the official community forum or in the company news.