How to Clean Memory in the Xiaomi Cloud

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face critical overflows of embedded storage, which leads to a slowdown in the system. Cloud services are designed to solve this problem by automatically storing important data on remote servers. However, over time, even virtual space ends up, and the user faces the question: how to properly clean up memory in the cloud without losing valuable photos or contacts?

The main difficulty is that the Mi ecosystem uses several levels of synchronization: its own Mi Cloud service and standard Google Photos. Deleting a photo from the gallery when synchronized is turned on erases it from the phone and from the cloud without the possibility of restoring it through the basket. Therefore, before starting any operations, you need to clearly understand which service consumes your limit and where exactly the “heavy” files are stored.

In this article, we'll look at the step-by-step algorithms for both services, covert settings and optimizations. You'll learn to distinguish local copies from cloud shortcuts and safely free up space. Cache cleaning and duplicate removal are just the tip of the iceberg, and efficiency is achieved by a comprehensive approach to media management.

Analysis of the occupancy of the Mi Cloud storage

The first step is always to diagnose, and you don't have to blindly delete files until you know what's taking up precious gigabytes. The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have a powerful analytics tool built in that shows you how to categorize data: Gallery, Recorder, Notes and backups.

To access this information, you need to go to the Settings menu, then select Xiaomi Account and click on Cloud. This shows the visual occupancy scale. If the indicator is red, then sync is stopped and new photos are not saved. The free limit is usually 5 GB, which is about 1000-1500 photos in high resolution, but this is catastrophically low for 4K video.

⚠️ Note: If you see a “Storage overflow” message, new data will no longer sync, and old data can be deleted automatically by the server after 30 days unless you vacate space or renew your subscription.

It's important to distinguish between backup and sync. A backup is a complete cast of settings and app lists that you need when you buy a new phone. Sync is a constant process of updating gallery and contacts content. Cleaning up a backup of an old, already sold device can instantly free up up to 2-3 GB of space without affecting your current photos.

Delete data via the i.mi.com web interface

The safest and most convenient way to clean up the entire web is to use the full web version of the service. The mobile application often has restrictions on the choice of multiple files, whereas the browser interface allows you to work with thousands of objects at once. To get started, go to the official i.mi.com portal and log in to your Mi Account.

The web version interface is like a desktop computer, and on the left is the navigation bar where you can select the Gallery or Files section, and you can sort by date or file type. You can select a group of photos, click the delete button. The web interface also allows you to view the recently deleted folder, where you can recover data within 30 days or clear it completely.

Pay special attention to the section "Dictator": Many users forget that long audio recordings of lectures or meetings take hundreds of megabytes. In the web version, you can listen to them before deleting, so you don't erase important information. After cleaning, remember to update the page to see the current rest of the space.

Working with Google Photos and Synchronization

The second front is Google’s services. Xiaomi smartphones are deeply integrated with the search engine ecosystem, and users often confuse where a copy is stored. The Google Photos app is set to sync by default, and its 15GB limit (shared with Gmail mail) often ends faster than the space in the Mi Cloud.

To make room in the Google cloud, you need to open the app, click on the profile avatar and select "Storage Management." The system will suggest removing blurred photos, screenshots or large video files. Be careful: deleting here will affect all devices associated with this account. The original photo quality takes up more space, but allows you to store fewer pictures than the "Saving space" mode.

There's a useful feature called "Free up your device" that only removes photos from your phone that are already securely stored in the cloud, but if your goal is to clean the cloud and not the phone, you can't use this feature, and instead, you can use the file size sorting tool inside the application.

⚠️ Note: Disabling sync in Google Photos does not remove photos that have already been uploaded from the cloud. They will remain there until you manually delete them through the web version of photos.google.com.

Cleaning system debris and cache services

Sometimes the problem is not the number of files, but the bloated cache of applications responsible for synchronization.Mi Cloud and Google Play services can accumulate temporary error files or thumbnails that take up space and interfere with the correct operation.

To perform the operation, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find in the list of “Mi Cloud” (or “Mi Cloud”), click on “Storage” and select “Clean”. Repeat the same procedure for the Photos and Google Play Services app. After that, it is recommended to restart the smartphone for the changes.

If you use the Galaxy Store or other third-party app stores (which happens on global firmware), check their cache. Often it is the background update processes that block the normal operation of the memory management system. Periodic cache cleaning once a month helps keep the interface running fast.

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Use Xiaomi’s built-in Security app.The Cleanup section automatically finds large files, duplicates, and temporary files that can be safely deleted.

Comparison of cloud services and tariffs

Understanding the differences between the rates will help you decide whether to delete files or expand storage. Xiaomi offers a flexible subscription system, while Google pegs volume to a Google One subscription. Below is a table comparing the basic features of free and initial paid rates.

As the table shows, Google One's base fare offers twice as much space as Xiaomi's starting paid fare.However, if you're deeply integrated into the Mi Home ecosystem and use a smart home, Xiaomi's cloud extension may be more convenient for backing up device settings.

When choosing a tariff, consider server speeds as well. In some regions, Mi Cloud servers may be slower to download large amounts of data compared to Google’s infrastructure. The optimal strategy is to use Google Photos for media archives, and Mi Cloud for system backups and contacts only.

Automation and overflow prevention

To prevent the memory overflow problem from recurring, you need to set up automatic rules. You can create cleanup scenarios in the Files app, such as setting up automatic deletion of screenshots older than 3 months or cleaning the WhatsApp/Media/.Statuses folder, which often grows to gigabytes of garbage.

It’s also a good idea to disable high-resolution video sync if you don’t have an unlimited rate. Videos take up 90% of the space in the cloud. Set your smartphone camera to record in H.265 (HEVC) format, which provides better compression without loss of quality, or use cloud settings to sync only photos.

Regularly, once a quarter, do digital cleaning. Delete serial images (Burst series), failed footage and duplicates. Discipline in file storage is more important than the amount of storage you buy. Use structure albums to quickly find and remove unnecessary.

⚠️ Warning: Before selling or transferring your phone to a new owner, make sure to log out of your Mi and Google account completely, and remove your device from the list of trusted users in your account security settings on another device.

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Regular manual check of the folder "Recently deleted" and clearing the cache of messengers are the most effective ways to keep the cloud in order without financial costs.