Free up space in the cloud storage Xiaomi: how to save files on your phone and not lose data

Xiaomi Cloud cloud storage is a handy tool for backing up photos, contacts and documents, but it is limited. Even 5 GB of free space (or 10 GB for some regions) quickly run out if you actively synchronize data. When the limit is exhausted, the system begins to remind you to clean up or buy additional space. But what if important files can not be deleted and you do not want to pay for expansion?

In this article, we will explore how to make space in the Xiaomi cloud without losing data by transferring files back to your phone, what data takes up the most space, how to disable unnecessary sync, and what alternative storage methods will help avoid overpayment, and how to properly manage backups so that they do not “eat” precious gigabytes.

Important: all cloud manipulation requires a stable Internet connection. If you have slow mobile traffic, it is better to connect to Wi-Fi to avoid additional costs or crashes when downloading files.

Why Xiaomi Cloud is Filling Quickly: The Main Place Eaters

Before you clean the storage, you need to understand what exactly takes up space. Xiaomi Cloud automatically backs up:

• 📷 Photos and videos – especially in high resolution (4K, RAW). One minute of video in 4K It can weigh up to 400MB!
• 📱 Backups of applications – including data from messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), games and system settings.
• 📞 Contacts, notes and calendars take up little space, but copies are created daily.
• 🎵 Call recordings and voice messages – often forgotten about their existence, although they can weigh hundreds of megabytes.
• 📄 Documents and downloads — PDF, archives, files from Mi Drive.

The biggest culprit is media, for example, if you have automatic uploading of original photos enabled, 5GB of cloud will be enough for about 1,500 to 2,000 images in the format. JPEG (10-12 MP) And if you're shooting videos or using the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ With a 200MP camera, the place will end even faster.

Another hidden eater is app backups, and many users are unaware that Xiaomi Cloud defaults to storing some software data, including cache and temporary files, such as a copy of WhatsApp with a chat history for a year can weigh 1-2 GB.

How to check what is in Xiaomi Cloud

To effectively free up space, you need to see the whole picture.

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Go to the Accounts section → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.
3. Tap on Storage Management (or Storage in new versions) MIUI).
4. The system will show a diagram with the distribution of space by category: photos, videos, backups, etc.

On the storage control screen you will see:

• 📊 Total volume and how many of it is occupied.
• 📁 Breakdown by file type (sorted by size).
• ⏳ Date of last backup for each category.

Note the Other Files section, which may be hiding old downloads, cache, or temporary data, for example, if you’ve ever downloaded large files via Mi Drive, they may still be in the cloud even after you’ve deleted them from your phone.

💡

If you have an Unknown Files category on the list, it could be data from remote applications, and you can delete it because it's not tied to actual programs.

Ways to Free Up Space in Xiaomi Cloud

Here are 5 proven ways to clean up the storage without losing important data:

1. Remove unnecessary backups of applications

Backups are the most useless garbage in the cloud, created automatically, but rarely required.

1. Get in to Xiaomi Cloud → Storage management → Backup copies.
2. Select an app (such as WhatsApp or Telegram).
3. Click Delete copy and confirm the action.

If you're afraid of losing data, export it manually first. For example, WhatsApp allows you to create a local copy of chats in Settings. → chat → Backup copy.

2. Transfer photos and videos to your phone

Media files take up the lion’s share of the space, but they’re easy to get back to the device:

1. Open the gallery → Albums → Xiaomi Cloud
2. Select the files you want (or click Select All).
3. Slip the icon Download (arrow down).
4. After downloading, delete files from the cloud via Xiaomi Cloud → Storage management → Photo/Video.

If you have a lot of files, download them to folders so you don't overload your phone, like moving photos from 2022 to 2023, etc.

3. Turn off automatic synchronization

To prevent the cloud from filling up again, turn off autosynchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Synchronization.
2. Turn off sliders near unnecessary categories (e.g. Gallery, Call Records).
3. For photos, select Download only over Wi-Fi to avoid accidental synchronization over mobile internet.

If you need a backup but don’t want to waste space in the cloud, use Google Photos (15GB free) or local storage (microSD, external drive).

4. Clean up the Xiaomi Cloud basket

Deleted files don't disappear immediately -- they go to the trash and take up space for another 30 days to clear it.

1. Get in to Xiaomi Cloud → Basket.
2. Click Clear the Recycle Bin or select individual files to delete.

If you accidentally delete something important, restore the files from the recycle bin within 30 days, and then they will be lost forever.

5.Use alternative clouds

If you don’t have enough space, but don’t want to pay for the expansion, transfer some of the data to other services:

• 🖼️ Google Photos – 15 GB free (compression of photos up to 16 MP without restrictions).
• ☁️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB free, easy to use for documents.
• 📁 Mega – 20 GB free (with encryption).

To automatically sync, install the appropriate apps and set up autoload photos instead of Xiaomi Cloud.

Download important files to your phone|Check the cart for the necessary data|Disable autosynchronization of unnecessary categories|Create a local backup of contacts|Transfer your media files to another cloud-->

How to save files on your phone after you delete them from the cloud

When you delete files from Xiaomi Cloud, make sure they are saved securely on your device.

1. Check the folders on the phone

The files downloaded from the cloud are usually saved to:

• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Download — load.
• 📷 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera — photo.
• 🎵 /storage/emulated/0/Music or /storage/emulated/0/Video — mediafiles.

Use Explorer (built-in or Mi File Manager) to search for files. If you're not sure where the data is stored, use the file name search feature.

2. Transfer files to the memory card

If there is not enough space on the phone, move the files to the microSD:

1. Open Explorer and find the files you need.
2. Select them, press Move them.
3. Select a memory card (usually) /storage/XXXX-XXXX, where XXXX — ID map).
4. Create a folder (for example, Cloud_Backup) and confirm the movement.

Important: Not all applications can work with files on the SD-For example, WhatsApp will not be able to recover a backup if it is on an external drive.

3. Create a local backup copy

For reliability, make a backup of important data to the computer:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable.
2. Select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
3. Copy the folders. DCIM, Download and Documents on the hard disk.

For automation, use programs like Mi. PC Suite or AirDroid. They allow you to manage your phone files from your computer without having to connect to a cable.

4.Use compression to save space

If you have a lot of files but rarely need them, pack them in the archive:

1. Install an archiver (such as RAR or ZArchiver).
2. Select files in Explorer, select Compress.
3. Specify the format ZIP or RAR compression.

Compression of photos in ZIP It can reduce their volume by 30-50% without loss of quality. For video, it is better to use specialized programs (for example, HandBrake) to reduce the size without significant loss of detail.

How to avoid cloud refilling: settings and tips

To avoid returning to the cleanup every few months, set up Xiaomi Cloud correctly:

1. Limit the synchronization of media files

Instead of automatically downloading all photos:

1. Open the gallery. → Settings → Autoboot to the cloud.
2. Select Download only over Wi-Fi.
3. Turn off video downloads or set a size limit (for example, only files up to 50MB).

You can also manually choose which photos to upload, and to do this, in the Gallery, select the pictures and tap the plus-plus cloud icon.

2. Set up a backup on schedule

Instead of a daily backup, set a rare schedule:

1. Get in to Xiaomi Cloud → Settings → Backup.
2. Turn off automatic backup.
3. Enable Manual Mode and create copies only before important events (e.g., before a phone reset).

If you need regular backups, choose an interval of 1 time per month instead of Daily.

3. exclude unnecessary applications from reservation

Many system and third-party applications create unnecessary copies to disable them:

1. Go to Xiaomi Cloud → Backup → Settings.
2. Slip on the Applications and uncheck the boxes from unnecessary programs (for example, games or social networks).

Especially voracious messengers, for example, Telegram can reserve not only chats, but also downloaded files that are already on the phone.

4. Use the Lightweight version of the cloud

In some regions, Xiaomi Cloud offers Lite mode, which:

• 📉 Compresses photos before uploading.
• 🚫 No video and large files are reserved.
• ⏳ Keeps copies only for the last 30 days.

To turn it on, go to Xiaomi Cloud. → Settings → Storage mode and select Lite.

💡

Even after clearing the cloud, keep an eye out for sync notifications. Xiaomi sometimes resets settings after updates MIUI, And the autoboot can turn on again.

Comparison of Storage Methods: Cloud vs Local Storage vs External Storage

To choose the best way to store data, compare the pros and cons of each option:

The best strategy is to combine several ways, such as:

• 📱 Store frequently used files (music, screenshots) on your phone).
• ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud – Backups of Contacts and Notes.
• 💾 On microSD - photos and videos.
• 🖥️ On the external disk - full phone backups (once every six months).

Frequent Cloud Cleanup Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users lose data or experience problems due to incorrect actions. Here are 5 common mistakes and how to prevent them:

⚠️ Warning: Never delete files from the cloud without making sure they are stored elsewhere.Even if you downloaded them to your phone, check the integrity of the files (open a few photos or videos to make sure they are not corrupted).

1. Delete files without backup

Before clearing the cloud:

• 🔍 Check that all important files are downloaded to your phone or computer.
• 📋 Create a list of critical data (e.g., document scans, family photos).
• 💾 Make a double backup to the memory card and another cloud.

If you delete files from Xiaomi Cloud and they are not saved locally, it will be impossible to restore them (except from the Recycle Bin within 30 days).

2. Disconnecting the synchronization of contacts

Many users, trying to make room, turn off the sync of Contacts.

• 📱 When resetting your phone or replacing it SIM-All the cards will be lost.
• ☁️ Contacts only take a few megabytes – removing them will not solve the problem of space shortage.

Instead, export your contacts to the file. VCF:

1. Open Contacts → Settings → Import / Export.
2. Select Export to file and save to phone.

3. Ignoring notifications of exceeding the limit

When the cloud is running out, Xiaomi stops creating new backups, which means:

• 📸 New photos will not be uploaded to the cloud.
• 🔄 Automatic application backup will be turned off.
• 📱 If you lose your phone, you won’t be able to recover your data.

To avoid this, set up storage filling notifications:

1. Get in to Xiaomi Cloud → Settings → Notifications.
2. Turn on the option to Warn if there is a shortage of space.

4.Use of the cloud as the primary storage

Xiaomi Cloud is a backup tool, not a permanent storage tool, if you use it as your primary storage:

• 🐢 The speed of access to files will depend on the Internet.
• 💰 You will have to pay for the expansion of the space (from 100 GB per ~$10 a year).
• 🔒 Risk of blocking your account if you have suspicious activity (for example, if you upload many files in a short time).

It is better to store the main files on your phone or memory card, and only upload backups to the cloud.

5. Forget about the cache of the cloud application

The Xiaomi Cloud app caches files you're viewing, and over time, the cache can take hundreds of megabytes to clear it up.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Xiaomi Cloud and tap it.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

This won’t remove your files from the cloud, but it will free up space on your phone.

💡

If you have deleted something important from the cloud, check the Mi folder. Cloud/Recycle Bin on your phone – sometimes files stay there even after cleaning the shopping cart in the web version.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions