Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS offer users many convenient features for storing data. However, automatic synchronization often leads to rapid cloud storage filling and traffic consumption. Many device owners face a situation where the notification of a shortage of space in the Mi Cloud or Google Drive appears at the most inopportune time. Understanding how to manage these processes becomes critical for comfortable use of the gadget.
Disabling backup is not just a way to free up space, it's also an opportunity to take full control of your privacy. Standard system settings often assume that the user wants to save everything from a call list to screenshots. If you prefer to store data locally or use third-party backup solutions, the regular features can interfere. In this article, we will detail where the sync switches are hiding and how to properly deactivate them without the risk of losing important files.
The procedure for disabling may vary depending on the version of the Android operating system and regional firmware. The settings interface in the Chinese and global versions of Xiaomi has its own features, but the logic of the system services remains the same. We will consider all possible options so that you can find the desired menu item regardless of the model of your smartphone.
Why turn off automatic synchronization
The main reason users are trying to limit back-end data is because of the limited amount of free cloud space available: Mi Cloud only provides 5GB of photos and app backups in a matter of weeks, and once the limit is exhausted, the system aggressively offers paid subscriptions, while blocking new backups and contacts from synchronizing.
⚠️ Before disabling all backup features completely, make sure you have an up-to-date local copy of important data on your computer or external drive.
The second important aspect is the autonomy of the device: the constant search of the network to upload heavy files to the cloud makes the processor and radio module work harder, which leads to increased battery consumption. Also, if you use mobile Internet with tariffed traffic, the background download of high-resolution videos or photos can be unpleasantly surprising at the end of the billing period.
There is also the privacy aspect: Not all users trust to store their personal correspondence, geolocations and call logs on third-party servers. By disabling synchronization, you ensure that the data stays exclusively on your device, which is especially true for corporate smartphones or devices used to work with sensitive information.
Managing backup in Mi Cloud
Xiaomi's ecosystem is tied to its own cloud service, which is integrated deep into the system. To access the settings, you need to open the Security app or go to the basic settings of the phone. Depending on the version of the shell, the path can look like Settings → Mi Account or Settings → Passwords and security. This is where the main levers of data management are concentrated.
Inside the account menu, find the Mi Cloud section, which shows the current storage status and the list of applications that have permission to sync. The system offers a flexible setup: you can disable the backup for all programs at once or selective deaktivierung for selected categories such as Gallery, Dictator or Notes, which allows you to save critical contacts in the cloud, but prevent downloading heavy video files.
To turn off global sync, find the Mi Cloud Sync switch and put it in an inactive position, the system will warn you of the consequences of this action, and if you want to clear up already downloaded data to make room, use the storage management function, where you can delete old backups that are no longer relevant.
What happens to the data after Mi Cloud is disabled?
It's important to note the difference between deleting data from a device and deleting it from the cloud. When working with Mi Cloud, the principle of mirror reflection often works: deleting a photo in the cloud can also cause it to disappear from the phone's memory if synchronization is active. So always make a local copy before cleaning the cloud storage.
Set up Google Drive and System Backups
In addition to Xiaomi’s branded services, Google’s backup mechanism is active, and it is responsible for saving Wi-Fi passwords, app settings, call history, and game data, and is managed through the standard Android menu, which is in the shell. MIUI is on the way of settings → The phone. → Backup and Restore or Settings → Google → Backup.
In the Google backup menu, you'll see the account you're saving to and the date of the last copy, where you can manually start backup creation or stop the process. To completely disable, you'll click on your account name and select the option to "Stop Backup" or "Delete Backup," which will break the connection between your phone and Google's cloud for system settings.
☑️ Checking the settings of Google Drive
Special attention should be paid to syncing photos through Google Photos. This application often works independently of system settings and can continue to download media files even after the general sync has been turned off. To stop this process, open the Google Photos app, click on the profile avatar and select Google Photo Settings → Autoboot. Turn the switch to the Off position.
Keep in mind that disabling Google’s backup system will make it impossible for you to quickly restore settings and app data when you upgrade to a new smartphone. If you’re planning to change your device in the near future, it may make sense to keep this feature on, but limit it to Wi-Fi networks.
Disabling WhatsApp backup and messengers
Messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber use their own mechanisms to save the history of correspondence, which do not depend on the system settings of Android. Most often they use the space of Google Drive or Yandex.Disk. WhatsApp settings are located inside the application: Settings → Chats → Backup chats.
You can see when the last copy was created and how much space it takes. To turn off automatic copy creation, select the option “Regularity” and set the value “Never”. It is also recommended to turn off video downloads, since they occupy the lion’s share of the backup volume, after which the application will no longer waste traffic and space in the cloud to save history.
Telegram is different, because the messenger stores all the history of the correspondence on its servers, so it doesn't need a classic backup, but if you use the function "Secret chats" or want to make a local backup, this data can be stored in the memory of the device. In Viber, the mechanism is similar to WhatsApp: More → Settings → Account → Backup Viber.
💡
If you have disabled WhatsApp’s autoboot, periodically back up manually before important app updates so you don’t lose your correspondence history in the event of a crash.
It's important to understand that disabling messenger backup means that if you lose your phone or break it, you can't restore your correspondence. You can log in, but your message history will be a thing of the past.
Local backup and its features
Xiaomi smartphones have a powerful tool for creating full copies of the system on the internal memory of the device. This method does not require the Internet and cloud storage, making it ideal for users who care about privacy. → The phone. → Backup and restoration.
Local copies take up space in your smartphone's memory, and if you don't plan on using them, you can't start the creation process at all. However, if you've already created them, they can take up gigabytes of free space. Use the built-in file manager to manage them, go to the MIUI → backup → AllBackup folder, which stores archives with application data and system settings.
The advantage of localization is that you can copy the backup folder to your computer and be sure that it's safe, and the disadvantage is that if the phone is lost or physically destroyed, the local copy will also be lost if it's not transferred to an external medium.
| Parameter | Mi Cloud | Google Drive | Local storage. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage area | Xiaomi servers | Google servers | Phone memory |
| Internet is required | Yes (constantly) | Yes (for download) | No. |
| Limits | 5GB free of charge | 15GB free of charge | Depends on memory. |
| Security | Medium | Tall. | Depends on the user. |
Cleaning Occupied Space and Removing Old Copies
Just disable sync is not enough if the cloud drive is already full. You need to manually delete old files. In the Mi Cloud interface (available also through the web browser at i.mi.com), you can see detailed statistics on file types. When you delete a photo or video from the cloud through the web interface, be careful: when you turn on sync, they can also be removed from the phone gallery.
There's a separate folder for Google Drive called Backups, which is where you add data from apps, and you can go through the Drive app or the web version, and if you click on the backup file (usually marked with an Android icon), you'll see the "Delete Backup" button, which will irreversibly free up space, but will make it impossible to restore the application data.
⚠️ Note: Removing WhatsApp backup from Google Drive won’t delete the correspondence in the app itself on the phone, but will make it impossible to restore it after reinstalling the messenger.
It is recommended to audit the storage every few months, often accumulating copies of remote applications or duplicate photos of poor quality, and using disk analysis tools built into the MIUI shell will help quickly find and delete large files that take up space without utility.
💡
Regularly cleaning up cloud storage from old and unnecessary backups is the best way to avoid paid subscriptions and keep sync speeds running.