Where to search for a shopping cart on a Xiaomi phone and how to recover deleted files

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a shopping cart — and where do deleted files actually go?

You deleted an important file on Xiaomi and can't find it now? Unlike computers where the basket is always in plain sight, on smartphones with MIUI everything is different. The fact is that the system by default does not show the classic "basket" - instead, deleted files are temporarily stored in a hidden storage, access to which depends on the method of deleting.

If you delete a photo through a gallery, a video through a player, or a document through a file manager, each of these services behaves differently. For example, the MIUI gallery stores deleted photos in a shopping cart album for up to 30 days, and the file manager may not save files at all after deleting, depending on the settings. In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios and show you how to return lost data.

It’s important to understand that if you’ve used the Clean Recycle Bin feature or deleted files through third-party apps (like Google Photos), standard recovery methods may not work.

Method 1: Recycle Bin in the standard MIUI gallery (for photos and videos)

If you delete a photo or video through the Gallery app (an icon with a colored rhombus), the files don't disappear immediately - they end up in a hidden album called "Basket."

1. Launch the Gallery app on your Xiaomi.
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (☰) top-right.
3. Select the Albums item from the menu.
4. Scroll down the list and there will be a Recycle Bin folder (sometimes called Recently Deleted).
5. Click on it to see all files deleted in the last 30 days.

Inside the basket, you can:

• 📤 Restore files – select the necessary ones, click “Restore” (the icon with the arrow up).
• 🗑️ Clean the Recycle Bin - delete files permanently (action is irreversible!).
• ⏳ See the retention period – next to each file, it is indicated how many days remain before the automatic deletion.

⚠️ Note: If you delete files through Google Photos, they will not be in the Recycle Bin MIUI. In this case, check the cart in the Google Photos (section "Library» → «The basket. The shelf life there is 60 days.

Method 2: File Manager Recovery (for documents and other files)

The standard Files (or File Manager) in MIUI doesn’t always save deleted files to the recycle bin, depending on the firmware version and settings. However, some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10/11, POCO X3/X4) have a hidden folder called.Trash, where deleted data is temporarily stored.

To find her:

1. Open the Files app (an icon with a yellow folder).
2. Go to the Category section → All files.
3. Turn on the display of hidden folders: tap on ☰ → Settings → Enable the option to show hidden files.
4. Go back to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and find the.Trash or Trash folder.

If the file is missing, it means:

• 🔄 Your version. MIUI Does not support the basket in the file manager (relevant for old firmware).
• 🚫 You have deleted files through a third-party application (for example, ES Conductor or Total Commander).
• 🗑️ The folder was cleaned automatically (the shelf life is usually 7-15 days).

On newer models (Xiaomi 13/14, POCO F5), the file manager basket may be called Recycle Bin and is located in the Storage → Recycle Bin section. If you can't see it, update the Files app via Play Market.

Method 3: Recycle Bin in MI Cloud (if synchronization was enabled)

If your Xiaomi has MI Cloud enabled sync, deleted files can be saved to the cloud bin, which works for photos, videos, contacts and some documents, to check:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud
2. Sign in if you need to.
3. Select the Gallery or Files section (depending on the type of deleted content).
4. Find the Recycle Bin tab (or recently deleted ones).

Features of the cloud basket:

⚠️ Note: If you delete files before syncing with MI Cloud, they won't get into the cloud bin. Also check if there's enough space in the cloud -- overflowing, old files are automatically deleted.

To increase the chances of recovery:

• 🔄 Enable synchronization in advance (Settings) → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud → Synchronization).
• 📁 Regularly check the cloud cart – after expiration, files are deleted without the possibility of returning.
• 💾 Use backup copying in the MIUI critically.

Method 4: Third-party recovery applications (if the cart is empty)

If standard methods don't work, you can use specialized utilities that scan your phone's memory for "traces" of deleted files and try to recover them.

• 🔍 DiskDigger — looking for photos, videos and documents. Free version shows preview, you need to restore Pro.
• 📂 Dumpster – creates its own shopping cart and saves deleted files (you need to install before data is lost).
• 🛠️ Recuva (for PC) – if you connect Xiaomi to your computer as a drive.
• 📱 GT Recovery – works without root, but requires many rights.

Instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Run and select Full Scan (it takes longer, but more efficiently).
3. Wait for the analysis to be completed – the process can take from 10 minutes to an hour.
4. Tick the files you want to recover and click Save.
5. Save your data to a memory card or cloud (do not restore it to the same partition where it was deleted!).

💡

Before recovering through third-party utilities, disable Wi-Fi and mobile data – this will prevent memory from being overwritten by new files (for example, an application cache).

Importantly, the less you use your phone after deleting files, the better the chances of recovering them, and every new photo, app installed, or system update can overwrite deleted data.

Method 5: Manual search through ADB (for power users)

If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can try to find deleted files manually, which is a technique that's suitable for tech-savvy users and requires you to connect your phone to a PC.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on Xiaomi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer mode, then additionally → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Search commands:

adb shell


su




cd /storage/emulated/0/




ls -la | grep -i trash

If you find a.Trash or similar folder, copy its contents to your PC:

adb pull /storage/emulated/0/.Trash/ C:\Xiaomi_Recovered

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It requires a superuser's rights. If you don't have one, the commands won't work. And the wrong actions can cause the system to crash -- back up before you experiment.

What to do if nothing helps: alternatives

If all of the above methods do not work, radical measures remain:

• 🔄 Backup – if you were doing a backup through Settings → The phone. → Backup, you can restore the system to the state at the date of creation of the copy.
• 📥 Contacting the service center – Xiaomi specialists can extract data using professional equipment (relevant for physically fit devices).
• 💽 Removing a memory chip is the last option if the files are critical. Requires disassembling the phone and reading the memory through the programmer.

Before you take your phone for repair:

• ❌ Do not try to reflash the device – it is almost guaranteed to destroy the remaining data.
• ⚡ Don’t drain the battery to zero – it can damage memory.
• 📵 Do not connect your phone to unfamiliar PCs or chargers – the risk of overwriting data.

💡

If files were deleted more than a month ago and the phone was actively used, the chances of recovery are close to zero, in which cases it is easier to accept the loss and set up automatic backup for the future.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the cart on Xiaomi