How to Clean the Recycle Bin on Xiaomi: Instructions for MIUI 12, 13 and 14

The Recycle Bin on Xiaomi smartphones is a temporary storage for deleted files that many users don’t notice until they are running out of memory. Unlike computer OSs, where the Recycle Bin is visible right on the desktop, in MIUI it is hidden in the depths of the file manager, and even after it is deleted, photos, videos or documents continue to take up space — sometimes up to 30 days until they are finally erased by the system.

The problem is compounded by the fact that Xiaomi regularly changes the location of options in new versions of the firmware. MIUI 12, may not work in MIUI In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to clean the cart, from the standard to the hidden, and also explain why sometimes files are “returned” after deleting and how to avoid it, POCO X5 Xiaomi 13, where the interface of the basket is different from the classic.

Where is the basket on Xiaomi and how to open it

In MIUI, the Recycle Bin does not have a separate label on the desktop, it can only be found through the standard File Application (or File Manager on global firmware).

• 📁 MIUI 12/13: Open the files. → Categories → Recycle bin (dumpster icon in the bottom menu).
• 📁 MIUI 14: Go to Files → Others. → Cart (or click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select the Cart).
• 📁 POCO Launcher: In some models (for example, POCO F5) The basket is hidden in the files → Warehouse → Basket.

If you don’t see the Recycle Bin, check:

1. Is the firmware updated to the latest version (in older versions of MIUI basket may not be available).
2. Is the file manager disabled in settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Files → Disable).
3. Whether you are using a third-party file manager (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Manager) where the basket can run by different rules.

Important: on some models (e.g. Redmi 10C), the basket may be called Recently Deleted. If you don't find it in the file manager, try searching the system by typing the basket request into the desktop search bar.

How to clean the cart on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

It takes less than a minute to clear the cart, but there are nuances depending on the type of files. For example, photos and videos from the gallery can be stored in a separate Google Photos Recycle Bin if you use this service. We'll look at both options.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through file manager

Act on the algorithm:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. In the lower menu, find the Category tab (or other in MIUI 14) and select the Cart.
3. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Delete everything. If you want to delete only a portion of the files, tick them and click Delete.
4. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

After that, the files will be permanently deleted and cannot be restored by standard means. If the option to delete everything is inactive, then the basket is empty or the files are protected by the system (see the error section).

Method 2: Cleaning up Google Cart Photos

If you use Google Photos to back up, deleted photos can stay in his cart for up to 60 days to clear it:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner and select the Cart.
3. Press Control. → Clean the basket.
4. Confirm removal.

Note that files deleted from Google Photos will disappear from all devices that sync to your phone, so if you want to save them to your phone, move them to another folder first.

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To speed up the cleaning of the Recycle Bin, enable the option "Autoclean" in the file manager settings (Files → Settings → Autoclean Recycle Bin).

Why Xiaomi’s Recycle Bin Is Not Cleaned and What to Do

Sometimes users find that the shopping cart is not cleaned or files are "returned" after deleting, this can happen for several reasons:

If files are not deleted even after a reboot, try the following:

• 🔄 Cache Clearing: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Files. → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📱 Safe Mode: Restart your phone in Safe Mode (click the power button) → Safe mode) and repeat cleaning.
• 🔧 Resetting: Reset the File Manager Settings in extreme cases: Settings → Annexes → Files. → Additionally. → Reset the settings.

⚠️ Warning: If after cleaning the basket, the free space on the phone has not increased, check the folder DCIM/.thumbnails — It can weigh a few gigabytes, and you can only delete its contents through Root rights or through apps like this. SD Maid.

How to recover files from Xiaomi shopping cart

If you accidentally delete important data, you can return it from the cart within 30 days (or another timeframe set in the settings).

1. Open the Files → Recycle Bin.
2. Tick the required files (or click Select All).
3. Click Restore in the lower menu.
4. Select the folder to restore (by default – Downloads or the original folder).

If files have been deleted from the recycle bin or more than 30 days have passed, try data recovery software:

• 📱 DiskDigger – works without root rights, but restores only thumbnails.
• 💻 Recuva (for PC) – connect your phone in File Transfer mode and scan the internal memory.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver – a paid solution with a high recovery rate.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install recovery software on the same drive from which the files were deleted! This reduces the chances of successful recovery.

MIUI 14 has introduced the Recycle Bin Backup feature in Mi Cloud, which allows you to recover deleted files even after cleaning the Recycle Bin. To use it, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup → Recover data and select the desired date.

How to turn off the cart on Xiaomi (and whether it is worth it)

Some users prefer to turn off the cart so that files are deleted immediately without taking up space, but this risks losing data if accidentally deleted.

Instructions:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Find the Recycle Bin section and disable the option to Save Deleted Files.
4. Confirm the action.

After that, all deleted files will be permanently erased.

• ⚠️ Photos and videos from the gallery can still be saved in the Google Photos Recycle Bin if sync is enabled.
• ⚠️ Some system applications (such as Notes or Records) have their own baskets that are independent of the general system.

If you want to return the Recycle Bin, repeat the same steps and enable the option Save Deleted Files. The Recycle Bin file retention period can be changed in the same settings (30 days default, 7, 15 or 60 days available).

Hidden folders and alternative ways to clean up memory

The shopping cart isn't the only place where unnecessary files accumulate. Xiaomi smartphones have several hidden folders that can be safely cleaned:

• 🗑️.thumbnails - cache of miniatures of the gallery (can weigh up to a maximum of two years) 1-2 GB).
• 🗑️ Download/.temp — download-file.
• 🗑️ MIUI/sslocal — Screenshots and screen recordings (sometimes duplicated).
• 🗑️ Android/data — Application cache (cleared through Settings) → Warehouse → Application data).

To see the hidden folders:

1. Open Files and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Go to internal memory and manually delete unnecessary folders (except system folders like MIUI or Android).

For deep memory cleaning, we recommend using the SD Maid utility (requires root rights for full functionality) or the built-in Cleanup tool in MIUI:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Click Clean (or Free up space in MIUI 14).
3. Select file categories for deletion (cache, downloads, duplicates).

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Regularly cleaning cache and temporary files can free up to 5-10 GB of memory on a full phone, but do not delete folders with unknown names - this can lead to system failures.

Frequent questions about the cart on Xiaomi