Why clean the cart on Xiaomi and what is stored there?
The Recycle Bin on Xiaomi devices is a temporary storage for deleted files, similar to the Recycle Bin on a PC. It automatically stores photos, videos, documents and other data that you deleted through the standard Files app or gallery. By default, files are stored there for 30 days, taking up precious space in the device’s memory. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 256 GB of storage, the Recycle Bin can “eat” up to 5-10 GB if it is not regularly cleaned.
But there are nuances: not all files go to the bin, so data from some applications (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) is deleted irrevocably, bypassing temporary storage. SD-If you're using a smartphone, the cart can cause system friction, especially on budget models like Poco. M5 memory-limited.
In this article, we will discuss how to force-clean a shopping cart on Xiaomi in 1 minute, including hidden files that do not appear in the standard interface, and what to do if the cart does not clear or gives an error.
Method 1: Cleaning the basket through the Files app
The easiest method is to use the built-in Files app** (Blue folder icon) preinstalled on all devices with MIUI 12 and later. The instructions are suitable for Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi 10C, Poco F5 and other models:
- Open the Files app** on the home screen or menu.
- In the lower menu, tap on the basket tab (dumpster icon).
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Clean the basket.
- Confirm the action in the pop-up window.
If the Recycle Bin button is inactive, the storage is already empty, but sometimes the files are invisible, and can be detected through the hidden file display mode.
- 🔍 In the Files app, go to Settings → Show hidden files.
- 📁 Go back to the cart and check if new items have appeared.
- 🗑️ If yes, select them manually and press Delete Forever.
Check the free space in memory
Close all working applications
Connect to charge (if the memory is almost full)
Backup of important files-->
⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global 14.0.5) after cleaning the basket, a notification may appear System is busy. This is normal - wait until the process is complete (usually 10-30 seconds!
Method 2: Remove via MIUI Cleaner (optimizer)
The Optimizer app (or MIUI Cleaner) is another built-in garbage cleaning tool, including the trash can, available on all Xiaomi devices except for models for the European market with MIUI without Google services (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra for China).
How to clean the cart through the optimizer:
- Open the Optimizer** (Brush Icon).
- Go to the Deep Cleanup tab.
- Select the Recycle Bin (may be called Deleted Files).
- Click Clean and confirm the action.
The advantage of this method is that it not only deletes visible files, but also the cache of the basket, which can take up to 500 MB. However, there is a limitation: the optimizer does not show which files will be erased. If you need to save something from the basket, first check it through the Files application.
| Cleaning method | Speed. | Deletes hidden files | It's good for MIUI. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Files. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Yes (when display is turned on) | 12 and newer |
| Through MIUI Cleaner | ⭐⭐⭐ | Yes (including cache) | 10–14 |
| Through ADB | ⭐⭐ | Yeah (all files) | Anybody. |
| Reset to factory | ⭐ | Yes. | Anybody. |
💡
If the memory is not free after cleaning the basket, check the.trash folder in the root directory through a root file manager (for example, FX File Explorer), sometimes there are fragments of files.
Method 3: Manual deletion through file manager (for experienced)
If standard methods fail, you can manually delete the basket files through a third-party file manager, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer, which requires super-user rights (root) on devices with MIUI 13 and older, since the basket folder is hidden from the user.
Instructions:
- Install a file manager with root support (such as FX File Explorer).
- Go to the root directory (/) and find the folder: /storage/emulated/0/.trash
- Select all the files inside and delete them.
- Reset the device.
On some firmware (for example, MIUI EU), the path may differ:
/data/media/0/.trashor
/sdcard/.trash⚠️ Note: Deleting files manually without root rights can damage system data if you accidentally touch other folders. /system or /vendor — This will put the smartphone out of action!
What to do if the.trash folder is not visible?
Method 4: Cleaning the Recycle Bin via ADB (for advanced users)
If the cart is not cleaned by standard methods, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for devices without root rights, but requires a connection to a computer.
- 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
- 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
- 🛠️ Installed drivers Xiaomi and ADB Tools.
Step-by-step:
- Enable USB debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode). Then: Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging on USB.
- Connect the device to your PC and open the command line (or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
- Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (should display your device) adb shell rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/.trash/*
- Reboot your smartphone.
This method is guaranteed to delete all files from the bin, including those that do not appear in the standard interface, but it requires caution: the wrong command can erase important data.
💡
ADB-commands allow you to clean the cart even on locked or “hang” devices, if debugging is enabled USB. This is the only way to save your smartphone if the cart is full and the system does not respond.
Method 5: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)
If the cart is not cleaned by any method, and the device slows down or emits errors (for example, insufficient memory or the MIUI system is stopped), the last option is -hard reset, which completely erases all data, including the basket, and returns the smartphone to the state out of the box.
How to reset:
- Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
- Choose to erase all data (hard reset).
- Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
- Wait until it is completed (it will take 5-15 minutes).
Once reset, the device will restart and you'll have to reconfigure it, and all files, including the recycle bin, will be permanently deleted, and this method is recommended only if:
- 📱 Smartphone is severely slowed down due to overcrowded memory.
- 🔄 The basket is not cleaned by other methods.
- 🔧 You plan to sell or transfer the device to another person.
⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 11T Pro, Redmi K50) After hard reset, you may need to re-assign your Mi Account account. Make sure you remember your login and password, otherwise the device will remain locked!
How to recover files from the Recycle Bin if you accidentally delete them?
If you cleaned the trash, but then you realized that there were important files, you can still return them, but only within 72 hours of deleting them.
- 📱 DiskDigger (for Android) – Recovers photos and documents.
- 💻 Recuva (for PC) – if you connect a smartphone as a drive.
- 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver – Supports Recovery from MIUI.
Instructions for recovery through DiskDigger:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- Start the scan (select Full Scan for deep search).
- After completion, mark the desired files and click Restore.
- Save the data on SD-Map or cloud (not internal memory!).
The chances of successful recovery depend on:
- 🕒 The time since the removal (the earlier the better).
- 📱 Device models (on Xiaomi with) UFS 3.1 Recovery is more difficult than on eMMC).
- 🔄 Amounts of recorded data after cleaning (new files overwrite old ones).
💡
If you can’t recover files, check backups in Google Photos or Mi Cloud. Xiaomi automatically saves photos to the cloud if sync is enabled (check Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud).