The Recycle Bin in Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 smartphones is a temporary storage for deleted files that many users forget to clean. Over time, it gets clogged with unnecessary data, taking up precious space in the device’s memory. If you notice that there is less free space and there are notifications in the gallery or file managers about the overflow of the basket, it’s time to clean it.
In this article, we’ll break down all the possible ways to clean the Recycle Bin on the Redmi Note 7, including standard MIUI tools, hidden features, and even techniques for power users through ADB. You’ll also learn how to set up automatic file deletion from the Recycle Bin and what to do if it’s not cleaned by conventional methods.
⚠️ Important: Some methods require superuser rights (root) or a connection to a PC. If you are not sure about your actions, use only standard methods to avoid data loss or malfunction of the smartphone.
Before you start cleaning, check how much space the basket takes up on your device. Go to Settings → Storage → Storage Analysis. Here you will see the Recycle Bin section, where you see the amount of space you occupy. If the figure is more than 500 MB, you should consider cleaning it.
1. Standard method: clean through the MIUI file manager
The easiest and safest method is to use Xiaomi’s built-in file manager, which allows you to delete files from the recycle bin without additional tools.
To clear the cart through the file manager:
- Open the Files app (the icon with the folder on the desktop).
- In the bottom menu, tap on the "Basket" (dumpster icon).
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Clean the basket".
- Confirm the action in the window that appears.
If you have a third-party file manager installed (such as Total Commander or ES Explorer), the path may be different. In such cases, the basket is usually located in the /storage/emulated/0/.trash or /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/.trash folder.
⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI The basket may be hidden. If you don't see it in the file manager, try enabling the hidden folders in the app settings.
Check the amount of space in the basket
Close all applications that work with files
Connect your smartphone to charging (recommended for a large amount of data)
Backup important files (in case of an error)
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2.Cleaning the basket through the Xiaomi Gallery
Many users don’t know that the gallery on Redmi Note 7 also has its own photo and video deletion bin, and if you deleted media files through the Gallery app, they could have stayed in its temporary storage.
To clear the gallery basket:
- 📷 Open the Gallery appendix".
- 🗑️ Slip on three lines (menu) in the upper left corner and select "Basket".
- 🧹 Click “Clean” or select unnecessary files manually and delete them.
- ⚠️ Confirm the action if required.
Please note that you can set up the gallery to automatically delete files from the recycle bin after a certain period (30, 60 or 90 days).
- Go to the Gallery Settings → Cart → Auto Clean.
- Select the appropriate interval or turn off the function.
If the gallery cart doesn't clear, try restarting your smartphone or updating the app via Google Play. Sometimes bugs in MIUI work interfere with the correct deletion of files.
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If you take pictures often, it is recommended that you set up automatic cleaning of the gallery basket for a minimum period of time (30 days), which will prevent the accumulation of unnecessary files.
3. Manually delete Recycle Bin files via ADB (for power users)
If standard methods don’t work, you can try to clean the cart through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that is suitable for users who are familiar with the command line and ready to connect the smartphone to the PC.
⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can result in the deletion of important system files. Follow the instructions carefully and do not change the commands yourself.
To clean the cart through ADB:
- Download and install Platform Tools on PC.
- Turn on "Debugging by" USB" Redmi Note 7: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB (turn on)
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (cmd) in the adb folder.
- Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (you should have the name of your device) adb shell rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/.trash/* rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/.trash/*
- Reboot your smartphone.
If the Recycle Bin doesn't clear after you execute the commands, check the folder permissions, and in some cases root access may be required, but getting it will void the warranty and increase the security risk.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
4. Cleaning the cart through TWRP Recovery (for stitched devices)
If your Redmi Note 7 has a customized recap (TWRP) installed, you can clear the recycle bin directly through the file recovery manager, a method that is useful if the MIUI system tools are not working properly.
Instructions for cleaning through TWRP:
- 🔧 Download the smartphone to Recovery mode (turn off the device, then pinch the Power). + Loudness up).
- 📁 On the menu. TWRP Choose "Advanced" → "File Manager".
- 🗑️ Go to the folders: /data/media/0/.trash and /data/media/0/MIUI/.trash
- 🧹 Select all files in these folders and click "Delete".
- 🔄 Reboot the smartphone to normal mode.
⚠️ Note: Delete files through TWRP bypasses system constraints MIUI, So be careful. Don't delete folders that you don't know the name of, because it can cause system failures.
If the recycle bin reappears with the same files after cleaning through TWRP, this may indicate damage to the file system, in which case it is recommended to reset to factory settings (with loss of data).
5. set up automatic cleaning of the basket in MIUI
To avoid manual cleaning, you can set up automatic deletion of files from the recycle bin after a certain period of time, a feature that is available in standard MIUI settings, but many users are unaware of it.
How to turn on automatic cleaning:
- Open the Files and go to the Recycle Bin section.
- Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select "Basket Settings".
- Activate the Auto Clean option and set a period of 1 to 30 days.
- Save the changes.
You can also set up automatic cleaning for gallery and downloads:
- 🖼️ For Gallery: Gallery settings → Basket → Auto-cleaning.
- 📥 For downloads: Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup → Autocleaning downloads.
If you frequently download files from the Internet or messengers, it is recommended to enable autoclean downloads with a period of 7 days, which will prevent the accumulation of unnecessary.apk, documents and media files.
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Auto-cleaning the Recycle Bin is the best way to keep space on the Redmi Note 7 without constant manual control. Set it up once and the system will delete the files it doesn't need.
6.What to do if the basket is not cleaned?
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the basket is not cleaned in any way, which may be due to system errors, file corruption or firmware bugs. Let's consider possible solutions.
Possible causes and ways of elimination:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The basket is empty, but it takes up space. | Hidden system files or cache | Clear the cache of the Files and Gallery applications in Settings → Applications |
| Files are returned after deletion | Damage to the file system | Do the check with ADB: adb shell fsck /dev/block/mmcblk0p1 |
| The "Clean the Cart" button is inactive | Mistake in MIUI's operation | Update the firmware or reset the settings of the Files application |
| The Recycle Bin is not in the File Manager | Disabled function in settings | Include the cart in Settings → Additional → Recycle Bin |
If none of the methods worked, try resetting the file-related app settings:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find Files and Gallery, then select Storage → Clear Data.
- Reboot your smartphone.
In extreme cases, you may need to completely reset your settings (Settings → About Phone → Resetting).Be sure to back up your important data before doing so!
7. Alternative ways to free up memory on the Redmi Note 7
If the basket isn’t the main cause of memory loss, consider other ways to free up space:
- 📸 Photo Optimization: Use Google Photos to automatically compress and back up your images to the cloud.
- 🎵 Removing Music and Podcasts: Check the folder /Music and /Podcasts presence of unnecessary files.
- 📱 Cleaning the app cache: Go to Settings → Warehouse → Application data → Cash and delete unnecessary data.
- 🔄 Transfer of files to SD-Card: If your Redmi Note 7 supports memory cards, move media files to external storage.
For deep cleaning, you can use third-party utilities such as CCleaner or Files by Google to help you find and remove duplicate files, temporary data and residual debris from remote applications.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use "memory optimizers" with dubious reputations. Some applications may delete important system files or show false notifications about overflowing storage.