How to Clean the Cloud on Xiaomi Redmi: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where the notification of overflowing storage appears at the most inopportune time, this applies not only to the internal memory of the device, but also to the virtual space of the Mi Cloud. When the default limit of 5 GB is exhausted, the system stops backing up contacts, notes and new pictures, which creates a risk of losing important data.

Cleaning up cloud storage is a process that requires careful attention, as the actions in the cloud sync with all associated devices. Incorrectly deleting files can cause photos to disappear from both your smartphone gallery and your computer. So it is important to clearly understand the difference between deleting local copies and completely erasing data from your Mi Account.

In this detailed guide, we’ll take a look at all the safe ways to free up space. We’ll look at manual gallery management, cleaning application backups, and using specialized tools. You’ll learn to distinguish system cache from important data and manage your digital space efficiently without losing valuable moments.

Analysis of the occupancy of the Mi Cloud storage

Before we embark on radical measures to delete files, we need to make a detailed diagnosis of what exactly is taking up space. Xiaomi provides built-in analytics tools that visualize the distribution of data, which allows us to understand whether thousands of high-resolution photos are overflowing or old backups of messages that you have long forgotten about.

To start, go to the Settings menu, then select Mi Account and click on Cloud. This shows the download bar showing the percentage of usage of the available volume. Clicking on a graph or category list will show you a detailed breakdown of how much space photos, contacts, voice recordings and app data take up.

⚠️ Attention: Do not rush to remove categories in their entirety. Often the largest volume is occupied by video files or backups of messengers, which may contain important correspondence.

Special attention should be paid to the Other section, which may hide old backups of already sold or lost devices that are tied to your Mi ID. It can also store files from remote applications that were not cleaned automatically. Understanding the storage structure is the first step to competent optimization.

Delete photos and videos through the gallery

The bulk of data in the Xiaomi cloud is usually media files. Gallery sync works in the background, so deleting pictures on the phone automatically removes them from the cloud unless special measures are taken. To make space by saving files on the device or external media, you need to act consistently.

First, open the Gallery app and go to the Cloud tab or turn on the Mi Cloud album display. You can sort files by size or date. Video files take up significantly more space than photos, so it's smarter to start cleaning them. Select unnecessary videos and select the delete option.

If you want to save media files but remove them from the cloud, copy them to your computer or external hard drive first. After that, delete the originals from the cloud gallery through your browser on your PC — this is often more convenient than doing it from your phone. Remember that after you delete the files, they end up in a basket where they are stored for 30 days, continuing to take up space.

To make the space completely free, you also need to clear the cart. Go to the Remove album and press Clear Everything. Only after this operation will the space in the Mi Cloud be actually vacated, and if you don't, the system will consider the space occupied until the expiration of the storage period.

Cleaning backups of applications and data

Beyond media, a significant portion of storage can be occupied by backups of settings and applications. Xiaomi automatically backs up call lists, SMS, system settings and installed applications. Over time, these files grow, especially if you often change settings or reinstall software.

To manage this data, go to the Reservations section of the cloud settings, and here you'll see a list of the devices that have copies made for you. If you have an old phone that you're no longer using, its backup can be safely removed, and it will instantly free up a few gigabytes.

It’s also worth checking the backup settings of individual applications. Some programs, such as voice recorders or notes, can store large audio files or document scans. Disable synchronization for heavy applications that don’t need a cloud backup, leaving this feature only for mission-critical data like contacts.

It is important to regularly check the size of backups that are created, and if the copy takes up a disproportionate amount of space, it is possible that the application retains redundant data. SD-Delete the card or computer and remove the cloud copy of this application.

Managing synchronization on different devices

Xiaomi’s ecosystem allows you to use one account on multiple devices: smartphones, tablets, and even laptops. However, this creates a situation where deleting a file on one gadget erases it everywhere. To avoid data loss, you need to correctly configure the sync settings for each device separately.

Go to the Mi Cloud settings on each of your devices. Make sure you understand which folders are synced. For example, on a tablet, you can turn off video downloads from the cloud, leaving only photos, and this will not delete files from the cloud, but will prevent them from being re-uploaded to the device, saving traffic and local space.

If you sell or lose a device, be sure to remove it from the list of trusted devices in your account security settings. Older devices may continue to hang in the list, and their data (or attempt to sync them) may conflict with the current file structure.

When you turn off syncing of a particular category of data (e.g., Gallery) on one device, the system will ask what to do with files already uploaded. Select the "Leave on the device" option if you want to save them locally, but stop syncing changes. This will break the folder's connection to the cloud without losing content.

Using the Web Version for Mass Deletion

Managing files through a small smartphone screen is inconvenient, especially when you need to select hundreds of photos to delete. i.mi.com provides a more powerful toolkit for mass data processing. Working with the keyboard and mouse speeds up the cleaning process at times.

Sign in to your account through your browser on your computer. The web interface allows you to select files in groups using a Shift or Ctrl key. You can quickly scroll through the gallery by date and delete entire months of unnecessary pictures in a single operation, which is especially effective for cleaning screenshots and images from instant messengers.

The web version also allows you to conveniently manage files in the Drive section (if integration is used) or view files downloaded through third-party apps, making it easier to find “heavy” forgotten files that are not visible in the standard phone gallery.

Another advantage of working through a browser is that you can upload files directly to your computer's hard drive during the cleaning process, so you can select blocks of photos, download them with archives, and then delete them from the cloud, which creates an additional layer of security from accidental loss.

Alternatives and storage expansion

If regular cleaning becomes a routine and you don’t want to remove it, you should consider expanding the available space. Xiaomi offers paid subscription rates Mi Cloud+, which increase the volume to 50 GB, 200 GB or 2 TB. For active users of the ecosystem, this can be more convenient than buying external drives.

The alternative is to use other cloud services, such as Google Photos or Yandex Drive. By setting up automatic uploading of photos to another service with the function "Free space", you can store the main archive there, and in Mi Cloud leave only system settings and contacts, this will distribute the load and secure data.

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Use the “Free Space” feature in Google Photos after downloading, which automatically deletes photos from your phone that are already stored in the Google cloud, freeing up local memory without losing access to the photos.

Remember to use physical media, or to reset your archives regularly to your computer or NAS-The cloud is the most reliable way to store data for decades, and it should be seen as a buffer for quick access, not as a perpetual archive, especially free.

Switching from HEIF to standard JPEG (or vice versa, depending on the purpose) can affect file size, and you should also turn off saving RAW photos if you are not in professional processing, since these files weigh 10 times more than normal.

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Regular prevention (once a month) takes less time than emergency cleaning when the cloud is overcrowded and no longer synchronizes important new data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)