How to Clean Xiaomi Cloud: The Complete Guide

Modern smartphones like Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are using cloud technology to store your data, which ensures that your data is secure in the event of a device loss. However, over time, cloud storage becomes overflowing and you start to receive notifications about space shortages or synchronization terminations. Many users are faced with a lack of understanding of how to effectively manage this data without removing important pictures from the phone itself.

The cleaning process requires careful attention, as improper actions can lead to the permanent loss of photos and documents. In this article, we will discuss in detail what methods exist for freeing up space, how gallery synchronization works, and what distinguishes local remote from cloud-based. You will learn how to adjust backup options so that memory is spent efficiently.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi Cloud is not just an extra folder, but a complex mechanism that is closely integrated with MIUI and HyperOS. Proper management of it allows you to save money on buying additional gigabytes or avoid a situation where new images no longer save. Let’s look at the main steps to restore order in your digital space.

Analysis of occupied space in the vault

Before you start mass deletion, you need to audit your account’s current status, which will help you understand what’s taking up the most space: high-resolution photos, video recordings, contact backups or voice recorder data, and without this analysis, you can delete unnecessary trifles, leaving the heavyweights that are causing the problem.

To start, go to your smartphone settings and find the section that manages your Mi Account, which displays detailed cloud usage statistics, and automatically sorts data into categories, making it much easier to navigate and decide what to send to the cart.

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Always check memory detail before deleting to avoid erasing important system backups of settings.

Pay attention to the size of video files, as they consume the lion’s share of available gigabytes. Often users forget about the long videos that were shot for years in the cloud, and it is also worth checking the backup section of old devices if you recently updated your smartphone but did not delete the data of the previous gadget.

• 📸 Videos and photos usually take up to 80% of the space.
• 📱 Backup copies of the system - settings, application layout.
• 📞 Contacts and messages – text data that takes up a minimum of space.
• 🎙️ Recordings and notes - can grow over time.

Delete photos and videos through the gallery

The most common cleanup scenario is media files, and if you have gallery sync enabled, removing images requires special care, and depending on the settings you choose, removing a photo from your phone can automatically trigger the deletion process from the cloud, and vice versa.

To clean the cloud safely, you can use the web version of the service or the Cloud Only Gallery app, which you will see files that are stored remotely but have already been deleted from your device, and if you want to delete files everywhere, make sure that you don't really need them, because you can't recover them after cleaning the cart.

When working with large albums, it is convenient to use multi-item highlighting mode at once. You can select a whole month or a specific event and delete the entire group of files in one action. Remember to check the folder "Recently deleted" after that, as files continue to occupy space in the cloud limit for 30 days.

• 🗑️ Open the album and click "Select" for mass action.
• ☁️ Use the Cloud Only filter for safe removal.
• ⏳ Do not forget to clean the folder “Recently deleted».
• 📉 Keep an eye on the indicator of the occupied place in real time.

Cleaning through the web interface i.mi.com

A computer is ideal for deep and detailed file management. Xiaomi Cloud provides a more user-friendly interface for managing file structure than a mobile application, where you can drag and drop files, create new folders, and mass delete with your keyboard.

Go to the service’s official website and log in using your Mi Account. The interface is divided into logical blocks: Gallery, Contacts, Notes and Drive. In the Drive section, you can find documents downloaded from chat rooms or saved from the browser, which are often forgotten and take up space.

One of the useful features of the web version is the ability to upload all the data to the hard drive before cleaning it, which creates a local backup that you can archive. After that, feel free to delete files from the cloud, knowing that they are stored elsewhere, which is especially true when switching to another smartphone brand.

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Use the Ctrl+A key combination (or Cmd+A on a Mac) on the website to quickly highlight all files in the current folder before deleting.

The web interface also makes it easy to manage contacts and calendars, and you can find duplicates of records that have accumulated over the years of using different SIM cards, and cleaning up that data not only frees up space, but also speeds up sync when you connect new devices to your account.

Synchronization and optimization

To keep the overflow problem from returning, you need to set your sync settings correctly. From the Settings menu → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud, you can choose which apps and data will be transferred to the server. Disabling sync for heavy applications is the first step to saving.

Special attention should be paid to the function “Storage Optimization”, when activated, the original photos are stored in the cloud, and the phone remains their thumbnails, which allows you to access the entire photo archive without internal storage, but requires an Internet connection to view the full versions.

It is also recommended to exclude from synchronizing the folder of messengers such as WhatsApp or Telegram, if they are full of videos. These applications often have their own backup mechanisms (for example, in Google Drive), and duplication of data in Xiaomi Cloud does not make sense.

• 🚫 Turn off synchronization of screenshots and photos from messengers.
• 📶 Set a limit of “Only via Wi-Fi” to download.
• 🖼️ Activate the option “Storage Optimization” for photos.
• 📂 Check the list of synchronized applications regularly.

Working with duplicates and hidden files

Often, copies of files are not the right ones, the system can store duplicates when sync failures or manual imports. Some versions of the MIUI shell have a built-in tool for finding duplicates, but for the cloud, it is better to use manual methods through a web interface or third-party file management utilities.

Hidden albums also require attention. If you've hidden photos in "Hidden Album" and turned them on sync, they take up space in the general pool. Check the contents of hidden folders: perhaps there are old documents or photos that have become obsolete and can be deleted.

⚠️ Warning: Deleting files from a hidden album in the cloud will cause them to disappear everywhere.Make sure you know the password from the hidden album if you decide to recover the data later.

Another source of debris is a series of Live Photos or HDR images if they are saved as separate files. Check the camera settings: it may be worth disabling the originals if you are not professionally processing the images, which will prevent the accumulation of excess copies in the future.

Cleaning the basket and irrevocable removal

Many users forget that when you delete files, they end up in a basket that is stored for 30 days, and they continue to occupy space in your quotated storage, and you need to manually clear the cart to free up space instantly.

Find the Recycle Bin section in the Gallery app or the cloud web interface, where you will see all deleted items, you can select specific files to restore or click the Clear All button for complete removal, and you will not be able to recover data with standard means after this operation.

You should do a cart cleaning once a month if you're actively using the cloud, which is a good habit that keeps your digital hygiene in order, and you should also be aware of the system's notifications: if the place runs out, the phone will suggest you move to the storage.

Comparison of cleaning methods

The choice of cleaning method depends on your goals: whether you just need to quickly vacate space or perform a complete data audit. Below is a table that will help determine the best way to manage files depending on the situation.

Using a web interface is often more secure, because you can see the difference between local and cloud files visually, but for quick daily hygiene, it's more convenient to use sync settings right on your phone. Combine these techniques for the best possible result.

⚠️ Warning: Before mass deletion, always make a local copy of important data to your computer or external hard drive. The cloud is a convenient tool, but it is not the only storage location.

Regular cloud storage maintenance is key to keeping your smartphone running smoothly and keeping your personal data safe, and now you know how to manage your space efficiently and avoid spending too much on expanding your tariffs.

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Regularly cleaning the cart and turning off the synchronization of garbage folders are the most effective ways to keep order in the Xiaomi Cloud without losing important data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)