Xiaomi Cloud Cleanup in MIUI 12: How to Free Up Space and Delete Unnecessary Data

Xiaomi Cloud storage on MIUI 12 devices is a handy tool for syncing data between gadgets, but over time it is filled with unnecessary backups, photo takes and outdated files. If you notice that free space in the cloud is rapidly decreasing and synchronization is slower than usual, it’s time to do a general cleanup. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to clean Xiaomi Cloud – from manually deleting files to resetting sync and optimizing settings.

Feature MIUI 12 is that some of the cloud features are integrated deeper than in newer firmware versions, for example, there is no separate section for managing cloud cache, but there are hidden settings that allow you to delete data without a trace. We will look at both standard methods through the smartphone menu, and alternative methods through the web version of the cloud and even the Internet. ADB-It is important to note that certain actions (such as deleting backups) may affect the performance of other devices connected to the same Mi Account.

Why Xiaomi Cloud is Full and How to Check It

Before we start cleaning up, we'll figure out what exactly is taking up space in your cloud. In MIUI 12, the main space eaters are:

• 📱 Backups – automatic backups of settings, applications and SMS (They can weigh up to several gigabytes).
• 📷 Photos and videos – synchronized through the Gallery → Cloud, including deleted files from the device.
• 📞 Contacts and notes – duplicated in the cloud even after removal from the smartphone.
• 🔄 Sync cache – temporary files that are not always automatically cleared.
• 🎮 Game data – saves from Mi Game Center or third-party apps.

To check the current state of the storage:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Slip on the Warehouse icon (usually in the upper right corner).
3. The system will show a diagram of occupied space by category.

If you see more than 70% of the memory being used by "Other Files" or "System Data" - this is a sign of accumulated debris that is not cleaned by standard methods, then additional actions will be required, described below.

Hand-cleaning through the MIUI 12 menu

The safest way is to remove unnecessary data from your smartphone, and MIUI 12 has separate sections for this:

1. Deletion of backup copies

Automatic backups are created when connected to Wi-Fi and can take up to 5-10 GB in a few months.

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
2. Select the device you want to remove.
3. Slip on Delete backup and confirm the action.

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If you only need contacts or SMS from the backup, restore them selectively before deleting the full copy. To do this, click Restore → Select data.

2. Cleaning up photos and videos

Synchronized media files are deleted separately from local ones:

1. Open the gallery. → Albums. → Cloud.
2. Select unnecessary files (or folders) and click Delete.
3. Confirm removal from the cloud – files will disappear from all devices connected to the account.

⚠️ Note: photos deleted from the cloud do not fall into the shopping cart and it will be impossible to recover them. If you use Google Photos in parallel, check whether files are duplicated in both services.

3. Managing contacts and notes

This data takes up little space, but duplication can cause conflicts when synchronized:

• 📇 For contacts: Contacts → Settings → Remove all contacts from the cloud (export them to.vcf file).
• 📝 For notes: Notes → Settings → Synchronization → Delete cloud data.

Backup important data on the PC

Check synchronization with other devices

Disable automatic backup (if necessary)

Write down the password from Mi Account (you will need to confirm it)-->

Cleaning through the web version of Xiaomi Cloud

If the smartphone lacks rights or some features are blocked (for example, on a working device), you can use the web version of the cloud.

1. Sign in to i.mi.com under your Mi Account.
2. Go to Storage Management (or Storage in English).
3. Here you will see all categories of data with their size. Click on any category (like Backup or Gallery) to open a list of files.
4. Check the unneeded items and click Delete.

The advantage of the web version is that you can sort files by date or size, making it easier to find the heaviest items, for example, you can sort backups by size and delete the largest ones, leaving only the last ones.

Resetting synchronization and hidden settings

If standard methods didn’t help, and the cloud still shows occupied space with no visible files, the problem could be in sync cache or storage tag failure. MIUI 12 has hidden options for resetting:

1. Mi Cloud Data Reset

This procedure will delete all synchronized data from Xiaomi servers, but will not affect local files on the device.

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Slap the icon. ⋮ (three points) in upper right corner.
3. Select Cloud Data Reset (or Reset Cloud Data).
4. Confirm the action with a password from Mi Account.

⚠️ Warning: Once reset, all devices associated with the account will be out of sync, and you'll have to reconfigure backup and sync contacts.

2.Cache cleaning through the engineering menu

For power users, there is a way to clear the cloud cache through a hidden menu:

##4636## → Phone Information → Menu (three dots) → Show Mi Cloud cache → Clean

This method doesn’t work on all devices with MIUI 12, but it can help if the cloud is stuck in the display of occupied space after deleting files.

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Synchronization reset is a last resort, and only use it if other methods have failed, as it will result in the loss of all data in the cloud without recovery.

Delete data via ADB (for advanced)

If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can manually clean cloud files that aren't deleted by standard methods.

• 🗑️ Residual files after resetting.
• 🔄 Duplicate synchronization tags.
• 📁 Systemic cloud logs.

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and activate Debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap to unlock Developer Settings).
2. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.cloudservice


adb shell pm clear com.xiaomi.cloud

These commands will clear the cache and data of the applications that run the cloud, and when the device is restarted, the sync will start again.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause data loss or system failure. If you are not sure about your actions, skip this section.

Optimizing settings to prevent cloud filling

To avoid having to clean Xiaomi Cloud every month, set up automatic storage management:

It’s also helpful to periodically check the “Store Management” section in the cloud and remove old backups (such as backups from devices you’re no longer using).

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Create a separate album in the Gallery for important photos and enable synchronization only for that. The rest of the images are manually uploaded to the cloud as needed.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When cleaning Xiaomi Cloud in MIUI 12, users experience typical errors.

1.The cloud shows the occupied space, but no files

It's because of a synchronization failure.

• 🔄 Restart the device and check the internet connection.
• 📱 Delete and re-add Mi Account in Settings.
• 💻 Clear the cloud cache through ADB (see section above).

2.The backup copy is not deleted

If the Remove button is inactive:

• 🔒 Check if there are restrictions on your account (e.g. parental controls).
• 🌐 Try removing the backup through the web version of the cloud.
• 📧 Contact Xiaomi support if the copy is secure (e.g., tied to a device with Mi Lock).

3. After cleaning, the place shall not be vacated

This may be related to:

• 🕒 Delayed updates on servers (wait 24 hours).
• 🗑️ Hidden system files (use them) ADB remove).
• 📊 Display error (check the occupied space through the web version).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions