How to view photos in the cloud on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: 5 proven ways

If you own a Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 and store photos in the cloud, sooner or later, the question will arise: how quickly to access them? Cloud services save space on the device, but it is not always obvious where to look for uploaded images. In this article, we will examine all possible ways to view photos from the cloud, from standard MIUI tools to little-known life hacks.

The Redmi Note 9 features several cloud services: Mi Cloud, Google Photos, and even Yandex.Disk, all of which have their own nuances of synchronizing and displaying media files, and we'll tell you how to find photos in each of them, what to do if the pictures are not displayed, and how to recover accidentally deleted images directly from your phone.

It's important to understand that access to cloud photos depends on two factors: sync settings (whether it's on at all) and the stability of the Internet connection. If you've never set up a backup, the photos may not have gone to the cloud.

1.Chronization check with Mi Cloud on Redmi Note 9

Before you search for photos in the cloud, make sure they're there at all. On the Redmi Note 9, sync with Mi Cloud can be disabled by default or error-proof. Here's how to check its status:

Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud. Here you will see the slider Sync Gallery. If it is gray, photos are not saved to the cloud automatically. Turn it on and wait for the process to be completed (can take from a few minutes to hours depending on the number of photos).

• 🔄 Data Update: After sync is enabled, pull the screen down in the Mi Cloud menu to force the status update.
• 📶 Internet connection: Sync only works via Wi-Fi or mobile internet (set up in Mi Cloud) → Settings → Synchronization over mobile network).
• 📁 Sync folders: By default, only photos from the Camera folder are downloaded. To add other folders, go to the Gallery → Albums. → Settings → Synchronization with Mi Cloud.

If sync is enabled but the photos are not displayed, check the free space in the cloud. The free Mi Cloud tariff provides only 5 GB (of which 3 GB are occupied by default backups) To free up space:

1. Open the Mi Cloud → Storage management.
2. Remove unnecessary backups (Section Backups).
3. Clean the cart (files are stored there for 30 days).

2 Viewing photos through the standard gallery

The easiest way to see cloud photos on the Redmi Note 9 is to use the standard MIUI Gallery, which automatically combines local and cloud images if the sync is set up correctly.

Open the Gallery app (the colored square icon) and at the top of the screen you'll see tabs like Photos, Albums, Cloud. Go to the Cloud tab, which shows all photos and videos uploaded to Mi Cloud. If you don't have tabs, update the Gallery app through the Play Store or the MIUI App Store.

• 🔍 Search by date: In the cloud gallery you can filter photos by year and month (Calendar button in the upper right corner).
• 📤 Download to device: Click on the photo, then three dots at the bottom and select Save to the device. The photo will appear in the Download folder.
• 🗑️ Delete from the cloud: To remove the photo from the cloud only (leaving a local copy), hold your finger in the picture. → Remove from the cloud.

If the photos in the cloud are displayed as thumbnails but don't open in full size, the problem may be cache.

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the gallery cache will delete temporary files, but will not affect the photos themselves. → Annexes → Application management → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

Check your internet connection

Update the Gallery app

Enable synchronization in Mi Cloud

Clear the gallery cache (if necessary)

Restart your phone if the photos are not displayed-->

3. Access to photos via the web version of Mi Cloud

If the phone does not have access to the Gallery app or it does not work correctly, you can use the Mi Cloud web version, which is especially useful if you want to download photos to your computer or share them through a link.

1. Open your browser on your phone or PC and go to https://i.mi.com.
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account used on the Redmi Note 9.
3. From the menu on the left, select Gallery (or Photos in English).
4. Photos are sorted by date. To download click on the picture → Download (the arrow icon down).

The web version of Mi Cloud has several advantages:

• 🖥️ Opportunity to view on a large PC screen.
• 🔗 Generation of links for sharing (share button) → Reference).
• 📂 Folders are displayed in their original form (unlike a mobile gallery where they can merge).

There are limitations, however, such as the web version, which does not allow you to edit photos or create albums, which is only available in the mobile app, and also note regional restrictions: in some countries (for example, India), Mi Cloud works through local servers, and the interface may differ.

4. Alternative cloud services: Google Photos and Yandex.Disk

Not all Redmi Note 9 users trust Mi Cloud — some prefer Google Photos or Yandex.Disk. If you sync photos through these services, here's how to find them:

If you're switching from Mi Cloud to Google Photos, you'll need to remember that manually migrating photos between services will take a long time. Use Google Photos → Settings → Backup and Sync and enable uploading of existing photos. However, this will create duplicates if sync with Mi Cloud is still active.

⚠️ Note: When using Google Photos in the Download Quality settings, select Original Quality if you want to save photos without compression.The High Quality option is free, but reduces file size, which is critical for professional snapshots.

For Yandex.Disk on Redmi Note 9, there is a nuance: the application does not always correctly display the thumbnails of photos in the Photos from the Gallery folder. If you see empty icons, update the application or clean its cache (Settings → Applications → Yandex.Disk → Storage → Clear cache).

5. Recovering deleted photos from the cloud

On the Redmi Note 9, there is a chance to return them - but only if it is no more than 30 days (for Mi Cloud) or 60 days (for Google Photos).

For Mi Cloud:

1. Open the web version of Mi Cloud.
2. Go to the gallery. → Basket.
3. Select the desired photos and click Restore.

For Google Photos:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Click on the avatar. → Basket.
3. Select a photo and click Restore.

If the photos were deleted more than a month ago, the chances of recovery are minimal, but you can try the following methods:

• 🔧 Specialized programs: For PC - DiskDigger or Recuva (if the photo was once on the phone and not overwritten).
• 📧 Contact Mi Cloud Support (support.xiaomi.com) with exact deletion dates.
• 🔄 Local backups: Check the folder MIUI/Backup/AllBackup On the phone – sometimes there are old versions of the photo.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install data recovery software directly on the Redmi Note 9 if photos have been deleted from internal memory.This can lead to overwriting of memory sectors and irretrievable data loss. Use a memory card or connect your phone to your PC.

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If you frequently delete photos by mistake, enable two-step authentication in Mi Cloud. Go to Mi Account Settings → Security → Two-step verification to protect your data from random action.

6. Solving problems with displaying photos in the cloud

Sometimes the photos in the cloud don't show up even when the sync is enabled, and let's look at the typical reasons and ways to fix them on the Redmi Note 9:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the gallery settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery.
2. Click Storage → Clear the data (this will delete all local settings, but will not affect the photo).
3. Reboot the phone.

For more complex problems (e.g. if photos are displayed in the web but not in the mobile app), check the MIUI version. On the Redmi Note 9, the current firmware is MIUI 14 (based on Android 12). If you have an older version, update it through Settings → About Phone → System Update.

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Before resetting your gallery settings or updating your MIUI, back up important photos to your memory card or PC, which will prevent data loss from crashing.

7. Optimization of photo storage: which is better – cloud or local storage?

Redmi Note 9 owners often face the dilemma of storing photos in the cloud or on their phone, with pros and cons:

• ☁️ Cloud: ✅ Save space on the device. ✅ Access from any device. ✅ Automatic backup. ❌ Requires the Internet to view. ❌ Risk of data leakage (especially with weak password).
• 📱 Local storage: ✅ Instant access without internet. ✅ Complete control of files. ❌ Takes up space on the phone. ❌ Risk of loss when the device breaks.

The best option is hybrid storage:

1. Sync your photos with the cloud (Mi Cloud or Google Photos).
2. Keep only the last 1-2 months of pictures on your phone.
3. Regularly transfer old photos to a memory card or external drive.

To automate this process, Redmi Note 9 can use the Google Files app (available on the Play Store).

• 📊 Analyze the occupied space and offer files for cleaning.
• 🔄 Automatically move old photos to a memory card.
• 🗃️ Sort photos by category (screenshots, documents, media).

If you choose Mi Cloud as your primary storage, consider that Xiaomi periodically changes storage conditions. For example, in 2023, the company reduced free space from 10 GB to 5 GB for new accounts. To avoid losing data, set up storage fill notifications (Mi Cloud → Settings → Notifications).

FAQ: Frequent questions about viewing photos in the cloud on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9