Xiaomi Cloud is a convenient service for storing photos, contacts, notes and smartphone backups. But over time, even 5 GB of free space gets filled and some files become unnecessary. How to delete data correctly to make room and not lose important information? In this article, we will discuss all the ways to clean the cloud, from manually deleting individual files to completely resetting your account.
It's important to understand that simply deleting files from your phone doesn't always sync with the cloud. Many users are faced with a situation where photos disappear from the gallery, but continue to occupy space in the Mi Cloud. We will show how to avoid such errors and control storage effectively.
This article is relevant for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices based on MIUI 12-14, as well as for the web version of the cloud. If you use third-party backup applications (for example, Google Photos or Dropbox), these instructions do not apply to them.
1. How to check what data is stored in the cloud Xiaomi
Before you delete files, you need to understand what exactly takes up space.
- 📸 Photos and videos (automatic synchronization from the gallery)
- 📱 Backup copies (system settings, SMS, callbook)
- 📝 Notes (from the annex Notes)
- 👥 Calendar contact and data
- 🎵 Recordings from the recorder (if synchronization is enabled)
- 📁 Files from Mi Drive (similar to Google Drive)
To see the details of the storage:
- Open your smartphone Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
- Slip on the Warehouse line (or Storage Management in newer versions of MIUI).
- The system will show a diagram with the distribution of space by category.
If you don't have access to your phone, go to the web version of Mi Cloud via your browser. Sign in and go to the Warehouse section, where the same information will be displayed.
2. Delete files through the mobile application
The easiest way to do this is to control the cloud from your smartphone.
Method 1: Delete individual files
- Open the Gallery app (or Files if you need to delete documents).
- Select the Mi Cloud or Cloud folder (depending on the MIUI version).
- Press and hold the file to select, then tap on other unnecessary files.
- Click on the basket icon (🗑️) and confirm the removal.
Method 2: Mass removal
If you need to clear an entire category (e.g., all backups):
- Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
- Select a category (e.g. Backups or Notes).
- Stick to three points (⋮) In the upper right corner and select Delete everything.
- Confirm the action with a password from the Xiaomi account.
Make sure important files are saved locally
Check if notes are linked to other services (e.g. Evernote)
Turn off automatic sync for photos (if necessary)
Take a screenshot of the backup list in case of recovery-->
Note: files deleted from the cloud via the mobile app are placed in the Recycle Bin and stored there for 30 days. To make room immediately, you need to manually clear the Recycle Bin (Bin section in Mi Cloud).
3. Cleaning the cloud through the web version (from a computer)
If the phone has little space or is more convenient to work with a large screen, use the browser version of Mi Cloud:
- Go to i.mi.com and log in.
- In the menu on the left, select a category for cleaning: 🖼️ Gallery - photos and videos 📄 Mi Drive – Documents and Archives 🔄 Backups – backups of devices 📝 Notes - text notes
Delete
Clear it all up.
The advantage of the web version is that you can sort files by date, size or type, for example, you can filter all videos larger than 100 MB and delete them at a time.
1. Use Chrome or Edge browser (Firefox may have login issues).
2. disable VPN (the service blocks access from certain regions).
3. Clear the browser cache or open the site in incognito mode.-->
4. How to delete backups of devices
Backups take up the most space – one copy can weigh 1-3 GB. They can not be removed partially: only the whole for a particular device.
Instructions:
- On the phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backups.
- Select a device from the list (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+).
- Stick to three points (⋮) Next to the date of the copy and select Delete.
- Confirm the action with a password from the account.
Through the web version:
- Go to Mi Cloud → Backup copies.
- Find the device in the list and press Control.
- Select unnecessary copies and delete them.
| Type of data | Average size | Can I partially remove it? | Recovering after removal? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos | 50–500 MB | Yes. | Not (unless there is a local copy) |
| Backup of the device | 1-3 GB | No (only in whole) | No. |
| Notes | 1-50 KB | Yes. | Yes (if synchronized with another service) |
| Contacts | up to 1 MB | Yes. | Yes (if saved in SIM or Google) |
⚠️ Warning: Deleting the backup doesn't affect your phone's current settings, but if you reset the device to factory settings, it won't be possible to recover data from the remote backup.
5. Complete deletion of Xiaomi account and all data
If you no longer use Xiaomi devices and want to completely erase your information from the cloud, you can delete your account.
- 🗑️ Delete all files from the Mi Cloud (including the Recycle Bin)
- 🚫 Loss of access to Xiaomi services (forum, theme store, cloud)
- 📱 Uncoupling all devices from the account
- 🔄 Inability to recover data
How to delete your account:
- Go to the account management page: account.xiaomi.com.
- Log in and select Account Settings → Delete your account.
- Enter your password and check by SMS/email.
- Confirm the deletion (the process takes up to 30 days during which the account can be restored).
What will happen to the devices after deleting the account?
⚠️ Note: If your phone has enabled the function Protect your Xiaomi account (in the security settings), after deleting your account, the device may lock. → Password and security → Protection of Xiaomi account.
6 How to Free Up Place Without Deleting Files
If you do not want to lose data, but you need to make room urgently, use these methods:
- 🔄 Turn off automatic sync: For photos: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization of the gallery → Turn off the slider. For notes: Notes → Settings → Synchronization.
- 📁 Move files to another cloud: Download photos to your PC via Mi Cloud (web version) → gallery → highlight files → Download them to Google Photos or Yandex Drive.
- 💾 Buy extra space: In Mi Cloud available tariffs from 50 GB (≈150–300 ₽/You can pay through the Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Buy a vault.
If you use Mi Cloud only for backups, try alternatives:
- 🖥️ Local backups on PC via Mi PC Suite.
- ☁️ Cloud services: Google Drive (15 GB free) or Mega (20 GB free).
💡
Automatic photo sync in Mi Cloud is enabled by default on new Xiaomi devices. Disable it if you don’t plan to use the cloud – it will save space and traffic.
7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
When you're working with Mi Cloud, you often have problems, and here are some of the most common solutions.
- 🔄 "Files deleted from phone but left in cloud": This happens because Mi Cloud and local storage sync independently.To delete files everywhere, do it via the Mi Cloud section in phone settings or web version.
- 🚫 "Can't delete backup - button is inactive": Check that you are logged in to the same account that created the copy. If the device is lost, restore access to the account through the recovery page.
- ⏳ "Deleted files still take up space": Clear the Recycle Bin in Mi Cloud (Bin section) Files are stored there for 30 days before final deletion.
- 📵 "Not coming. SMS to confirm account deletion": Try: Use backup email to confirm. disable blocker SMS You can wait 5-10 minutes, sometimes you get delayed.
If none of these methods helped, contact Xiaomi via:
- 🌍 Official website: mi.com/support
- 📧 Email: support@xiaomi.com (English-Chinese)
- 💬 Chat in Mi Community (registration required)