How to delete photos on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all methods with detailed instructions

Deleting photos on Xiaomi Redmi 9 seems like an easy task, but many users face unexpected problems: photos remain in the cloud, take up space in the cache or recover from a reset. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to delete them, from standard to hidden MIUI functions, and also tell you how to completely erase the photo without a trace and free up the memory of the smartphone.

Redmi 9 is a feature that runs on the proprietary MIUI shell, which is integrated with Xiaomi Cloud and Google Photos, which means that simply clicking Delete in the gallery doesn’t always lead to the final disappearance of the file. We analyzed all scenarios from deleting single images to mass cleaning of folders, including cases where photos are not deleted due to file system errors or MIUI 12/13 limitations.

1. Standard removal through the Gallery app

The most obvious way is to use the built-in MIUI gallery, but even here, there's a nuance: deleted photos go into the bin and are stored there for up to 30 days, taking up space in memory, to delete them permanently:

1. Open the Gallery app** (an icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Select the album or folder where the photo is stored. Use the All Photos tab to speed up your search.
3. Press and hold the desired picture, then mark the rest (if you delete several).
4. Slip on the basket icon (or “Delete” in the bottom menu).
5. Confirm the action by pressing “OK”**.

⚠️ If after deleting the photos disappeared from the gallery, but the memory of the smartphone is not free, check the folder.trash (hidden cart). MIUI). For that:

1. Open any file manager (such as Mi File Manager).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the settings (three dots → “Show hidden files”).
3. Go on the path: Internal memory →.trash.
4. Remove the contents of the folder manually.

Make sure the photo is not in the gallery basket|Check the.trash folder through the file manager|Clear the gallery cache in the app settings|Reboot your smartphone to update memory data-->

2. Delete via file manager: where are photos stored on Redmi 9

Photos on Redmi 9 can be stored in multiple folders at the same time, especially if you use messengers or third-party cameras.

• 📁 DCIM/Camera — Photos taken by a standard camera.
• 📁 Pictures – screenshots and uploaded images.
• 📁 WhatsApp/Media (Telegram, Viber – photo from chats.
• 📁 MIUI/Camera — backups and thumbnails.

To delete the photo through the file manager:

1. Open Mi File Manager (or Google Files if installed).
2. Go to the “Inner Memory” section or «SD-card (if the photo is stored on the card).
3. Find the folder you want (see the list above) and highlight the files with a long tap.
4. Click "Delete" and confirm.

🔍 Advice: If the folder DCIM does not open or gives an error, try to connect your smartphone to your PC through USB And delete files from the computer. MIUI Blocks access to system folders due to security restrictions.

3. Clearing cache and temporary gallery files

Users often complain that the memory is not freed after deleting the photo, and the reason is the cache of galleries and thumbnails, which take up to 1-2 GB of space, to clear them:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Gallery and tap it.
3. Select "Storage» → «Clear the cache».
4. To clean up completely, click “Space Management”** and delete any unnecessary data.

⚠️ Cache cleaning doesn't delete the photos themselves, but it can reset the albums and tags. If you load the thumbnails for a long time after this procedure, it's okay, they'll automatically recreate.

Inner memory.|Nana SD-map|In the cloud (Mi) Cloud/Google Photo Photo)|I don't know where they are.-->

4. Delete photos from cloud storage (Mi Cloud and Google Photos)

If you're using Mi Cloud or Google Photos, removing your smartphone images doesn't mean they're gone from the cloud.

For Mi Cloud:

1. Open the Cloud** (cloud icon) or follow the path: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.

For Google Photos:

1. Open the Google Photos app.

🔹 Important: Google Photos store photos in the cart for 60 days, Mi Cloud for 30 days, and only after cleaning the cart, they are deleted irrevocably.

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If you want to save a photo but make room on your smartphone, use the Free Space feature in Google Photos, which deletes local copies, leaving the originals in the cloud.

5 Massive photo removal: how to erase everything at once

If you want to delete a large number of pictures (for example, after traveling or transferring to a PC), it is inconvenient to do it one at a time.

• 📂 Through the file manager: Go to the folder with the photo (for example, DCIM/Camera). Press three points. → «Choose all» → «Delete».

Through PC:

1. Connect Redmi 9 to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.

⚠️ Note: When removing via PC, do not use the Shift combination. + Delete – This can cause file system errors on Redmi 9. Delete files through the Windows Recycle Bin and then clean it up.

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Mass deletion is most convenient to do through a file manager on a smartphone or PC, but be sure to check if the photos are synced to the cloud, otherwise they will recover the next time you connect to the Internet.

6 How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Photos

If you delete the photo by mistake, you can return it within a limited time:

• 🔄 From the Gallery basket: Open the Gallery» → «Recycle cart, select the photo and click "Restore».
• ☁️ From Mi Cloud: Go to Mi Cloud → Recycle Bin and Restore Files.
• 🖼️ Through Google Photos: In the app, open the Recycle Bin** and select Restore».
• 🛠️ Using third-party utilities: Programs like DiskDigger or Recuva (require root access for deep scanning).

Without root access, complete erasure is impossible – the data residue can remain in memory.