Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud cloud storage automatically syncs your photos to free up space on your smartphone. But what to do if you want to remove unnecessary images from the cloud? Simply erasing your phone doesn’t always clean up the cloud — files can stay in backups or in the cart. In this article, we’ll discuss all the current ways to delete photos from the Mi Cloud, including hidden nuances for different Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models.
It's important to understand that deleting from the cloud is irreversible unless you have a backup function set up. We'll show you how to check which photos are stored in the cloud, how to delete them selectively or in a packet, and what to do if files are not deleted due to synchronization. Separately, we'll look at cases where images are duplicated between Gallery and Google Photos, a common problem for users who use both services simultaneously.
Why photos stay in the cloud after being deleted from your phone
Many users are faced with the situation: the image is deleted from the Gallery on Xiaomi, but after a while it reappears.
- 🔄 Automatic Sync: By default, Sync photos in your Mi Account settings is enabled. Deleting a local file does not cancel a copy of it in the cloud.
- 🗑️ Mi Cloud Recycle Bin: Deleted files are stored in the cloud bin for up to 30 days (like Google Photos).
- 📱 Backups: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11 or Redmi Note 12) create automatic gallery backups when connected to Wi-Fi.
- 🤝 Services conflict: if you use Google Photos and Mi Cloud at the same time, files can be duplicated. Deletion from one service does not affect the other.
To delete photos permanently, it's not enough to just delete them from your phone, you need to go to the web version of Mi Cloud or use special settings in the Gallery app.
Method 1: Remove through the Gallery app on your phone
The fastest method is to use the built-in Gallery on your smartphone, which is suitable for most Xiaomi models released after 2018 (starting with MIUI 10).
- Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
- Go to the album Mi Cloud or Cloud (located in the Albums section).
- Select the photos you want to delete (click and hold your finger on the photo for multiple selection).
- Click on the basket icon (🗑️) bottom-line.
- Confirm the removal in the pop-up window.
If Mi Cloud is not in the gallery, the sync is off, in which case, check the settings:
- Open Settings → Mi → Mi Cloud Accounts
- Go to the Gallery section and enable the photo sync option.
- Wait until sync is complete (it can take up to several hours depending on the number of files).
Check Wi-Fi or mobile internet connection
Make sure your Mi Account is logged in to your phone
Turn off automatic sync (if you want to delete files without duplication)
Backup important pictures on a PC or flash drive-->
Important: After deleting the photos, they enter the Mi Cloud basket, where they are stored for 30 days, and to make room immediately, you need to manually clean the basket (more about this in the next section).
Method 2: Cleaning the Mi Cloud Cart
Even after the photos are removed from the albums, they take up space in the cloud until they are finally erased from the cart.
- Open your browser on your phone or PC and go to i.mi.com (the official Mi Cloud portal).
- Sign in to your Mi Account (the same as on your phone).
- In the left menu, select the Gallery → Basket section.
- Click Clear the Recycle Bin or select individual files to delete.
- Confirm the action in the pop-up window.
If the cart is not cleaned, check:
- 🔒 Access rights: You may have logged in to the wrong Mi Account (especially if you’ve used multiple devices).
- 📶 Internet connection: To synchronize changes, stable network access is required.
- 🕒 Sync time: sometimes changes are not immediately applied. Wait 5-10 minutes and update the page.
💡
If you need to free up space in the cloud urgently, but the cart is not cleared, try to delete files through the Mi Cloud app on your phone (available in Settings → Mi Accounts).
Please note that after cleaning the basket, photo recovery will not be possible. If in doubt, download important photos to your computer in advance.
Method 3: Remove via the web version of Mi Cloud on PC
It's easier to manage photos in the cloud from a computer, because a large screen allows you to quickly select files to delete.
- Open your browser on your PC (recommended by Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) and go to i.mi.com.
- Log in to the Mi Account linked to your smartphone.
- On the left menu, select Gallery, and you'll see all the photos uploaded to the cloud.
- Use date or album filters to find the right shots.
- Tick the files and click Delete (basket icon).
- Confirm the action and remember to clean the cart (as described in the previous section).
Advantages of this method:
- 🖥️ A user-friendly interface for mass removal (you can allocate hundreds of files at once).
- 🔍 The ability to sort by date, size, or file type.
- 📁 View all albums, including hidden ones (e.g. Screenshots or Downloads).
If the photos don’t show up in the web version but take up space in the cloud, try:
- Update the page (key F5).
- Sign out of your account and log in again.
- Check if Hide Cloud Photos is enabled in the gallery settings on your phone.
What to do if the Mi Cloud web version does not open?
Method 4: Disabling Photo Synchronization
If you don't want photos to automatically upload to Mi Cloud, you can turn off sync completely, which will prevent new files from coming to the cloud, but won't delete those that have already been uploaded.
- On the phone, open Settings → Mi → Mi Cloud accounts.
- Select the Gallery section.
- Turn off the photo sync slider.
- In the window that appears, confirm the action by selecting Disable.
After the shutdown:
- ✅ New photos will no longer be uploaded to the cloud.
- ⚠️ The files that are already downloaded will remain in the Mi Cloud (they must be manually deleted as described above).
- 📱 Free up space on the phone as sync takes up resources.
If you plan to turn on synchronization again, consider:
- 🔄 When you turn on again, Mi Cloud can re-upload all photos from your phone if they have not been deleted locally.
- 📅 The first synchronization process after reconnecting can take several hours.
💡
Disabling sync does not remove photos that have already been uploaded from the cloud; it only stops new files from downloading.
Method 5: Completely reset the cloud (for power users)
If you want to completely clear Mi Cloud of all photos (for example, before selling your phone or transferring your account), you can perform a reset.This method removes ALL data from the cloud without the possibility of recovery, including contacts, notes and backups. Use it only as a last resort!
Instructions:
- Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
- In the Security section, find Delete Account or Reset (the name may vary depending on the region).
- Follow the system instructions. You'll need confirmation via SMS or email.
- After resetting, all data, including photos, will be permanently deleted from the cloud.
Alternatively, only delete photos without resetting your account:
- In the web version of Mi Cloud (i.mi.com), go to the Gallery.
- Click on the settings icon (⚙️) in the upper right corner.
- Select Delete all photos (not available in all regions).
⚠️ Warning: Resetting your Mi Account will result in loss of access to all Xiaomi services, including Mi Home, Mi Fit, and Mi Store purchases. Untie all devices in your account settings before you proceed.
Frequent problems and their solutions
When you're working with Mi Cloud, you're going to have a common bug, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Photos removed from phone but left in cloud | Sync is not disabled, files in the basket | Clean the cart in Mi Cloud (Section 2) or turn off sync (Section 4) |
| I can't log in to Mi Cloud on the site. | Incorrect password, account lock, VPN | Reset your password via account.xiaomi.com or disable VPN |
| Photos are duplicated between Mi Cloud and Google Photos | Both services are enabled for automatic download | Turn off synchronization in one of the services (section 4) |
| Cloud space is not vacated after deletion | Files still in the cart or cache not updated | Clean the cart and update the page in 10-15 minutes |
| I don't see the Mi Cloud album in the gallery. | Synced or old version of MIUI disabled | Update your phone software or enable manual sync (Section 1) |
If your problem is not listed in the table, check:
- 📱 Version MIUI: On older versions (below MIUI 12), the Mi Cloud interface may be different. Update the firmware in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
- 🌍 Regional restrictions: In some countries (e.g. India), Mi Cloud functionality may be limited. Use VPN with a connection to servers in China or Singapore.
- 🔧 Developer Settings: If you previously enabled the Debugging option on USB, it could have affected the cloud. Disable it in Settings → Additional → Developer.
⚠️ Warning: If the photos are still undeleted after all the manipulations, check if your Mi Account is linked to third-party services (such as Mi Drop or Mi Share), which can block changes in the cloud.