How to Delete Backup on Xiaomi Phone: The Complete Guide

Backups on Xiaomi take up gigabytes of precious memory, but not all users know where they are stored and how to remove them correctly. MIUI automatically creates backups of applications, contacts and settings, and some users manually save copies through Settings → About Phone → Backup. Over time, these files accumulate, slow down the device and display notifications about space shortages.

Complicating the problem, Xiaomi hides some of the backups in the system folders, and standard file managers (like MIUI Explorer) do not always display them. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to remove backups, from manually cleaning through hidden folders to using ADB for power users, and find out which files can be safely deleted and which should not be touched, so as not to lose important data.

Where are backups stored on Xiaomi

MIUI stores backups in several places, depending on how they were created.

• 📁 Internal memory: folder /MIUI/backup/AllBackup -- there are automatic copies that the system has created, and they take up the most space and are often duplicated.
• 🔄 Xiaomi Cloud: If you have used the Backup feature in Mi Cloud, files are stored on the company's servers. They can only be deleted via the web interface or the Mi Cloud application.
• 💾 External drives: If the backup was created on a SD- card or via OTG, look for a Xiaomi/backup or MIUI/backup folder on a removable medium.
• 🔧 Hidden system folders: Some copies (e.g., from TWRP or custom firmware) may be in /data/media/0/TWRP/ or /sdcard/clockworkmod/.

The heaviest files usually have.bak,.mbk (MIUI backups) or.zip (manual archives), for example, a full copy of the system from Mi PC Suite can weigh 5-10 GB, and automatic application backups can weigh 100-500 MB each.

To see hidden folders, turn on the system files in MIUI Explorer:

1. Open Explorer → press three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Go back to the root directory and check the MIUI, Xiaomi, and TWRP folders.

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If you don’t see the MIUI/backup folder, try connecting your phone to your PC and using Total Commander or Far Manager – they show all the hidden files without any additional settings.

Method 1: Remove via standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in backup manager. It is suitable for removing copies created through Settings → About Phone → Backup.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Backup Management.
3. The list will show all the saved copies with creation dates and sizes. Select the unnecessary ones and click Delete.

This method only removes backups that were created through the system menu, automatic copies of applications (for example, from Mi Cloud or Google Drive) will not appear here, and there will be no files saved through TWRP or third-party utilities like Titanium Backup.

Method 2: Manual cleaning through MIUI conductor

If the system menu doesn't show all the backups, you'll have to manually remove them.

Close all applications that may be using backups (such as Mi Cloud)

Connect your phone to charge (in case of a long operation)

Create a copy of important files on a PC or cloud

Turn off automatic backup in settings-->

1. Open MIUI Explorer and go to the root folder of internal memory.
2. Find the MIUI/backup/AllBackup directory, where automatic copies of the system are stored.
3. Delete the date folders (e.g. 2023-10-15) or specific.mbk files.
4. Check out the Xiaomi/backup folder – there may be copies created through the Mi PC Suite.
5. If you use a SD- card, check it for backup or TWRP folders.

Attention! Don't delete the entire MIUI folder, which stores not only backups, but also system files of themes, wallpapers and settings. Also don't touch files with the.db (application database) or.xml (configuration) extension.

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If the memory is not free after deleting the backups, check the.trash folder at the root of the storage — sometimes files are moved there instead of being completely deleted.

Method 3: Cleaning through Mi Cloud (cloud copies)

Many users forget that Xiaomi defaults to save backups to the Mi Cloud.These files are not visible in the phone's memory, but take up space in your cloud storage (usually 5GB for free).

1. Open your Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud
2. Select the backup of the device.
3. Click on your phone name (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+).
4. In the backup list, select the unnecessary ones and click Remove.

Cloud copies can be removed through the web version of Mi Cloud:

1. Sign in to your Xiaomi account.
2. Go to the Devices section → Backup copies.
3. Select unnecessary files and click Delete.

⚠️ Warning! Removing backups from the Mi Cloud doesn't free up your phone's memory, but frees up space in the cloud. If you've exceeded the 5GB limit, no new copies will be created.

If you use Google Drive for backups (e.g., via Settings → Google → Backup), delete them via the Google Drive app:

1. Open Google Drive → Storage.
2. In the Backups section, find your Xiaomi.
3. Click on the three dots next to the backup and select Delete Backup.

Method 4: Remove via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for removing system backups that are not visible in Explorer.

Before we start:

• 🔧 Install Platform Tools on PC.
• 📱 Enable Debugging on USB on your phone: Settings → About Phone → Version MIUI (click 7 times to become a developer) → Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB.
• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC and confirm debugging permission.

Now run commands in Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux):

adb shell


su




rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/*




rm -rf /sdcard/Xiaomi/backup/*




exit




exit

If you don't have root rights, the first command with su won't work, skip it, and then you can only delete files that are available without superuser rights.

⚠️ Attention! The rm -rf commands permanently delete files, including those that may be needed to restore the system. Don't use them unless you're sure you're doing it.

To remove TWRP backups, use:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/media/0/TWRP/BACKUPS/*




exit

Method 5: Using Third-Party File Managers

Standard MIUI Explorer does not always show all hidden files, but for deep cleaning, it is better to use third-party applications:

• 📂 Solid Explorer: supports system folder access, dual-panel mode and cloud storage. Can delete root-right files.

Instructions for Solid Explorer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open the side menu and enable Root Access (if there is root).
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/.
4. Select unnecessary files and click Delete.
5. For a complete cleanup, go to Settings → Cleanup → Deep Cleanup and select Residual Files.

If you are using FX File Explorer with ADB:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate Debugging via USB.
2. In the app, select ADB File Manager.
3. Go to /data/data/com.miui.backup/ – this is where temporary backup files are stored.
4. Delete all the contents of the folder (this is safe, as there is only cache).

How to avoid unnecessary backups in the future

To backups do not clog memory, configure their creation according to the following algorithm:

1. Turn off automatic backup: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Backup → Automatic backup (turn off the slider).
2. Limit your cloud storage: In Mi Cloud, set a backup limit (e.g., leave only the last 2 copies).
3. Use selective backup: In Settings menu → About phone → Backup, uncheck the boxes for unnecessary data (such as app cache or call history).
4. Transfer backups to your PC: Regularly copy /MIUI/backup/ to your computer and clean it on your phone.

You can also use Tasker or Automate to automatically clean old backups, such as setting up a task to delete files older than 30 days from /MIUI/backup/.

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If you frequently reflash your phone, store backups on a SD- card or external drive, which will protect them from being deleted when resetting and free up internal memory.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When removing backups, users often face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

If the phone is running slower after cleaning, check:

• 🔄 Are backup recovery processes running (check in Settings → Apps → All Apps → Backup).
• 🗑️ Is the memory clogged (clean through Settings → Memory → Cleanup).
• 🔋 Whether the battery is running out (sometimes cleaning large files consumes a lot of power).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions