How to find a shopping cart in a Xiaomi phone: where to store deleted files and how to restore them

You deleted an important file on Xiaomi and now you can't find a basket to get it back? The problem is that on MIUI smartphones, the remote storage system works differently than on computers or even other Android devices. Unlike Windows or macOS, where the basket is always in plain sight, on Xiaomi it can be hidden, absent at all or have an unobvious location, depending on the firmware version and file type.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can find a shopping cart on Redmi, POCO and Mi phones, including models with MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS. You’ll learn where to look for deleted photos, documents and videos, how to turn on the shopping cart if it’s not on the menu, and what to do if files are lost without recovery, and why some apps (such as Gallery or Files) have their own shopping carts, and how to use them.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a traditional shopping cart and where it hides

On most Android smartphones, the shopping cart is implemented through the Files by Google system application or third-party file managers, but Xiaomi uses its own MIUI shell, which operates according to different rules:

• 📱 There is no single basket for all files. Unlike a PC where deleted data is fed into a single folder, on Xiaomi, the baskets are divided by content types: separately for photos, separately for documents, separately for recordings from a voice recorder.
• 🔍 The basket can be disabled by default. In some versions MIUI (Especially on Redmi budget models, the function of storing deleted files is deactivated to save space.
• ⏳ The storage period is limited. Even if the bin is turned on, the files are stored in it for 15 to 30 days, after which they are deleted irrevocably.
• 📁 System files don't get into the bin. APK, App cache or data from Android folder is erased immediately and without the ability to restore.

Also, starting with MIUI 14 and HyperOS, Xiaomi is gradually moving away from the classic shopping cart in favor of cloud backup via Mi Cloud, which means that some files can be automatically sent to the cloud instead of local storage.

Where to look for a cart in the standard Xiaomi Gallery (photos and videos)

If you delete a photo or video through the Gallery app, the file will be placed in a local cart for 30 days to find it:

1. Open the Gallery app (if it isn’t on the home screen, check the Tools folder).
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (☰) lower-right.
3. In the menu, select the item Cart (on some models - Recently deleted).
4. Click on the file you want to restore, then tap Restore at the bottom of the screen.

If the item is not on the menu, it means:

• 🚫 The function is disabled in the settings (see the next section).
• 🗑️ Files were deleted irrevocably (for example, through a file manager or a third-party application).
• 🔄 You are using an old version of the Gallery (update it via Play Market).

Attention! If you have deleted photos through Google Photos, you should search for them in the shopping cart of this application, not in the standard Gallery.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Slip on the profile avatar. → Basket.
3. Select files and click Restore.

How to turn on the basket if it is not in the file manager

The standard File Manager app on Xiaomi also has a Recycle Bin, but by default it can be disabled to activate it:

1. Open Files (Icon with folder)
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Recycle Bin section and turn on the switch.
4. Set a file retention period (from 1 day to 30 days).

After that, all files, APKs and archives deleted through the Files will be put into the Recycle Bin to open it:

1. In the Files app, go to Categories (bottom of the screen).
2. Scroll the list to the basket item (urn icon).
3. Select the files you need and click Restore.

1. Open the Files appendix

2. Delete the test file (e.g. screenshot)

3. Check the appearance of the file in the "Basket" section

4.Restore the file and make sure it's back in place-->

Important: If you delete files through Explorer (such as Total Commander or ES Explorer), they don't get into the MIUI Recycle Bin and are deleted irrevocably, the same applies to files deleted via adb or TWRP.

Table: Where to look for a basket depending on the file type

If the file doesn’t get into any of these bins, it’s likely that it was deleted by by bypassing the system, such as by:

• 📤 adb shell rm (Term Command).
• 🔧 TWRP or other custom recovery.
• 🗃️ Third-party file managers with the function "Delete irrevocably".

What to do if the cart is empty or the files are missing

If you do not find the deleted file in the Recycle Bin, try the following steps:

1. Check the Mi Cloud: Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud. Select the Gallery or Files section. Check the Recycle Bin folder in cloud storage.

Use backup copies.

If automatic backup is enabled, restore data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backups.

Check the hidden folders

Some files can remain in folders like.thumbnails or.trash. To see them, turn on the display of hidden files in Files (Settings → Show hidden files).

Use Recovery Programs

If files are critical, try utilities like DiskDigger or Recuva (require root rights for deep scanning).

💡

If you delete files from a microSD, remove them from your phone and connect them to your computer through a card reader, and use programs like PhotoRec to recover them, which are more efficient than mobile apps.

⚠️ Note: If you have already written new data to your phone after deleting files (for example, taking photos or downloading videos), the chances of recovery drop dramatically.

How to permanently delete files from the cart (if they take up space)

The Xiaomi basket can take up gigabytes of memory if you haven't cleaned it in a while.

1. Open the Gallery or Files and go to the Recycle Bin.
2. Tap Control (or Edit) in the upper right corner.
3. Select unnecessary files or click Select All.
4. Remove it forever (or clean the cart).

To prevent the basket from clogging memory, set up automatic cleaning:

1. In Files, go to Settings → Recycle Bin.
2. Turn on the Auto Clean option.
3. Set a period (e.g., every 15 days).

💡

The files in the bin take up as much space as they would in a regular folder. If your phone's memory is full, first clean the cart, and then look for other ways to free up space.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with HyperOS, the automatic shopping cart cleaner function may work differently.In some cases, the system itself deletes files older than 7 days, even if you did not manually configure this. → Warehouse → Make room.

Frequent Errors: Why the Recycle Bin Doesn't Work or Show

Xiaomi users often experience problems with their shopping cart, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Update MIUI Resets: After a major update (e.g., with a MIUI 13 on HyperOS) Recycle Bin can disappear.Solution: Reset the settings of the Gallery or Files app to Settings → Annexes → [Annex] → Warehouse → Drop it.
• 📵 No Xiaomi account: Some shopping cart features (e.g. cloud storage) require authorization to Mi Cloud. Register an account in Settings → Xiaomi account.
• 🛠️ Damaged system files: If the cart doesn't open or gives an error, try clearing the system cache: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times to turn on developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Clear the cache.
• 📱 Custom firmware incompatibility: If you have LineageOS, Pixel Experience or other custom firmware installed, the standard Xiaomi basket won’t work. Use third-party file managers (such as Solid Explorer) with Recycle Bin feature.

If none of these things work, check if the system-level basket is disabled.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Gallery or Files and tap them.
3. Select Permissions and make sure that Warehouse permission is enabled.
4. Go back and click Clear Data (this will reset the app settings, but won't delete your files).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Cart