How to open a cart on Xiaomi: where is it and how to use it MIUI 14/15

Deleting files on Xiaomi smartphone, many users are faced with the problem: "Where did the photos / documents go after deletion?" or "How to return accidentally erased data?". MIUI (Since version 12, it uses the Recycle Bin mechanism, a temporary storage for deleted files similar to a computer operating system, but it is not easy to find: the interface hides this partition deep in the settings or file manager.

In this article, we will analyze all ways to access the cart on Redmi, Poco, Black Shark and other Xiaomi lines, including models on the smartphone. MIUI 14/15 And HyperOS, and you'll learn how to recover files from the trash, adjust the volume of the trash, and what to do if the trash isn't displayed or empty, and you'll focus on the hidden nuances, like why some files are missing from the trash. 30 days and others immediately after removal.

- It's important!

⚠️ Attention: Basket in MIUI It only works for files deleted through a standard file manager (Files or File Manager) if you delete data through third-party apps (such as Google Photos or a gallery from third-party developers), they can bypass the shopping cart and be deleted forever.

1.Where is the basket on Xiaomi: 3 main places

Depending on the version MIUI And the cart can be in different sections, and we'll look at all the options, starting with the obvious.

Method 1. Through File Manager

This is the standard path for most devices. Open the Files app (an icon with a folder on your desktop or in the app menu).

1. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) top-left.
2. In the side menu, select the basket item (or Trash in English firmware).
3. If there is no item, scroll down to the Warehouse section.

In the basket you will see all deleted files, grouped by types: images, videos, documents, etc. Here you will see the storage period (by default - 30 days).

Method 2. Through the gallery (for photo and video only)

If you delete photos or videos through a standard Gallery, they will be placed in a separate shopping cart inside this app to open it:

• 📷 Launch the Gallery app.
• 🔍 Press three points (⋮) top-right.
• 🗑️ Choose a Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted).

Note: Gallery files are only stored in the Recycle Bin for 15 days (as opposed to 30 days in the file manager).

Method 3. Through storage settings

If the cart is not displayed in the menu, try to find it through the system settings:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Put it on the cleaner (or cleaner).
3. Select the basket in the list of categories.

This method works with Xiaomi. MIUI 13+ hyperos.

2.Why the cart is empty or not displayed: 5 reasons

Sometimes users find that the shopping cart is either empty or not on the menu at all, and let's look at the main reasons and solutions.

Reason 1: Files deleted irrevocably

Basket in MIUI has a storage time limit:

• 📅 Photo/video from the gallery – 15 days.
• 📄 Other files (documents, APK, archives) - 30 days.
• ⏳ After expiration, files are automatically deleted without the possibility of recovery.

If you deleted a file more than a month ago, you can’t get it back through the Recycle Bin, and only specialized recovery software (such as DiskDigger or Recuva for PC) will help.

Reason 2. The basket is disabled in the settings

In some firmware (especially custom ones), the basket can be deactivated to enable it:

1. Open the files. → Settings (⚙️).
2. Find the Recycle Bin option and activate the switch.
3. Set a storage limit (by default, 5% of internal memory).

Reason 3: Files deleted through third-party apps

As mentioned earlier, the basket MIUI It only works for files deleted through standard applications:

• 📱 Google Photos (deleted photos are in the Google shopping cart, not in the Google Recycle Bin) MIUI).
• 📁 ES Explorer, Solid Explorer and other file managers.
• 🗑️ Cleaning applications (Clean Master, CCleaner).

— In these cases, the files bypass the basket. MIUI and gone forever.

Reason 4: Not enough room for a basket

MIUI It reserves up to 5% of internal memory for the cart. If there is critically little space on the device, the system can automatically clear the cart to free up memory. → Warehouse.

Reason 5: Resetting settings or updating firmware

After a hard reset or upgrade MIUI The basket may be reset, in which case all the files that were in it will be permanently lost.

3. How to recover files from the basket: step-by-step instructions

If you find the files you want in the recycle bin, you can easily return them. Let's look at the recovery process for different types of data.

Step 1: Recover photos and videos from the gallery

1. Open the gallery. → Basket.
2. Select files by holding your finger on one of them (a tick will appear).
3. Click Restore in the lower menu.
4. Files will return to the original folder (e.g. Camera or Downloads).

Step 2: Recover documents and other files

1. Launch the files. → Basket.
2. Tap on three points (⋮) near-file → Restore.
3. Or select a few files and click Restore Everything.

The recovered documents will appear in the folder from which they were deleted. If the folder was also deleted, the files will return to the internal memory. → Download.

Step 3: Mass recovery

To return all files from the Recycle Bin:

• 📂 Open the basket in the Files.
• 🔘 Click on the circle in the upper right corner (select all of the).
• 🔄 Tap Restore.

Step 4: If the file is not restored

Sometimes when you try to recover, you get a failure to repair it, which can mean:

• 🚫 The file is corrupted (for example, when an delete operation is interrupted).
• 📛 Insufficient rights (try to give permission to access the storage facility).
• 🔄 The file that was deleted from no longer exists.

In this case, try to save the file to another location (for example, on the SD-card or use the PC to restore.

4.Basket setup: how to change shelf life and size

By default, the basket in MIUI It takes up to 5% of internal memory and stores files for 30 days (15 days for gallery) and can be changed.

How to increase the storage period of files

Unfortunately, in the standard settings MIUI You can't extend the shelf life beyond 30 days, but you can:

• 📅 Manual cleaning: periodically check the shopping cart and restore the files you need so they don’t disappear automatically.
• 🔄 Backup: set up automatic copying of important files to the cloud (Mi Cloud, Google Drive).
• 📱 Third-party apps: Use alternative file managers with flexible shopping cart settings (e.g. Files by Google).

How to change the size of the basket

The volume of the basket depends on the space available on the device, so you can adjust it.

1. Open the files → Settings → Recycle Bin.
2. In the Storage Limit section, move the slider (not available on all firmware).
3. The maximum size is 10% of the internal memory.

If the option is not available, try clearing the Files app cache in the settings.

How to turn off the cart completely

If you don’t need a Recycle Bin (for example, you prefer to delete files right away), you can deactivate it:

1. Go to the Files. → Settings → Basket.
2. Turn off the switch. Turn on the basket.
3. Confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: Once the Recycle Bin is disabled, all files in it will be deleted without recovery, and new deleted files will be erased immediately without getting into the Recycle Bin.

5. Alternative ways to recover deleted files

If files are missing from the cart or not on your device, try these methods.

Method 1: Recovery through Mi Cloud

If your Xiaomi is syncing with Mi Cloud enabled, check the cloud:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select the Gallery or Files.
3. Find the data you need and download it back to the device.

Note: Mi Cloud only stores files for 90 days after deletion.

Method 2: Use of PCs and recovery software

For deep scanning of the smartphone memory, connect it to your computer and use the following programs:

• 🖥️ Recuva (for Windows).
• 🍎 Disk Drill (for macOS).
• 📱 DiskDigger (for Android, requires root rights).

Important: Do not write new files to your smartphone after deleting it, which reduces your chances of recovery.

Method 3: Recovery through ADB (power-user)

If you know me, ADB, You can try to recover files via the command line:

adb shell


su




cd /data/media/0/MIUI/backup/Trash/




ls

This command will display a list of files in the Recycle Bin (if it is not empty).

cp /data/media/0/MIUI/backup/Trash/filename.jpg /data/media/0/Download/

⚠️ Warning: Working with ADB requires an unlocked bootloader and root rights. Wrong commands can cause data loss.

Method 4: Contacting a service center

If files are critical (such as work documents or only photos), contact the official Xiaomi service center.

The cost of such a service starts from 3 000 rubles and depends on the complexity of the work.

💡

Before recovering via PC, turn off the option "Optimization" on your smartphone MIUI" It's going to increase the chances of a successful scan.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with the shopping cart on Xiaomi, users often make mistakes that lead to irretrievable data loss, let’s take a look at the most common of them.

Error 1: Cleaning the basket without checking the contents

Many people are used to the fact that the basket is a temporary folder for garbage, and they clean it without looking. MIUI the basket may contain:

• 📸 Photos deleted by mistake (for example, when mass allocation).
• 📄 Important documents that seemed unnecessary.
• 🎵 Music or video that was planned to be transferred to another medium.

Solution: Before cleaning the cart, review its contents or set up notifications for new files in the cart.

Error 2: Use of the Quick Clean or Deep Clean functions

V MIUI There are tools to free up memory:

• 🧹 Quick cleaning (in the curtain of notifications).
• 🔍 Deep Clean in the Security app.

These features can clean the basket automatically if they consider the contents to be "junk."

1. Open Security → Cleanup → Settings.
2. Take the box off the basket.

Error 3: Delete files via Google's Explorer

Files by Google has its own shopping cart that doesn’t sync with the shopping cart MIUI. If you delete files through it:

• 🗑️ They fall into the Google basket, not Xiaomi.
• ⏳ Shelf life - 7 days (instead of 30 in) MIUI).
• 🔄 You can only restore them through Files by Google.

Solution: Use either standard Files from Xiaomi or set up sync between two baskets manually.

Mistake 4: Interrupting the recovery process

If during the recovery of files from the basket:

• 🔋 Smartphone's dead.
• 📵 Connection interrupted (when restored to PC).
• 🛑 The Files app has been forcibly stopped.

This can cause the file to be damaged or partially restored.

Solution: Before restoration:

• 🔌 Connect the device to charging.
• 📶 Turn off the mobile internet (to avoid interruptions).
• 🚫 Close all background applications.

Mistake 5: Ignoring basket overflow notifications

When the basket is filled, MIUI It shows a notification, "The basket is almost full. Clean it up to make room." If you ignore it:

• 📉 New deleted files will not get into the basket (they will be erased immediately).
• ⚠️ The system can automatically clean the oldest files, even if their storage period has not expired.

Solution: Check your cart regularly and clear it of unnecessary files, leaving only those that you may need.

💡

Always check the trash before cleaning the device, and even if the file seems unnecessary, it may come in handy later.

7.Basket comparison MIUI brand-wise

The mechanism of the cart on Xiaomi is different from the counterparts on smartphones of other manufacturers.

As you can see from the table, the shopping cart on Xiaomi has the shortest shelf life for a photo (15 days 30-60 It doesn't support cloud backup, which makes it less reliable for long-term storage of deleted files.

Which is better: basket MIUI side-decisions?

If you are not satisfied with the limitations of the standard shopping cart, consider alternatives:

• 📁 File Managers: Solid Explorer, FX File Explorer (with support for its own cart and flexible settings).
• ☁️ Cloud services: Google Photos (60 day shopping cart), Dropbox (file version).
• 🔄 Automatic backup: Sync.com, Resilio Sync (PC sync).

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)