Recycle Bin in Xiaomi Redmi phone: where is and how to use

When you delete photos or documents on Xiaomi Redmi, many users are faced with the unexpected: files disappear irrevocably, and the icon "basket" is nowhere. Unlike computers or iPhone, where the remote gets into temporary storage, smartphones on MIUI work differently. But this does not mean that data recovery is impossible! In this article, we will analyze where the "basket" on Redmi is actually stored, how to find it in different applications and what to do if the files are lost forever.

The secret is that MIUI firmware doesn't have a single system basket like Windows. Instead, each application (Gallery, Files, Records) can have a temporary storage or not at all. For example, photos from Google Photos are sent to the cloud bin, and those deleted through the standard MIUI Gallery can disappear forever if the appropriate setting is not enabled.

Before you search for the cart, check if the auto-clean feature is activated in the memory settings. In Redmi, it can automatically delete files older than 30 days, even if they are in temporary storage. To avoid data loss, we recommend checking all possible "baskets" immediately after deleting - more on that.

1. Recycle cart in the standard MIUI Gallery: where to look for deleted photos

The standard Gallery app on Xiaomi Redmi has a built-in shopping cart, but it's disabled by default in most regions. To activate it, you need to change the settings of the application. Here's how to do it:

Open the Gallery, tap three dots in the top right corner, and select Settings → Recycle Bin. Here you will see the Slider Turn on the Recycle Bin - move it to the right, and then all deleted photos and videos will be stored in the Recycle Bin for 30 days before final removal.

• 📁 How to open the basket: In the Gallery, swipe left on the home screen or click on the basket icon in the bottom menu (will appear after activation of the function).
• ⏳ Storage period: 30 days - files are deleted permanently. MIUI The term can be extended to 60 days.
• 🔄 Recovery: Highlight files with a long tap, then click Restore in the bottom menu.

⚠️ Note: If you delete photos before you turn on the cart, they won’t be retroactively included, in which case you can try to restore them using Google Photos (if sync was enabled) or specialized programs like DiskDigger.

2. Recycle bin in the Files app: where deleted documents are stored

The File Manager app on Redmi also has temporary storage, but it works differently than in the Gallery, and here the shopping cart is on by default, but hidden in the back of the menu.

1. Open the Files app.
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper left corner.
3. Select the item Cart - it is at the bottom of the list, under the Category section.

The File Recycle Bin stores all deleted documents, archives, APKs and other files (except media, which are processed by the Gallery) and has a 30-day shelf life, but there is a caveat: if you clear the cache or application data Files through your phone settings, the shopping cart will be reset early.

🔹 How to recover: Check the files, then click Restore in the bottom panel. The files will return to the folder from which they were deleted.

Make sure your phone has enough memory | Check if files are overwritten with new data | Turn off automatic cart cleanup in settings |Sync important files with the cloud-->

3. Recycle Bin in Google Photos: Cloud storage of deleted images

If you use Google Photos to back up, the deleted photos are fed into a cloud-based shopping cart that works independently of MIUI.

Launch the Google Photos app, tap the profile avatar in the top right corner, and select Recycle Bin. This is where all deleted photos are stored for 60 days (for free accounts), and if you pay for Google One, the period increases to 365 days.

• ☁️ Advantage: Files are stored in the cloud, so they can be restored even after resetting the phone to factory settings.
• 🔒 Restriction: If a photo was deleted before syncing with Google Photos is enabled, it will not be included in the cloud basket.
• 📲 How to recover: Select files, click Restore – they will return to the main gallery.

⚠️ Note: If you deleted photos from Google Photos and cleaned the shopping cart in the standard Gallery at the same time MIUI, The chances of recovery are near zero, and only professional data recovery software (e.g. Dr.Fone) will help).

4.Why the basket isn't there: Redmi models with no temporary storage

Not all Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have a shopping cart, depending on the MIUI version and regional firmware. For example, some builds for the Redmi Note 8/9 based on MIUI 11 do not have a basket function at all. Here is a list of models where the basket can be disabled by default:

If your model is on the list with a note ❌, Don’t worry: the Recycle Bin in Files usually works independently, and you can also install a third-party gallery (such as Simple Gallery) that has its own shopping cart.

5. How to recover files if the basket is empty

If you delete files and the recycle bin is empty (or not at all), there are several ways to get the data back, and it's important to act quickly, because the more time has passed, the greater the risk of overwriting deleted files with new data.

Method 1: Recovery programs

Use utilities like DiskDigger, Recuva (for PC) or Dumpster (an Android shopping cart application).

1. Install the program from Google Play.
2. Provide root access (if required).
3. Select a memory partition (Internal memory or SD-map).
4. Run the scan and wait for the results.

Method 2: Backup copies of MIUI

If you have enabled cloud backup in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup, try recovering data from there. Note: Backups are automatically created only for contacts, messages and notes – media files need to be synced separately.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install recovery software on the same memory partition where deleted files were stored! This can lead to their complete overwriting and irretrievable loss.

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If you delete files by mistake, install Dumpster, which creates a universal shopping cart for all types of data, even if MIUI doesn’t.

6. How to permanently delete files from the Recycle Bin (without recovery)

If you want to completely erase files from the Recycle Bin so they can’t be restored, do the following:

• 🗑️ In the Gallery. MIUI: Open the cart, select files and click Delete Forever.
• 📂 In Files: Go to the Recycle Bin, highlight files and select Clear.
• ☁️ In Google Photos: Open the cart, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Clean the cart.

To guarantee removal (e.g., before selling your phone), use the Factory Reset function in Settings → About Phone → Reset. But remember: this will delete all data from the device, including apps and accounts.

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Even after cleaning the recycle bin, you can recover files with specialized software within a few days. Use programs like Shreddit or Secure Erase (root required) to completely delete them.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Many Redmi users lose files because they don't know MIUI, and here are some of the most common mistakes:

• 🚫 Remove without checking the cart: Before cleaning, always check if the cart is included in the Gallery and Files.
• 🔄 Cache reset: Clearing the cache of the Files or Gallery app can reset the basket.
• ☁️ No backups: Don’t rely on the shopping cart alone – set up automatic sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• 📱 Use of third-party launchers: Some shells (like Nova Launcher) may hide icons of standard applications MIUI, basket-including.

To avoid data loss, follow a simple rule: Before deleting important files, check if the cart is turned on and if there is a backup. It is also helpful to set a limit on automatic memory cleanup in Settings → Memory → Autoclean.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions