Have you ever noticed a mysterious folder called Trashbin on your Xiaomi smartphone? It takes up space in memory, but its contents are not always clear. Many users wonder what the directory is, can it be deleted, and why it appears even after cleaning the shopping cart in the gallery? In this article, we will discuss in detail the purpose of Trashbin, its relationship with the MIUI system processes, and explain how to work with it without risking data.
Now, it's important to make it clear that Trashbin is not a virus or a system bug. It's a service folder that MIUI creates to temporarily store deleted files. But it depends on the version of the shell, the model of the device, and even the way you delete data. For example, on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro with MIUI 14, the folder can weigh several gigabytes, whereas on POCO F3 with MIUI 13, it's almost invisible. Why this happens, we'll explain later.
What is a Trashbin folder and why you need it
Trashbin (literally, “junk bucket”) is a system basket similar to that found in Windows or macOS. It appears on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 firmware and later, including the Redmi, POCO and Mi models. Its main task is to prevent the accidental deletion of important files, giving the user the chance to restore them within 30 days (by default).
But there are nuances:
- 📁 The folder is created automatically when the file is first deleted through standard applications (Gallery, Files, Records).
- ⏳ The storage period of deleted data can be changed in the settings (from 1 to 60 days).
- 🔄 Trashbin files are permanently erased only after expiry or manual cleaning.
- 📱 On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) The folder can be duplicated in different parts of memory: in the internal and on the SD-map.
It's important to understand that Trashbin is not just a folder, but part of the MIUI storage management mechanism, and it's integrated with the Security app, which cleans up the garbage, and if you manually delete it (like a Root Explorer), the system will restore the folder the next time you delete the file.
Where is the Trashbin folder on Xiaomi
Trashbin's location depends on the MIUI version and the type of memory, and in most cases, it can be found in the following ways:
| Type of memory | The way to the folder | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Internal memory. | /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Trashbin | Main location on most devices |
| SD-map | /storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/Trashbin | XXXX-XXXX - Unique ID card |
| Hidden folder (MIUI 14+) | /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/trash | Appears when using the Gallery for removal |
| System section | /data/media/0/MIUI/Trashbin | Only visible with Root access |
To see the folder in standard Explorer (Files), turn on the display of hidden files:
- Open the Files app.
- Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
- Activate the switch to show hidden files.
If the folder is not in the specified ways, but you are sure that you deleted the files, check:
- 🔍 It may be hidden in another section (for example, /MIUI/Trashbin/com.miui.gallery).
- 📱 On certain devices (e.g, POCO X3 Pro) folder is called.trash instead of Trashbin.
- 🔄 After updating MIUI The path may change (for example, in the MIUI 15 folder moved /Android/media/com.miui.trash).
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If you connect your smartphone to your PC via USB, the Trashbin folder may not appear in Windows due to MIUI limitations. Use the FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer app with Root mode enabled (if you have superuser rights).
Can I delete the Trashbin folder and what happens if I do it?
Deleting the Trashbin folder manually (without using system tools) can cause gallery and file manager failures, especially on MIUI 13 and later, and expects to find the directory the next time you delete the file, and if it does not, it can create a duplicate or lose data altogether.
What will happen with different methods of removal:
- 🗑️ Cleaning through Settings: Safe. Files are deleted permanently, the folder remains empty.
- 🧹 Remove through Explorer: The folder will appear again the next time you delete the file, but the basket settings may be lost.
- 🔧 Root Removal: Risk of damaging system links, especially if the folder is used by multiple applications (e.g. Gallery and Records).
- 📱 Reset to factory settings: The folder will be created again, but all files in it will be deleted irrevocably.
If you are critically short of space, it is better to use the built-in tools:
- Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
- Select Recycle Bin or Deleted Files.
- Then, click on the sleeve (or remove it completely).
What to do if the Trashbin folder takes up too much space?
How to set up automatic Trashbin cleaning
By default, MIUI stores deleted files in Trashbin for 30 days, but this period can be changed or disabled altogether.
- Open the Files app.
- Go to the Trashbin (or Trashbin) section.
- Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → basket settings.
- Choose one of the options: 🕒 Keep it. 1 Day - Files are deleted after 24 hour. 📅 Keep it. 7/15/30/60 Days - Standard Options. ❌ Do not store deleted files – the Recycle Bin is disabled (files are deleted immediately).
On some devices (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), these settings may be located elsewhere: Settings → Memory → Recycle Bin → Storage options.
Important: If you select the option Do not store deleted files, it will be impossible to recover accidentally erased data (unless you use third-party utilities like DiskDigger or Recuva).
Open the Files annex"|Go to the "Baskbasket" section"|Select "Basket settings"|Establish a convenient storage period|Save the changes-->
Trashbin Differences on Different Versions of MIUI
The behavior of the Trashbin folder has changed with the release of new versions of MIUI.
| MIUI version | Features of Trashbin | Where are the settings located |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 | One folder, it's 30 days old, it's not split by data type. | Files → Recycle Bin → Settings |
| MIUI 13 | There's support. SD-The basket can be duplicated. | Settings → Memory → Basket |
| MIUI 14 | Added the option Do not store files. The folder can be hidden. | Files →... → Settings → Recycle Bin |
| MIUI 15 (HyperOS) | The cart is integrated with the Xiaomi Cloud. Files are synchronized. | Settings → Xiaomi Account → Cloud → Cart |
On MIUI 15 (which is based on HyperOS), the Trashbin folder has become part of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, and now deleted files can be temporarily stored not only locally but also in the cloud if sync is enabled, which means that even after cleaning the shopping cart on the phone, files can remain in the Xiaomi Cloud for some time.
To completely disable the cloud cart:
- Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Cloud.
- Select the Synchronization Settings.
- Turn off the option to Sync the cart.
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On MIUI 15 and later, cleaning the local cart does not delete files from Xiaomi Cloud. To free up space in the cloud, clear the cart separately in the Cloud section in your account settings.
Frequent Trashbin folder problems and their solutions
Xiaomi users often face the following Trashbin-related issues:
⚠️ Warning: If files continue to take up space after cleaning the basket, check the folder /MIUI/Trashbin You can delete files with the.tmp or.trash extension manually, but only if you are sure that they are not being used by the system.
Problem 1: The Trashbin folder takes up gigabytes, but the basket is empty.
- 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes the system incorrectly displays folder size.
- 🛠️ Clear the cache of the Gallery and Files applications (Settings) → Annexes → Select an application → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
- 📁 Check the folder through a Root Explorer (like Root Explorer) – it may have hidden files.
Problem 2: Files are not deleted from the bin even after cleaning.
- 📥 Update. MIUI until the latest version - in the old assemblies were bugs with cleaning.
- 🔧 Reset the Gallery app settings (Settings) → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the data).
- 🔄 If the files are stored on SD-Remove it, clean the basket, then insert it back.
Problem 3: The Trashbin folder appears on the SD-map, even though the basket is off:
- 📱 It's a feature. MIUI 13+ — It creates a backup basket on the memory card to remove it:
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If you use SD-As an internal memory card (Adoptable Storage function), the Trashbin folder can take up space in the combined storage, in which case, clean the basket through system settings, not through a conductor.
How to recover files from Trashbin
If you accidentally delete important data, it can be returned from Trashbin within the retention period.
- Open the Files app.
- Go to the Trashbin (or Trashbin) section.
- Select the files you want (you can use Select All).
- Slip on the Restore button (the icon with the arrow down).
- Select the folder to restore (by default – Downloads or original location).
If you don’t have files in your cart, but you’re sure you’ve deleted them recently:
- 🔍 Check the hidden folders: /MIUI/Trashbin/com.miui.gallery or /Android/data/com.miui.gallery/trash.
- 📱 Nana MIUI 15 files can be in the cloud basket: Settings → Xiaomi account → Cloud. → Basket.
- 🔄 If the storage period has expired, try the recovery software: DiskDigger, Recuva (requires Root for deep scanning).
⚠️ Note: When recovering files from Trashbin SD-Don't retrieve it before the process is complete, and this can cause data corruption, especially if the card is formatted as internal memory.