Where on Xiaomi is the basket: search for deleted files in MIUI

You accidentally deleted an important photo, video or document on a Xiaomi smartphone and now you don’t know how to return it? Unlike computers where the basket is always in plain sight, on Android devices (including Redmi, POCO and Mi), its location depends on the type of files and the version of the MIUI firmware. In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to find a shopping cart on Xiaomi – from standard tools to hidden features and cloud services.

It’s important to understand that Android doesn’t have a single basket for all files, like Windows. Instead, each type of data (photos, videos, documents) can be stored in a separate garbage bin — either in the Files app, in the Mi Cloud cloud, or in the shopping cart of a particular application (such as the Gallery), and we’ll show you where to look in each case, and also what to do if the basket is empty or not at all.

1. The basket in the Gallery app: photo and video recovery

The most common scenario is that you delete a photo or video through a standard Xiaomi Gallery, in which case the files don't disappear immediately, but instead end up in a temporary storage, a gallery basket, to find it:

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
3. Select Recycle Bin (or recently deleted in older versions of MIUI).
4. Hold your finger on the file to restore or click Restore Everything.

⚠️ Note: Files in the gallery basket are stored for a maximum of 30 days (in the MIUI 14 days and 15 days later. They are then permanently deleted, and the cart is automatically cleared if the device runs out of space.

Make sure the file has not been manually deleted from the Recycle Bin | Check the deletion date (if >30 days have passed, recovery is not possible) | Free up space on the device if the Recycle Bin does not open | Try another Mi Account if the files are synced to the cloud

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

• 📱 You use a third-party gallery (e.g. Google Photos – the shopping cart is in the Library section). → Basket).
• 🔧 The function is disabled in the settings. To enable: go to Gallery Settings → Basket → Turn on the basket.
• 🗑️ The files were deleted not through the gallery but through the file manager (see the next section).

2.The basket in the Files app: where to look for documents and other data

If you have deleted not a photo, but a document (.docx,.pdf), archive (.zip), APK-A file or other type of data, you need to look for it in the Xiaomi system file manager:

1. Open the Files app (Icon with folder and magnifying glass).
2. From the bottom menu, select the Category tab (or the Review in MIUI 13 and older).
3. Scroll down and find the Recycle Bin section (sometimes hidden under the Still item).
4. Select the files you need and click Restore.

🔍 Important: The Recycle Bin in Files only appeared in MIUI 12 and later. If you have an older firmware version, you can't recover deleted files from it, they're deleted immediately, and only the Mi Cloud cloud or specialized programs (about them below) will help).

If the Recycle Bin in Files is empty but you are sure you have recently deleted files, try:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes the cart doesn’t update right away.
• 🔍 Enable the display of hidden files: in Files → Settings → Show hidden files.
• 📁 Check the folder. /storage/emulated/0/.trash through any file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer).

MIUI 12|MIUI 13|MIUI 14|MIUI 15 (or newer)|I don't know.

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Recycle Bin in Mi Cloud: Recovery through the Cloud

If your Xiaomi enabled sync with Mi Cloud, deleted files could be saved to the cloud basket, even for older versions of MIUI, where there is no local shopping cart, to check:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account.
2. Slip on Mi Cloud (cloud).
3. Select the Recycle Bin (or Deleted Files) section.
4. Find the file you want and click Restore.

⚠️ Note: The cloud cart in Mi Cloud only stores files for 10 days, which is less than in the local cart:

• 📱 The device was authorized Mi-account at the time of deletion.
• ☁️ In the cloud settings, synchronization for this type of file was enabled (for example, Photos or Documents).
• 📶 The device had access to the Internet (files are synced only online).

If there are no files in the cloud cart but sync has been enabled, try:

• 🌐 Go to the web version of Mi Cloud from your computer – sometimes there are files that are not in the mobile application.
• 📧 Check Spam in the Cloud (sometimes files get there by mistake).
• 🔄 Reconnect your account: log out of Mi Cloud and log in again.

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If you delete files regularly but want to save them, turn on the “Backup” option in the Mi Cloud settings to automatically sync, which will increase your chances of recovery even after cleaning the cart.

4. Google Shopping Cart Photos: If you use Google Services

Many Xiaomi users default or knowingly use Google Photos instead of the standard gallery, in which case deleted photos and videos end up in the Google shopping cart, not MIUI, to recover them:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Pick the basket.
4. Hold files to recover or click Restore Everything.

📅 Google Photos Recycle Bin - 60 days (twice as long as in the Google Photos Recycle Bin) MIUI). But there are nuances:

• 📸 If the photos were uploaded in high quality, they take up space in Google Drive. When the cart is overflowing, it can clear earlier.
• 🔗 Files deleted from SD-Maps, not included in Google Photos.
• 🚫 If you delete files from your computer via the web version, they will disappear on your phone.

If the cart is empty but you are sure the files were in Google Photos, check:

• 🔍 Archives – sometimes files are moved there instead of a basket.
• 📁 Folder Device → DCIM — The files may not have been synchronized.
• 📧 Incoming emails to Gmail – if a notification about new photos is enabled, there may be a link to the deleted file.

5 What to do if the basket is empty or not

If you've checked all of these methods, but there's no files in the bins, don't despair. There are a few other ways to recover them:

Method 1: Data recovery programs

Specialized utilities (such as DiskDigger, EaseUS MobiSaver or Recuva for PC) can find deleted files even if the basket is cleaned.

• 🛑 Do not write new data to your device – this reduces the chances of recovery.
• 📱 Root rights required for deep scanning (on non-rooted devices, programs only look for cache).
• ⏳ The process can take several hours, especially if the memory is full.

Method 2: Checking backup copies

If backup was enabled on Xiaomi (in Settings → Additional), try to recover data from the backup:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Local Backups or Restore with Mi Cloud.
3. Find a backup with the desired date and restore the data.

⚠️ Warning: Recovery from the backup may overwrite current data (such as contacts or messages.

Method 3: Appealing for Xiaomi

In extreme cases, you can try to contact the support team Xiaomi.

• 📝 Prepare. IMEI Devices (you can find out by command *#06#).
• 📅 Specify the exact date and time of deletion of files.
• 📎 Attach screenshots of the cart (if it is empty) and synchronization settings.

The chances of success are slim, but if files were critical (like documents to work with), support can help with recovery through server logs.

6. How to protect files from accidental deletion in the future

To avoid data loss, follow these guidelines:

• ☁️ Enable automatic sync with Mi Cloud or Google Drive: For Mi Cloud: Settings → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → Sync. For Google Photos: Open the app → Settings → Backup and synchronization.
• 📁 Create local backups regularly: Use the built-in Settings feature → Additionally. → Backup and reset: Copy important files to a computer or external drive.
• 🔒 Configure Deletion Confirmation: In Gallery: Settings → Confirmation of deletion. In Files: Settings → Basket → Request confirmation.
• 🛡️ Use third-party file managers with an extended basket, such as Solid Explorer (there is a basket and cloud sync). FX File Explorer (Supports Recovery After Deletion).

💡 Tip: If you often work with important documents, consider buying an external one. SSD-adaptor USB-C Modern models (e.g. Samsung) T7 Shield is compact, reliable and allows you to store data separately from your phone.

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The most reliable way to protect data is a combination of cloud synchronization (Mi). Cloud/Google Disc) + This ensures that files are recovered even if your smartphone is broken or stolen.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with a shopping cart on Xiaomi, users often make these mistakes:

Another common problem is that the cart won't open or it gives you an error.

• 📱 Lack of memory: Free up space (remove unnecessary apps or transfer files to the site) SD-map).
• 🔄 Cache failure: Clear the Files or Gallery application data into Settings → Annexes.
• 📲 Outdated firmware: Update MIUI Up to the latest version (the cart is more stable in the MIUI 14+).
• 🔒 Mi Account Limitations: If the device has been reset, reauthorization may be required.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions