Xiaomi Cloud is over – what to do in 2026?

You saw the notification "Xiaomi Cloud Storage is full" and you don't know how to make room without losing important data? This problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones, where cloud storage is limited by default to 5 GB - and this is not long enough. High-resolution photos, backups of messages, camera recordings and synchronized notes quickly fill the available space.

In this article, we will discuss 8 proven ways to solve the problem, from cleaning up unnecessary files to transferring data to other services.

• 🔍 Find and delete the largest files in the cloud without risking important data.
• 📁 Transfer photos to Google Photos or Yandex Drive while maintaining original quality.
• 💳 Buy an extra seat at a bargain price (current rates for 2026).
• ⚙️ Disable autosynchronization for unnecessary applications so that the cloud doesn't get clogged with debris.

We’ll also compare Xiaomi Cloud to alternative services in terms of key parameters like download speed, security, and cost, and if you’re a Mi Account user from 2018 or later, some features may be different, and we’ll talk about that too.

1. How to check what exactly occupies space in Xiaomi Cloud

Before you delete something, you need to understand what kind of data is filling your cloud.

1. Open the Settings app on your smartphone.
2. Go to Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.
3. Click on Storage Management (or Storage in Global Firmware).

Here you will see a breakdown by category:

• 📸 Photos and videos – usually take up the lion’s share of the space (especially if the original download is enabled).
• 💬 Messages and Contacts — Backups of SMS/MMS and Call History.
• 📝 Notes and documents are files from Mi Notes or WPS Office.
• 🎵 Recordings from a recorder are audio files that you forgot to delete.
• 🔄 Other data is the application cache, system settings, and other small files.

Note the column "Last Activity" -- if you haven't opened files in years, you can delete them, for example, backups of messages for 2020 are unlikely to be necessary.

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Xiaomi Cloud has a hidden folder called.Trash, where files are stored for 30 days before being deleted, and if you accidentally delete something important, check it through the web version of the cloud: i.mi.com.

2.Site vacancy: what can be removed without risk

Not all files in the cloud are equally valuable, but here is a list of things you can delete first.

• 🗑️ Duplicate photos – often the same photos are uploaded multiple times (e.g. from a gallery and from Google Photos at the same time).
• 🎥 Low quality video – if you have originals on your phone or other media.
• 📱 Backups of old applications — for example, data from remote games or test versions of instant messengers.
• 🔊 Voice messages take up little space individually, but can weigh a few gigabytes in total.

To remove unnecessary files:

1. Go to Xiaomi Cloud → Storage Management.
2. Select a category (e.g., “Photo”).
3. Sort files by size (from larger to smaller).
4. Tick the unnecessary boxes and click "Delete".

Attention! Deleting files from the cloud doesn't delete them from your phone -- they stay in local memory. If you want to erase them there, do it separately through Gallery or Files.

3. Transfer data to other cloud services

If there's not enough space after cleaning up, the logical step is to move some of the data to another cloud.

The easiest way to transfer is to use the Google Photos app:

1. Install Google Photos from the Play Market.
2. Log in to your Google account.
3. Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
4. Choose High Quality (unlimited storage) or Original Quality (counted from 15 GB).
5. Wait until the download is complete and turn off sync in Xiaomi Cloud for photos.

Attention! When transferring large amounts of data (more than 10 GB), use Wi-Fi to avoid wasting mobile traffic, and check if your provider blocks uploading files to some clouds (for example, in Crimea and DPR/LPR there may be restrictions on Google Drive).

4. Purchase of additional space: tariffs and life hacks

If you don't want to part with Xiaomi Cloud, you can expand the storage for money. Current rates for 2026 (for Russia and the CIS):

How to buy additional space:

1. Open your Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud
2. Click Buy Place (or Upgrade in the global version).
3. Choose the tariff and payment method (Visa/Mastercard, MIR, Qiwi and WebMoney cards are supported in some regions).
4. Confirm your purchase via SMS or Mi Pay.

Lifehack: If you pay a year in advance, you get a constant bonus amount (e.g., +20GB forever when you buy 200GB for 12 months), which is retained even if you later give up the paid rate.

Payment can be cancelled at any time through Settings → Subscriptions. Money for the unused period is not refunded, but access to the cloud will remain until the end of the paid term.

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Before buying additional space, check whether you have a promotional code for a discount. Xiaomi often distributes them in official communities of VKontakte or Telegram (for example, for holidays).

5. Disable autosynchronization for unnecessary data

Often the cloud is clogged not because of your actions, but because of automatic synchronization, which you don't even notice.

• 📱 App backups – many games and social media sites create backups that weigh several hundred megabytes.
• 💬 Message history — SMS and call records (unless you do business, they are hardly needed).
• 📍 Location Data – Mi Cloud can store your routes (disables in Settings → Privacy).
• 🎵 Music and podcasts – if you listen to them through Mi Music or Spotify.

How to turn off synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Press Data Sync.
3. Uncheck the boxes in front of unnecessary apps (e.g. Notes, Calendar, Health).
4. For photos, select Download only over Wi-Fi to avoid wasting mobile traffic.

If you use Google Photos or Telegram to store media files, completely disable the sync of the gallery in Xiaomi Cloud to avoid duplication.

6. Alternative methods of data storage

If Xiaomi Cloud is not satisfied with the price or functionality, consider these options:

• 🖥️ Local storage — portable SSD or HDD (e.g., a 1TB Western Digital My Passport costs ~5,000 ₽). Connected via a OTG- adapter.
• 📱 Memory card – if your Xiaomi supports microSD (up to 1TB). But remember: some applications can’t run with external memory.
• 🌐 Own NAS is a mini server (e.g. Synology DS220j) for home storage, costs from ~20,000 ₽, but gives you full control.
• 🔗 Decentralized services are Storj or Sia, where you only pay for the space you use (from ~$2 per 1 TB per month).

To automate backup to the NAS or external drive, use the following applications:

• FolderSync (for sync with Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
• Resilio Sync (for P2P- synchronization between devices)
• MiXplorer (file manager with FTP/SFTP support)

Attention! When using a microSD on a Xiaomi smartphone, format it as internal memory (in Settings → Memory) so that applications can be installed on it. But remember, once the card is removed, the data on it will not be available.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with Xiaomi Cloud, users often face these problems:

• 🚫 The "failed to sync" error is usually caused by an unstable Internet connection or a ISP blocking, solution: switch to mobile data or use VPN.
• ⏳ Long file download – if the speed is below 1MB/s, check the Traffic Savings Mode settings in Mi Account.
• 🔒 You can't delete files -- sometimes files are stuck in the cloud. Solution: delete them through the web.
• 📱 Data is not restored on a new phone – make sure you logged in to the same Mi Account and enabled sync for the right apps.

If the cloud still shows that the place is occupied after cleaning, try:

1. Exit the Mi Account and re-enter.
2. Clear the cache of the Xiaomi Cloud application in Settings → Apps.
3. Update the Mi Cloud app to the latest version.

If nothing helps, contact Xiaomi via:

• 📧 Mail: support@mi.com (English).
• 💬 Chats in Telegram or VKontakte (official communities).
• 📞 Phone: +7 (495) 644-05-50 (for Russia).

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Before contacting in support, prepare: error screenshot, phone model, MIUI version and ID of your Mi Account (see Settings → Mi Account → Personal Information).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions