How to Clean Xiaomi Cloud: Delete Data, Backups, and Account

Why Clean Xiaomi Cloud and What Does It Do?

Xiaomi Cloud cloud storage automatically syncs photos, contacts, notes, and even backups of your devices, and over time, it gets filled with unnecessary data that takes up space and can pose a privacy risk, such as old smartphone backups you haven’t used in a long time, or duplicate photos that have been transferred to other services.

Cleaning up Xiaomi Cloud allows you to make room for new files, speed up synchronization and reduce the risk of personal information leakage, especially before selling a device or changing your Mi Account. But it is important to understand that some data (such as backups) will not be restored after deletion.

This article provides detailed instructions on how to delete individual files, completely clean up storage, and even delete the Mi Account itself if you no longer need it, as well as answers to common questions: what will happen to devices after cleaning, how to move data to another cloud, and whether deleted files can be returned.

How to check what is stored in your Xiaomi Cloud

Before we start cleaning, we need to evaluate what data is taking up space.

1. Open the Settings app on Xiaomi smartphone.
2. Go to Mi Account (or Xiaomi Cloud depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Select Warehouse or Data Management.

Here you'll see the memory categorization: Photos, Videos, Contacts, Notes, Backups, and more. Click on any category to view specific files. For example, in the Photos section, you can sort your photos by date and see which ones take up the most space.

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If you use Xiaomi Cloud on multiple devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop), the data on the occupied space may vary slightly due to caching. For accuracy, check the storage from the device where you most often download files.

Note the Backups section, which stores archives of your device settings and data, and a single backup can weigh several gigabytes, especially if it includes apps and their data, and you can delete old copies (like from a phone you haven't used in a long time).

Delete individual files and folders from Xiaomi Cloud

If you want to make room, but you don't want to lose all the data, you can delete only unnecessary files, both from your smartphone and through the web version of the cloud.

Method 1: Through a mobile application

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Mi Account. → Xiaomi Cloud → Warehouse.
• 📁 Select a category (for example, Photo or Video).
• 🗑️ Click on the file, then select Delete (or the basket icon).
• 🔄 For mass deletion, use the selection mode (long-term press on the file).

Deletion through the application is convenient if you need to quickly get rid of several files, but for mass cleaning, it is better to use the web version.

Method 2: Through i.mi.com

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in.
• 📂 In the left menu, select the Cloud (or Cloud) section).
• 🖼️ Tick unneeded files and click Delete.
• 🧹 To clean the entire category (e.g., all photos) use filters by date.

The web version has additional features, such as file size sorting, title search and preview, which is convenient if you want to find and delete the heaviest files.

How to remove backup copies of devices

Backups take up the lion’s share of the space in Xiaomi Cloud, especially if you create them regularly, and you need to be careful about removing them, because if the copy is connected to the current device, it will be impossible to restore data after cleaning.

To delete the backup copy:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud → Backups.
2. Select the device you want to remove a copy of.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Delete Backup.
4. Confirm the action.

Check that important data is stored elsewhere

Make sure the copy is not connected to the current device

Download the required files to the PC (if required)

Confirm that the copy is outdated (for example, from a phone that is no longer in use)-->

If you sell or transfer a device to another person, be sure to delete all the backups associated with it, otherwise the new owner will be able to recover your personal data.

⚠️ Attention: Removing the backup does not untie the device from the Mi Account. For complete cleaning, you also need to reset the phone to factory settings and untie it manually (more about this in the next section).

Device uncoupling from Xiaomi Cloud

Every Xiaomi device that is linked to your account automatically syncs data to the cloud. If you no longer use the gadget (for example, sold it or it broke), it should be unplugged, this will prevent data leakage and free up the limit of connected devices (there are no more than 5 in a free account).

To untie the device:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Security.
2. Select Device Management.
3. Find an unnecessary device in the list and click on it.
4. Select Remove the device and confirm the action.

If the device is unavailable (for example, lost or broken), you can untie it via the web version of Mi Account:

• 🌐 Go to account.xiaomi.com.
• 🔒 Log in and select Device Management.
• 🗑️ Click on the cross next to the unnecessary gadget.

Once unplugged, the device will lose access to synchronized data (contacts, notes, photos), but files already uploaded to the cloud will remain. To delete them completely, use the instructions from the previous sections.

Delete all Mi Account and data from Xiaomi Cloud

If you decide to completely abandon Xiaomi services, you can delete your Mi Account along with all the data in the cloud. This operation is irreversible: it will not be possible to restore your account or files after deleting.

• 📱 All important data (photos, contacts, notes) are stored elsewhere.
• 🔄 You do not have active subscriptions or associated devices that use your account.
• 💳 All payment methods are disabled (if you tied a card for purchases in the Mi Store).

To delete the account:

1. Go to the account management page: account.xiaomi.com.
2. Log in and select your account settings.
3. Scroll down and click Delete Account.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen: confirm the action by SMS or email.

The deletion process can take up to 30 days, during which time the account will be blocked, but the data has not yet been erased, if you change your mind, you can cancel the deletion by logging in within this period, after 30 days the account and all data (including Xiaomi Cloud) will be permanently deleted.

⚠️ Note: Deleting your Mi Account will result in loss of access to all Xiaomi services, including: 📱 Updates to firmware on tied devices. 🛒 Mi Store Shopping and Order History. 🏠 Manage Mi Home smart devices. If you use smart appliances (such as a robot vacuum cleaner or light bulbs), reconfigure it to another Mi Account before deleting your account.

What to do after cleaning up Xiaomi Cloud

After removing data from the cloud, it is recommended to follow several steps to avoid problems:

1. Check the sync on your devices. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud and make sure that unnecessary data (such as old contacts) is no longer displayed.
2. Set up a backup to another cloud. If you delete backups, transfer the important data to Google Drive, Yandex Disk, or another service.
3. Update applications. Some programs (like Gallery or Notes) may try to sync with the cloud, upgrade to the latest version to avoid errors.

If you want to continue using Xiaomi Cloud, but want to optimize it:

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Regular cleaning of Xiaomi Cloud not only frees up space, but also reduces the risk of data leakage, especially if you use one account on multiple devices or change gadgets often.

Frequent questions about cleaning up Xiaomi Cloud