Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 9 often face the need to free up interior space or recover lost images. Modern mobile devices allow you to store gigabytes of media files not only in physical memory, but also in virtual storage, which ensures data security even when the device breaks down or accidentally loses it.
Access to cloud archives on Android devices is as convenient as possible, but Redmi users have two main ways: using the Google Photo ecosystem or the Mi Cloud brand service. Understanding the differences between these services is critical to the proper organization of personal archives.
In this guide, we will take a look at how to find your photos in the cloud, set up automatic downloads, and quickly navigate between your local gallery and online storage, and learn how to manage your digital space efficiently.
The main cloud services for storing photos on Redmi 9
Xiaomi smartphones have several systems pre-installed by default that can synchronize the media library. The main tool for most Android users is a service from Google. It is integrated into the operating system and offers 15 GB of free space that is shared between mail, disk and photos.
The second major player is Xiaomi’s proprietary Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the MIUI shell on which Redmi 9 is based, which allows you to back up not only photos, but also contacts, notes and settings, and requires a Mi Account to work.
The choice between these services depends on your needs. If you plan to switch to a new brand phone in the future, Google Photos will be a universal solution. If you stay in the Xiaomi ecosystem, Mi Cloud will provide deeper synchronization capabilities for system settings.
- 📸 Google Photos: a universal service with powerful artificial intelligence for search.
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: Native Integration with a Shell MIUI and fast synchronization.
- 🔒 Security: Both services use encryption when transferring data.
How to open photos in Google Photos
To access the archive of images saved in your Google account, you need to run the appropriate application. On Redmi 9, it is usually in the Google folder or on the home screen. The icon is a colorful pinwheel symbol. Once you open the application, make sure you are logged in to the correct account.
The interface is divided into tabs. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see the switches: Photos, Search, Library and For you. To see all the photos sorted by date, you just need to be in the Photos tab, and you'll see both files downloaded from your current device and files stored only in the cloud.
If you want to see only photos that are in the cloud and deleted from your phone, you need to use the filter. Click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner and select "Photo Editor Settings" or "Application Settings", then look for "Backup Status". However, the easiest way to navigate is by navigating the cloud icon next to the thumbnail.
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The cloud icon next to the photo means that the original is stored online, and only a compressed copy or preview is available on the device.
Importantly, the Google Photos app allows you to search for images by content, and you can type in the search bar "beach," "dog," or "documents," and the algorithm will find the relevant frames, even if they were not tagged manually.
Using Mi Cloud to view the gallery
The second way to view the archive on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is using the Mi cloud. This method is convenient because it does not require the installation of additional applications, since the functionality is built into the standard gallery.
To activate cloud viewing, open the Gallery app. At the top of the screen, next to the Albums and Video tabs, a cloud icon or switch often appears. If it's not there, click three dots in the corner or the profile icon, then select Settings and activate Sync with Mi Cloud.
Once sync is enabled, the gallery will have a separate tab or section, usually labeled as “Cloud Albums” or simply a cloud icon, showing photos that have been uploaded from other devices tied to your Mi ID, such as a tablet or an old Xiaomi smartphone.
How much space does the Mi Cloud give you for free?
File management in this section allows you not only to view, but also hide pictures, create shared albums for friends. that removing a photo from the cloud section of Mi Cloud will lead to its removal from all synchronized devices.
Set up automatic synchronization of images
To make sure that new photos are automatically accessed from any device, you need to set up your backup options correctly. Without this setup, your new photos will only remain in the memory of your Redmi 9 phone.
To set up Google Photos, click on your profile avatar and select Photo Editor Settings -> Backup Settings. Here you can select the download quality: High quality (compressed photos, do not rank in the quota) or Original (full quality, takes up space).
In the case of Mi Cloud, the path is different. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery. Here you need to activate the "Sync" switch. The system will suggest you choose the conditions: sync only over Wi-Fi or allow the use of mobile data. You can also choose the size of the downloaded previews to save traffic.
☑️ Checklist of synchronization settings
Notice the option "Use the mobile network." If it's off and Wi-Fi isn't, new photos won't be uploaded to the cloud until the wireless connection comes along, which can create the illusion of data loss, when in fact they're just waiting for the connection.
Search and Sort Images in the Cloud
When your photos are in the cloud, management tools come to the fore, and smart sorting algorithms help you find the right frame among thousands of others. Google Photos uses object, face and location recognition to search.
You can sort your pictures by date by going to calendar mode. Redmi 9 does this by swiping time scale. And there are special categories: "People," "Places," "Things." When you click on them, you'll see the grouping of photos by the faces of your contacts or the geographic locations where the picture was taken.
In the Xiaomi Gallery app with Mi Cloud enabled, sorting is also available. You can create "Favorites" albums that will sync between devices. This is convenient for quick access to important documents or memorable footage without having to flip through the entire tape.
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Using tags and albums in the cloud greatly speeds up the search for the right images in the future, saving the user time.
Remember, archives disappear from the main feed, but they stay in the cloud and are accessible through search or a special section, and it's a great way to clear screenshots and checks from the main screen of the gallery, keeping them available.
Free up space on Redmi 9 after download
One of the main goals of using cloud technologies is to save internal memory of the smartphone. Xiaomi Redmi 9 is often released in versions with 32 or 64 GB of memory, which quickly fill up. Once you make sure that all photos are successfully synchronized (cloud icon without rising arrows), you can delete the originals from the device.
There's a handy "Free space" feature in the Google Photos app, which is in the profile menu, and when you click on it, it checks all the photos on the device, finds the ones that are already in the cloud, and deletes local copies, and the only ones left in the gallery are thumbnails that take up negligible space.
Mi Cloud users can use the "Storage Optimization" feature, which replaces the original photos on the device with smaller copies, saving the full versions in the cloud, allowing you to view photos in the gallery, almost without using up your phone's memory.
⚠️ Warning: Before mass-deleting photos from your device, make sure to check that the sync has been successful. Open the cloud from your computer or other device and make sure that all images are displayed there in full quality.
Once the memory is cleared, Redmi 9 can speed up its work, as the system will not need to index gigabytes of media files. Regularly checking cloud storage and cleaning local copies is the best practice for keeping the smartphone in good shape.
Comparison of Google Photos and Mi Cloud
To make it easier for you to decide on the main storage method, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you understand which service is best suited to your specific tasks and usage habits of Xiaomi.
| Characteristics | Google Photo | Mi Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Free volume | 15 GB (shared with mail) | 5GB |
| Integration | Deep with Android | Deep with MIUI |
| Compression quality | High (without loss of quality up to 16 MP) | Optimization for mobile |
| Search | Very powerful (AI) | Basic (by date/albums) |
| Access to PC | photos.google.com | i.mi.com |
As you can see from the table, Google Photos benefits in free storage and search ability. However, Mi Cloud is more convenient for a full backup of Xiaomi. Many Redmi 9 users use a hybrid scheme: important photos are duplicated in Google, and system settings and screenshots are left in the Mi Cloud.
The choice depends on how deeply you are immersed in the ecosystem. If you have a Xiaomi smart TV or tablet at home, Mi Cloud will allow you to display photos on the screen with one touch. For cross-platform (for example, if your wife has an iPhone and you have a Redmi), Google Photos will be the leader.