Smartphone users Xiaomi i Redmi often encounter confusion when trying to find “cloud storage”. The fact is that in the operating system Android there is no one universal icon with the inscription “Cloud”, as there was in old push-button phones. Instead, the ecosystem offers several integrated services, each of which performs its own backup function.
Your device is connected to several cloud environments by default. Firstly, this is a proprietary service, which is deeply integrated into the shell. It is responsible for synchronizing system settings, contacts, notes and voice recorder. Secondly, these are services from Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the shell MIUI or HyperOS. It is responsible for synchronizing system settings, contacts, notes and voice recorder. Secondly, these are services from Google, which are the basis for any Android system and are responsible for backing up applications and account data.
Understanding the difference between these services is critical to saving your data. Whether you're wondering where your photos went or how to transfer contacts to a new phone, you need to know the correct path to access the desired storage. Let's look at where exactly these settings are hidden and how to manage them.
Access to Mi Cloud through system settings
The main and deepest level of cloud integration in smartphones Xiaomi is located in the system settings menu. This is where it is managed Mi Cloud. To get there, open the application Settings on the main screen. At the very top of the list you will see a block with your Mi Account (if you are logged in). Click on it to enter cloud management.
If you have not yet logged into your account, the system will prompt you to enter the phone number or email address registered in the service Xiaomi. After logging in, the synchronization control panel will open in front of you. Here you will see toggles for different types of data: contacts, messages, gallery, voice recorder, notes and system settings.
It is important to note that the amount of free space in Mi Cloud is limited (usually 5 GB). This may not be enough for a full high-resolution backup of the gallery. In a section like Gallery inside the cloud settings, you can select the “Free up space” option. This function uploads the original photos to the cloud and deletes them from the phone's memory, leaving only small copies for viewing.
⚠️ Attention: When you delete a photo from the phone's gallery with Mi Cloud synchronization enabled, it may also be deleted from the cloud. Always check the “Synchronization” settings before manually clearing the memory.
To expand storage capabilities, the system will offer to purchase an additional tariff. Subscription management is also located in this menu. Do not forget that the data in Mi Cloud is protected by your account password, and without it it will be impossible to restore information on another device.
Enable two-factor authentication for Mi Account in the security settings to protect your cloud data from unauthorized access even if the password is leaked.
Google Drive and system backup
The second key element of the ecosystem is services Google. Unlike Mi Cloud, which is tailored for specific shell functions, system backup and backup work at the Android kernel level. You can find them in two ways: through a separate application or through the general phone settings. Google Drive and system backup work at the Android kernel level. You can find them in two ways: through a separate application or through the general phone settings.
The first way is to find a pre-installed application Google Drive (icon in the form of a triangle in yellow, green and blue colors). It is available on all certified smartphones Redmi. The application stores files that you have manually downloaded, as well as backup copies of documents. However, to set up automatic system backup, it is better to use the settings menu.
Go to Settings → About phone → Backup and restore (the path may vary slightly depending on the version MIUI). Here you will see a section Google Account. Clicking on it will take you to the backup management menu. Lists of installed applications, call history, SMS messages and device settings are stored here.
- 📱 Applications: Automatic restoration of the app list when changing phone.
- 📞 Contacts: Synchronize your phone book with your Gmail account (independent of Mi Cloud).
- 📸 Photo: Backup via the Google Photos application (separate service).
The advantage of using Google services is their versatility. If you switch from Xiaomi to Samsung or any other Android smartphone, your data will be restored automatically when you log into the same Google account. While Mi Cloud is tied exclusively to brand devices.
Where to look for the cloud in the Explorer application
Many users are looking for the cloud to simply upload a file there, like on a flash drive. For these purposes, it is convenient to use the standard application in smartphones Xiaomi convenient to use the standard application Explorer. It aggregates access to different storage spaces in one interface, eliminating the need to switch between applications.
Open the application Explorer (yellow folder icon). At the top of the screen or in the Overview tab, you will find sections dedicated to cloud services. Connected accounts may be displayed here Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDriveif you have logged in to them previously.
Unfortunately, native Mi Cloud not is always displayed in Explorer as a separate folder for arbitrary files, since it works more as a service for synchronizing certain system data, rather than as a file archive. However, if you use third-party clouds, managing them through File Explorer is very convenient: you can copy files from internal memory to the cloud by simply dragging and dropping.
⚠️ Attention: The interface of the Explorer application may change with MIUI updates. If you do not see the cloud icons, check the settings of the application itself or install official clients of the required services.
To work with files in the cloud through Explorer, an active Internet connection is required. When copying large amounts of data, make sure that you are using the network Wi-Fito avoid wasting mobile data. The download speed will depend on your tariff and the quality of the connection.
☑️ Checking the cloud connection in Explorer
Synchronizing photos via Google Photos and Gallery
The question “where is the cloud” most often arises precisely because of photographs. Users want to be sure that pictures will not be lost if they lose their phone. In Xiaomi two competing services are responsible for this: built-in Gallery (linked to Mi Cloud) and application Google Photos.
If you use the standard Gallery, go to its settings. There should be an item “Synchronize with Mi Cloud”. When this function is activated, all new pictures will be uploaded to the server Xiaomi. You can see them by accessing the site i.mi.com from your computer. This is convenient for viewing, but the amount of free space quickly runs out.
An alternative and often more reliable option is the application Google Photos. It comes pre-installed on most devices. Open the application, click on your profile avatar in the corner and select Photo settings → Auto-upload and synchronization. Turn on this toggle switch.
Once turned on, all your photos and videos will begin to be uploaded to your account Google. You can find them at any time through the app or website photos.google.com. The advantage of this method is a powerful search: the system recognizes faces, objects and places in pictures, allowing you to find photos for the query “sea” or “cat”.
| Characteristics | Mi Cloud (Gallery) | Google Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Free volume | 5 GB (total) | 15 GB (shared with Gmail) |
| Integration | Deep into the Xiaomi system | Universal for Android |
| Search by photo | Basic (by date/album) | Advanced (AI, objects, faces) |
| Access from PC | Via browser i.mi.com | Via photos.google.com |
Third-party cloud services on Redmi
In addition to the built-in solutions, nothing prevents you from installing third-party applications for storing data. This is especially true if you need more space or specific functions that Xiaomi i Googledo not provide. Popular options in the CIS include Yandex.Disk, Dropbox and pCloud.
You can install them through the app store GetApps (built-in Xiaomi store) or Google Play Market. After installing and logging into your account, these services often offer to set up automatic photo uploads, similar to Google Photos. This creates an additional copy of your data, increasing the reliability of storage.
Some users prefer to use Telegram or VK as a cloud. By creating a private channel or chat with yourself, you can upload files there without a storage time limit. However, this method is not a specialized cloud storage and may have restrictions on the size of one file.
Hidden capabilities of Yandex.Disk on Xiaomi
The Yandex.Disk app on Android can automatically free up space on the phone. It uploads photos to the cloud and deletes the originals from the device's memory, leaving them available for viewing through the app, saving gigabytes.
Solving problems with display and synchronization
Sometimes users complain that they cannot find the cloud or it does not work. Most often, the problem lies in an outdated version of the software or service failures Google. If icons disappear or synchronization is frozen, try performing a few basic diagnostic steps.
First, check the date and time on the device. Incorrect time settings may block the secure connection to cloud servers. Go to Settings → Advanced → Date and time and enable the “Use network time” option. This is a common and easily fixable cause of errors.
If the problem concerns Google services, try clearing the application cache. Go to Settings → Applications → All apps, find Google Play Services or Google Drive, select Storage and click Clear cache. This will not delete your data, but it will reset temporary files that may have caused the error.
⚠️ Attention: Functions and menu location may vary depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12, 13, 14 or HyperOS). If you do not find the described item, use the search in the settings (magnifying glass at the top of the settings screen).
As a last resort, if Mi Cloud synchronization does not work, try logging out of your account and logging in again. To do this, go to your Mi Account settings, press Exit, restart your phone and log in again. This will update the server access tokens.
If the built-in synchronization tools raise doubts about reliability, use the “3-2-1” rule: three copies of the data, on two different media, one of which is in a different geographical location (for example, the cloud).
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can I access Mi Cloud from a computer?
Yes, you can log into your account through any browser on your computer by going to the official website i.mi.com. There you can view contacts, notes, photos and search for a device. To log in, you will need to enter your phone number and confirmation code from SMS.
What will happen to the data in the cloud if I reset the phone to factory settings?
Data in the cloud (Mi Cloud or Google) is not deleted when resetting the phone. After setting up a new device or resetting an old one, you just need to log into the same account and the information will sync back. However, files stored only in the internal memory without synchronization will be lost.
Why does the cloud say that the space has run out even though I haven't downloaded anything?
Most likely, automatic synchronization is enabled by default. The system might have downloaded old photos, a system backup, or a recycle bin of deleted files. Check the "Storage" section in the cloud settings to see what exactly is taking up space and delete the excess.
Is it safe to store photos in the Xiaomi cloud?
Xiaomi uses data encryption during transmission and storage. However, like any large service, they can analyze metadata. For maximum confidentiality of critical documents, it is recommended to use third-party encrypted clouds or store them locally on encrypted media.
How to disable synchronization so as not to waste traffic?
Go to the Mi Account or Google Account settings, find the synchronization section and turn off the toggle switches for the desired applications. Also, in the mobile data settings, you can prohibit background data transfer for cloud applications, allowing synchronization only via Wi-Fi.