Every year the volume of photographs, videos and documents on our smartphones is growing steadily. Owners of brand devices Xiaomi often encounter a situation where the pre-installed Xiaomi Cloud cloud storage suddenly becomes full. This blocks the ability to create new backups and can cause the loss of important data if the phone fails.
The main problem is that the free space (usually 5 GB) is only enough for contacts and notes, but not for media files. As soon as the limit is exhausted, the system begins to insistently demand payment for the tariff extension. However, there are many ways to optimize space without investing money if you approach file sorting and synchronization settings wisely.
In this article we will look in detail at how to safely remove unnecessary items from the cloud, transfer data to other media, and configure the system so that critical information is saved and “garbage” is not. You will learn how to manage storage spaces through the smartphone settings and the web interface.
Analysis of the current state of the storage
Before you start deleting files, you need to conduct audit of occupied space. Often, users don’t even realize what exactly is “eating up” gigabytes: it could be old screenshots, duplicate pictures or forgotten voice recordings. Without an accurate understanding of the data structure, you risk deleting something important or, conversely, leaving unnecessary junk.
To start checking, go to the settings of your device. The path may differ slightly depending on the firmware version MIUI or HyperOS, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the section responsible for your account and cloud services. A visual loading chart is displayed here.
Pay attention to which categories take up the most space. Usually this is the “Gallery” section, where all the pictures taken automatically go. If you see that the memory is 100% full, the system may automatically pause syncing new contacts or messages, which creates the risk of data loss when changing devices.
⚠️ Attention: Do not delete files directly through the file manager on your phone if synchronization is enabled. Deleting a local copy often leads to deleting the file from the Xiaomi Cloud.
Before mass cleaning, make a local backup copy of the most important photos to your computer or external SSD drive in order to have a "safety" copy.
Managing gallery and photo synchronization
The largest section in the cloud is media library To clear the cloud on Xiaomi Android without losing memories, you need to act consistently. First, disable automatic uploading of new pictures to stop memory growth, and then go to the archive.
Go to your account settings and select Synchronization. Find it in the list Gallery and turn the switch to inactive. This will prevent future photos from being uploaded to the cloud, but will not delete existing ones. After this, you can go to the web version of the service for more convenient deletion.
Using a browser on a computer significantly speeds up the process. On the i.mi.com website you can select files in groups, select entire albums or shooting dates. This is much faster than poking your finger at the smartphone screen, deleting photos one by one.
- 📸 Open the web version of Xiaomi Cloud and log in with your Mi account.
- 🗑️ Go to the "Gallery" section and select unnecessary screenshots, blurry frames and high-quality videos permissions.
- 🔄 Check the trash inside the cloud service - files often remain there for another 30 days and continue to take up space.
- 📂 Create separate albums for the important ones and delete everything else wholesale.
Remember that deleting a photo from the cloud via the web interface when synchronization is enabled will delete it and from the phone. If you want to free up space only in the cloud, leaving photos on the device, you need to first disable gallery synchronization, wait for the process to complete, and then delete the files through the browser.
Cleaning application and system backups
In addition to photos, a significant portion of the space is occupied by backups of system settings and installed apps. Many users do not know that it Xiaomi Cloud stores lists of applications, the arrangement of icons on the desktop, and even call history. Over time, this data can grow, especially if you often change phones within the same ecosystem.
Go to the Backup section in the cloud settings. Here you will see a list of devices for which copies have been created. If you have old phones that you no longer use, you can safely delete their backups. They only take up precious megabytes without bringing any benefit.
It is also worth checking the backup settings of specific applications. Some apps create huge logs or caches that end up in the cloud. Disable synchronization for those utilities whose data is not valuable or is duplicated in other services (for example, instant messengers with their own cloud).
| Data type | Approximate size | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts and SMS | Up to 50 MB | Leave enabled |
| System settings | 10-100 MB | Leave enabled |
| Gallery (Photo) | 1-5 GB+ | Disable or clean manually |
| Dictaphone | Depends on the recordings | Check and delete old |
| Notes | Up to 20 MB | Leave enabled |
Pay special attention to the "Remote devices" section. Often there are stored copies of data from devices that were sold or lost several years ago. Clearing this partition is the fastest way to get free space without losing current information.
Why can’t you delete the backup of your current device?
Deleting the backup of your current smartphone will deprive you of the ability to quickly restore settings, Wi-Fi passwords and desktop layout in the event of a factory reset or broken screen.
Working with contacts and notes
Although contacts and notes take up little space, duplicating them can create confusion and indirectly affect synchronization. If you have ever transferred data from a SIM card or imported an address book from other services (Google, iCloud), you may have duplicate entries.
The Xiaomi cloud interface has a function for merging duplicates. It allows you to find records with the same names or phone numbers and merge them into one card. This not only saves space, but also makes your phone book neat and easy to use.
As for notes, it is worth checking for attachments. Text files are lightweight, but if you attached photos, voice messages, or scanned documents to your notes, they can significantly increase the size of the section. Go through the list of notes and delete those that are no longer relevant.
To manage contacts, use the application Contact on your smartphone. In the application settings menu there is often an item “Clear duplicates” or “Merge contacts”. This operation is synchronized with the cloud, so the changes will apply to all devices linked to your Mi account.
⚠️ Attention: Before merging contacts, make sure that you have an up-to-date copy of your address book, as the merging process is irreversible and can lead to loss of information if the algorithm makes an error.
Regularly cleaning duplicate contacts improves speed phone book operation and prevents synchronization errors between devices.
Alternative solutions and data transfer
If cleaning does not help and you are critically short of space, it is worth considering alternative data storage options. The Android ecosystem allows you to flexibly configure backup sources. Transferring photos to another service may be the best solution for unloading Xiaomi Cloud.
The most popular option is using Google Photos. This service has flexible compression quality settings that allow you to store an unlimited number of pictures (in Space Saving mode) or originals within the Google One quota. Setting up automatic uploading to Google Photos will take a couple of minutes.
You can also use third-party cloud storage, such as Yandex.Disk, Mail.ru Cloud or pCloud. Many of them provide free gigabytes upon registration or for completing simple tasks. By transferring the archive there, you will free up space in the native Xiaomi cloud for system settings and contacts.
- ☁️ Install the Google Photos application and enable auto-upload in the settings.
- 📁 Set up folders for synchronization (for example, only Camera, excluding WhatsApp Images).
- 🗑️ After successfully uploading to the new service, delete the photo from Xiaomi Cloud via the web interface.
- 🔒 Check the strength of the password for the new cloud service for data security.
Another option is local storage. Regularly connect your smartphone to your computer via a USB cable and copy the folder DCIM to your hard drive. After this, files can be safely deleted from the phone and from the cloud, knowing that they are safe on external media.
☑️ Checklist for data transfer
Technical nuances and common errors
When clearing the cloud, users often make mistakes due to misunderstanding synchronization logic. The main problem occurs when a person tries to delete a photo through the phone gallery, thinking that only the cloud will clear it. In fact, with active synchronization, deletion occurs everywhere.
To avoid this, always use the rule: “If you want to delete from the cloud, but leave it on your phone, first turn off synchronization.” After disabling the function, wait until the end of system processes (usually 1-2 minutes), and only then delete files through the browser on the i.mi.com website.
It is also worth mentioning the influence of the software version. In the new shells HyperOS the cloud management interface has been slightly changed, some functions have been moved deeper into the menu. If you don't find familiar buttons, try updating the Security app or the system itself.
Sometimes a synchronization error occurs that prevents you from deleting files or freeing up space. In this case, clearing the service cache helps. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications → Xiaomi Cloud Services (or Synchronization) and click "Clear cache". This will not delete your data, but will clear temporary service errors.
⚠️ Attention: The menu interface and item names may differ depending on the regional firmware version (Global, China, EEA) and Android version. If you do not find the item you need, use the search in the settings.
What to do if the cloud is not cleared after deletion?
Try logging out of your Mi account and logging in again. Sometimes the storage status is not updated instantly due to a delay on the synchronization servers.
Conclusion and prevention of overflow
Regular maintenance of cloud storage is the key to the security of your data and the stable operation of your smartphone. Do not bring the situation to the critical point of 100%, when synchronization completely stops. It’s better to spend 10 minutes checking downloaded files once a month.
Set up automation so that heavy video files do not go to the cloud by default, but are saved only on a memory card or internal storage. Use smart albums and filters to quickly sort your content. Remember that the Xiaomi cloud is intended primarily for synchronizing settings and important contacts, and not for storing terabytes of entertainment content.
Following these recommendations, you can effectively manage space without overpaying for extra gigabytes. Proper distribution of data between local storage, PC and alternative cloud services will ensure the safety of your digital life for many years.
The optimal strategy is to use Xiaomi Cloud only for contacts and settings, and store photos and videos in Google Photos or on your computer.
Is it possible to recover photos deleted from the cloud?
Yes, for 30 days the deleted files are in the cloud storage recycle bin. Go to i.mi.com, open the Gallery section and find the cart icon. However, if you emptied the trash or more than a month has passed, recovery is not possible.
Why is the space not freed up after deleting the photo?
Check the trash in the cloud service. Often files are not physically removed from the server until the Recycle Bin is emptied. Also make sure that you deleted the files via the web interface or after disabling synchronization, and did not just hide them.
Does clearing the cloud affect the speed of the phone?
Clearing the cloud does not have a direct effect on the performance of the system. However, if the storage is full, the background synchronization process can constantly load the processor and network, which indirectly affects the autonomy and operation of the Internet connection.
How to disable a paid Xiaomi Cloud subscription?
Go to the Mi account settings, select the "Subscription" or "Xiaomi Cloud" section. There you can cancel the tariff extension. Remember that after canceling your paid plan, you will have a grace period for downloading data, after which unnecessary files can be deleted by the server.
Is it safe to store passwords in Xiaomi Cloud notes?
It is not recommended to store passwords in regular notes, since they are not protected by additional encryption. For these purposes, it is better to use specialized password managers or the "Secure Folder" function in the phone's security settings, if it is available in your version of the software.