Cleaning up the camera cache on Xiaomi: a complete guide for all models

Slow camera performance, shooting errors, or the sudden disappearance of space on Xiaomi are familiar problems? 80% of the time, the overflowing cache of the Camera app is to blame. This temporary buffer stores thumbnails, exposure settings and autofocus data, but eventually turns into digital trash that slows down the smartphone. Especially relevant for models with limited memory: Redmi Note 10, POCO X3 or Mi 11 Lite, where 64 GB quickly clogged with unnecessary files.

In this article, we've got 5 proven ways to clean up cache, including hidden MIUI settings, development teams, and radical methods for stubborn cases, and we'll look at how to do it without losing photos and videos, and why standard Settings removal often doesn't work well, and if your camera freezes when you start or if you get Can't connect to camera, you're in the right place.

What is a camera cache and why you need to clean it

The cache of the camera is a temporary folder where you store:

• 📸 Miniatures for quick viewing in the gallery
• ⚙️ Exposure and white balance settings to speed up shooting
• 🔍 Autofocus and scene recognition data (portrait, night mode)
• 🎞️ Video buffer (slices for stabilization)

On Xiaomi, the cache can take anywhere from 50MB to 1.5GB, depending on the intensity of use. For example, if you shoot in 4K often or use Pro mode, temporary files accumulate faster. The main problem is that the system does not always automatically clean this garbage, especially on older versions of MIUI 12 and below.

Signs of a crowded cache:

• ⏳ The camera opens for a long time (more than 3 seconds)
• 🔄 The app spontaneously closes during shooting
• 📛 Error: "Camera is not responding" or "No access to the camera"
• 📉 A sharp reduction in free space on the device

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse the camera cache with the folder DCIM/Camera! It stores your real photos and videos. Cleaning the cache only removes temporary data without affecting user files.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through settings (for all models)

The simplest method that works on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO running MIUI 12-14 is:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. In the search bar, enter the Camera (or Camera in English firmware)
3. Slip on the Camera app (icon with camera)
4. Select Warehouse → Clear the cache

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro) path can: Settings → Annexes → All applications → Three points (⋮) → Sorted by size. The camera usually ranks top.-3 cash-size.

Close the Camera app (swipe up in the multitasking menu)

Connect your phone to charge (recommended for cache volume >500 MB)

Check the space available (should be at least 10% of the total memory)

Backup important photos (in case of failure)-->

What if the "Clear Cache" button is inactive?

• 🔄 The application is running in the background (close it)
• 🔒 You don’t have enough rights (you need access to the developer settings)
• 📱 Installed modified firmware (for example, Xiaomi.EU)

⚠️ Attention: POCO F3 redmi K40 After cleaning the cache, the setting may be reset AI-It's going to have to be turned on again in the app menu.

Method 2: Deep cleaning through Storage (for MIUI 13+)

New versions of MIUI have an advanced memory manager that allows you to delete hidden temporary camera files:

1. Go to Settings → Memory
2. Slip on Memory Cleanup → Deep Cleanup
3. Choose Multimedia and Files
4. Check the box for Temporary Camera Files and Miniature
5. Click Clean (A confirmation from a fingerprint may be required)

This method removes up to 30% more garbage than a standard cleaning through the app menu, for example, on the Xiaomi 12T Pro, up to 800 MB of extra space is freed up after such a procedure.

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If the camera is slower after cleaning, restart the phone, and the MIUI system will re-index the media files within 5-10 minutes of turning on.

Method 3: Cleaning with Recovery Mode (for power users)

If standard methods don't work, and the camera gives you a Camera service has stopped error, you'll have to use Restore Mode, which will reset your camera settings, but save your photos and videos.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up before the Mi logo appears
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache
4. Confirm the action with a swipe or Power button
5. Reboot the device (Reboot → System)

In some models (POCO F5, Xiaomi 12 Lite may be different: Advanced → Wipe Dalvik/ART Cache.This method also resets the cache of all apps, so only use it when critical crashes occur.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with a blocked bootloader (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) Signing in to Recovery may require you to enter a password from your Mi Account. Make sure you remember it!

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the camera starts to brake

Never cleaned it up.

I don't know what that is.-->

Method 4: Use ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If you’re familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can clear the camera cache without losing the app’s settings.This method is useful for Xiaomi with custom firmware or if the standard methods don’t work.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shap 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers)
2. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your debugging permission
3. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell pm clear com.android.camera

For dual-camera models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro), an additional command may be required:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.camera

This method completely resets the camera settings (including custom presets), but saves all photos and videos. Use it if other methods have not helped to fix the error "Camera app keeps stopping".

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ADB-Teams are working on all versions MIUI, This is the only way to clear the cache on Xiaomi with a corrupted file system.

Method 5: Manually clean cache folders (via file manager)

For users who want to control the process, there is a way to manually delete cache files. You will need a file manager with access to system folders (such as Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer).

The path to the camera cache:

• /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.camera/cache
• /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.camera/cache (for MIUI Camera)
• /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails (miniatures)

How to delete:

1. Open the file manager and enable the display of hidden files
2. Then go down one of the paths.
3. Select all files (long press → Select all)
4. Click Remove and confirm the action

Xiaomi 12S Ultra and other flagships may require permission to access system folders.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Files
2. Select Permissions → Memory and enable access to all files

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in folders DCIM/Camera Or Pictures, where you store your real photos, and the cache is only in folders called cache or.thumbnails.

How to prevent fast cache filling in the future

To avoid clearing the cache every few weeks, follow these tips:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone regularly (every 3-4 days) and this resets the camera’s temporary buffers.
• 📷 Turn off unnecessary modes in camera settings: AI-Scene recognition (if not used) Recording video in 4K@60fps (Motion Tracking (if not necessary)
• 🗑️ Set up automatic cleaning: In Settings → Memory. → Autoclean enable multimedia option Set a cache limit for the camera (e.g. 500MB)
• 🔧 Update the firmware. MIUI 14 optimized algorithm for cleaning the cache - it removes garbage automatically when memory is not enough.

On the POCO F4 GT and other Xiaomi gaming smartphones, it is useful to turn off the Camera Game Mode, which creates additional temporary files for “smooth” shooting that are rarely used in practice.

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If you shoot RAW frequently, the cache will fill up faster, and then you can transfer the files to your PC or cloud, which will reduce the memory load on your phone.

Frequent Questions (FAQ)