Smartphones series Redmi 9 deservedly became hits due to excellent price-performance ratio, but over time, even powerful hardware can begin to stumble under the weight of accumulated debris and background processes. The MIUI shell installed on these devices, rich in features, but by default is not always configured for the maximum response speed of the interface. Users often face twitching menus or long launch applications, unaware that the problem is solved by a competent system configuration.
In this article, we will discuss deep settings that will help you squeeze the most out of your gadget without the need to flash or get root rights. You will learn how to turn off unnecessary animations, block intrusive advertising and properly manage RAM to make the device work as on the first day after purchase.
Before we go into radical measures, it is important to understand that system optimization is a complex process that requires attention to detail. You should not expect an instantaneous transformation of the public sector into a flagship, but a tangible improvement in responsiveness is guaranteed to anyone who follows the steps described below consistently and carefully.
System update and resetting
The first step to stable operation should always be to update the software to the current version. Xiaomi engineers regularly release security and optimization patches that can significantly affect the speed of the processor and communication modules. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for updates by clicking on the MIUI version.
If your device has been in use for a long time and hasn’t been completely reset, then accumulated system errors can slow down your work. Hard Reset is a way to clean up the system of deep-seated digital debris.
⚠️ Warning: Full reset will remove all photos, contacts and apps from internal memory. Make sure the battery is at least 50% and all important files are stored externally.
Once reset, the system starts in a "clean" state, without third-party software, which guarantees maximum speed. However, even after reset, you need to properly configure the developer's parameters, which will be discussed later, which is a critical stage for owners of models with 3 or 4 GB of RAM.
☑️ Checklist before optimization
Activation of the developer mode
Hidden tools for fine-tuning are hidden in the developer menu. To get there, you need to quickly click 7 times on the build number in the About Phone menu. Once the notification "You became a developer" appears, a new option will appear in the settings menu.
Inside this section, we're interested in window animation options: Find "Window animation," "Jump animation," and "Animation duration." They're default to 1x, which creates a smooth but slow visual effect. Change the value to 0.5x or turn off the animation completely (No animation).
This change will make the interface visually faster instantly, because the system doesn't have to spend resources on rendering unnecessary effects, and it's also worth looking at the menu item "Enable MIUI optimization" and making sure it's active, which helps the system to more aggressively manage the background processes.
Why do you need a limit on background processes?
Don’t change other options in this section unless you understand their purpose. Android system settings are designed so that changing some flags incorrectly can lead to unstable operation of individual applications or loss of communication.
Memory and storage management
A full internal storage is one of the main reasons why your smartphone slows down: When the space runs out, the system doesn't have enough space for temporary files and cache, which leads to friezes. Try to keep 15-20% of your total storage free.
Use the built-in Security app to clean up your cache, but don't rely on it alone. Manually remove old downloads, screenshots, and unused apps. Heavy games and social media are better transferred to a memory card if the model supports such a feature, or use cloud services.
Memory Extension allows you to use part of the internal storage as virtual RAM. On Redmi 9, this option can be available in the About menu or in the advanced feature settings. Enabling this option adds 2 GB to the available RAM, which helps keep more applications open.
| Type of cleaning | Frequency | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Once a week. | Medium | No. |
| Deletion of applications | As necessary | Tall. | Loss of application data |
| Resetting settings | Every 6-12 months | Maximum | Total loss of data |
| Cleaning "The Other" | Careful. | Low. | Possible system errors |
Pay special attention to the Other folder in the repository, which often stores deleted applications or update remnants, and use file managers with analytics, such as Files by Google, to securely remove the extra.
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Free disk space directly affects the speed of writing and reading data, which is critical for the performance of the entire system.
Disabling advertising and excess software
One of the features of the MIUI shell is embedded advertising, which not only annoys, but consumes processor resources and Internet traffic. To turn off ads in system applications, you need to deactivate the MSA service (MIUI System Ads). Go to Settings → Passwords and security → Access personal data and find msa by turning off the switch.
You also need to go through the built-in apps, and Music, Themes, Explorer, and Downloads have their own privacy settings where you can turn off recommendations and personalized ads, which will make the interface cleaner and faster.
Remove or disable pre-installed apps that you don’t use (e.g. Booking, Facebook, Xiaomi games) that often hang in the background and consume resources. ADB-computer commands, but this requires caution.
⚠️ Note: When removing system applications through ADB Make sure you know the exact name of the package.Removing critical components can cause the device to cyclically reboot.
Once you turn off the ad, you'll notice that folders open faster and pop-ups stop interrupting your actions, especially in low-end models where every megahertz of CPU counts.
Configuring energy saving and battery
Aggressive energy saving can kill background processes too early, causing messengers to stop sending notifications and applications to load for a long time when restarted. Go to Settings → Battery and performance and select Balanced or Classic mode. Energy Saving mode severely limits processor performance.
For important applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, email), set up no restrictions. Go to Apps → Settings → Application Management, select the desired application, find the "Battery" item and set the value "No limitations" to ensure that the system will not "kill" the process for the sake of saving power.
Battery optimization also involves calibrating correctly, and once a month, it is recommended to unload the phone before turning off and then charge to 100% when off, which helps the power controller display the percentage of charge correctly.
Turn off the keyboard vibration and the interface haptic response if they're not critical, and not only will it save you charge, but it will also slightly reduce the load on the processor that handles these micro-commands. → Sound and vibration.
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Use the Dark Mode constantly. LCD-Redmi 9 screens don’t save as much energy as they do on the screen. AMOLED, but reduces the load on the graphics processor when drawing the interface.
Network settings and configuration reset
Slow internet is often perceived as the brakes on the phone itself. If pages load for a long time, the problem may be the accumulated data. DNS-cache or network settings conflict. Try resetting the network settings: → Connections and sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth.
To accelerate the mobile Internet can be manually prescribed DNS-servers, such as those from Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), are done in the access point settings or through third-party applications, which can improve server response speeds.
Turn off features you're not using right now: NFC, GPS, Bluetooth. Their constant search for devices or tags is wasting resources. Turn them on only when necessary or use widgets for quick toggling.