Xiaomi’s current MIUI and HyperOS smartphones accumulate massive amounts of user data during operation, not just photos or contacts, but hidden activity logs that can take up precious space in the device’s memory, and cleaning that data regularly is not only necessary to free up space, but also to improve the overall speed of the Android operating system.
Many users are faced with a situation where the phone starts to run slower and the browser offers sites you visited a week ago, this is a direct consequence of cache accumulation and visit history. Complete cleaning allows the device to return to its original responsiveness and provides a basic level of privacy when transferring the gadget for repair or sale.
In this guide, we will take a detailed look at all aspects of digital footprint removal on Redmi, Poco and Xiaomi devices, learn how to manage your history across browsers, delete call and message logs, and use the system’s built-in deep-cleaning tools. It’s important to understand the difference between simply removing links and completely clearing your app cache.
Clear History in the Standard Mi Browser
Xiaomi’s standard browser is a pre-installed app on most of the brand’s devices, and it often becomes the main source of temporary files. To delete the history of visited pages, you need to open the application and go to the settings menu, which is usually hidden under the icon with three horizontal lines or points.
After you go to the cleaning menu, you will see a selection of specific types of data: you can only delete the transition history, save passwords and autocomplete data, or perform a full reset of the browser settings. Particular attention should be paid to the item “Cache”, since it takes up the most space, saving copies of images and scripts from visited sites.
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Periodic cleaning of the browser cache can speed up the loading of pages, as old, no longer relevant files will not interfere with the processing of new data.
The deletion process takes only a few seconds, after which the system will confirm the successful completion of the operation. If you want the browser not to save history in the future, you can activate incognito mode or set up automatic data cleanup when you close the application in the appropriate settings section.
- 📱 Open the browser and click on the menu at the bottom or top of the screen.
- 🗑️ Select History or Clear Data in the Settings menu.
- ✅ Check “History”, “Cash” and “Cookies” for complete deletion.
- 🚀 Click the “Clean” button and wait for the process to be completed.
⚠️ Note: After clearing history and cookies, you will have to re-enter passwords on sites where you were previously logged in, as session data will be destroyed.
Delete data in Google Chrome on Xiaomi
Since Google Chrome remains the most popular browser in the world, many Xiaomi owners use it by default.The cleaning process here has its own peculiarities related to syncing your Google account. To start, open the app and click on the three dots in the upper right corner to reveal the main menu. Next, select History, and then clear history.
The system will suggest you to choose the time range from the last hour to "all time". For maximum efficiency, you should choose the entire period. In the same menu, you can customize in detail what exactly you want to delete: browsing history, cookies, cache images or saved passwords. Be careful with the last paragraph if you do not want to lose access to your acc.
☑️ Checklist for Chrome Cleanup
An important feature is that when synced, history can be deleted not only on your phone, but also on other devices associated with your account, which should be considered if you use one profile on your work computer and personal smartphone. In some cases, full deanonymization also requires you to turn off sync before cleaning.
| Type of data | What's removed | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing history | List of lists URL-address | Auto Supplement Disappears in the Address Bar |
| Cookies | Site data | Re-entry to the sites is required |
| Cash. | Temporary files | Websites may take a little longer to load on the first visit |
| Passwords. | Saved logins | Complete loss of access to accounts in the browser |
Clearing history in Yandex.Browser and Opera
Alternative browsers such as Yandex and Opera are also popular with Xiaomi users due to built-in traffic saving features and ad blockers. In Yandex’s browser, you need to click on the menu button (three bars), select Settings, then go to the Privacy section. Here you can use the Clear Data feature, which allows you to select specific categories of information to delete.
The logic is similar in Opera: you need to go through the main menu (or sidebar) to go to the settings and find the Privacy option. Opera features an integrated Incognito mode with an ad blocker that can be activated separately.
Why do browsers store so much data?
Users often forget that these browsers may have their own sync systems (Yandex ID or Opera ID account). When clearing the history on the phone, data can be saved to the service cloud and returned after re-syncing, so you sometimes need to go to the account settings and clear the history there to ensure a guaranteed result.
- 🌐 In Yandex: Menu → Settings → Confidentiality → Clear the data.
- 🔴 At Opera: Menu → Settings → Confidentiality → Clear viewing data.
- ☁️ Check the synchronization settings in your browser account.
- 🔒 Use Incognito mode for private surfing without traces.
⚠️ Note: Some third-party browsers may have their own "accelerators" or "turbo modes" that also store data.
Delete the call history and SMS-message
Call and correspondence logs are another layer of personal information that requires periodic attention. To delete your call history, open the standard Phone app (green handset), and the screen will display a list of recent contacts. To delete one number, just click on it and hold your finger, and then a menu with the option “Delete” will appear. To bulk-clean, click on the menu button (three dots) and select “Clear call log”.
The messaging app (usually a yellow or blue envelope) can delete individual dialogs or clear the entire story at once. Modern HyperOS and MIUI shells often use Google’s standard app, where you click three dots in the search bar to delete all messages and select “Delete everything.”
In this case, messages can be restored. For a complete sweep, you also need to check the shopping cart in the messaging application if this feature is active (it appeared in the latest versions of Android).
Messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber deserve special attention. They store their correspondence history separately from system SMS. Each messenger has a Data and Storage section in their settings, where you can clear the cache of media files or delete specific chats, which frees up gigabytes of space, since photos and videos often weigh more than the text itself.
Using the “Security” application for deep cleaning
Every Xiaomi smartphone has a Security System App (green shield icon) that is a powerful tool for system maintenance. When you run it, you'll see a Clean button. After scanning, the system will prompt you to delete temporary files, app residues and cache. This is a basic level of cleanup that is recommended to be done regularly.
But there are deeper tools inside the Security app. The Cleanup section often has an extended menu where you can find Deep Cleanup. Here, the system analyzes large files, duplicate photos and rarely used applications. The garbage cleanup function in this context is more aggressive than the standard cache cleanup, and can affect system logs.
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The Security app is the most reliable way to remove system debris without the risk of damaging important files with the system’s operating system.
Also available in the Security app is the Application Manager, where you can manually manage the rights and data of each programa installed. Once you go into the properties of a particular application, you will find a Clean button with two options: Clear cache and Clear everything. The second option completely resets the application to the state immediately after installation, removing all its history and settings.
- 🛡️ Open the Security app on your desktop.
- 🧹 Click on the large “Clean” button for quick scanning.
- 🔍 Use Deep Cleanup to find large files and duplicates.
- ⚙️ In the “Application Manager” you can point to delete data of specific programs.
Automatic cleaning and privacy settings
To avoid manual cleaning, Xiaomi offers automation tools. In the Security app, you can set up automatic memory cleanup in the Acceleration section when you reach a certain filling threshold. In addition, you can activate the Automatic History Cleanup function in your browser settings, which will delete data every time you close the tab or the application itself.
Another important aspect is the management of application permissions. Many programs request access to browsing history or location for targeted advertising. By limiting these rights under Settings → Privacy Protection → Special Permits, you reduce the amount of data collected about you. This will not clear the history that has already been accumulated, but will prevent it from accumulating further.
For users who are concerned about digital hygiene, there is a radical method: periodically reset the advertising ID. When you are in Google settings (Settings → Google → Advertising), you can click Reset the advertising ID. This breaks the link between your current activity and the previously collected profile of advertisers, which indirectly affects the relevance of the offered history and advertising.
⚠️ Note: Do not install third-party apps from the Play Market without checking reviews. Xiaomi built-in tools are quite enough, and third-party programs often collect data and show ads themselves.