How to improve the performance of Xiaomi phone: from cleaning cache to hidden settings MIUI

Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones eventually start to slow down, with apps opening for a long time, animations twitching, and the battery settings down in a few hours, due to clogged memory, background processes, and unoptimized system settings. But don't rush to reset the phone to factory settings: 90% of the time, performance can be restored by software.

This article provides 12 proven ways to speed up Xiaomi (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), from basic steps like cache cleaning to hidden MIUI features that even experienced users don’t know about. All methods are tested on MIUI 12-14 firmware and are relevant for Android 11-14.

1.Diagnostics: Why has Xiaomi become slow?

Before optimizing, identify a bottleneck. The slowdown can be caused by:

• 📱 Lack of RAM (RAM): background applications eat up resources.
• 🗑️ Overflowing Storage: Less than 10% of disk space slows down the system.
• 🔄 Outdated firmware: bugs in MIUI Android is slowing down the speed.
• 🔋 Worn-out battery: when degradation is below 80%, overheating protection is triggered, limiting performance.
• 🦠 Viruses or malware: advertising modules in pirated APK processor.

To identify the problem:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → System status and check the CPU/RAM boot.
2. Run Security → Scan to search for viruses.
3. Install the AccuBattery (Play Market) app to analyze the battery health.

⚠️ Note: If the Xiaomi phone suddenly began to brake after falling or getting moisture, the problem may be hardware (detachment of the plume, oxidation of contacts.

2. Cleaning the system: remove garbage and cache

The first step to speed up is to free up memory. MIUI caches application data, temporary files and duplicates, which take up gigabytes over time.

How to clean up cache and garbage:

1. Go to Settings → Storage and click Clean (the system will find unnecessary files).
2. Open Settings → Applications → App Management, select each of the frequently used ones (e.g. YouTube, Telegram) and click Clear Cache.
3. Remove unused apps: go to Settings → Apps → Delete and sort by size.

For deep cleaning, use the built-in Security app:

• 🧹 Optimization → Deep Cleanup (Deletes Residual Files After Uninstallation).
• 🗑️ Cleanup → Garbage files (find duplicate photos, old ones) APK, logic).
• 🔍 Scanning. → Threats (detect suspicious processes).

A critical mistake many users make is clearing the cache through third-party cleaners (such as Clean Master) that often delete MIUI system files, causing the camera or sensors to crash. Use only built-in tools!

3. Optimization of RAM (RAM)

Xiaomi aggressively manages background processes, but sometimes it works against the user: the desired applications are closed, and unnecessary ones are hanging in memory. MIUI.

How to release RAM:

• 🔄 Turn on the settings. → Special facilities → System acceleration (automatically closes background processes when screen locks).
• ⚙️ Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the version MIUI. Then go back to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers and install:

The limit of background processes → Standard limit


Do not save actions → Included (for applications that are not needed in multitasking)




Windows/Switching Animation → ×0.5 (accelerates visual effects)

For models with 4-6 GB of RAM (such as the Redmi Note 10 or POCO X3), it is useful to disable auto-run of unnecessary applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Autorun.
2. Turn off auto-runs for social networks, instant messengers, and games (except those you use daily).

4.Set up MIUI for maximum performance

MIUI hides a few features that can speed up a phone, most of which are in the Settings menu → Additional or Developer.

List of hidden optimizations:

• 🚀 Performance mode: Enable in Settings → Battery → Performance mode (available on POCO and Black Shark).
• 🎮 Game turbo mode: for gamers in Settings → Special facilities → Gaming turbo (disables notifications and background processes while playing).
• 📶 Background Traffic Limitation: C Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data → Background traffic disable it for unnecessary apps.
• 🔕 Shutdown MIUI Optimization (power users only!): Find Deactivated Optimization for Developers MIUI. This will remove restrictions on background processes, but can increase battery consumption.

For POCO and Black Shark owners, an additional LiquidCool mode is available. Included in Settings → Battery → Heat Control.

⚠️ Attention: Disconnection MIUI Optimization on models with a weak processor (for example, Redmi) 8A) It can cause overheating! Install a temperature monitoring app before you do it (e.g, CPU Monitor).

5. Update of firmware and core

An outdated version of MIUI or Android is one of the main reasons for the brakes. Xiaomi regularly releases patches that fix bugs and optimize the processor, but automatic updates sometimes miss critical updates.

How to update the firmware manually:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Download the latest version.
3. If the update is not found, download the firmware for your model from the official MIUI Downloads website and install through System Update → Select a firmware file.

For advanced users, an update is available via Fastboot or custom firmware (such as Xiaomi.EU).However, this requires unlocking the bootloader and may take away the warranty.

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Before updating the firmware, check the battery level - it should be at least 50%. If during the process the phone runs out, this can lead to a "brick" (impossibility to turn on).

If after the update the phone began to work slower, reset the cache through Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up until the MI logo appears.
3. Select Wipe Cache Partition (Manage – volume buttons, confirmation – power button).

6. Battery and thermal optimization

Overheating and worn-out batteries are hidden enemies of performance. At temperatures above 45°C, a Snapdragon or Mediatek processor automatically reduces the frequency (trottling), leading to lags, and the same happens when the battery degrades below 80% of capacity.

How to avoid trolling:

• 🔋 Check the battery health at AccuBattery.If capacity has dropped below 80%, replace the battery.
• ❄️ Avoid overheating: do not use your phone in the sun, remove your case during games, clean the charging connector from dust.
• 🔄 Turn on the settings. → Battery → Charge retention (limits background activity but does not affect active performance).
• 🚫 Turn off Settings. → Battery → Optimizing your battery for games and navigation (e.g., Genshin Impact or Google Maps).

For models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2 (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K50 Ultra), it is useful to disable Thermal Throttling via ADB:

adb shell settings put global thermal_engine_enabled 0

This command disables temperature restrictions, but only use it if you are confident in the cooling system (for example, on a Black Shark with a liquid cooler).

7. Alternative launchers and lightweight firmware

If the standard MIUI Launcher is slowing down, try alternative shells. They consume less RAM and don't load the processor with unnecessary animations.

Top.-3 launcher for Xiaomi:

• 🏆 Nova Launcher: supports gestures, adaptive icons and runs smoother than a standard launcher.
• ⚡ Lawnchair: Lightweight open source launcher optimized for weak devices.
• 🎮 POCO Launcher: Official Launcher from POCO Minimalist design and low resource consumption.

For radical acceleration, you can install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience), which will remove all the “chips” of MIUI, but will give a clean Android without background processes.

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Installing custom firmware requires unlocking the bootloader, which resets all data and can take away warranty, and only use this method if other methods have failed.

8 Hardware Methods: When Software Optimization Does Not Help

If the phone continues to brake after all the manipulations, the problem may be in the hardware:

• 🔋 Worn-out battery: Replacement required for capacity below 70.
• 💾 Damaged Flash Memory: If the phone reboots frequently or doesn’t save files, check the memory through DiskDigest.
• 🔥 CPU overheating: Clean your phone of dust (at the service center) or replace the heat paste.
• 🛠️ Damaged plume: If brakes appeared after falling, the contact between the motherboard and the display may have gone away.

To diagnose hardware problems, use Xiaomi test modes:

1. In the phone app, type ##4636##.
2. Select Testing and check the work of sensors, speakers, cameras.
3. For a deep test, use Mi Test (available in Settings → About Phone → All Specifications → Equipment Test).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone is slower after a battery change or repair, check to see if the service has a cheap analogue. Non-original batteries often have understated capacity and degrade faster, leading to trottling.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi performance