How to Speed Up Xiaomi Redmi 4A: A Complete Optimization Guide

Modern applications are becoming more demanding and budget devices released a few years ago are beginning to have trouble getting them started. Redmi 4A, despite its popularity in the past, today often faces a lack of RAM and low processor performance. Users notice that the interface is slowing down and launching programs takes an indecent time. However, it is too early to rush to replace the gadget or reflash it.

There are a number of software settings and system constraints embedded in the MIUI shell that can be manually adjusted. Competent cleaning of the system from debris and disabling unnecessary visual effects can breathe a second life into the device. In this article, we will look at proven methods that will help significantly improve the responsiveness of the interface and the overall speed of your smartphone.

Analysis of the current state of the system and memory

Before we start taking any drastic measures, we need to understand what is stressing the system the most: the MIUI shell is famous for its functionality, but it is also the main consumer of resources on older models. The first step is to analyze in-house storage and RAM in detail, since a crowded drive is a common cause of friezes.

Go to the settings and check how much space is left. If you have more than 90% of the volume, the system starts to work extremely slowly due to fragmentation of files and lack of space for temporary caches, and you should also pay attention to background processes that can stealthily eat up the resources of the processor.

📊 What’s the most important thing about your Redmi? 4A?
Interface and menu
Launching applications
Type of text
Videos and games

You can use built-in tools or third-party tools for deep diagnostics, but often a standard task manager is enough. Pay attention to applications that you rarely use, but they are constantly active. Memory cleaning should become a regular habit, not a one-time promotion.

Cleaning internal storage and cache

The easiest way to speed up work is to make room. The DCIM/Camera folder often stores thousands of photos and videos that are duplicated in the cloud or no longer needed, and removing excess media content will instantly affect the speed of writing new files and the gallery.

Pay special attention to messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which tend to grow to giant sizes, storing all the images and videos viewed in cache.

☑️ Checklist for quick cleaning

Done: 0 / 4

Use the built-in Security app to clean up automatically, but don't rely on it completely. Manually go through the Download folder and delete the APK installation files that were left after the software update. It's also worth checking the Android/data folder for remnants of remote games.

⚠️ Warning: When manually cleaning folders, be careful not to delete files that you don't know the purpose of, especially those in the root directories, so as not to disrupt the system services.

Optimizing the Developer’s Settings

One of the most effective ways to visually speed up the interface is to scale up the animations. By default, Android animations take a certain amount of time, which on a weak processor feels like a delay. To change that, you need to activate the developer mode.

To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the MIUI Version seven times. After the developer mode activation notification appears, go back to the main settings menu and find the “Additional” or “Extended Settings” section where the “Developers” menu is hidden.

How do I find hidden settings?
In the Developer menu, scroll down to the Drawing section. Find the "Window animation scale," "Scope of transition animation," and "Distance of animation." Set 0.5x or "No animation" to maximize response.

Changing these parameters will not add power to the processor, but will create the illusion of faster operation, since the screens will switch instantly. Also in this menu you can find a limitation of background processes, but with this you should be careful not to disrupt the notifications.

Managing Autoboot and Background Processes

Many applications tend to run with the system and stay in memory even if you are not using them. MIUI has a built-in mechanism for controlling the boot, which is often ignored by users.

Go to the Security app and select Permissions, then Auto Start, and only leave the programs that are critical to you (such as messengers or alarms) on, and the rest, including stores and social networks, you better turn off.

Type of applicationRecommendationImpact on RAM
MessengersLeave auto-start.High.
Social mediaShut down.Average.
GamesShut down.Critical
Google servicesDon't touch it.High.

It’s also worth checking the Battery and Performance section in the settings where you can limit background activity for specific applications, which will not only speed up work, but also extend the battery life of the device.

💡

Use the "Lite" version of the applications. Redmi 4A has lightweight versions of popular programs (Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite), which consume significantly less resources.

Disabling system functions and visual effects

Shell MIUI It contains a lot of features that are beautiful but heavy on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425.Switching off live wallpaper, themes with complex animations and widgets on the desktop is a necessary step for stability. GPU, loading.

In screen settings and lock, remove complex themes and set a static, dark image. Dark theme not only saves charge on AMOLED screens (although in 4A IPS matrix, it still reduces the load on rendering light pixels), but also visually facilitates the interface.

Check the Advanced Settings settings and turn off the Game Accelerator feature for unnecessary applications, as well as the various sound effects when touched, and each little thing adds up to a measurable performance boost.

⚠️ Note: Complete shutdown of Google system services or MIUI through ADB This can cause your phone to work in an unstable way%.

Resetting to factory settings as an extreme measure

If software optimization fails to deliver the desired results, the radical but effective method is a complete reset, and over time, registry errors, library conflicts, and remnants of remote programs that cannot be manually cleaned accumulate in the system.

Before the procedure, be sure to back up all important data, as the Wipe Data process will delete all user files. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Restore and Reset and select Settings Reset.

Sequence of action:




1. Charge the phone to 100%.




2. Save contacts and photos.




3. perform the reset via the menu.




4. Do not install all applications at once.

Once reset, the phone will work like a new one. The main mistake users make is to install dozens of apps immediately and restore the full backup. Try using a clean phone for a couple of days, installing only the basics to estimate the speed gain.

💡

A full reset returns the original CPU and memory speed, eliminating software debris accumulated over the years of use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will installing a third-party launcher help to accelerate the Redmi 4A?
Yes, the standard MIUI launcher is quite heavy. Installing lightweight alternatives like Nova Launcher or Launcher 10 can significantly reduce the load on RAM and speed up desktop response.
Should you upgrade Redmi 4A to the latest version of Android?
Officially, Redmi 4A stopped on the version of Android 7.0 (Nougat) with the shell MIUI. Forced installation of custom firmware with the newer Android may, on the contrary, slow down the work due to the increased requirements of the new system to the “iron”.
Why does the phone stop even after cleaning?
The reason may be physical wear and tear of flash memory or overheating of the processor, and heavy versions of applications (such as the main Facebook instead of Lite) may not be optimized for 1 GB of RAM, which causes constant recalculations of the interface.
Can I overclock the processor on the Redmi 4A?
Theoretically, this is possible through ROOT-rights and frequency changes in the kernel, but for a budget Snapdragon processor 425 That would give you a minimum boost (5-10%) with a sharp increase in temperature and battery consumption, which can lead to rapid degradation of the battery.