How to speed up Xiaomi: from simple tricks to deep system optimization

Why Xiaomi is slowing down and what to do about it

Slowing down Xiaomi devices is a problem that every second user faces after 12-18 months of active use. The causes of brakes can vary from overloaded memory to outdated MIUI firmware, but in 90% of cases, this situation can be fixed without going to the service center. This article will help you understand how to return the speed of your smartphone or Xiaomi TV — from basic actions to advanced settings for power users.

It’s important to understand that the brakes aren’t always hardware-related. Even flagship models like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Mi 11 can slow down due to software jambs, background processes, or suboptimal system settings. On the other hand, budget devices (Redmi Note 10, POCO M4 Pro) often suffer from a lack of RAM — and here we need other approaches. We’ll discuss the universal methods that work on all Xiaomi devices, as well as specific solutions for individual lines.

Before you start optimizing, answer two questions: 1. When did the device start to brake? (After updating? After installing a particular app?) 2. Do the brakes appear in specific scenarios? (When opening the camera? During games? When scrolling through social media?)

The answers will help to more accurately identify the source of the problem and save time.

Run applications | Scrolling interface |Games |Working with the camera |Always, regardless of task-->

1. Cleaning the system: remove garbage and cache

The first thing you do with the brakes is to make room for the memory of the device, and the MIUI system uses the cache to speed up the work, but over time, these temporary files accumulate and start to interfere.

• 🧹 Cleaning the app cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management, select frequently used programs (e.g. Instagram, Telegram, Chrome) and click "Clear Cache." For mass cleaning, use the built-in tool: Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary files: In the same Memory section, select Files and delete old downloads, duplicate photos and videos. Pay special attention to the folder DCIM/.thumbnails — Here are the miniatures of images that can occupy up to 1-2 GB.
• 🔄 Cleaning Dalvik cache (for advanced): This cache is responsible for speeding up the launch of applications. To reset it, go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Click 7 times to activate Developer Mode, then go to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Clear the Dalvik cache. After this operation, the device will restart, and the first launch of applications may be slower than usual — that's okay.

If the brakes are left after cleaning the cache, check the load of storage. The optimal free volume is at least 15-20% of the total. For example, on a smartphone with 128 GB of memory, at least 19-26 GB should be free. If there is critically little space, transfer photos and videos to the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) or an external drive.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use third-party cleaners like Clean Master or CCleaner - they often delete important system files and can aggravate the brakes. MIUI fairly.

Check the vacant space (minimum 15%)

Clear the cache of frequently used applications

Remove old files from the Download folder

Clear Dalvik cache (for power users)

Transfer media files to the cloud or to the cloud SD-map-->

2. MIUI optimization: disabling animations and background processes

MIUI is known for its colorful interface, but many animations and visuals slow down the device, and turning them off can dramatically speed up the scroll and launch of apps.

• ⚡ Turn off window animation: Activate Developer Mode (as described above), then go to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and set values: The scale of window animation = Off. Scale of transition animation = Duration of animation = 0.5x or off.
• 🔄 Limit background processes: In the same section, find the process limit option and select "Maximum 2 process in the background." This will reduce the load on RAM, but some applications (such as instant messengers) may stop updating in real time.
• 📱 Switch to Light Mode: On weak devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO C31) Enable "Lite Mode" in Settings → Special facilities → Lite mode. It simplifies the interface and disables resource-intensive functions.

Another hidden source of brakes is application auto-run, and many programs (especially Chinese ones like UC Browser or APUS Launcher) are launched when the device is turned on and hang in the background to turn off auto-run:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application, click "Outstart" and deactivate the option.
3. For mass shutdown, use Settings → Battery and Performance → Autostart Management.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoruns for system applications (such as MiuiDaemon or SecurityCenter) can cause the device to run unstablely.

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If the interface looks broken after disabling animations, return the animation scale to 0.5x, a trade-off between speed and visual smoothness.

3. Firmware Update: Why It Matters

Often, the brakes are caused by an outdated version of MIUI. The manufacturer regularly releases updates that optimize the system, fix errors and close vulnerabilities. Check the relevance of the firmware in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

If the automatic update doesn’t offer a fresh version, try the following steps:

1. Go to the official Xiaomi firmware site and find your model.
2. Download the latest stable version (not beta!) in.zip format.
3. Move the file to the root directory of internal memory (not to folders!).
4. In Settings → About Phone → System Update, click on three dots in the upper right corner and select “Select firmware file”.

If your device doesn’t support official updates (like the Redmi 4X or Mi A1), consider installing custom firmware based on Android 12/13 (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience).

⚠️ Note: Updating your firmware via fastboot or recovery may cause data loss.Always back up via Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset before installation.

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If the device becomes more braking after the upgrade, reset to factory settings (Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Reset) This often solves problems with compatibility of new versions of MIUI with old settings.

4. Optimization for gaming: GPU overclocking and cooling

If your Xiaomi is slowing down in games (such as Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG), the problem may lie in thermal throttling or performance limitations.

• 🎮 Enable Game Mode: Go to Settings → Special facilities → Play mode and activate the option. This will turn off notifications and optimize resource allocation.
• ❄️ Heat control: Install the application CPU Monitor or Game Booster to track temperature.If the processor is heated above 60°C, use a cooling stand or lower the graphics settings in the game.
• 🔧 Dispersal GPU (Experienced only: On some devices (e.g, POCO F3 or Black Shark 4) you can increase the clock speed of the GPU through the engineering menu. To do this, type in the dialer code: ##4636## Then select "Battery Information" → "Test menu" → "GPU Rendering.Incorrect settings can lead to overheating and chip damage!

For devices with Snapdragon processors (such as Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), you can use the Snapdragon Booster app, which optimizes performance in games. On devices with MediaTek chips (such as Redmi Note 11), GPU overclocking is often blocked at the firmware level.

5. Reset to factory settings: when necessary

If all previous methods failed, the last chance to get the device back to its previous speed is a hard reset, which will delete all data, applications and settings, returning the Xiaomi smartphone or TV to the “out of the box” state.

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Record or take pictures of important data (passwords, access codes, Wi-Fi settings).
3. Make sure the battery is at least 50% charged.

To perform the discharge:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data” and confirm the action.
3. After the reboot, follow the instructions for the initial setup.

On Xiaomi Mi TV or Redmi Smart TV, the process is similar, but the path to reset is different: Settings → Device → Reset and Upgrade → Reset to factory settings.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 10 or POCO X3 Pro) after reset, you may need to re-assign your Mi Account. If you forget your password, restore it in advance at account.xiaomi.com.

6 Advanced methods: root, cores and alternative firmware

If you're willing to take the risk of losing the warranty, you can try advanced optimization methods, which require unlocking the bootloader and obtaining root rights, but can speed up the device significantly.

• 🔓 Unlocking the bootloader: The official way Xiaomi is to apply through the unlock site.The process takes up to 72 hours (TWRP) and firmware.
• 🛠️ Custom core installation: Cores like FrancoKernel or Kirin Kernel optimize the processor and reduce power consumption. POCO F1 ElementalX kernel, which allows you to overclock CPU up to 2.8 GHz.
• 📱 Transition to AOSP-Firmware based on “pure” Android (for example, LineageOS, Pixel Experience) are devoid of a heavy interface MIUI They're often faster, but they can have problems with the camera or the sensors.

Example of commands for installing TWRP via fastboot:

fastboot flash recovery twrp.img


fastboot boot twrp.img

After that, you can sew custom ZIP-files through recovery.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect firmware custom software can turn the device into a "brick." Before experimenting, study the forums 4PDA or XDA Developers for your model. For example, for the Redmi Note 10 Pro, there are separate branches with proven firmware and cores.

7. Xiaomi TV Optimization: Some Tips for TVs

Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV series, Redmi Smart TV, Mi TV Q) are also subject to brakes, especially after prolonged use.

• 📺 Overloaded Launcher: Remove unnecessary widgets and apps from the home screen.
• 🔄 Auto Update Apps: Disable it in Settings → Annexes → Auto-update.
• 🎮 Memory shortage: Xiaomi TVs often have just 2GB of RAM, which isn't enough for modern apps.Close unused programs via Settings → Annexes → Managing running applications.

To speed up the work of Xiaomi TV can also:

1. Disable animation in Settings → Device → General → Animation of the interface.
2. Reset Google Play Services settings (a common cause of lags): Settings → Apps → Show all apps → Google Play Services → Storage → Clear data.
3. Install an alternative launcher, such as an ATV Launcher or Wolf Launcher (requires developer mode activation and permission to install from unknown sources).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi acceleration