Why Xiaomi is starting to slow down and how to fix it
Even Xiaomiβs flagship models start to run slower after a year or two of use β apps open longer, animations βpoopβ, and the battery goes down in half a day. MIUI, It's a system that actively caches data, runs background processes, and clogs up memory with unnecessary services, and in 80 percent of cases, software can solve the problem without replacing the battery or flashing it.
In this article, we will discuss 10 Proven ways to speed up Xiaomi, from basic (cleaning cache, disabling animations) to advanced (setting the CPU core, optimizing Dalvik cache). 12 Pro+, Poco F5 Xiaomi 13 Ultra with the latest versions MIUI 14/15. Important: Some tricks require unlocking the bootloader or root rights β weβll mark them separately.
Letβs start with the simplest β diagnosing the current state of the phone.
1. Performance Diagnostics: What Metrics to Check
Before you optimize your phone, you need to understand what's stopping it. Xiaomi has built-in diagnostic tools, but they're hidden in the developer menu.
- Go to Settings. β The phone.
- Tap 7 times on the MIUI version (you will be notified βYou became a developerβ).
- Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
Now check the key indicators:
- π RAM usage: In Memory, see how much memory applications take up. RAM is up to 70% of the total. If more, background processes overload the system.
- π Battery status: c For developers β Battery status check Capacity, if it's below 80 percent factory value, it's time to change battery.
- π CPU boot: Open Activity Monitor (same developer menu) if cores are loaded at 90%+ In simple β the system operates βjunkβ process.
If you see unknown high-load processes in the activity monitor (e.g., com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.midrop), you can turn them off.
β οΈ Note: Do not confuse RAM with free memory. MIUI aggressively caches data, so there may be no free gigabytes β that's OK. It's important that the system doesn't kill background applications (like music or a navigator) because of a memory shortage.
2. Cleaning the system: what to remove so as not to harm
The first thing that comes to mind when you're braked is to clear the cache and delete the files that you don't need, but there are pitfalls here, like cleaning the cache. Dalvik/ART This will cause all applications to be reassembled and slowed down temporarily:
βοΈ What can be removed without risk
How to clean the cache correctly:
- Go to Settings β Applications β Application Management.
- Select an app (like YouTube) and click Storage β Clear cache.
- For mass cleaning, use the settings β Memory. β Clear (but do not delete application data!).
Pay special attention to the folder MIUI/Backup β It's a backup of applications that you can safely uninstall. DCIM/.thumbnails: There are miniatures of photos that take up to 1β2 GB but not used by the system.
| Type of file | Is it safe to remove? | How to clean up |
|---|---|---|
| Cache of user applications | β Yes. | Settings β Applications β Storage β Clean the cache |
| Cash of system applications | β οΈ Partially. | Only for unused items (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music) |
| Download folder | β Yes. | File Manager β Downloads β Remove unnecessary |
| Dalvik/ART cash | β No. | Leads to reassembly of applications and time lags |
| Folder.thumbnails | β Yes. | File manager β DCIM β Delete the hidden folder |
A critical mistake many users make is clearing the cache through an engineering menu (#4636##) or apps like CCleaner, which deletes important system files and can lead to a cyclical reboot of the phone.
3. disable MIUI animation and visual effects
Firmware MIUI It's a beautiful but resource-intensive animation that can speed up the interface by 15 to 20 percent, and it can make it easier to switch between screens and effects:
- Activate Developer Mode (as in the first section).
- Go to Settings. β For developers.
- Find the animation block and set the values: The scale of the animation window β Disabled or No Animation Scope of Transition Animation β Duration of animation disabled β 0.5x (minimum)
We also recommend that you disable the effects of the MIUI:
- π¨ Go to Settings. β Display. β Lock screen style.
- πΌοΈ Turn off background blur and animation when unlocking.
- π In a dark topic, turn off Smooth transitions (saves up to 5% battery life).
If after disabling animations, the interface seems βsharpβ, return the scale to the 0.5x β It is a trade-off between smoothness and productivity.
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In the models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K60) Turning off animations also reduces the risk of pixel burnout, as static elements are displayed less frequently.
4. Optimization of background processes: what can be turned off
MIUI It runs dozens of background services by default, from analytics to cloud backup, many of which are not needed by most users, but are constantly consuming RAM and battery power:
- π com.miui.analytics β collection of usage statistics (can be turned off without consequences).
- π com.xiaomi.midrop β Wi-Fi Direct file transfer service (only required for Mi Drop).
- βοΈ com.miui.cloudservice β Cloud backup (unless you use Mi Cloud).
- π‘ com.miui.daemon β diagnostic service (you can disable, but some error logs may disappear).
- π΅ com.miui.player is a standard music player (if you use Spotify or Spotify) VK Music).
How to disable unnecessary services:
- Install Activity Launcher from Google Play.
- Open it and find it in the list All actions β Settings β Annexes.
- Select an unnecessary service (e.g. com.miui.analytics) and click Disable.
β οΈ Warning: Do not disable services called com.android or com.qualcomm, which are system components without which the phone can stop loading).
When you turn off the services, restart your phone. To check the result, open Settings. β Memory. β The use of RAM β free memory should be 10-15% more.
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Disabling background services gives performance up to 25% on budget models (for example, Redmi). 10A POCO M4 Pro), where RAM is only 4 GB.
5. Setup of the processor core and task scheduler
For advanced users, changing the I/O scheduler and setting up the governor kernel can significantly speed up the phone, a method that requires root or custom kernel rights (e.g., FrancoKernel for Snapdragon devices).
How to change the scheduler:
- Install the Kernel Adiutor app (root required).
- Go to section. CPU and choose Governor.
- To balance performance and battery, choose: schedutil is optimal for most tasks. performance is maximum speed (but fast battery discharge). powersave is charge saving (but lags are possible).
I/O Scheduler
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You can also manually limit the maximum CPU frequency if the phone overheats. 778G (POCO X4 Pro) optimal value of 2.2 GHz instead of standard 2.4 GHz.
What happens if you choose the wrong governor?
If you donβt have root, an alternative way is to use performance modes in your home. MIUI:
- π Go to Settings. β Battery β Power regimens.
- π Choose Performance (maximum speed) or Balanced (optimum option).
- β‘ Turn off optimization. MIUI β This removes artificial limitations on background processes.
6.Dalvik cache optimization and memory defragmentation
Dalvik cache is a memory area where optimized versions of apps are stored for quick launch. It gets fragmented over time, causing slowdowns. Cache cleaning and reassembly can speed up the phone, but it needs to be done correctly.
Instructions for devices without root:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery.
- Select Wipe & Reset β Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data!).
- Reboot the phone.
Once you restart, the system automatically reassembles the Dalvik cache, and the first application launch will be slower than usual, but then the speed will return to normal.
For root devices:
- π± Install. SD Maid or Universal Dalvik Wipe.
- π Run cleaning of Dalvik cache through the application.
- π Also perform memory defragmentation (in the SD Maid is a SystemCleaner option).
β οΈ Warning: Do not clean Dalvik cache more than once every 2-3 months. Frequent reassembly reduces the life of flash memory (especially on cheap models with eMMC instead of the same type of memory). UFS).
If the phone gets worse after cleaning the cache, go back to Recovery and select Reboot to System, and the system will recover the cache automatically.
7. Alternative firmware: whether to switch to caste
If all the software methods didn't work, the last option is to install custom firmware.
| Firmware | Pluses | Cons | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| LineageOS | Pure Android, no Bloatware, frequent updates | No signature chips. MIUI (For example, Always on Display) | Advanced users who want a βstockβ Android |
| Pixel Experience | Google Pixel interface, good optimization | Some sensors may not work (e.g. NFC) | Fans of βcleanβ Android with chips from Google |
| Xiaomi.EU | MIUI without Chinese software, weekly updates | Requires unlocking the bootloader, possible bugs | Those who love MIUI, But he wants to get rid of Bloatware. |
| ArrowOS | Lightweight, good performance | Fewer functions than in MIUI | Budget models (Redmi) 9A, Poco M3) |
Before installing custom firmware, consider:
- π You will need to unlock the bootloader (the process takes up to 72 hours on new models).
- π± The warranty on the phone will burn (but it can be restored by returning the official firmware).
- π Camera bugs are possible, NFC or sensors (check reviews for your model).
If you do, follow the instructions on the forum. XDA Developers or telegram chats about your model, like Poco. F3 There is a separate chat with current firmware and fixes.
8 Hardware Methods: When Software Optimization Does Not Help
If the phone is slowing down even after all the manipulations, the problem may be the hardware, and here are the most common hardware causes and solutions:
- π Worn-out battery (capacity) < 70%: results in CPU trottling, battery replacement (Redmi Note 11 costs around 1,500) β½).
- π₯ CPU overheating: check the heat paste (old models dry it out) The solution is to replace the paste or radiator.
- πΎ Flash memory problems: If the phone is βhangingβ while reading/writing files, the chip may be worn out eMMC/UFS. The solution is to replace the memory module (expensive, often cheaper to buy a new phone).
- πΆ Weak signal: the phone is constantly looking for the network, which is loading the processor.
How to check the condition of iron:
- Install. AIDA64 or CPU Throttling Test.
- Check the temperature of the processor under load (normal - up to 70).Β°C).
- Run a performance test in AnTuTu or Geekbench and compare the results with the benchmarks for your model.
If the tests show a significant performance drop (for example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro gives 300,000 points in AnTuTu instead of 500,000), the hardware is likely to be the problem.
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On models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2 (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi K50 Gaming is a common problem due to poor heat distribution, solution: using a cooling stand or replacing a thermal paste.