How to maximize Xiaomi performance: from basic settings to advanced tweaks

Xiaomi smartphones are some of the most popular devices on the market due to their price/quality ratio, but even flagship models are starting to slow down over time. The reasons can range from clogged memory to unoptimized firmware. In this article, we will discuss practical methods for increasing performance that work on all devices of the brand, from the budget Redmi Note to the top Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

It's important to understand that performance is not just about opening applications, but also about the smoothness of animations, system response time, FPS stability in games. We'll look at both software tweaks (MIUI/HyperOS settings, cache cleaning) and hardware solutions (cooling, heat paste replacement), all of which have been tested on current firmware versions and do not require root rights unless otherwise stated.

If your Xiaomi is slower after the upgrade, is warming for no reason or discharges quickly, chances are that the problem lies in the software. Let's start with the simplest ways and gradually move on to advanced ones.

1. Cleaning the system: remove garbage and unnecessary processes

The first step to speed up is to free up RAM and RAM, and MIUI and HyperOS have built-in tools for this, but they often work inefficiently. Let's start with manual cleaning.

• 🧹 App cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management, select any application and click "Clear Cache." For bulk cleaning, use Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 🗑️ Unnecessary files: In the same Memory section, click on "Duplicate Files" and "Large Files." Delete old ones APK, log files and temporary data.
• 🚫 Background Processes: C Settings → Battery → Power management disable auto-run for unnecessary applications (especially instant messengers and social networks).

For deep cleaning, we recommend using SD Maid (requires root) or Files by Google (works without superuser rights), these utilities find hidden cache files, remnants of deleted applications and duplicate media files.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.miui.home or android.process.media) – this can cause malfunctions MIUI.

2. Optimization MIUI/HyperOS: Hidden settings to accelerate

Xiaomi firmware has many hidden features that can be activated through developer mode or engineering menus.

1. Interface animations: Enable Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in About Phone), then in Settings → Additional → For Developers, set: Window Animation Scale → Off. or 0.5x Transition Animation Scale → Off. or 0.5x Animation Time → Off.

Limitation of background processes

Process limit

Maximum 2 process in the background

GPU-acceleration

Forced use of GPUs

Debugging GPU (profiling)

For HyperOS devices, the option Minimize background services in battery settings is available, and enabling it reduces system process resource consumption by 15-20%.

3. RAM Management: How to get Xiaomi to use RAM effectively

Xiaomi is known for aggressive RAM control — the system often kills background apps, even if there is enough memory.

• 🔄 Disable Memory Cleanup: In the Developer Settings, Deactivate Memory Cleanup When Locked and Adaptive Memory Cleanup.
• 📱 Fixing apps: In multitasking, swipe down the app card and click on the “fix” icon (works only for 3-5 applications).
• 🛠️ Modifications LMK: For advanced root users: edit the file /sys/module/lowmemorykiller/parameters/minfree Increase the thresholds of process killing.

On devices with 8+ GB of RAM (such as Xiaomi 13T Pro or POCO F5 Pro), you can manually allocate more memory for games.

1. Install Game Turbo from the Mi App Store.
2. In the game settings, select Performance → Pro Mode.
3. Activate Extended Memory (only available on virtual memory devices).

💡

If after changing the RAM settings, the phone began to overheat, return the Process Limit parameter to the default value and check the temperature in the CPU Monitor application.

4.Operation and cooling: hardware methods for gamers

For users who want to squeeze the maximum out of Xiaomi (for example, for games or benchmarks), advanced methods are suitable:

• ⚡ CPU overclocking: On devices with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), you can increase the clock speed of the cores through the FrancoKernel or Kiriskernel kernel (requires an unlocked bootloader and root).
• ❄️ Replacement of thermal paste: On models POCO F4 GT And Black Shark factory heatpaste dries through 1-2 Replacement by MX-6 or Kryonaut reduces the temperature by 5-10°C.
• 🔥 Cooling accessories: For heavy loads, use the Xiaomi Game Cooling Fan (connects to Type-C) or radiators from Arctic.

To overclock the GPU on devices with Adreno (for example, Snapdragon 778G in Xiaomi 11 Lite NE), you can use the utility Adreno Tools (requires Magisk). Example of commands for overclocking:

su


echo 650000000 > /sys/class/kgpu/kgpu0/devfreq/max_freq




echo 1 > /sys/class/kgpu/kgpu0/devfreq/boost

⚠️ Warning: Overclocking shortens the life of the chipset and can lead to automatic trottling (reducing frequencies) after reaching 85°C. Use only with active cooling and temperature monitoring AIDA64.

5. Firmware Update: When and How to Do It Right

MIUI/HyperOS updates often bring not only new features but also performance optimizations. However, not all updates are useful - some versions contain bugs that cause the device to slow down.

• 📥 Stable versions: Install only official stable builds through Settings → The phone. → System Update: Betas and development versions may contain critical bugs.
• 🔄 Firmware rollback: If you have lags after the update, roll back to the previous version via the Mi Flash Tool (instructions at en.miui.com).
• 🛠️ For older models (for example, Redmi Note 9 Pro) alternative firmware like Pixel Experience or LineageOS give performance gains up to 30%.

Before you update, check the reviews on the 4PDA or XDA-Developers forums. If more than 10% of users complain about brakes, wait for the next patch.

Make a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup

Charge your phone at least 50%

Connect to Wi-Fi (update "over the air" weighs 1.5-3 GB)

Disable the ad blocker (it can interrupt the download)

-->

6. Alternative launchers and interface optimization

The standard MIUI launcher (com.miui.home) consumes up to 300-500MB of RAM and often hangs over, replacing it with lighter alternatives with a noticeable increase in speed:

For maximum productivity:

1. Install an alternative launcher and make it the main one in Settings → Applications → By default.
2. Turn off standard MIUI widgets (weather, calendar) – they load the system with background processes.
3. Use static wallpaper instead of live (saves up to 5% charge and reduces GPU load).

💡

Replacing the launcher with Before Launcher or Lawnchair gives an increase in the speed of opening applications by 15-20% due to the lack of background services MIUI.

7.Battery and performance: how to find balance

Xiaomi's power saving modes are aggressively limiting performance, such as when Super Power Saving is activated, the CPU frequency drops to 1.2 GHz and the GPU shuts down completely.

• 🔋 Adaptive battery: Disconnect in Settings → Battery → Adaptive battery – this feature often mistakenly limits background processes.
• ⚡ Performance modes: C Settings → Battery → Select Performance Mode: Balanced for everyday tasks; Performance for games and benchmarks; Energy saving for low charge only.
• 📉 Charging Limit: If the phone warms up while charging, activate Slow Charging in the battery settings (reduces the temperature by a small amount of time). 3-5°C).

For Quick Charge 4+ devices (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro), use the original chargers. Cheap ones can cause voltage drawdowns that cause the processor to run unstable.

8.Reset to factory settings: when it really needs to

If all the previous methods failed, it's a complete reset, and it's a radical but effective way to get the device back to its original speed.

• 🐢 The phone brakes even after cleaning the cache and updating;
• 📱 Applications spontaneously close or fly out;
• 🔄 After major update MIUI/HyperOS glitched;
• 🦠 Suspicion of a virus or malware.

How to reset correctly:

1. Backup through Settings → Additional → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.
4. After resetting, do not restore data from the backup immediately – check the performance of the clean system first.

⚠️ Note: On devices with the bootloader unlocked, the reset may result in the Mi Account being blocked. Before the procedure, untie the device from the account in Settings → Xiaomi account → Security.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi performance