How to increase the speed of Xiaomi: from software settings to hardware tricks

Your Xiaomi is slowing down, apps are opening for a long time, and animations are twitching? This is a typical problem even for flagship models like Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro.+ After a year of use, the reasons for the slowdown are software-like (MIUI It gets dirty over time, and in hardware constraints (such as thermal throttling due to overheating), but don't rush to the service center - in 90% of cases, the speed can be returned by yourself.

In this article, we will discuss 10 Xiaomi’s proven acceleration methods, from basic (cleaning the cache, turning off animations) to advanced (change the kernel scheduler, disabling) MIUI-We will pay special attention to the hidden developer settings, which Xiaomi does not advertise, but which give an increase in productivity to the level of the developer. 30%. All instructions are relevant to MIUI 14/15 and newer versions, as well as devices based on Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek Dimensity.

Before you start, check CPU and memory boot: go to Settings → The phone. → System status: If less than 15% of the memory is free and the CPU is loaded at 50%+ In simple terms, your device needs optimization.

1. Cleaning the system: remove garbage and cache

The first step is to thoroughly clean the system of temporary files, application residues and cache. MIUI There are tools built in, but they work superficially.

Start by manually cleaning the app cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select cache apps >100MB (e.g. YouTube, Facebook, TikTok) and click “Clear Cache».

Important:

For automatic cleaning, use the built-in “Security” application:

• 🧹 Acceleration: Removes background processes and frees RAM.
• 🗑️ Deep Cleanup: Finds Residual Files After Uninstalling Applications.
• 📁 Storage optimization: analyzes large and rarely used files.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use third-party cleaners like Clean Master or CCleaner, which often delete critical system files and can disrupt your work. MIUI. Xiaomi’s built-in tools are enough.

If there is still not enough free memory after cleaning, check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Here are the photos and videos that can be used up to 1–2 GB: Delete its contents (files will be restored automatically).

Clear the cache top-5 «heavy-handed|Run deep cleaning in the "Safety" app»|Delete the contents of the.thumbnails folder|Check the vacant space (should be available) ≥20%)|Reset the device-->

2. MIUI optimization: disabling unnecessary functions and animations

MIUI It's overloaded with visuals and background processes that eat up resources»:

Animations and transitions:

• 🎞️ Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the "Version" MIUI».
• Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and install:

This will speed up the opening of apps and menus by 15-20%.

Background processes and auto-start:

• 🔄 Limit Auto-Run Applications: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Autostart. Turn off autostart for social media, instant messengers and games.
• 🚫 Ban background activity: in the same application management menu, select “Permissions» → «Autostart and disable unnecessary.

Exception:

MiuiDaemon

SecurityCenter

Dark theme and adaptive refresh rate:

• 🌑 Enable a dark theme (Settings) → Screen. → Dark subject matter – it reduces the load on GPU.
• 🔄 If your device AMOLED-screen (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50), Activate adaptive refresh rate: Settings → Screen. → Frequency of update → Adaptive.

💡

If after disabling animations, the interface seems “sharp”, return the scale of animation to the 0.5x Instead of shutting it down completely, it'll give you a balance between smoothness and speed.

3.App management: what to remove and what to "freeze"

Even after the cache is cleared, some of the applications continue to slow down, so let's figure out how to deal with them.

List of the “heaviest” applications for Xiaomi (according to the data) MIUI Optimization Team):

How to Freeze System Applications Without Root

• ❄️ Use it. ADB (Android Debug Bridge to turn off the bloat. Connect your phone to your PC, activate debugging. USB and execute the command:
• 📌 Freeze these packages (safe to use) MIUI):

⚠️ Warning: Don't freeze com.android.systemui or com.miui.home, it will cause the interface to crash. → System system → Backup.

For advanced users: If you have root access, use the Magisk Module Universal Debloater for deep cleaning. MIUI. The module removes up to 40% of pre-installed applications without risk to the system.

4. Developer Settings: Hidden Tweaks for Speed

The developer menu has options that Xiaomi doesn’t show in its standard settings, which can speed up the device significantly.

Key parameters for optimization:

• 🔧 GPU-Acceleration: Enable Forced Use GPU (may increase FPS in games, but will reduce the time of autonomy).
• 🖥️ Limit background processes: Set the background process limit on "2 processes" (saves RAM).
• 🔄 Core Planner: For Snapdragon processors, select msm-performance (in Select I/O scheduler).
• 📡 Disable Automatic Synchronization: Deactivate Autosynchronization of Data in the Background.

Dalvik optimization and ART:

• 🗃️ Clear Dalvik cache: Go to Warehouse → Internal memory. → Cached data and click "Clear».
• 🔄 Forced to turn on. ART (if it is disabled: in the developer menu, find the Runtime Environment Choice and select ART (requires rebooting).

Note:

Network tuning:

• 📶 Turn off automatic network switching (if you use it) 4G/5G), Avoiding Constant Network Scanning.
• 🔌 Enable carrier aggregation (if available) to speed up mobile internet.

Hardware methods: cooling and power management

If software methods have not helped, the problem may be thermal throttling (automatic performance reduction due to overheating) or suboptimal power distribution.

Temperature control:

• 🌡️ Install. CPU Monitor or DevCheck to monitor the temperature of the processor, if it exceeds 60°C in simple - requires cleaning or replacement of thermopaste (relevant to the POCO F3, Redmi K40 and other active cooling devices).
• 🧊 Use a cooling stand for games or resource-intensive tasks, and even budget models like Black Shark Cooling Fan can reduce temperatures by 10 to 15 times.°C.

Nutrition management:

• ⚡ Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Battery → Power modes. This will turn off CPU restrictions, but reduce the time you're running.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery: fully discharge the phone, then charge to 100% without interruption. Repeat 2-3 times. This will help the power controller to properly distribute the power.

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi is over 2 years old, don’t use performance mode all the time – it will accelerate battery degradation.

Battery check:

• 🔋 Install AccuBattery and check the battery health. If the capacity has dropped below 80%, replace the battery — low voltage causes performance drawdowns.
• 📉 B Settings → Battery → Battery status, check discharge chart.

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If the processor temperature exceeds 70°C, and performance is falling, is a sign of thermal throttling.Solution: dust cleaning, heatpaste replacement, or cooling stand use.

6.Firmware and kernel updates: when it helps

Sometimes the slowdown is caused by bugs in the firmware or an outdated kernel.The update can bring back lost performance.

How to properly update MIUI:

• 🔄 Check the current version: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.
• 📥 Update through Settings → The phone. → Update the system. If you have a stable version, install it (beta versions may contain bugs).
• 🔧 If the update does not come, download the firmware manually from the official Xiaomi website and install through the System Update. → Three points. → Select a firmware file.

Custom firmware and cores:

• 🛠️ For advanced users: firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience are devoid of bloat MIUI They're faster, but they require unlocking the bootloader and they can take away the warranties.
• 🔄 Castomic cores (e.g. FrancoKernel or Kirisakura) optimize CPU resource allocation/GPU. Installed through Magisk.

⚠️ Note: Installing custom firmware on devices with MediaTek (for example, Redmi Note 11) is fraught with a "brick" (complete device failure.

Reverse to the previous version of MIUI:

• ⏮️ If the brakes appeared after the update, go back to the old version via the Mi Flash Tool. download the desired firmware from Xiaomi Firmware Updater and follow the instructions:

7.Reset to factory settings: Last chance

If nothing works, it's a hard reset, which will delete all the data, but it will return the device to factory speed.

How to reset Xiaomi without losing data (partial reset):

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.
• 📱 Select Reset All Settings (this won’t delete files, but will reset system and application settings).

Full reset (Hard Reset):

• ⚠️ Backup: Copy photos, videos and documents to your PC or cloud.
• 🔧 Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete All Data.
• 🔐 After the reset, the device will request the Mi Account previously tied (protection against theft).

Note:

Xiaomi 13

Redmi Note 12

What to do after the discharge:

• ✅ Do not recover data from the backup MIUI — It may contain garbage. Move the files selectively.
• 🚫 Don't install all apps at once. Add 5-10 a day to monitor performance.
• 🔄 Turn off auto-start and background activity for new apps right away.

💡

Resetting to factory settings eliminates 90% of software causes of slowdown, but will not help with hardware problems (wear-out battery, damaged flash memory).

8 Hardware upgrades: when software methods are powerless

If your Xiaomi is older than 3-4 years (like the Redmi Note 8 or Mi 9), the software methods may not be a significant boost.

Battery replacement:

• 🔋 If the battery capacity <80%, Her replacement could bring her back to 20% performance (the processor will not limit power due to low voltage).
• 💰 Cost: 1,500-3,000 ₽ Service center (original battery).

Memory augmentation:

• 📱 For models that support microSD (such as the Redmi Note 10), use a class memory card. A2 (UHS-I) It's not going to speed up the system, but it's going to free up internal memory.
• ⚠️ Important: Not all applications support portability SD. Check in Settings → Annexes → [Select the application] → Warehouse.

Thermopaste replacement:

• 🧪 Relevant for passive cooling devices (e.g, POCO X3 or Redmi K30). Over time, the thermopaste dries up and the processor begins to overheat.
• 🔧 Self-replacement is possible, but requires care. Use Arctic thermopaste MX-4 Or the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut.

⚠️ Warning: Disassembly of the device is warranty-free. If your Xiaomi warranty, contact the service center for overheating diagnosis.

Upgrade to SSD (only POCO F1):

• 💾 POCO F1 — The only Xiaomi model where you can replace the built-in memory with NVMe SSD (This gives you up to 300 read/write speeds%.
• 🛠️ Installation will require:

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi acceleration