How to Optimize Xiaomi Mi 9: 15 Proven Ways to Speed Up Your Smartphone in 2026

The Xiaomi Mi 9 is still one of the brandโ€™s most popular flagships, despite the release of new models. However, over time, even powerful hardware begins to slow down: applications take a long time to load, the battery dies in a few hours, and the system emits errors, the reason is not a weak Snapdragon 855 processor, but accumulated digital garbage, outdated settings and unoptimized software.

In this article, 15 working optimization methods that will return your Mi 9 to its previous speed, we will examine both basic settings (clearing the cache, turning off the background) and advanced tricks (overclocking). GPU, battery calibration All instructions are relevant to MIUI 14 and Android 13, but they'll be good for earlier versions, no root rights or risk manipulation, just secure ways, proven on hundreds of devices.

Important: Before you start optimizing, check the free space in memory โ€“ if less is left. 10%, At least release it first. 15-20 GB: Otherwise, the system will not be able to work correctly with temporary files, and all efforts will be in vain.

1. Diagnostics of the current state of the smartphone

Before optimizing, you need to understand what exactly is slowing down your Mi 9, using built-in tools and third-party utilities.

Open Settings โ†’ About the phone โ†’ System status. Here you can see:

  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Battery health โ€“ if below 80%, calibration or replacement is required.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Memory usage is critical if occupied >90%.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Running time โ€“ if the screen is on for less than 3 hours when fully charged, look for โ€œgluttonousโ€ apps.

For deep diagnostics, install AccuBattery (battery analysis) and DevCheck (iron monitoring).

  • ๐Ÿ“Š Processor temperature under load (norm up to 65)ยฐC).
  • โšก Real battery capacity (original - 3300 mAh).
  • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ Downloading CPU/GPU background.
๐Ÿ“Š What is most often slowing down your Xiaomi Mi 9?
Apps open long time
Battery goes down in 2-3 hours
Smartphone overheating
The system is lagging when multitasking
Another option

If you see in DevCheck that the Snapdragon 855 is loaded on 70%+ In simple, it's a sign of background activity of viruses or of a curved optimized program.

2. Cleaning the system: remove garbage and cache

The first step of optimization is to free up memory from unnecessary files. 9 s 64/128 GB of memory is critical: the system reserves up to 10 GB for your needs, and the user is little.

Cleaning methods:

  1. Built-in utility: go to Settings โ†’ Memory. โ†’ Clean. Click "Deep Clean" and delete:

Hand cleaning.

Files. โ†’ Categories โ†’ Multimedia.

  • ๐Ÿ“ธ Screenshots over 3 months old.
  • ๐ŸŽฅ Videos from messengers (they take gigabytes!).
  • ๐ŸŽต Downloads from the browser (especially) APK-file).

โ˜‘๏ธ Checklist cleaning Xiaomi Mi 9

Done: 0 / 5

Install for automation SD Maid (requires root only for deep cleaning) The app will find:

  • ๐Ÿงน Residual files of remote programs.
  • ๐Ÿ” Empty folders.
  • ๐Ÿ—ƒ๏ธ Duplicate documents.

โš ๏ธ Attention: Do not clean the folder MIUI The root of memory is system files, their deletion will lead to failures!

3. Battery optimization: calibration and power settings

Mi battery 9 through 3-4 the year of operation loses 30% But even with a worn-out battery, you can extend the time you're running on. 20-40% correct settings.

Step. 1. Calibration of the battery (needed if the smartphone is turned off when 20-30% charge):

  1. Charge your phone to 100% (use the original power supply).
  2. Turn off the charge and wait for the automatic shutdown.
  3. Connect the charging and, not including the smartphone, wait 100%.
  4. Turn on the device and reset battery statistics in Settings โ†’ Battery โ†’ โš™๏ธ โ†’ Reset the statistics.

Step 2: Energy saving settings:

ParameterRecommended valueThe effect
Battery modeBalanced (not "productivity"!)+15% of the time
AutobrightnessTurn on + limit to 70%โˆ’20% screen consumption
Background activityRestrict all applications except messengersโˆ’30% of the cost in downtime
5G/4GDisable 5G if not in useโˆ’10% of the consumption of mobile data

๐Ÿ’ก

After calibration of the battery, perform 2-3 full charge/discharge cycle (from 0 before 100%), so that the charge controller adapts to the actual capacity.

Step 3: Disabling unnecessary functions:

  • ๐Ÿ“ก Continuous search Wi-Fi/Bluetooth โ€” turn off the settings โ†’ Wi-Fi โ†’ Additionally. โ†’ Networking.
  • ๐Ÿ“ Geolocation โ€“ leave only for maps and taxis, other applications are forbidden.
  • ๐Ÿ”” Auto-update applications โ€“ allow only over Wi-Fi or turn off completely.

System Acceleration: Disable animations and background processes

MIUI It's known for its beauty, but animations and visuals slow down the interface:

Method 1. Through the developer settings:

  1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings โ†’ About Phone โ†’ MIUI version (click 7 times).
  2. Back to Settings โ†’ Additionally. โ†’ For developers and install:

Method 2: Optimization MIUI:

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Go to Settings. โ†’ Special opportunities โ†’ Simplified mode โ€“ this will remove unnecessary widgets.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ B Settings โ†’ Screen. โ†’ Permission set. FHD+ instead WQHD+ (if there is no difference).
  • ๐ŸŽจ Turn off the dark theme if you use it. AMOLED-effects โ€“ they eat up to 5% of the charge.
What to do if the smartphone is lagging after the update MIUI?
If after the update the system began to slow down, reset the cache through Recovery: turn off the phone, press the Power. + Vol Up, select Wipe Cache Partition. This won't delete data, but it will clean up system debris.

Method 3: Forced stopping of applications:

Some programs (like Facebook or TikTok) continue to work in the background even after they are closed, to stop them:

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Application Management.
  2. Choose a "glutty" app โ†’ Forced stopping.
  3. Disallow Auto Start: Settings โ†’ Battery โ†’ Choice of applications โ†’ set limits.

5. firmware update: how to properly stitch Mi 9

Outdated firmware is one of the main reasons for the brakes. Xiaomi regularly releases patches for the Mi 9, correcting errors and optimizing performance. OTA (In the air, it does not always work smoothly.

Safe ways to update:

MethodPlusesCons
Through OTA(Settings โ†’ Update)Just, it doesn't require a PC.Maybe it'll hover 50%.
Through Recovery(fastboot)Stable, clean installationWe need drivers and PCs.
Through MIUI bootloader (third-party application)Selection of firmware versionRisk of Downloading an Unofficial Assembly

Step-by-step instructions for updating through Recovery:

  1. Download the latest stable firmware for Mi 9 (codename cepheus) from the official website.
  2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root of the memory.
  3. Press Power + Vol Up to enter Recovery.
  4. Select Install update.zip and wait until it is completed.

โš ๏ธ Note: If after the update, the smartphone stuck on the logo MI, Wait. 10-15 If it doesn't work, reset via Wipe Data (the data will be deleted!).

๐Ÿ’ก

Before firmware, be sure to make a backup through Settings โ†’ Additionally. โ†’ Backup. That'll save the contacts, SMS Settings, not photos โ€“ copy them manually!

6. Optimizing gaming performance

The Mi 9 with the Snapdragon 855 and Adreno 640 still pulls on modern games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, but you need to adjust the graphics correctly.

Settings for maximum FPS:

  • ๐ŸŽฎ Enable Game Turbo in Settings โ†’ Special opportunities โ†’ Game Turbo.
  • ๐Ÿ”ง In the game settings, set up:
  • โšก Turn off vertical sync (V-Sync) in the developer settings.

Additional tricks for gamers:

  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Connect the game controller over Bluetooth โ€“ this will reduce the load on the sensor.
  • ๐Ÿ“ถ Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi for online gaming (less ping).
  • โ„๏ธ Refrigerate your smartphone at temperatures above 70ยฐC occurs trottling (automatic productivity decline).

๐Ÿ’ก

For monitoring FPS In games, install GameBench (requires root) or Performance Overlay (no root, but with limitations).

If the game still lags, try lowering the screen resolution to HD+ In Settings โ†’ Screen. โ†’ Permission. That'll give you an increase. FPS on 15-20%.

7. Reset to factory settings: when and how to do

If all the optimization methods don't work, there's a hard reset, which is a radical method, but it will bring the smartphone back to the factory state, removing all the accumulated errors.

When you need a reset:

  • ๐Ÿข The system brakes even after cleaning.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Apps are constantly flying out.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ The smartphone overheats without loading.
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Battery sits down for 1-2 hour (after calibration).

How to reset your settings:

  1. Make a backup (see the section on firmware).
  2. Go to Settings โ†’ About the phone โ†’ Reset settings.
  3. Choose Delete all data and confirm.
  4. After the reboot, set up your smartphone as new.

โš ๏ธ Note: Do not recover data from the backup MIUI And when you reset, it'll bring back the old mistakes. Install the applications manually and reconfigure them.

After discharge:

  • ๐Ÿš€ Donโ€™t install all programs at once โ€“ add them to the 2-3 On a day to track down the "gluttyยป.
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Turn off auto-start for all applications in Settings โ†’ Permits โ†’ Auto-start.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฅ Do not copy old files from your PC โ€“ many of them may have been corrupted.

8. Alternative firmware: should you install a caste?

If you've exhausted all the optimization options, but the Mi 9 is still unstable, you can look at alternative firmware.

  • โšก Higher productivity (by removing the Bloatware).
  • ๐Ÿ†• Latest versions of Android (for example, LineageOS 20 based on Android 13).
  • ๐Ÿ”ง Flexible settings (kernel, GPU, CPU).

Popular firmware for Mi 9:

FirmwareFeaturesComplexity of installation
LineageOSClean Android, stable operationMedium (needs an unlocked bootloader)
Pixel ExperienceThe interface is like Google PixelMedium
Xiaomi.euMIUI without Chinese softwareLight (installed via TWRP)
ArrowOSMaximum customizationHigh (requires experience)

Risks of custom firmware:

  • ๐Ÿšจ Loss of warranty (if it is still valid).
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Battery issues (some firmware not optimized for Mi 9).
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Possible bugs (not working) NFC, camera.).

If you decide on a cast, follow the exact instructions for your model (cepheus) and back up all sections through the TWRP. It will be necessary to unlock the loader:

  1. Link the Mi Account to the device.
  2. Wait 7 days (compulsory requirement of Xiaomi)
  3. Use the Mi Unlock Tool.
How to return the official firmware after custom?
Download fastboot firmware for your model from the official website, connect your phone to your PC in fastboot mode (clamp Power). + Vol Down) and execute the command: fastboot flash all file name.zip This will completely return the stock MIUI.

FAQ: Frequent questions about optimization of Xiaomi Mi 9

๐Ÿ”‹ How to check the actual capacity of the battery?
Install AccuBattery and charge the phone from 0% to 100% without use. The app will show the exact capacity. If it is below 2500 mAh (originally 3300 mAh), it is time to change the battery.
๐ŸŽฎ Why Games Are Lagging Even at Low Settings?
The cause may be: Overheating (check the temperature in the CPU Background activity (close all applications through Recent) Outdated drivers GPU (Try to turn on Game Turbo and turn off. MIUI Optimization in the Developer Settings.
๐Ÿ“ฑ How to roll back an update MIUI, If the new version is slowed down?
Recoil is only possible via fastboot: Download the desired firmware version from xiaomifirmwareupdater.com. ZIP and launch flash_all.bat (Connect your phone in fastboot mode. โš ๏ธ All data will be deleted!
๐Ÿ”’ How to Remove Built-in Applications MIUI rootless?
You can not completely remove system applications (Mi Video, Mi Music, etc.) without root, but you can: Disable: Settings โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Select an application โ†’ Disable. Hide: Use a launcher like Nova Launcher. Freeze: ADB (pm disable-user --user 0 name-pack).
๐Ÿ”„ How to transfer applications to a memory card?
On Mi. 9 portability SD-The card is not officially supported, but you can: Use the card as internal memory (formatted, works slower), transfer media files (photos, videos) manually. App2SD (The best option is to buy Mi. 9 s 128/256 GB memory.