How to safely remove old updates on Xiaomi smartphones: the full guide

Old update files on Xiaomi take up precious space in the device’s memory, slow it down and can cause failures when installing new firmware. Many users do not even suspect that after installing updates, copies of them remain in the system for years, accumulating in hidden folders. This article will help not only find and remove unnecessary update files, but also optimize the operation of your smartphone without the risk of damaging critical data.

The peculiarity of Xiaomi devices (including the Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models) is that they use their own MIUI shell, which stores updates using a special algorithm. Unlike pure Android, you can't just go to Settings → Memory and clear cache. It requires a deeper approach - from manual cleaning through the file manager to using hidden developer commands.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to remove old updates, including methods for devices with unlocked bootloader and root rights. You will also learn which files can be deleted without consequences, and which can not be touched categorically. 12/13/14 series and Redmi Note 11/12, where the update storage algorithm changed after release MIUI 14.

Why Old Updates Should Be Removed

Every update MIUI Android on Xiaomi devices weighs from 1.5 before 3 GB - depending on the version and model of the smartphone. After installing the update, the system stores a copy of it in the folder. /data/ota_package or /cache And in case you need to roll back, over time, these files accumulate, and they take up the 10-15 GB of memory, which is critical for devices with 64/128 GB of storage.

The main problems that cause old updates:

• 📉 Slowdown – the system spends resources scanning unnecessary files every time it turns on.
• 🔄 Failures in installing new updates - lack of space in the section /cache This leads to errors such as “I failed to download the update".
• 📱 Overheating of the device – background cache cleaning processes increase the load on the processor.
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge — MIUI Constantly checks the integrity of old update packages.

For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14 users often encounter the error "Not enough memory to update", although free space on the device is more than 20 GB. The reason lies precisely in the crowded /cache section, where old update files are stored. Deleting these files solves the problem in 90% of cases.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse update files with app backups (.apk) or user data. Deleting the wrong files can result in loss of photos, contacts or settings.

Where are the old updates stored on Xiaomi?

Updates in MIUI are distributed across multiple system folders, which vary depending on the firmware version and device model, and below is a table of current paths for modern Xiaomi smartphones (2020-2026):

On Android devices 12+ and MIUI 13+ Some update files can be stored in a virtual partition. /apex, It's not available without root rights, but it's in folders that most of the garbage is stored. /data/ota_package and /cache/ota.

To see these folders, you will need a file manager with access to system partitions, such as:

• 📁 Mi File Explorer (built-in) MIUI, But you need to enable the display of hidden files).
• 📁 Solid Explorer or Solid Explorer FX File Explorer (requires root for full access).
• 📁 Root Browser (only for devices with unlocked bootloader).

If you don’t see the /data folder in the file manager, you don’t have root rights, so you’ll need to use the alternative methods described in the following sections to clean the updates.

Method 1: Remove via built-in MIUI settings

The most secure, but also the most limited, method is to use standard MIUI tools, which are suitable for users who do not want to risk system stability, but only deletes downloaded updates, not installed updates, not all old files.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove the downloaded package.
3. Confirm action. The system will delete the last downloaded but uninstalled update file.

This method only cleans the /sdcard/Download or /sdcard/Download/rom folder, which stores the manually downloaded firmware.

⚠️ Note: If there is no option to Remove the downloaded package in the System Update menu, then a modified version is installed on your device. MIUI (For example, xiaomi.eu or custom firmware. In this case, use the methods in the following sections.

Back up important data | Check the free space on your device | Make sure the battery is over 50% charged | Turn off automatic updates in the settings-->

Method 2: Manually clean through file manager (no root)

This method allows you to remove some of the old updates without obtaining root rights, but you need to be careful: you can only clean files that are stored in the user partition (/sdcard), but not in the system folders (/data or /cache).

Step-by-step:

1. Install a file manager with support for hidden folders (such as Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /sdcard/Download and delete files with extensions:.zip (e.g. update.zip).tgz (backups of firmware).bin (recovery files)

/sdcard/MIUI/ota

Reset the device.

Critical: Do not delete files in /sdcard/DCIM, /sdcard/Pictures or /sdcard/Download folders unless you are sure of their purpose. Photos and user documents often have similar extensions (.zip,.rar).

This way, you'll be freed up. 1–2 GB of memory, but will not affect the main storage of updates in the /data and /cache. To clean them, root or special commands will be required. ADB.

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (without root but with PC)

If you don’t have root rights but you do have access to your computer, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to remove old updates, a method that is safer than manually cleaning system folders because it lets you tell you exactly which files to delete.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (cmd in Windows or Terminal in macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Follow the commands to remove old updates: adb shell rm -rf /data/ota_package/* adb shell rm -rf /cache/ota/* adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/Download/update.zip adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/ota/*
4. Reboot the device: adb reboot

These commands will safely remove all old service packs except the current active firmware, and if you get a "Permission denied" error, you have no root access to your system folders on your device.

💡

Before using ADB, check that the latest versions of Xiaomi drivers are installed on your PC. To do this, download the Mi Flash Tool from the official website or use the universal Google USB Driver drivers.

Method 4: Complete cleaning with root rights

If your device has an unlocked bootloader and root rights (for example, through Magisk), you can remove all old updates, including hidden backups. This method is the most effective, but also the riskiest – improper actions can lead to data loss or “bricking” of the device.

Step-by-step instructions for users with root:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to the folders: /data/ota_package — Delete all files with extensions.zip,.tgz. /cache/ota — clean up completely. /data/miui/ota — delete all contents. /sdcard/MIUI/ota — clean the file.

MIUI 14+

/apex/com.android.art

Recovery Mode

Food + Volume up

Wipe Cache Partition

After this procedure, you will free up to 5-10 GB of memory, depending on the number of updates accumulated.

⚠️ Attention: Delete files in folders /system or /vendor Even with root rights, it can cause the device to fail. Always check file extensions before deleting them.

💡

Use root only if you are confident in your actions. For most users, cleaning through ADB or built-in MIUI settings is enough.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If none of the above methods worked, and the old updates continue to take up space, the last option is hard reset, which will remove all data from the device, including updates, applications and user files.

How to perform the reset:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the device will be as new, with stock firmware and no old updates.

Use hard reset only as a last resort if other methods have not worked or the device is heavily cluttered with debris.

How to prevent the accumulation of old updates

In order not to face the problem of overcrowded memory due to old updates in the future, follow these recommendations:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic update download: Go to Settings → The phone. → Update the system. Press three dots. → Settings → Turn off Automatic Booting via Wi-Fi.
• 📥 Remove downloaded updates immediately after installation: After a successful update, go to Settings → The phone. → System Update. Click Remove downloaded package.

Clean the cache regularly:

1. Use the built-in Security → Cleanup app.
2. Clean the cache once a month, especially after installing updates.
3. 🔧 Use light firmware: For weak devices (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) Install xiaomi.eu firmware without bloatware. Avoid custom firmware with pre-installed GApps - they take up additional space.

If you install MIUI betas frequently, consider using TWRP Recovery to back up before upgrading, which will allow you to roll back to the previous version without accumulating debris.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing updates on Xiaomi