Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a sudden shortage of internal memory, although there are not many photos and apps, often caused by hidden system files that accumulate after each successful firmware update. The system automatically saves the installation package in case of rollback or re-installation, but over time these archives occupy gigabytes of valuable space.
Cleaning up this data is a safe and effective procedure that does not require root rights or complex code manipulation. In this article, we will discuss several proven ways to find and remove old service packs using both standard MIUI tools and additional tools for advanced users.
Why does the system keep the old versions of the software?
The HyperOS shell and earlier versions of MIUI are automatically backed up by the installer. When you receive a notification of a new version and agree to install, the file is downloaded to a hidden partition of memory. Once the process is successfully completed, this file is not deleted automatically, as Xiaomi engineers are pawning the possibility of quick recovery in case of critical errors.
But for the average user, this feature is not useful, it only takes up space. If you use a smartphone consistently and do not plan to roll back on the previous version, storing these archives becomes meaningless. This is especially relevant for models with a storage capacity of 64 or 128 GB, where every gigabyte is accounted for.
It is worth noting that simply deleting files through a standard Explorer may not be available due to system access restrictions.The system partition is protected from accidental interference, so cleaning requires specific paths or the use of an engineering menu, which we will discuss below.
Search and Delete through File Manager
The easiest, but not always effective, way is to search for residual files through standard Explorer. In some versions of the shell, the download folder is open, and you can find the installation package there. To do this, open the Explorer application and go to the root directory or Download folder.
Look for files with the.zip extension that are large (usually 2 to 4 GB) and the name of the file often contains a version designation, such as V12.5.3.0 or HyperOS 1.0. If you find one and are sure that the update is already installed and running stable, it can be safely deleted.
However, modern versions of the system often hide this data in secure directories that the average user cannot access, in which case standard removal through the touchscreen will not work, and the use of deeper cleaning methods described in the following sections will be required.
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Before removing any system files, make sure the smartphone is fully charged and running consistently to avoid accidental crashes during cleaning.
Using an engineering menu to clean
The most effective method to remove old Xiaomi updates without third-party software is to log in to the testing menu, which works on most of the brand’s devices and clears the download cache where unnecessary packages are stored.
Enter the special code ##6485##. The screen will open a page with technical information about the battery and system. We are not so much interested in the information as the possibility of going to the cleaning menu if it is available in your version of the software. In some cases, the MIUI Update menu will immediately open after entering the code.
If the code didn’t work or only the battery information opened, try an alternative way through the settings. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI/HyperOS version and click a few times on the system logo. This can activate additional options on the menu, although in the latest versions of Android 13 and 14 this method is often blocked by developers.
☑️ Checking before cleaning
Cleaning through Recovery Mode
Recovery mode is a diagnostic environment that boots separately from the main operating system, and that's where temporary update files are stored that don't get deleted normally. To get there, turn off the smartphone completely. Then press the volume button and the power button at the same time.
Hold the buttons until the Mi or Redmi logo appears, then release the power button, but keep the volume up. When the Recovery menu appears (usually it only supports volume and power), select a language (if required) and find Wipe Data or Wipe Cache.
⚠️ Warning: Be very careful on the Recovery menu. Only choose Wipe Cache. If you choose Wipe All Data, your phone will reset to factory settings, and all your photos, contacts and apps will be permanently deleted.
Once you have selected the cache cleanup, the system will alert you to the consequences. Confirm the action. This process will delete temporary files, including update residues, but will not affect your personal data if the correct option was chosen. Once complete, select Reboot to reboot.
What to do if the Recovery menu is in Chinese?
Removal through the Security App
Xiaomi's built-in Security app has deep access to the system and can find debris that is not visible to the average user. Launch the app and select Cleanup. After scanning, click on the cleanup button, but don't rush to complete the process.
Scroll down to a section that might be called Deep Cleanup or System Garbage, which often hides the remnants of service packs, and the system will prompt you to delete files labeled Obsolete Packages, which is the safest way for beginners.
If a standard cleanup doesn’t find large amounts of data, try Accelerating. It closes the background processes and can free up RAM, which indirectly helps the system correctly process and delete temporary update files for the next background task.
Using ADB for Advanced Users
For those who are not afraid of the command line, there is a method of deleting through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and having drivers, and allows you to remove update files forcibly, even if they are hidden in system partitions.
First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the build number. Then go to Advanced Settings → Developer For Debugging and enable USB Debugging. Connect the phone to your PC.
Open the command line on your computer in the ADB folder and type a command to delete a specific file if you know its path. Most often, a command is used to clear the batch manager cache:
adb shell pm clear com.android.packageinstallerYou can also delete files directly if there is root access, but without superuser rights, the command above is the safest to reset the update installer state.This can help if the update process is “hang-up” and takes up space.
| Cleaning method | Difficulty | Risk of data loss | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| File manager | Low. | No. | Low. |
| Security Annex | Low. | No. | Medium |
| Engineering menu | Medium | No. | Tall. |
| Recovery mode | Tall. | Medium. | Maximum |
| ADB Teams | Tall. | Low. | Tall. |
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The safest and most effective method for most users is to use the built-in Security app in combination with manually checking the Download folder.
Memory prevention and management
To keep the problem from returning regularly, you need to change your smartphone usage habits: Update files only take up space between downloading and first restarting after installation. If you downloaded the update but put the installation off for a week, the file will be dead weight.
It is recommended to install updates immediately after downloading them, if you are confident in the stability of the version. You can also turn off automatic downloading of updates via Wi-Fi in the settings to control this process manually. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and click on three dots in the corner to access the settings.
Check storage regularly. Modern versions of Android have a built-in memory analyzer that shows what exactly takes up space. If you see a sharp jump in memory usage by the system, this is a sure sign of a buildup of temporary files that you need to delete.
⚠️ Note: Do not use the dubious Google Play client apps that promise “2x acceleration” and often become a source of advertising and garbage, and their effectiveness is lower than that of Xiaomi’s built-in tools.
Possible problems after removal
In rare cases, after manually cleaning system files, errors may occur when trying to check for updates, the system may report that the file is damaged or missing, this is solved by simply re-downloading the current firmware version, since you deleted the old, no longer needed archive.
If the phone starts to run slower after cleaning through Recovery, it's temporary. The system rewires the app cache (a process called ART compilation), which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour of active use, during which time the device can heat up.
If you have a cyclic reboot after you manipulate Recovery, you will need to reset to factory settings, which is why we always stress the importance of backup before any interference with system partitions.