Why Xiaomi is slowing down: all the reasons and ways to solve

Introduction: When Xiaomi stops being fast

Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their price-performance ratio, but even they start to hang over time. You notice that apps take longer to open, animations twitch, and sometimes the device freezes for a few seconds. What's the matter? There can be dozens of reasons - from a banal lack of memory to hidden errors in firmware. MIUI.

In this article, we will analyze all possible causes of brakes on Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones. POCO — From budget models to flagships, you'll learn how to diagnose a problem, which settings to check first, and when to think about radical measures like resetting or flashing. Why even the new Xiaomi can brake out of the box and how to fix it without losing warranty.

1.Clogged memory: the main enemy of speed

The most common cause of brakes is a lack of space in the internal memory. MIUI minimum 3-5 GB of free space for stable operation. If memory is less, the smartphone begins to "gasp": applications are slower to start, background processes are suspended, and the system can even force the program to close.

How to check:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → The phone. → Memory.
• 📊 Look at the usage chart - if it is less than 10% of the total, it is a critical area.
• 🗑️ Check the section "Junk Files" (in Settings) → Memory. → Cleanup)

What to do:

• 🧹 Remove unnecessary apps (especially games and social media that cache gigabytes of data)
• 📷 Move your photos and videos to the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) or to a memory card
• 🔄 Enable automatic cache cleanup in Settings → Memory. → Auto-cleaning

⚠️ Warning: If the brakes are left after cleaning the memory, the problem may be in the damaged storage partition, in which case only a complete reset or flashing through the Fastboot will help.

2. too many background processes

MIUI It's known for its aggressive battery optimization, but sometimes it's too zealous, shutting down processes or leaving unnecessary ones to work, and as a result, the smartphone spends resources on background tasks instead of giving them to active applications.

How to check:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show all processes"
3. Pay attention to the apps marked "Works in the background"

What to do:

Turn off auto-start for unnecessary applications|Limit background activity in battery settings|Enable Charge Saving mode for aggressive optimization|Reboot your phone (this kills all background processes)-->

Pay particular attention to:

• 🤖 Applications with push notifications (social networks, messengers)
• 📊 Geolocation services (maps, taxis, fitness trackers)
• 🔄 Auto-Update Apps in Google Play

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If the brakes are left after optimizing, try to turn off the "Second Space" function in the MIUI — It often puts extra strain on the processor.

3.Outdated firmware or MIUI errors

Firmware MIUI It's updated weekly (beta) or monthly (stable builds), but many users ignore these updates.

How to check the relevance of the firmware:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update
2. Compare the version. MIUI with the latest releases on the official website miui.com
3. Pay attention to the build date – if it is older than 3 months, the update is mandatory.

Typical firmware errors that cause brakes:

⚠️ Note: If the brakes have increased after the update, this may be due to the incompatibility of the new firmware with your model, in which case the rollback to the previous version through Recovery will help.

4.CPU overheating and trottling

Xiaomi smartphones on Qualcomm Snapdragon or MediaTek processors are prone to overheating, especially in budget models. 45-50°C, trottling goes off, and the system forces the performance to cool the chip, and you get lags even in simple tasks.

How to check the temperature:

• 🌡️ Use the app. AIDA64 or CPU Monitor
• 🔥 Pay attention to the heat during charging or gaming
• 📊 Check the Temperature Schedule in Settings → Battery → Battery status

Causes of overheating:

• 🔋 Faulty battery (blown, wear and tear)
• 🖥️ Clogged ventilation holes (in models with active cooling)
• 🎮 Long-term gaming sessions without interruptions
• ☀️ Direct sunlight or high ambient temperature

5. Viruses and malware

Yes, even Xiaomi can get viruses, especially if you install apps from unknown sources.

• 🕵️‍♂️ Stealing data in the background (loading the processor)
• 📢 Show hidden advertising (consuming RAM)
• 🔄 Replacement of system functions (causing conflicts)

How to check:

1. Install antivirus (Malwarebytes, Dr.Web Light)
2. Check the list of installed apps for suspicious names
3. Pay attention to unusual traffic consumption in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Using traffic

Signs of infection:

⚠️ Note: If the antivirus detects threats in system files (for example, in the /system/app), This could mean that the virus is embedded in the firmware, and then only a full Fastboot flashing will help.

6. Battery wear and power problems

Over time, the battery capacity decreases and it starts to supply power to the processor unstablely, which causes sudden performance drops, especially at high loads. If your Xiaomi is older than 2 years, chances are that the battery is the problem.

How to check the status of the battery:

1. Open the Settings. → Battery → Battery status
2. Look at the Capacity option – if it is below 80% of the original, the battery is worn out
3. Use the AccuBattery app for detailed diagnosis

Signs of battery problems:

• 🔋 The phone turns off when 20-30% charge
• ⚡ Quick discharge even in standby mode
• 🐢 Brakes when connected to charging
• 🔥 Heating the battery for no apparent reason

What to do:

• 🔄 Calibrate the battery (discharge to 0%, then charge to 100% without interruptions)
• 🛠️ Replace the battery (in official Xiaomi service or a trusted center)
• ⚡ Use the "charge saving" mode to reduce the load

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If the battery capacity falls below 70%, replacing it will not only improve battery life, but also bring back stable performance – especially in models with Snapdragon processors. 8xx, stress-sensitive.

7. Hardware problems: when the "iron" is to blame

If the software didn't work, it might be the hardware problem, and most commonly, the brakes are:

• 💾 Faulty flash memory (bad blocks, wear of cells)
• 🖥️ Problems with the processor (overheating, chip dumping)
• 🔌 Oxidation of contacts on the motherboard
• 📶 Faulty communication module (constantly overloading the system)

How to diagnose:

• 🛠️ Take a memory test in AIDA64 (section “Remembrance” → Read/write test")
• 🔧 Check the stability of the processor in CPU Throttling Test
• 🔍 Check the motherboard for oxidation (if you have experience disassembling)

Typical "iron" symptoms:

⚠️ Warning: If your smartphone starts to brake after falling, hitting or getting moisture, do not try to repair it yourself. contact the service - such damage often leads to a short circuit and complete failure of the device.

8. Incorrect performance settings

Sometimes the brakes are caused by suboptimal settings that the user does not even suspect.

• 🎨 Interface animations are included to the maximum
• 🔄 Background synchronization works for all applications
• 📊 The screen resolution is set above the native (for example, FHD+ screen-on HD+)
• 🎮 Performance mode in games is on constantly

How to optimize:

Turn off animations in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times)|Set screen resolution on native in Settings → Screen. → Permission|Turn off background synchronization for unnecessary applications|Enable the "Light Animation" mode in Settings → Special opportunities-->

Additional tweaks for advanced users:

• 🛠️ Turn on Force. GPU Rendering in the Developer Settings
• 🔧 Turn it off. MIUI Optimization (requires root)
• 📱 Install an alternative launcher (Nova Launcher, Lawnchair)

For models with Snapdragon 8xx usefully:

adb shell setprop debug.egl.hw 1


adb shell setprop debug.sf.hw 1

These commands include hardware acceleration graphics (required) ADB and debugging USB).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi brakes