Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are periodically faced with a situation when a file with a name beginning with a bugreport suddenly appears in the device’s memory, often after another system update or spontaneously in the background, causing confusion among the user. Many immediately wonder about the security of this object and the possibility of its elimination to free up precious space.
The Android system that is used to build the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS has a built-in diagnostics engine that automatically records the state of software components when they crash, a process that is not a virus or malware, but a tool for developers and technical support.
In this article, we will discuss the purpose of this system component, analyze the risks of deleting it, and provide step-by-step instructions for managing the data collection function, explain why the system creates these reports, how they affect performance, and whether it is worth interfering with the operation of system loggers without urgent need.
Purpose and functions of the system report
The bugreport file is an archive that provides detailed information about the current state of the operating system, which collects data on running processes, memory usage, application errors, network connections and hardware modules, and the main purpose of creating such a report is to help Xiaomi engineers identify the cause of the device’s unstable operation.
When an application unexpectedly closes (colored) or the system detects a critical error, the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) mechanism or built-in Google Play services initiate log recording. This data is stored in a text or compressed format, which can then be transmitted to support. Without this information, finding a bug in the code would be almost impossible due to the huge number of hardware configurations.
⚠️ Note: Bugreport files may contain sensitive information such as list of installed applications, network connection history and location data.
There are several triggers that trigger the report generation, most often when you triple-press the power button (if the function is on), when you force system processes to close, or when you automatically diagnose after you update your firmware, and when you understand these mechanisms, you can control the process of creating redundant files.
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If you are not a developer or do not experience constant failures, it is better to turn off the error reporting function to save CPU resources and memory space.
Security Analysis: A virus or system file
One of the most common questions users have when they discover an unknown file is whether it is a threat. In the context of the original Xiaomi firmware, the bugreport file is completely secure. It is created by system processes with superuser rights or system services, as evidenced by its location in secure directories or restricted folders.
However, you should be vigilant if the file appears on a device with custom firmware installed or after downloading dubious software from unreliable sources. Miner viruses or Trojans sometimes disguise themselves as system files using similar names. To distinguish the original report from the threat, you need to check the path to the file and its digital signature.
- 🔍 Original file: Located in system folders /data/tombstones or /data/log, It is a few kilobytes to tens of megabytes in size, the date of creation coincides with the moment of failure.
- 🦠 Suspicious object: Located in the root of internal memory or Download folder, requires startup through an unknown application, has the extension.apk or.exe.
- 🛡️ Antivirus Check: Use a built-in security scanner MIUI or third-party solutions like Dr.Web for scanning a suspicious object.
If the file was created immediately after the system update on Redmi Note or Xiaomi Mi, then with a probability of 99% it is a regular reaction of the system to change the configuration files. In such cases, deleting the file will not cause a break in the smartphone, but may deprive engineers of data to correct errors in future versions of the software.
Can I delete the bugreport file on Xiaomi?
The answer to this question depends on the current situation with your device: If your smartphone is stable, the apps don't fly out, and the battery doesn't run out in a couple of hours, then deleting the bugreport file is completely safe. This is a regular file with logs that, after performing its function (or if it wasn't performed because the report wasn't sent anywhere), becomes just garbage taking up space.
This is different if you actively collaborate with the MIUI forum or send a request to technical support for a specific error, in which case deleting the file before it is transmitted to specialists can make it difficult to diagnose the problem, the system can create a new report the next failure, but the context of the first error will be lost.
You can use standard Explorer to remove it. Go to your storage settings, find Files, and sort objects by date or size. Often, these reports weigh between 10 and 100 MB, which is not critical for modern drives, but can significantly reduce free space in large quantities.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files called bugreport if they are in the process of generating (the indicator of creating a report hangs in the status bar.
Instructions for removing and cleaning memory
The process of removing error reports on Xiaomi smartphones is simple enough to require no root rights.However, depending on the Android version and shell, the path to files may vary slightly. Below is a universal guide that is suitable for most models, including Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi’s flagship series.
☑️ Safe Deletion Algorithm
Open the standard Explorer or Files app first. You'll need access to hidden system folders, so activate hidden file display in the Explorer settings. Look for folders named bugreport, tombstones or logs. In some cases, reports may lie at the root of the internal drive.
Select the files that are not needed and press the delete button. The system may request confirmation of action, as objects created by the system applications are removed, and then it is recommended to restart the device so that diagnostic services correctly recalculate the storage index.
If standard methods fail to delete the file (there is a message "Inadequate rights" or "file is occupied"), you can use the computer. Connect your smartphone via USB, select file transfer mode (MTP) and try to delete the object through the Windows file manager or macOS.
| Deleting method | Difficulty | Necessary rights | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the Conductor | Low. | No. | Tall. |
| Storage settings | Low. | No. | Medium |
| Through PC (USB) | Medium | No. | Tall. |
| ADB team | Tall. | USB debugging | Maximum |
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If the file is not deleted by standard methods, it is likely protected by system rights, in which case it is safer to leave it or reset to factory settings.
How to turn off the creation of error reports
Constantly creating bugreport files can be annoying, especially if they take up space and consume battery power for background processing. Fortunately, the MIUI and HyperOS settings provide the ability to disable this feature, which will not affect the stability of the phone, but will stop collecting diagnostic data.
To start, go to the settings menu and find the About Phone section, where you need to quickly click on the kernel version or build number several times (usually 5-7 times) to activate the hidden developer menu, and then a new “Developers” option will appear in the advanced settings.
In the developer menu, scroll down to the Debugging section. Find Take bugreport. Change the value from Interactive Report or Full Report to No or Disabled, which will prevent the system from generating files when crashes occur.
- 📱 The way MIUI 12/13: Settings → The phone. → Tap by "Version" MIUI» → For developers → Creation of reports → Select No».
- ⚙️ The Way to HyperOS: Settings → Advanced settings → For developers → Debugging → Error reports → Shut down.
- 🔒 In the same menu you can turn off “Debugging by” USB», This will increase the security of the device when connecting to other computers.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling error reports does not fix the bugs themselves. If your device is constantly crashing, it is best to send a report to the developers so that the problem is fixed in a future update.
What to do if the developer menu is gone?
Impact on productivity and battery
Many users mistakenly believe that having a bugreport file slows down the smartphone itself. In fact, a static file on the disk does not consume resources. The problem is the process of creating a report. At the time of generation, the system polls all the modules, which puts a high load on the processor and disk I/O.
If reports are generated in a loop (for example, due to a hung system process that constantly falls and restarts), this can lead to noticeable heating of the case and accelerated battery discharge.
Regularly cleaning logs and disabling unnecessary diagnostic functions help to extend the life of the drive. Constantly writing large amounts of data (cyclical overwriting of memory sectors) can theoretically reduce the life of flash memory, although in modern smartphones this risk is minimal.
You can use built-in battery statistics to monitor processes. If you see Android OS or System Server using a disproportionate amount of power, check if you have active log collection tasks. Timely intervention will keep your device performing at a high level.
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Periodically check the Other folder in storage. The accumulation of system logs and cache reports is one of the common reasons why the amount of occupied memory grows without the visible installation of new applications.