What to do if Xiaomi runs out of memory: a complete cleanup guide

You open a gallery to take a photo, but you see the words "Not enough memory." Apps start to fly out, and the system suggests that something "unnecessary" is removed - sounds familiar? The problem of memory shortage on Xiaomi smartphones (be it Redmi Note 12, Poco X5 or Mi 11) has become almost an epidemic, the reason not only for cheap models with 32-64 GB on board, but also the aggressive policy of MIUI, which actively caches data, duplicates files and hides "garbage" in system folders.

In this article, we will analyze 10 working ways to free up space - from basic (cache removal) to advanced (transfer applications to the Internet). SD-You will learn which files can be safely deleted, which can be touched dangerously, how to circumvent restrictions. MIUI And even tricking the system into showing more space, and there's no point in buying a new phone if you can fix the problem in 15 minutes!

Diagnosis: Why does memory end so quickly?

Before you clean it, you have to figure out what's taking up space. Xiaomi has a built-in memory analyzer, but it often hides some of the data. Here's how to get the whole picture:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Memory (or Settings → Storage in newer versions of MIUI) Here you will see a diagram of the memory distribution by category: Apps, Images, Video, etc.
2. Click on each category to see the details. For example, in Apps, sort the list by size — oftentimes messaging apps (Telegram, WhatsApp) or games come first.
3. For in-depth analysis, use third-party tools like Files by Google or SD Maid to show hidden files, duplicates and debris that a standard analyzer can’t see.

Typical memory eaters on Xiaomi:

• 📸 App cache — especially YouTube, TikTok and social media — can take up to 5 to 10 GB!
• 🎮 Games – even after deleting, they often leave files in folders Android/obb and Android/data.
• 📁 Duplicate photo/video — MIUI He likes to create thumbnails and backups.
• 🔄 System updates – firmware files can weigh 1-2 GB and not be deleted automatically.
• 📥 Downloads – Download folder is often clogged with old ones APK, documents and archives.

If the System section is more than 15-20 GB, it is not normal, perhaps a failure in the MIUI (for example, after an update) or a virus, in which case resetting cache through Recovery (more about this below) will help.

2. Basic cleaning: cache, debris and temporary files

Start with the simplest thing: delete unnecessary temporary data, which won’t require root rights or damage your personal files.

Cleaning up the app cache

Cache speeds up the software, but it grows to giant sizes over time to clean it up.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Chrome or Instagram) and click Clear Cache.
3. For mass cleaning, use Settings → Storage → Cleanup (in some versions of MIUI this item is called “Free space”).

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data"!The second action will delete all settings and application files (e.g. chats in Telegram or saves in games).

Disposal of garbage through Safe Mode

If the phone is slowing down and the memory is running out "on its own," malware may be to blame. Launch Xiaomi in Safe Mode:

1. Press the power button, then hold your finger on the “Switch off” item until the prompt appears to go to Safe Mode.
2. This mode only runs system applications, see if space is available, and if so, a problem in one of the installed applications.

Hidden folders that can be cleaned

MIUI has folders that are not visible through standard conductor, but take up gigabytes:

• 🗑️.thumbdata – thumbnails of images and videos (can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• 📂 MIUI/Backup — backups of settings and applications.
• 🔄 Android/data and Android/obb — Game and Application Files (even after they are deleted!).

To see them, use Files by Google or Total Commander with the option “Show hidden files” enabled. Only delete folders that are related to remote applications!

3. Photo and video optimization: how to save gigabytes

Photos and video are the main memory eaters, with one 4K video weighing 300-500MB, and RAW photos weighing 20-30MB each, and here's how to reduce their weight:

Compression of photos and videos without loss of quality

Use the applications to optimize:

• 📷 Google Photos – automatically compresses a photo when uploaded to the cloud (select High Quality instead of Original Photos»).
• 🎥 Video Compress – reduces video size by 2-3 times without noticeable loss of quality.
• 🖼️ Resize Me! – changes the resolution of the photo (for example, from 12 MP to 8 MP).

⚠️ Note: If you are a professional photographer, don’t squeeze. RAW-files -- you better move them to a PC or a cloud. JPEG 90% visually indistinguishable from the original.

Automatic cleaning through Google Photos

Google Photos can automatically delete local copies of photos and videos after uploading them to the cloud.

1. Open Google Photos → “Settings” → “Free up space”.
2. The app will scan the device and prompt you to delete files that are already backed up in the cloud.

Disabling auto-save in messengers

Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) save all media files to the gallery by default.

• On WhatsApp: Settings → Data and Storage → Media Autoboot → Turn off download for mobile data and Wi-Fi.
• In Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Autoboot Media → Select “Never”.

Important: Even after you turn off the startup, the old files will remain in memory and must be manually deleted through the file manager (Whatsapp Media and Telegram folders).

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If you share screenshots often, include in MIUI Smart Screenshot: It automatically trims unnecessary parts of the screen (notification panels, navigation), reducing the file weight by 30-50%. → Additionally. → Screenshots.

4. Data portability: SD-map, cloud and PC

If the cleanup didn't work, it's time to move files to external media. SD-maps, but they can be bypassed.

Use of the SD-maps as internal memory

Starting with MIUI 12, Adoptable Storage (conversion) SD-The card is not officially supported, but it can be included through ADB:

1. Connect your phone to your PC, enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on the version, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).
2. Open the command line on PC and type in: adb shell sm set-force-adoptable true
3. Put it in. SD-card, then select “Inner Memory” in the storage settings (the phone will prompt you to format the card).

⚠️ Attention: After that SD-The card will be encrypted and not readable on other devices, and it can wear out faster due to frequent records.

Transfer of applications to SD-map (without root)

Not all apps support portability, but it’s worth trying:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Spotify or Netflix) and click Move to SD-map (if the button is active).

If the button is inactive, use AppMgr. III (App from Google Play, which can be forced to transfer APK-file.

Cloud Storage with Automatic Synchronization

The most reliable way to free up space is to move files to the cloud.

To automatically upload photos to Google Photos or Yandex Drive, enable the “Autoload and Sync” option in the application settings. After downloading, files can be deleted from your phone manually or through the “Free Space” function.

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SD-The card is a risky way to do it, because if it's damaged, it can stop loading, and it's better to use it to store media files, not apps.

5. Advanced methods: cache reset and system debris removal

If the standard methods didn't work, it's time to dig deeper, and MIUI accumulates system debris that is not visible to the user, but takes up gigabytes.

Cache reset via Recovery

This procedure removes temporary system files without loss of personal data:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

This method helps if the memory “disappears” after updating MIUI or installing custom firmware.

Deletion of update files

MIUI saves firmware files in the /cache folder, and they can take up to 2-3 GB.

• Use Root Explorer (root rights required) or ADB: adb shell rm -rf /cache/*
• Without root, you can try to clean through Settings → Storage → Other files (sometimes old firmware is displayed here).

Cleaning up /data/log folder

This folder stores system logs that can grow to hundreds of megabytes, and you can delete them through ADB:

adb shell rm -rf /data/log/*

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete files through Explorer - this can cause system failure. ADB or specialized utilities like SD Maid.

6. Radical measures: reset to factory settings

If none of these things work, then you have to do a hard reset, which is to completely reset your phone to the factory settings, and that will delete all the data, so first, you have to:

• 📱 Make a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 🖥️ Copy photos, videos and documents to your PC or cloud.
• 📝 Save the list of installed apps (you can use Google Play) → «My apps and games» → «Library»).

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data” and confirm.
3. After the reboot, the phone will be like new. Don't restore the backup right away - check first if the memory problem is coming back.

If the memory runs out quickly after the reset, the problem may be a faulty flash memory, in which case only replacing the memory module in the service center will help.

7.Prevention: How to avoid memory shortages in the future

To avoid recurring problems, follow these rules:

• 📵 Remove unnecessary apps immediately after use (especially games and heavy utilities).
• 🔄 Clean the cache every 1-2 weeks (you can automate it using Clean Master or CCleaner).
• 📸 Set up auto-cleaning in Google Photos or another cloud service.
• 🚫 Avoid "cleaners" like this. DU Speed Booster – They often create more trash than they remove.
• 📲 Update. MIUI — In new versions optimized work with memory.

It is also useful to disable automatic download of updates for apps in Google Play:

1. Open Play Store → “Settings” → “Auto-Update Apps”.
2. Choose “Never” or “Only via Wi-Fi.”

If you often install APK-files from the Internet, use APKMirror or APKPure – they offer “lightweight” versions of applications without unnecessary libraries.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi