What else takes up memory on Xiaomi smartphone: hidden files, cache and system data

Have you noticed that your Xiaomi has suddenly run out of space, even though there are not many photos and apps installed? Or has the free space decreased by several gigabytes after the MIUI update for no apparent reason? This problem is familiar to many users of Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones - the operating system and branded services actively reserve memory for their needs, often without the owner's knowledge.

In this article, we will look at exactly what files and processes occupy memory on Xiaomi besides your media files and applications. You will learn about hidden /MIUI folders, cache of system services, backups of updates, duplicate photos in the Gallery and other “invisible” users of space, and most importantly, how to safely free up space without harming the system.

Spoiler: Often the culprit is not just the cache, but also the built-in MIUI features that you don't even use, like automatic backups in Mi Cloud, debugging logs, or preloaded themes, and then a detailed analysis of the instructions and risk warnings.

1. System cache and MIUI data: why they inflate

One of the main memory eaters on Xiaomi is the system and application cache, which is not easy to clean up, unlike user data, for example, the cache of Google Play Services or Mi Account can take up to 1-2 GB even on a clean device, and after updating MIUI, this volume often increases by 1.5-2 times.

Especially actively cached:

• 📱 Background services: Mi Push (notifications), Security (antivirus), Mi Share (file sharing).
• 🌐 Web browsing: cache of the Mi Browser browser and built-in Lite Mode.
• 🎵 Media: Miniatures for Gallery and Music, Even if You Don't Use Them.
• 🔄 Updates: Temporary firmware files (.zip in folder) /cache).

Part of this cache can be manually cleared through Settings → Memory → Clear, but some files remain. For example, the MIUI Launcher cache or Theme Manager cache is not deleted by standard means – this requires hidden commands or ADB.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications through Settings → Annexes → Warehouse → Clear the cache for Google Play Services or Mi Account without emergency.This can cause account sync failures or loss of push notifications.

2. /MIUI folder: what is stored in the system partition

In the root directory of memory of your Xiaomi there is a hidden folder /MIUI (full path: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI) It takes from 500 MB to 3 GB depending on the model and firmware version.

The heaviest part is /MIUI/Backup, which stores the archives with the settings before each major MIUI update, for example, when you switch from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14, you create a backup of up to 1-1.5 GB, which is then not deleted automatically.

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To see /MIUI, enable the display of hidden files in any file manager (e.g., in Mi File Explorer: Three Dots → Settings → Show Hidden Files).

Delete files from /MIUI carefully, for example, cleaning /MIUI/Theme will result in a reset of the theme to the standard, and deleting /MIUI/Extra may disrupt the Dual Applications or Second Space.

3.Duplicate photos and videos: why the Gallery shows the wrong size

Many Xiaomi users are faced with a situation where the Gallery shows a occupied seat 2-3 times larger than the actual size of the photos, the reason for this is the duplicates and thumbnails that the system creates:

• 📸 Miniatures: folder /DCIM/.thumbnails (can weigh up 500 MB).
• 🔄 Duplicates in editing: After trimming or applying filters, the Gallery saves the original + processed.
• ☁️ Cache Mi Cloud: If sync is enabled, photos can be stored both locally and in the cloud simultaneously.
• 🤖 Automatic Screenshots: Folder /Pictures/Screenshots (including screenshots from Game Mode or Quick Ball).

To find duplicates, use the built-in Cleanup tool:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Select the Duplicate tab or Large Files.
3. Check the files you have proposed for deletion (sometimes the system mistakenly marks similar but different photos as duplicates).

Another hidden consumer is the media player's cache, and even if you don't listen to music through the standard Music app, it scans all the audio files on the device and creates a database (folder /Android/data/com.miui.player). On devices with a lot of songs, this cache can take up to 300-400 MB.

4. Pre-installed applications and their data

Xiaomi is known for a lot of pre-installed apps, many of which can’t be removed by standard means, but even if you don’t run these programs, they can take up space:

• 🎮 GetApps (branded app store) – caches banners and updates.
• 📰 Mi Video and Mi Music – Download Metadata and Content Covers.
• 🛒 Mi Pay – Stores payment history and temporary files.
• 📡 Mi Remote – downloads remote databases for equipment.

Some of these applications can be disabled (but not removed) through Settings → Annexes → Application management → [select] → Disable it. This will stop their background activity and prevent cache accumulation, but some services (like Security or Mi Account) cannot be turned off, they are critical to the system.

To completely remove system applications, root rights or ADB use will be required. For example, to delete Mi Video, follow the command:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB It can lead to unstable work. MIUI or update errors. Before you do, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Disable unnecessary via Settings | Clear cache and data for unused |Remove updates (remove updates button in application information) | Use a third-party launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher) to hide icons-->

5. MIUI Updates: Where firmware files are stored

Every update MIUI (even a small one loads a firmware file on the device 500 MB to 3 GB: Once installed, this file should be deleted, but often remains in memory under the name update.zip or miui_*.zip-folder:

• /cache – Temporary update files.
• /downloaded_rom — firmware.
• /MIUI/Backup/Update – Backups before updates

To find and delete old firmware files:

1. Open Files (or any other manager with access to the root folder).
2. Move to the /storage/emulated/0 and find the folders. downloaded_rom cache.
3. Delete files with the.zip extension that have either miui or update in the name.

If you use MIUI beta, update files can accumulate especially actively – each weekly build weighs 2–2.5 GB. In this case, it is recommended to turn off automatic downloading of updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Points → Settings → Auto boot.

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Firmware files can only be safely deleted after the update has been successfully installed. If you interrupt the update process and delete update.zip, the system can hang on the MI logo.

6. Logs and debugging files: why they take up gigabytes

To diagnose crashes and debugging, MIUI maintains detailed logs (event logs) stored in folders:

• /data/log – the main logs of the system (available only from root).
• /MIUI/DebugLog – logs for support (up to 1 GB)
• /Android/data/com.miui.bugreport/files – error reports.

In normal mode, these files take up no more than 100-200 MB, but if the device often crashes (for example, due to unstable firmware or application conflict), their volume can grow to 1-2 GB. MIUI custom-built.

Logs can be cleared in several ways:

1. Using Engineering Mode: Enter ##4636## in the dialer, select Usage statistics → Clear logs.
2. Through ADB: adb shell logcat -c adb shell rm -rf /data/log/* (Requires root rights for the second team).
3. Through Mi Flash Tool (full reset of logs when flashing).

⚠️ Attention: Removal of logs from /data/log If you are not sure, use only the first method (via Engineering Mode).

7. backups and cloud data Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud automatically backs up not only your photos and contacts, but also:

• 📱 System settings (wallpaper, sounds, screen brightness).
• 💬 Messages and call histories.
• 🎮 Game data (if synchronization for specific applications is enabled).
• 📁 Local backups in the folder /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup.

The problem is that Mi Cloud can duplicate data, such as photos stored both in the cloud and locally in the /MIUI/CloudBackup folder, to check what exactly takes up space:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. See the Storage Management section, and here's the volume of each data type.
3. Turn off sync for unnecessary categories (such as Notes or Calendar if you don’t use them).

Local backups from /MIUI/Backup can be manually deleted, but note: if you reset your phone to factory settings, it will be impossible to recover data without these files.

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Mi Cloud only provides 5GB for free. If you sync photos in original quality, the space will end very quickly. Use compression or alternative clouds (Google Photos, Yandex Drive).

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi