What else takes memory in Xiaomi: 7 hidden “eaters” of space and how to clean them

You delete photos regularly, you clean up your app cache, and Xiaomi still runs out of memory? It's not just your files. Modern smartphones hide tens of gigabytes of system data that you don't see in a standard file manager. It's backups, log files, updates, cache. MIUI And even the garbage from remote applications that stays on the system for years.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all types of hidden files that occupy memory in Xiaomi, from obvious (cache and updates) to non-obvious (data). MIUI Cloud, temporary recovery files, even firmware residues, and you'll learn which ones you can safely remove and which you shouldn't touch to keep the system from breaking. ADB power-user.

Spoiler: In some cases, you can free up to 10 to 15 GB of memory in 5 minutes, without root rights and complex manipulations, and let's start with the most innocuous, but voluminous.

1. Application cache and system cache MIUI: Why is it not visible in the settings?

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications and the system itself to speed up work. At Xiaomi, cache is divided into two types:

• 📱 Custom cache – application data (for example, uploaded pictures in Telegram or videos in TikTok) can be manually cleared in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Warehouse.
• 🛠️ System cache MIUI — Hidden shell files that are not displayed in the standard manager can take anywhere from 500 MB to 3-4 GB, depending on the firmware version.

The problem is that even after cleaning the cache through the settings, some files remain in folders. /data/dalvik-cache and /cache. These folders are not available without root rights, but they can be cleared through recovery mode:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Power + Volume Up to Enter Recovery Mode.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data) is a factory reset!).
4. Reset the device.

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If the applications are slower after cleaning the cache, it is normal, and the system will restore the necessary files in 1-2 days of use.

For advanced users, there is a way to clean through ADB (data-free):

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/dalvik-cache/*




rm -rf /cache/*

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete files from the folder /system — This can lead to a "brick" of the device (completely inoperable). /cache and /data/dalvik-cache safe to clean.

2. Updates MIUI: Why do they take up space even after installation?

Every firmware update MIUI It weighs between 1.5GB and 3GB. Once installed, the system must remove the installation package, but often it doesn't:

• 📁 /data/ota_package — Updates that are downloaded but not installed.
• 📁 /cache/ota — temporary files of the update process.

How to check and clean:

1. Open Explorer (or any file manager with access to root folders, for example) FX File Explorer).
2. Move to the /data/ota_package — If you have files with the.zip extension, you can delete them.
3. In a file. /cache/ota Delete all contents (if the folder exists).

If the update is “hanging” during the booting phase, try:

adb shell pm clear com.android.updater

This command will reset System Update settings and delete downloaded but not installed files.

Backup copies MIUI Cloud and Local Backups: Where They Hide

Xiaomi automatically backs up data, even if you didn't manually enable it, which can take up to 5 to 10 GB and is stored in three locations:

• ☁️ MIUI Cloud - Cloud copies (photos, contacts, notes) can be deleted through Settings → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud → Storage management.
• 📱 Local backups -- folder /MIUI/backup/AllBackup. Here are stored copies of applications, SMS and call logs.
• 🔄 Backups before reset - folder /data/miui/backup (hidden, available only through root or ADB).

To clean up local backups:

1. Open the Explorer and go to /MIUI/backup/AllBackup.
2. Delete the date folders (for example, 2023-10-15).
3. If the AllBackup folder is missing, check it out. /MIUI/backup — Sometimes backups are there.

To remove hidden backups through ADB:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/miui/backup/*

⚠️ Warning: If you plan to reset your smartphone to factory settings, don’t remove backups in the last 7 days – the system can use them to recover from a reset.

4 Log files and error dumps: why they can not be deleted

Xiaomi maintains detailed logs that help developers debug errors, and these files are stored in:

• 📜 /data/log — basic MIUI (size 1 GB).
• 🐞 /data/anr — application error dump (ANR — Application Not Responding).
• 📊 /data/tombstones — Logic of critical failures (required for the diagnosis of "outages" of the system).

You can remove logs, but with caution:

• ✅ Safe: Files are older 30 day-to-day /data/log.
• ⚠️ Careful: dumps in /data/tombstones — It is better not to touch them if the smartphone is unstable.
• ❌ Cannot: delete files in /data/anr, If you are waiting for a response from Xiaomi support for a bug.

For cleaning through ADB:

adb shell


su



Delete logs older than 30 days



find /data/log -type f -mtime +30 -delete



Clearing the log cache (safe)



rm -rf /data/log/*.log.bak

If you notice that the smartphone has become more often overheated or “lay down”, check the folder size. /data/log. Sometimes, due to errors in the firmware, logs grow to 5–7 GB for a few days.

5 Remnants of Remote Applications: Why They Stay in the System

When you delete an app on Xiaomi, the system doesn't always clean all the files associated with it.

• 🗑️ Cache and folder data /data/data/[package_name] and /data/app-lib/[package_name].
• 📁 Settings files in /data/system/package_cache.
• 🔗 Symbolic references to /data/app (Sometimes there are “broken” links).

To find and remove the remains:

1. Install the App Inspector (a package analysis app) and find the name of the remote application package (e.g. com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
2. Through a root access guide or ADB check the folders: /data/data/[package_name] /data/app-lib/[package_name] /data/system/package_cache
3. Delete the found folders and files.

For automation, you can use the command:

adb shell pm uninstall -k [package_name]

Flag. -k It saves cache and data, but if it is removed (adb shell pm uninstall) [package_name]), The system will delete everything, including residual files.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders called com.android., com.xiaomi. or com.google.* are system applications without which to use. MIUI won't work.

6.Temporary recovery and firmware files: where to look for "junk" after updates

When you update your firmware or reset it through Recovery, the system creates temporary files that are often not automatically deleted, which can take up to 2-3 GB and are stored in:

• 🔧 /cache/recovery — Logs and temporary files Recovery Mode.
• 📦 /data/lineageos_updates (in some firmware) - the remains of custom firmware.
• 🗃️ /data/media/0/MIUI/extra — Additional firmware files (e.g. localization).

How to clean:

1. Go to Recovery Mode (Power buttons) + Loudness up).
2. Choose Advanced → File Manager (if your recovery supports file manager, for example) TWRP).
3. Delete the contents of the folders /cache/recovery and /data/lineageos_updates (if there are).

For users with ADB:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /cache/recovery/*




rm -rf /data/lineageos_updates/*

If you’ve ever installed custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), check the folder. /data/media/0/MIUI/extra. This may contain outdated localization files or Magisk modules that are no longer in use.

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Temporary recovery files are only safe to delete unless you plan to roll back firmware or restore data through TWRP.

7 System applications and their data: what can be turned off without root

MIUI It defaults to install dozens of system applications that many users don't use, and they take up space not only by themselves, but also by their data:

• 🎵 Mi Music and Mi Video – weigh 50–100MB, plus cash.
• 📰 Mi Browser – can accumulate up to 500 MB of cache.
• 📡 Mi Remote – if you don’t use the remote, you can turn it off.

How to disable (do not delete!) unnecessary system applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an unneeded app (such as Mi Browser).
3. Click Disable (not “Delete” as it is system software).
4. Confirm the action. The app will disappear from the menu and stop updating.

To completely remove system applications, root rights or ADB:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 [package_name]

Replace. [package_name] to the package name (e.g. com.miui.videoplayer for Mi Video). --user 0 removes the application only for the current user without affecting the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory in Xiaomi