Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where the device starts to run slower and notifications of space shortages appear more often. MIUI interface and its new version HyperOS have a variety of features that require a significant amount of internal storage. Over time, accumulated digital garbage, app cache and forgotten downloads can take up gigabytes of usable space.
The problem of overcrowded memory is relevant not only for budget models with 64 or 128 GB, but also for flagships whose owners actively shoot 4K video or install heavy games. Cleaning the system is not just removing photos, it is a comprehensive approach to operating system maintenance. In this article, we will discuss safe methods for removing excess data that will not harm the work of the gadget.
Before we go to radical measures, we need to understand the structure of the disk filling. Often users delete the desired files, ignoring the hidden debris that takes up more space. System partition "Other" can grow to 10-15 GB due to indexing errors or residual files of remote programs. Proper cleaning will return performance and eliminate constant warnings of the system.
Storage analysis and search for hidden volumes
The first step before removing something should be to analyze in detail what exactly is taking up space. Android standard tools and MIUI shell provide enough information, but often hide details in the depth of the menu. The user needs to go to Settings → About Phone → Storage to see the visualization of the occupied space.
Here, it’s important to look at the categories of “Apps,” “Images,” and “System Files,” which often turns out that instant messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp take up tens of gigabytes because of the automatic storage of all media files viewed. App cache is temporary data that speeds up the launch of programs, but over time becomes redundant and secure to delete.
Don’t ignore the Downloads folder, which often includes APK installation files that are no longer needed, or documents obtained from work a few months ago. Manually checking this directory through the File Manager Explorer can instantly free up several gigabytes.
- 📂 Check the folder. DCIM →.thumbnails – there are miniatures of the gallery, which can weigh up to 2 GB.
- 📂 Explore the Android folder → data where some applications store their cached data outside of public access.
- 📂 Note the “Basket” section in the gallery where deleted photos are stored for another 30 days.
⚠️ Before removing files from folders called system or config, make sure they are not critical to running the operating system, otherwise the phone may go into a cyclical restart.
Cleaning the cache and temporary files of the system
The safest and most efficient way to make room quickly is to use the built-in Cleanup tool, which is in the Security app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, which analyzes the system for temporary files, install residues and unnecessary packages.
When you start cleaning, the system will suggest removing garbage, which is a term that hides error logs, temporary update files, and browser cache. It's important to understand the difference between cache and application data. Cleaning the cache will not lead to loss of logins or progress in games, while cleaning the data will reset the application to a factory state.
For a deeper cleanup, you can use the Deep Clean feature in the same application, which finds large files, long-unused applications and duplicates, but you should be careful with recommendations to remove “rarely used applications”, since MIUI system services can be mistakenly labeled as unnecessary.
- 🗑️ Run a standard cleaning through the Security app once a week.
- 🗑️ Manually clear the Chrome browser cache or MIUI Browser in Privacy Settings.
- 🗑️ Delete the.tmp and.log files found at the root of internal memory.
☑️ Checklist for quick cleaning
Sometimes, after a firmware update, old files remain in the system that take up space, and they are usually in hidden partitions, but their deletion is automatically a few days after the update is successfully installed if the phone is connected to Wi-Fi and charging.
Removing duplicates and heavy media files
Media files are the main consumer of space in modern smartphones. Xiaomi cameras allow you to take high-resolution pictures and write videos in 4K, which instantly eats free gigabytes. Regular audit of the media library is necessary to maintain order.
The integrated file manager can find similar images. Similar photos group together images taken in serial mode, allowing only the best shots to be left and the rest sent to the basket, which is especially true for parents who often take pictures of children or animals.
We often take screenshots to keep the information alive, but we forget to delete them afterward. Screenshots can grow to unimaginable sizes if we don't do it monthly.
How to find hidden big videos?
Using cloud services like Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud, you can store originals online, leaving only compressed copies on your device. Google Photos’ “Free Space” feature automatically removes from your device those pictures that have already been uploaded to the cloud.
- 🎬 Remove long videos from instant messengers that are automatically saved to the gallery.
- 🎬 Check the Voice Recorder folder where old dictaphone records can be stored.
- 🎬 Use the "Compressed Photos" mode in the camera settings if the quality is high. RAW Or 108 MP is not critical.
Working with messengers and social networks
Social media and instant messengers are the leaders in garbage accumulation. Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp and VK store every image and video viewed in cache so that when you reopen the chat, content loads instantly. Without regular cleaning, these applications can take 5-10 GB or more.
Each messenger has a data and memory section or similar in its settings, where you can set up automatic cache cleanup, for example, on Telegram you can set a timer: "Delete cache if it hasn't been used for 3 days," which is the optimal setting that doesn't require you to intervene.
You also need to turn off auto-save media to the phone gallery, and by default, many apps save all the images they receive to a shared camera folder, which creates duplicates and clogs the main gallery, and disabling this feature in the messenger's privacy settings will solve the problem.
| Annex | Where to clean | What to remove safely |
|---|---|---|
| Telegram | Settings → Data and memory → Memory use | Cash (not affected by correspondence) |
| Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management | Files older than 5MB, forwards | |
| Viber | Settings → Memory | Cash, temporary files. |
| Phone Settings → Applications → Clear the cache | Cash (no cleaning inside the application) |
⚠️ Note: When you clean your messenger data through your Android settings (Erase Data button), you will lose your entire correspondence history if you don’t make a backup.
💡
Enable the “Auto-Delete Messages” feature for selected chats in Telegram so that the story doesn’t take up space indefinitely.
Removing Unused Applications and Games
Many users install apps just in case or for a single feature, and then forget about them. These programs not only take up space, but can also run in the background, consuming battery life. MIUI has a handy tool for identifying such programs.
Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Sort the list by size. You will be surprised to find that the game you played a month ago takes up 4 GB, or the video editing app has grown to 1 GB. Removing such heavyweights gives instant results.
Note the Xiaomi and Google system apps you don’t use (like Google TV, YouTube Music if you listen to music elsewhere, or Mi Video) and many of them can be disabled or removed, which will return them to their original minimum size.
- 📱 Remove games that haven’t been played for more than a month (saves are often stored in the cloud).
- 📱 Replace heavy apps with their “Lite” version (e.g. Facebook Lite).
- 📱 Disable unused system services through the Application Management menu».
- 📱 Check for two versions of one app (often when you transfer from another phone).
💡
Removing 2-3 heavy games can free up more space than clearing the cache of all messengers combined.
System Partitions and the “Other” Section
The mysterious “Other” section of the repository often causes panic among users, where the system records data that it cannot classify: update files, system logs, camera neural network data, and temporary firmware files.
If the volume of this partition exceeds 10-15 GB, this may indicate a file system error or accumulation of debugging logs. In some cases, rebooting to safe mode and back again helps, which causes the system to recalculate file indexes.
For advanced users, you can clear the system cache through the Recovery menu. To do this, turn off your phone and pinch the button combination (usually Volume Up + Power). From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Cache Partition. This will not delete your personal data, but will clean up the system debris.
⚠️ Note: In the Recovery menu, do not select Wipe Data or Format Data if you want to save information.
It's also worth checking the folder. MIUI → debug_log. If you have files in there, you can delete them. They're created if you have debugging mode on. USB, It is only for developers to find mistakes.
Why does the “Other” section not decrease immediately?
Use of cloud technologies and memory cards
If internal memory is physically limited, the best solution is to transfer data to external media or to the cloud. Xiaomi smartphones often support microSD cards, which can be used as an extension of internal storage or as a portable medium.
When you install a memory card, the system will suggest formatting it. Select the option "Use as internal storage" (if supported by the Android version), and the system will be able to transfer applications and their data there. NAND-module.
Cloud storage (Google Drive, Yandex Disk, Xiaomi Cloud) allows you to set up automatic upload of photos and videos. After successful download, files are deleted from the device, remaining available at any time when you have the Internet, this is the modern standard for multimedia.
- ☁️ Configure sync only over Wi-Fi so as not to waste mobile traffic.
- ☁️ Use smart albums in the gallery that store previews on your phone and originals in the cloud.
- ☁️ Check your cloud storage basket regularly, as it also has a space limit.
The right combination of manual cleaning, automatic MIUI tools and cloud technology will allow your Xiaomi smartphone to run fast even after several years of active use.