MiDrive on Xiaomi: what is this feature and why you need it

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi or a smartphone POCO base MIUI, You've probably encountered the term MiDrive in your device settings, and this feature often raises questions about what it does, how it works, and why it takes up memory space. Unlike cloud services like Google Drive or Mi Cloud, MiDrive is a local storage system that is integrated directly into the firmware, and its main task is to synchronize files between Xiaomi applications and provide quick access to frequently used data.

Many users mistake MiDrive for another cloud or unnecessary "junk" that can be turned off. But it's not quite so. It's closely linked to system applications like Gallery, Notes or Screen Records. MIUI They may not work properly or they may not start at all. In this article, we will discuss in detail what MiDrive is, how it affects the performance of a smartphone, and whether it should be turned off.

What is MiDrive and how did it come into being? MIUI

MiDrive is Xiaomi’s proprietary technology, first introduced in the industry MIUI 12 as part of a strategy to optimize your file experience, essentially a virtual disk that is created in the device's memory and used by system applications to store temporary data, cache and synchronize between services. For example, when you edit a photo in the Gallery, the changes are first saved to MiDrive and then applied to the original file.

Before MiDrive, Xiaomi apps stored temporary files in different folders (/data/data/, /cache/), And the virtual disk solved this problem by putting all the time data in one place, but there's a downside to this approach: MiDrive can take up to a few hours. 1–3 GB of memory, which is critical for devices with a small amount of storage.

It’s important to understand that MiDrive is not cloud storage, all data is left on the device and not synced with Xiaomi servers (unlike Mi Cloud), which means that when you reset your phone to factory settings or change your firmware, the files from MiDrive will be lost.

• 📱 Appeared in: MIUI 12 (2020), is actively used in all subsequent versions.
• 💾 Storage location: Local memory of the device (/data/media/0/mi_drive/).
• 🔄 Synchronizes: Data between system applications (Gallery, Notes, Camera, etc.).
• ⚠️ Not to be confused with: Mi Cloud or Google Drive (external storage).

Why you need MiDrive: basic functions

MiDrive performs several key tasks without which the work is done. MIUI These are the main features Xiaomi has implemented this technology for:

1. Caching frequently used files, such as thumbnails of photos and videos in the Gallery are stored in MiDrive to speed up their loading when scrolling.
2. Synchronization between apps: If you edit a note in Mi Notes and then open it on a Xiaomi tablet, the changes are temporarily saved in MiDrive before being sent to the cloud.
3. Temporary storage: For example, screenshots or screen recordings first enter MiDrive and then move to the main memory.
4. Optimizing camera performance. Files. DNG (RAW-images) and intermediate processing data are stored here so as not to overload the main storage.

Without MiDrive, some functions are MIUI They can work slower or they can work with errors:

• 📸 Camera: Slowing down when shooting in Pro mode or processing photos.
• 📝 Notes: Loss of changes when switching between devices quickly.
• 🎥 Gallery: Long download preview video or photo.

But there’s a downside: MiDrive can take up a lot of memory, especially if you’re a media user, and on devices with 32-64GB of storage, it’s a noticeable problem.

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If your smartphone is often slowing down when working with photos or videos, try clearing the MiDrive cache in the storage settings. This can speed up the work without losing important data.

Where is MiDrive and how to find it?

MiDrive files are stored in a hidden folder, but you can see them through the file manager.

1. Open the standard File Manager application.
2. Go to the Category section → System files.
3. Find the folder. mi_drive (It can be called MiDrive in new versions. MIUI).
4. Accessing content may require root permission or enabling hidden file displays.

Inside the folder, you will see subdirectories with application names, for example:

• com.miui.gallery - Gallery cache.
• com.miui.notes are temporary Notes files.
• com.miui.screenrecorder - screen recordings.

It is not recommended for the average user to manually delete files from MiDrive, as this can cause app malfunctions.

How to Clean MiDrive and Free Up Space

If MiDrive takes up too much memory, it can be cleaned without harming the system.

Deeper cleaning is possible through Settings → Annexes → Application management:

1. Open the list of all applications.
2. Find system applications (Gallery, Camera, Notes).
3. In each of them, select the Warehouse → Clear the cache.
4. For a complete cleanup, click Clear Data, but note that this will delete all temporary files and may reset the app settings.

You can also use third-party utilities like SD Maid or Files by Google, but they require root rights to clean up MiDrive completely.

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete the folder mi_drive manually through the file manager! This can cause malfunctions MIUI, including the inability to start the camera or gallery.

Can I turn off MiDrive and what happens if I do?

MiDrive – System component MIUI, It's impossible to completely disable it without root rights:

• 🔧 Disable sync: In some application settings (e.g. Notes) you can prevent saving data in MiDrive.
• 🗑️ Regular cleaning: As described above, remove the cache periodically.
• 📱 Use alternative applications: For example, replace the Gallery MIUI Google Photos.

If you get root access and remove MiDrive completely, the consequences could be as follows:

• ❌ Camera: It will not save the photo in format RAW Or apply real-time effects.
• ❌ Gallery: Slow download of previews, editing errors.
• ❌ Notes and Screenshots: Losing Temporary Files When Rebooting.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi Note 11 and later) MiDrive is closely integrated with the Mi Turbo feature, which is a system acceleration technology, and its deactivation can lead to a general slowdown of the interface.

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MiDrive cannot be turned off completely without root rights, but it can be reduced by cleaning up and using alternative applications.

MiDrive vs Mi Cloud: What's the difference?

Many users confuse MiDrive with Mi Cloud, but these are fundamentally different technologies.

Important: MiDrive doesn't back up your data in the cloud. If you reset your phone to factory settings, all files from MiDrive will be deleted without recovery.

But the two technologies can work together, like editing a note.

1. The changes are first saved to MiDrive (locally).
2. Then sync with Mi Cloud (if cloud sync is enabled).
3. When you open a note on another device, data is uploaded from the cloud.

MiDrive Problems and How to Solve Them

Despite its usefulness, MiDrive can cause the following problems:

• 🚨 "Memory is full: MiDrive takes up several gigabytes, although you don't use multimedia.
• 🐢 Brake: The system hangs when working with a gallery or camera.
• ❓ Application Errors: For example, Notes do not save changes.

Here’s how to solve the most common mistakes:

⚠️ Warning: If the memory fills up quickly after cleaning the MiDrive, check the applications for viruses. Some malware masquerades as system files and fills in mi_drive garbage.

FAQ: Frequent questions about MiDrive