What takes up memory in Xiaomi smartphones: hidden “eaters” of space and how to deal with them

Have you ever experienced a situation where your Xiaomi suddenly starts to issue a memory shortage warning, even though you seemingly did not install anything extra? or noticed that after updating the system, free space mysteriously decreased by several gigabytes? If so, you are not alone. Even on devices with 128 GB or 256 GB of memory, users often face its unexpected “disappearance”.

The problem isn’t just with the obvious things — photos, videos, or apps. Today’s Xiaomi smartphones (whether Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, or Mi 13) hide a host of system and user data that is slowly eating away at precious megabytes. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at 5 of the main reasons why memory on your device is filling up faster than you expect, and give practical recommendations for freeing it — without losing important data.

1. App cache: why does it take gigabytes and can it be removed?

One of the most insidious memory eaters is app cache, which are temporary files that programs create to speed up their work, like YouTube caches videos for smooth browsing, Google Maps saves maps offline, and messengers saves media files from chats. In theory, this is convenient, but in practice, the cache can grow to 5-10 GB or more, especially if you actively use social networks or streaming services.

How do you check cache volume? Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, select any one of them (like TikTok or Instagram) and look at the Storage section. There you will see two digits: Data (this is the settings and saves of the application) and Cash (temporary files). Surprisingly, even in a freshly installed application, the cache can take up hundreds of megabytes after a week of use.

• 📱 Social media: Facebook, Instagram, VK — leaders in the accumulation of cache (up to 2-3 GB for each).
• 🎮 Games: Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty cache textures and levels (up to 5GB!).
• 🎵 Music services: Spotify, Yandex Music save songs for offline listening.
• 🗺️ Maps and navigators: Google Maps or Yandex.Navigator download regions to work without the Internet.

Can you delete the cache without any consequences? Yes, but with reservations. Clearing the cache won't delete your accounts or settings, but some applications may then run slower on the first run (they will have to re-upload the data). To clear the cache for all applications at once, go to Settings → Storage → Cache Data and confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse cache with App Data! Deleting the latter will result in resetting all settings and logging out of your account.

2. MIUI System Files: Why Are Others 20+GB?

If you went to Settings → Storage and saw that the Other or System Data partition takes 10–30 GB, do not worry – this is normal for MIUI. The fact is that the shell from Xiaomi actively uses the following types of files:

• 📁 Logs of the system (/data/log): Error logs, crash reports, debugging data. 1–2 GB.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI: Downloaded but uninstalled service packs (sometimes left behind after a failed installation).
• 🤖 Dalvik-cache files: optimized versions of applications for fast download (up to 3-5 GB).
• 📊 Usage statistics: user activity data for Xiaomi services.

Some of these files can be manually deleted. For example, to clear the update cache, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Remove the downloaded packet. To remove the logs, you will need Root access or special utilities like SD Maid.

However, the easiest way to reduce the Others section is to reset the cache via Recovery.

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! second option will completely reset the phone to factory settings.

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If the "Other" partition takes up more than 30% of the total memory, this is an occasion to check the phone for viruses or reset the settings to the factory (with a preliminary backup!).

Duplicates and junk files: how to find and delete them?

Another common problem is duplicate files, which appear when:

• 📸 Transfer photos/videos from other devices (e.g., via Xiaomi File Manager or ShareMe).
• 🔄 Synchronization with cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud).
• 🎵 Download music or documents from different sources.

To find duplicates, use the built-in File Manager from Xiaomi:

1. Open Files (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Category section → Duplicate.
3. Check the list and delete unnecessary copies.

We also recommend using third-party utilities:

Pay special attention to the folders:

• DCIM/.thumbnails – photo and video thumbnails (can take up to 1 GB).
• Download – Download files that you have long forgotten.
• Android/data – application data (there are often files from remote games).

4.Apps and games: how do they "bloat" over time?

Even if you don't install new programs, the applications you already have installed can take up more and more space over time.

• 🎮 Games download additional resources (for example, Genshin Impact after installing weighs in). ~1 GB, but after the updates - 15+ GB).
• 📺 Streaming services (Netflix, Kodi) save video for offline viewing.
• 📱 Social networks automatically download media files from chats (Telegram can accumulate 5-10 GB per year).
• 📊 Application updates: New versions often weigh more than old ones.

To control the size of the applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the top corner).
3. Check the most “heavy” programs and clear their cache or data.

For games like Call of Duty: Mobile or PUBG, you can remove unnecessary resources:

1. Start the game.
2. Go to the graphics settings.
3. Turn off the download. HD-Textures or Additional Packages.

Important: Some games (such as Honor of Kings) store the cache in the protected /Android/obb folder. You can delete it only through the Root File Manager or after uninstalling the game.

5. Cloud services and backups: hidden memory eaters

Many Xiaomi users are unaware that their phone automatically syncs data to the cloud, taking up space on the device.

• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Backups of messages, contacts, notes and even records from the recorder.
• 📸 Google Photos: If backup is enabled in original quality, photos are duplicated on both the phone and the cloud.
• 🔄 Autosynchronization with Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox.

To disable unnecessary synchronization:

1. For Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Sync and disable unnecessary options.
2. For Google Photos: Open the app, go to Settings → Backup and Sync, and select High Quality over Original (this will save space).

Also check the Backup folder in the phone’s root directory – sometimes backups created by third-party apps (like Titanium Backup or Swift Backup) are saved there.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Mi Cloud for backup SMS, All messages (including media files) can be duplicated in the phone's memory. → Settings → Backup and disable the option.

Viruses and Malware: How Do They Steal Memory?

Rarely, but aptly: Some applications (especially from third-party sources) may contain hidden miners or adverbots that:

• 🕵️‍♂️ Download advertising in the background (consuming memory under cache).
• 💰 Mining cryptocurrency (loading the processor and creating temporary files).
• 📥 Download unnecessary data (for example, updates for other viruses).

Signs of infection:

• The memory is filled by itself (for example, at night).
• The phone is warming and discharges quickly.
• In Settings → Battery you can see unfamiliar processes with high consumption.

What to do:

1. Install an antivirus (Malwarebytes or Dr.Web).
2. Check the list of installed apps for suspicious ones (such as those with names like System Update or Flash Player).
3. Open Settings → Special Features → Special Rights Applications and check if there are unknown programs with Overlay rights on top of other applications.

If a virus is detected, delete it and clear the memory with SD Maid or Files by Google. In extreme cases, reset to factory settings (don't forget to back up important data!).

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Check your phone regularly for viruses, especially if you are installing them. APK-Even legitimate applications (such as modified games) can contain hidden threats.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi