Xiaomi Data Files: What are Telegram folders and can they be deleted?

If you’ve ever looked into the storage of your Xiaomi smartphone through a file manager, you’ve probably noticed strange folders with names like com.telegram.messenger, org.telegram.messenger or Telegram in the “Other Files” section. They take up gigabytes of memory, but you don't store that much media in the messenger itself. What is this data, why is it so large, and can it be safely cleaned? In this article, we'll look at what files Telegram creates on Xiaomi devices, where they hide in the cloud. MIUI, How to manage them without losing important messages or media.

Let me warn you right away: it's a bad idea to just delete everything from these folders. Some files are responsible for the cache of messages, some are responsible for downloaded stickers and gifs, and some data can be critical to the operation of the account. But you can't ignore them either: on devices with 64-128 GB of memory, Telegram can eat up to 10-15 GB in a couple of years of active use. We'll show you how to understand this chaos, which files can be cleaned safely and which ones only through the messaging settings.

What data files are created by Telegram on Xiaomi and why you need them

Telegram on Android, including MIUI) It stores data in multiple places, and each of them is responsible for its function:

• 📁 Telegram folder at the root of the storage — here are the uploaded or automatically saved media files (photos, videos, documents) — this is the heaviest part, which can take up to 80% of all data messenger.
• 🗃️ Folder com.telegram.messenger in /Android/data/ — system cache of the application: miniatures of previews, temporary session files, data on stickers and animations.
• 🔑.db and.map files are databases with message history, contacts and account settings!
• 🎨 Tgnet folder – service files for working with the network (for example, data about a proxy or a network). VPN, if you use them).

The main feature of Xiaomi is that MIUI Sometimes duplicates some of these files in hidden partitions (e.g., in the /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/telegram/), If you've ever backed up through standard system tools, also on devices with MIUI 14+ file may appear Android/obb/org.telegram.messenger — These are remnants from older versions of the application that are not always correctly deleted when updating.

It's important to understand that Telegram doesn't limit the default cache volume (unlike WhatsApp), and if you're actively sharing media, it can grow to 5 to 20 GB in a year or two, and you'll only see a fraction of that data in the messenger settings, the one that you can clean "legally," and you'll have to search for the rest manually.

Where exactly are Telegram files stored on Xiaomi: paths and hidden folders

To find all Telegram files on your Xiaomi, you’ll need a file manager with access to system partitions (e.g. Mi File Manager with Hidden File Mode enabled or Solid Explorer).

On devices with MIUI 15 The newest part of the cache can be stored in a virtual partition. /android/obb/ — It's all about optimizing applications, and to see these folders, you need to use Mi File Manager to see them:

1. Open the menu (three lines at the top left).
2. Select Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Enable the option to Show System Files (superuser rights, if any)

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If you can't see the folder Android/data/, So your file manager doesn't have permission to access the system partitions. FX File Manager with Root Access enabled (if the device is rooted).

Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note) 12 Pro+ or POCO F5) The path to the cache may look like /data/data/com.telegram.messenger/, But you can't go there without root rights. Don't try to get root just to clean up Telegram, which is risky and you're not guaranteed.

How to Safely Clean Telegram Files on Xiaomi: Step-by-step Instructions

Delete Telegram files at random is like cleaning dust in the system unit with a fervor: you can accidentally break something important. We have collected proven ways to clean up that will not harm your account or data.

Method 1: Clean up through Android settings (safe for all files)

This is the most reliable method that does not affect critical data:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Telegram in the list and tap it.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. (Optional) Click Clear Data, but this will delete all message history and settings!

Method 2: Delete media files via Telegram

If the folder /Telegram/ It's grown to a few gigabytes, so clean it up:

1. Open Telegram and go to Settings → Data and memory.
2. Slip the vault. → Clear Telegram cache.
3. Choose which file types to delete (for example, only videos or documents older than 1 year).

Method 3: Removing unnecessary backups MIUI

If you have ever done a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup, check the folder /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/telegram/. There may be old backups that occupy up to 1–2 GB: You can delete them if you don’t plan to restore old data.

⚠️ Note: Never delete files with the.db or.map extension in a folder. /Android/data/com.telegram.messenger/files/! These are databases of your correspondence, and if you damage them, they can lead to loss of your message history or even account lockdown.

Why Telegram is taking up so much space on Xiaomi and how to prevent it

There are several reasons why Telegram is growing more on Xiaomi devices than on other smartphones:

• 📱 Automatic Media Download: By default, Telegram downloads all photos and videos in chat rooms, even if you don't open them. MIUI This is compounded by the fact that the system does not always properly clean the cache.
• 🔄 Duplication of files: Xiaomi sometimes creates copies of media files in a folder DCIM/.thumbnails gallery-preview.
• 🗑️ Incorrect cache work: On some firmware MIUI Telegram’s 13-14 cache is not cleared completely through standard tools.
• 📥 Stickers and GIFs: They are stored in a separate folder and can take up to 500 MB if you use them frequently.

To prevent folder growth, do the following:

1. Open Telegram and go to Settings → Data and memory.
2. In the Autoboot Media section, turn off automatic download for mobile data and Wi-Fi (or leave only for select chats).
3. Turn on the option to optimize storage – this will delete old media files automatically.
4. Regularly (every 1-2 months) clean the cache through Android Settings → Annexes → Telegram → Warehouse.

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Even if you turn off autoboot, Telegram will still cache thumbnails and preview messages, and you can only completely stop the growth of the folder by manually cleaning or using Telegram X (the lightweight version).

What to do if Telegram takes up a lot of space again after cleaning

If you cleared the cache and media files, but after a week Telegram “eat” a few gigabytes again, the problem may be the following:

• 🔍 Hidden chats or channels: You could subscribe to a channel with automatic downloads of content (for example, movies or music).
• 🤖 Bots: Some bots (for example, to download videos from YouTube or TikTok) save files to the Telegram folder.
• 📁 Damaged files: Sometimes Telegram can’t delete temporary files correctly and they accumulate.
• 🔄 Sync errors: If you use multiple devices, cache conflicts are possible.

To find the “culprit,” do the following:

1. Open Telegram and go to Settings → Data and memory → Warehouse.
2. See which chat rooms take up the most space (sorting by size).
3. If the channel or bot is to blame, leave it or limit the autoload.
4. If the problem is in corrupted files, try reinstalling Telegram (pre-backup chats!).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi devices with MIUI There is a bug 12 and older: once reinstalled, Telegram sometimes doesn't recover a message history from the cloud unless you clear the Google Play Services cache before installing.To avoid data loss, export chats manually before removing the app (Settings) → Export of data).

How to transfer Telegram files to a memory card or cloud

If your Xiaomi has a huge shortage of internal memory, you can transfer your Telegram media files to a microSD or cloud storage.

Transfer to memory card

Unfortunately, Telegram does not support direct installation of the SD-Map, but you can manually transfer the Telegram folder:

1. With the help of the file manager, copy the folder /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/ on a memory card (for example, in /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Telegram/).
2. Delete the original folder.
3. In Telegram go to Settings → Data and memory → Download folder and specify a new path (for example, /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Telegram/).

Important: After transferring new files, they will be saved to the map, but the old media from the chats will remain in the internal memory until you download them again.

Synchronization with the cloud

Telegram doesn’t have a built-in media sync feature with clouds like Google Drive or Mi Cloud, but you can:

• 📁 Manually upload important files from the Telegram folder to the cloud (for example, via Mi Cloud or Google Photos).
• 🔗 Use bots like this. @SaveToCloudBot, Automatically save media in Google Drive.
• 💾 Export Media Chat History through Settings → Exporting data (the file will weigh a lot, but it can be stored in the cloud).

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If you use Mi Cloud, enable automatic upload of photos and videos from the Telegram folder in the Gallery app settings. → Settings → Autoboot → Folders to download and add /Telegram/Telegram Images/ and /Telegram/Telegram Video/

Frequent errors when working with Telegram files on Xiaomi

Xiaomi users often face typical problems when trying to clean or transfer Telegram files, and here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:

On Xiaomi devices with MIUI 14+ After cleaning the cache, Telegram may require a re-authorization through SMS, Even if you haven't logged out, this is due to the way Google's custom firmware services work, so to avoid a problem, turn off the contacts sync in your Telegram settings before clearing the cache.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Telegram Files on Xiaomi