Where in the settings Xiaomi to see memory: step-by-step guide with the analysis of all the nuances

You bought a new Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone, but you can’t find where to look at the free space on the internal drive in the settings? Or you want to check how much RAM (RAM) is occupied by background applications? This problem is familiar to many users – the manufacturer regularly changes the location of the menu in the MIUI firmware, and in some models memory data is generally hidden behind several layers of settings.

In this article, we will not only show you the standard Settings → About the phone, but we will look at all possible ways to check memory, from basic to hidden. You will learn how to distinguish internal memory from RAM, why Xiaomi often shows less space than it indicates on the box, and what to do if the system displays data incorrectly, and also where to find information about memory in developer mode and how to check it through ADB.

Standard way: where in the settings Xiaomi to look memory

On most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12-14 firmware, memory information is available through the main settings menu.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Scroll down and select the About Phone section.
3. Click on the Device Characteristics bar (or General Information in older versions).
4. Here you'll see the blocks: 📱 Device model (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+). 💾 Internal memory (e.g. 256 GB). 🔄 RAM (for example, 8 GB).

But here's the catch: MIUI shows total storage, not free space, so to see how much is available for your files, you need to go to another section:

1. Return to the main settings menu.
2. Select Storage (or Memory in some localizations).
3. The system will display a diagram with the distribution of memory by categories: Applications, Photos and Videos, Files, etc.

On some models (such as the Redmi 10C), the difference can be as high as 15-20 GB due to the reduced firmware for budget devices. If you are critical of every gigabyte, check the actual reviews of the owners of a particular model before buying.

Where in Xiaomi to see RAM (RAM)?

The RAM (RAM) on Xiaomi is not as obvious as the internal memory. There are three ways:

1. Through About the Phone

As with internal memory, go to Settings → About Phone → Device Specifications. RAM line will show the total amount of RAM (for example, 6 GB or 12 GB).

2. via "Security" (for MIUI 13-14)

This method shows the current RAM load:

1. Open the Settings. → Security.
2. Click on the Optimization (or Acceleration) icon.
3. At the top of the screen, a graph of RAM usage will appear indicating free and occupied memory.

3. Through Developer Modes

If you want detailed statistics (such as how much memory each application takes up), turn on the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times on the MIUI version until you become a developer!
3. Return to the main Settings menu and select Additional → For Developers.
4. Scroll down to the Debugging block and find Memory: 📊 Average loading RAM. 🔍 List of processes with indication of consumed memory.

Enable the developer mode|Check total volume RAM on the telephone"|View the current download in "Security" → Optimization"|Read the detailed statistics in "For developers"-->

Hidden Memory Partitions: What is the Other and How to Clean It

In the Warehouse section, you might notice a mysterious item called The Other, which is 10 to 30 GB and not cleaned by standard means. What is it?

• 🗑️ Cash of system applications. MIUI Actively caches data to speed up work (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music).
• 📂 Logs and dumps: The system stores error reports that can weigh up to 5 to 10 GB.
• 🔄 Remnants of deleted applications. Some files remain even after uninstallation.
• 📱 Hidden folders MIUI. For example, /MIUI/backup or /MIUI/extra.

How to clean the Other:

1. Use the built-in cleaner (Settings → Storage → Clean).
2. Remove the cache of system applications through Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Select an application] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
3. For deep cleaning, use ADB: adb shell pm clear --user 0 Com.miui.application Replace the com.miui.application with a real package (e.g. com.miui.video).

Memory Display Problems: Why Xiaomi Shows Wrong Data

Sometimes Xiaomi smartphones start to lie about the space, like 0GB or negative values.

• 🔄 File system failure, often after incorrect extraction SD-map or interrupted update. ⚠️ Note: If the problem has not gone away after the reboot, do not format the memory via PC - this can lead to data loss. → Warehouse → Verification and recovery.
• 📱 Firmware error in some versions. MIUI 12.5 was a memory display bug on devices with UFS 3.1 (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T Pro. The solution is to upgrade to MIUI 13+.
• 🛠️ Damaged. SD-If you're using a memory card, take it out and check for space without it.

If nothing works, try resetting through Settings → About Phone → Reset → Resetting all settings. Don’t confuse it with a full reset (wipe) – it will delete all data!

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Before resetting, be sure to back up via Settings → About Phone → Backup.This will save your contacts, SMS and app settings, but not photos or videos (they need to be copied manually).

How to Check Memory on Xiaomi with ADB (For Advanced Users)

If standard methods don’t give the full picture, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for diagnosing hidden partitions or when the phone displays data incorrectly.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Developer mode enabled and debugging by USB smartphone.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (cmd) and type: adb shell df -h This command will show all memory sections indicating the free and occupied space.
3. To see detailed information about RAM, do: adb shell dumpsys meminfo

Example of output for the Redmi Note 11 Pro+:

/dev/block/mmcblk0p53  115G   23G   92G  20% /data


/dev/block/mmcblk0p54  16G    2G   14G  12% /cache

You can see here that out of 115 GB of user partition, 23 GB is occupied, and 92 GB is free.

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If the adb shell df -h command returns the Permission denied error, try getting root rights first through adb root (not working on all models).

Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi