How to test and free up memory on Xiaomi Redmi: the full guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often experience a device that is slowing down or refusing to install new apps. This is a sure sign that storage resources are depleted. Android-based MIUI requires free space for cache and temporary files to work properly. If you notice that the phone is slowing down or opening the gallery for a long time, the first thing to do is check the state of disk space.

Understanding how memory is distributed in your gadget is the first step to optimizing its performance. Many users confuse RAM and embedded storage (ROM), even though they perform very different functions. RAM is responsible for the speed of applications running right now, and built-in memory stores your photos, music, documents and programs. In this article, we will discuss in detail where to find this data and how to manage it.

Not only can this lead to lags, but it can also lead to the inability to receive calls or messages. Modern messengers such as Telegram and WhatsApp take up gigabytes of space with media files that are saved automatically, so regular monitoring of disk occupancy becomes a mandatory procedure for each user.

Differences between RAM and internal memory on Xiaomi devices

Before you start cleaning, it’s important to be clear about the difference between the types of memory installed in your Redmi. RAM (Random Access Memory) is a short-term storage that is completely cleared when you reboot your device. It’s the amount of RAM that determines how many applications can run simultaneously without rebooting. On budget models, 3 or 4 GB is often found, whereas flagships boast 8, 12 GB or more.

By contrast, ROM (Read-Only Memory) or internal storage is a permanent place for your data. Even after you turn off your phone, files stay in place. This is the parameter usually listed in the model name when you buy, for example, 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB. The MIUI system itself occupies a significant part of this volume, so the real user space is always less than the stated.

Confusion often occurs when users see a message that says "Memory is full" and start closing apps thinking it will help, but 90 percent of the time it's about overflowing permanent storage, and you need to monitor both for a phone to fly, but the methods of optimizing them are radically different.

Where to see free space in the built-in storage

The easiest and most reliable way to know how much space your Xiaomi has left is through standard system settings. This method provides the most accurate information, since the data is taken directly from the Android file system. First, unlock the screen and find the Settings icon, which looks like a gear.

In the menu that opens, you scroll down to About, and this is where you get all the technical information about your device, including the processor model, the Android version, and of course, the memory settings, and clicking on this section, you'll see the line "Internal Drive" or "Memory," which will show the ratio of occupied space to free space in the form of a color scale.

💡

If you can’t find the About phone item, use the search bar at the top of the settings menu and type in the word “memory” or “storage.”

An alternative way is through the standard Explorer app, or at the bottom of the screen, look for the Analyzer tab, or just open the file category, and here the system often suggests clearing the garbage by showing a pie chart of occupancy, a convenient way to quickly assess the situation without going into complex menus.

It should be noted that the system can show different numbers in different sections, in Settings, the total volume is displayed, and in the Security app, the detailed file types are displayed. For accurate diagnosis, it is better to use the system menu, since it is not subject to caching errors, which are sometimes found in third-party utilities.

Using the Security app to analyze memory

Xiaomi has built a powerful tool called Security into the MIUI shell, not just an antivirus, but a whole harvester to service the system. To use it, look up a green icon with a shield on your desktop, and when you launch the app, you'll see a Cleanup or Accelerate button.

Cleanup scans the device for temporary files, app cache, ad residues and duplicates. After scanning, the system will prompt you to remove junk. Be careful: sometimes important files, such as saved documents from messengers, fall into the category of garbage, so it is better to manually check what exactly is proposed to be deleted.

• 🧹 Cache Clearing: Deletes temporary files that speed up applications but grow over time.
• 📸 Large files: Shows videos and archives that take up a lot of space that can be moved or deleted.
• 🗑️ Unused applications: a list of programs that have not been running for a long time, but take up space.

The Deep Clean section is particularly noteworthy, and allows you to manage specific categories, like the Recycle Bin in the gallery or Downloads, and users often forget that deleted photos are in the basket for another 30 days, taking up precious gigabytes, and you can get there faster through the security menu than through a standard gallery.

It is important to understand that automatic cleaning is not always 100% effective, algorithms can skip hidden folders or not recognize specific files, so manual control through the same tool remains the most reliable method of maintaining order in the file system of your Redmi.

How to Check and Free Up RAM (RAM)

If internal memory is responsible for storage, RAM affects the speed of switching between tasks. On Xiaomi smartphones (check) the amount of free RAM can be through the menu of recent applications, and you need to swipe from the bottom up (or menu button) to open the list of running programs.

At the top of the screen, usually centered or right, a number is displayed, such as “4.2 GB/6 GB.” This means that 4.2 GB is available out of 6 GB. If free memory is critically scarce (less than 500 MB), the system can begin to force the background applications to close, which leads to them rebooting at each run.

To release RAM, MIUI has a "Accelerate" feature, and in the same menu of recent apps, there's a button with a broom or a cross, pressing it closes all background processes, but this is not always recommended: Android itself manages memory efficiently, and constant forced cleaning can even increase battery consumption, as applications will have to start again.

There is also a hidden developer menu where you can see more detailed statistics on the use of the app. RAM To get there, you have to press "Version" 7 times. MIUI» in the section "About the phone", and then in the advanced settings select "For developers» -> «Memory. This is a graphic of usage over the last 3, 6, 12 hours.

Analysis of occupancy by file types and applications

When the space is running out, the question is, "Who ate my memory?" Modern versions of MIUI have a great tool for visualizing data. Go to Settings → Memory (or through the Security → Cleanup → Application Management app). Here you will see a list of programs sorted by the amount of space occupied.

Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store every photo and video viewed. During the year, correspondence can “inflate” up to 10-20 GB. Inside the settings of each such application there is a section “Data and storage”, where you can clear the cache of media files without deleting text correspondence.

Another common memory eater is streaming services and social media. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram cache videos viewed so that they load faster when re-watched. This cache can be safely deleted through the app's settings -> All Apps -> [Select App] -> Storage -> Clear Cache.

💡

The largest amount of data is usually hidden in the folders of messengers (Android/data/...) and the cache of streaming services, rather than in installed applications.

Hidden folders and system garbage: where to look

Beyond the obvious files, Redmi may be hiding heavyweights you don’t know about, such as folders with log files, residual files from deleted games, or downloaded system updates, and the best way to find them is to use the built-in Explorer and enable the display of hidden files in its settings.

Pay attention to the folder. Android/obb and Android/data. It stores the caches of games and applications. If you delete the game, but the folder is still there, it keeps taking up space. MIUI/debug_log, where the system sometimes stores error reports that the average user does not need.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from system folders unless you are sure of their purpose. Deleting key files can lead to unstable operation of the interface or “boot” (cyclic reboot) of the smartphone.

Another source of debris is the Thumbnails folder, which stores thumbnails of your photos for quick display in the gallery, and over time, this file can grow to several gigabytes. It can be deleted, the system will create a new, but smaller, but this will temporarily slow the scroll through the gallery.

For advanced users, it is possible to connect a smartphone to a computer and conduct a revision through a file manager on a PC, which allows you to see the folder structure more clearly and delete really large files that are difficult to find through the small screen of the phone.

Expanding Memory with MicroSD Card and Cloud

If the internal storage is crowded and you can't delete anything, you should consider expansion options. Many Redmi models support microSD memory cards. Once you install the card, you can transfer photos, videos and music to it, freeing up internal memory for the system and applications.

In the settings of the Xiaomi camera, you can immediately specify the saving of photos and videos to the memory card. → Retention on SD-This will prevent the main drive from filling up quickly, especially if you like to shoot high-resolution video.

• ☁️ Cloud services: Google Photos, Yandex.Disk, Mi Cloud allow you to store files on the Internet, freeing up space on the device.
• 💾 Flash cards: The best option for storing archives of photos and videos that do not require instant access.
• 📲 OTG: Possibility of external connection USB-flash drives for fast transfer of large files.

⚠️ Note: When installing a new memory card, be sure to format it through the phone menu (Settings) → Memory. → SD-map → Formatting) to avoid writing errors and data loss.

Also, don't forget cloud technology. Mi Cloud is integrated into the system, allowing you to sync contacts, notes and photos. By enabling the "Clear Device" function in the gallery settings, you can delete the original photos from your phone, leaving them only in the cloud, and they will be available for viewing in the gallery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)