Where to look at Xiaomi memory: full analysis

Xiaomi’s current smartphones have a huge amount of functionality that requires significant resources to work sustainably. One of the most common problems users face is a lack of space. When internal storage gets crowded, the device starts to run slower, apps stop updating, and the camera may refuse to save new images. Understanding where to look in Xiaomi’s phone memory is the first step to optimizing the gadget.

MIUI or HyperOS provides powerful built-in tools for monitoring and managing files, but they are often hidden in different menu sections. Beginners can get confused with the abundance of settings without finding exact free space numbers. In this article, we will detail all the ways to check the storage capacity, from the standard settings menu to hidden engineering menus.

You will learn not only to find information, but also to interpret data correctly to distinguish system files from user garbage, which will allow you to correctly allocate resources and avoid critical overflows, which is especially important for models with a basic memory capacity of 64 or 128 gigabytes.

Check through the main settings menu

The easiest and most reliable way to know how much space you have left on your device is in the basic system settings, a method that is universal for all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco firmware versions. To access data, you need to open the Settings app and scroll down to the very bottom of the About Phone section.

This is where you get a summary of the device model, operating system version, and memory status. In the "Memory" or "Storage" bar, you'll see a fraction, where the numerator is the occupied space and the denominator is the total volume.

In the window that opens, the system visualizes the distribution of data, showing how much apps, media files, etc. are taking up, and there is a "Clean Up" button that automatically prompts you to delete temporary files, but before starting automatic cleaning, it is recommended to manually analyze the categories so that important documents are not deleted.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders with system names unless you are sure of their purpose, as this can lead to unstable operation of the interface.

Using this partition allows you to quickly assess the overall state of the drive without installing third-party software, which is the most secure method for the average user who wants to just free up a couple of gigabytes.

Detailed analysis through the Explorer application

For a deeper immersion in the file system of a smartphone, the best way to use a full-time file manager is to use a file manager. On Xiaomi devices, it's called Explorer and has a yellow folder icon. Unlike the settings menu, here you see the real folder structure and you can sort files by type and size.

When you start the app, go to the Analyzer tab or click on the three-bar menu in the corner of the screen to select "Analysis" (Storage Analysis). The system will scan all the sections and report as color bars or diagram sectors. Each category, whether images, videos or documents, will have its own color code.

Clicking on any category will put you in a file list sorted by size, which allows you to instantly find "heavy" videos or forgotten archives that take up gigabytes of space. Deleting large files through a Explorer is often more effective than using standard cleaning.

• 📁 folder DCIM It contains all the photos and videos taken on camera, occupying up to 60% of the space.
• 🗑️ Directory MIUI/Gallery Stores deleted photos in the cart that continue to be in place.
• 💬 Messenger files are often in hidden folders Android/media and require careful study.

The Explorer also allows you to see hidden system folders if you turn on the corresponding option in the settings of the application itself, which gives you complete control over the contents of the phone and helps you find the remnants of remote applications.

Use of the Application Security

In the MIUI ecosystem, the Security system application, which combines antivirus and optimizer, is a key tool, and one of the most popular ways users search for memory information, and the green icon with the shield contains the Cleanup module, which conducts rapid diagnostics.

When you start scanning, it detects not only garbage, but also duplicate photos, large files and rarely used applications. The interface shows memory occupancy in a pie chart, which is convenient for visual perception. By clicking on the "Clean" button, you start the process of deleting the cache.

Be careful, though: Deep Clean may suggest removing APK installation files or old backups you may need. Always check the file list before confirming action. App cache is the main source of debris that is safe to remove.

The Security app also has a memory acceleration (RAM) feature that closes the background processes. While this doesn't free up storage space, it helps the phone run faster when there's a shortage of RAM.

RAM and ROM Memory: What's the Difference

Users often confuse the two types of memory available in a smartphone (RAM) constant (ROM/Understanding the difference is critical to diagnosing problems correctly: RAM is used to run applications running right now, and permanent memory is used to store photos, games and the system itself.

If the phone is slowing down when switching between programs or they fly out, the problem is most likely a lack of RAM. If you can't take a photo or install an update, then the storage (ROM) is overcrowded.

Modern Xiaomi models use RAM expansion technology, where a portion of permanent storage is virtually added to RAM. This can be checked in the "Memory Extension" section of the basic settings. Disabling this feature can free up space, but reduces multitasking.

• 🚀 RAM (RAM) – speed and number of open applications.
• 💾 ROM (ROM – the storage capacity of all your data and files.
• ⚙️ Virtual memory – a compromise that uses a fast flash drive as an addition to RAM.

Users with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM should be particularly careful about their balance, and filling up storage at over 90% causes a dramatic drop in write speed, which affects the entire system.

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Tip: Always keep at least 10-15% of your internal memory free, which is essential for the system to function properly.

Working with the outside SD-card

Many Redmi models and Xiaomi budget smartphones support microSD card installation.This is a great way to expand storage for photos and videos, but the Android system often stores all media files in internal memory by default.

To change this behavior, you need to go to the settings of the Camera and select in the “Save” section SD-You can also move existing folders of music and documents to an external medium in the file manager, select files, click Move, and select a path on the map.

It is important to note that applications are generally not recommended to be ported to SD-map, because the reading speed is lower, which can cause lags. UHS-I or UHS-II Provide sufficient speed to record video in 4K, But it is better to use internal storage for the system.

⚠️ Warning: Before removing the memory card, be sure to follow the command “Disable” or “Safe Retrieval” in the storage settings, otherwise the files may be corrupted.

You can check the status of the card in the same memory settings menu, the system will show the general and free space on the media, and also allow you to format it. Format completely delete all data, so first back up important files to your computer.

Hidden Partitions and System Files

There are partitions in the Android file system that are not visible to the user when you're browsing, but they take up a significant amount of space, and this is the "Other" section of memory statistics, which can store streaming services (offline playlists), browser cache and temporary update files.

Access to this data requires superuser rights (Root), which are difficult to obtain on modern Xiaomi and is not guaranteed. ADB-computer teams to analyze folder sizes. -h /data Detailed distribution of the place.

Often, the “Other” section is bloated with messengers. Telegram and WhatsApp create giant databases of media files, and cleaning is better done inside the applications themselves through the “Data Use” and “Storage” settings.

• 📱 Messengers store copies of all viewed photos and videos in cache.
• 🌐 Browsers accumulate gigabytes of cache when surfing actively.
• 🎵 Streaming services hide offline tracks in hidden directories.

Regularly cleaning the cache in specific application settings (“Apps” → “All Apps” → App Selection → “Memory” → “Clear the cache”) helps keep the “Other” section under control without having to obtain root rights.

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The “Other” section is not a system error, but a collection of application data that does not fall into the standard photo or video categories.