Safe Memory Cleanup on Xiaomi: 7 Proven Ways to Avoid Data Loss

The memory clog on Xiaomi is a problem that every second user faces: apps slow down, photos are not saved, and the system gives an annoying notification “Not enough space.” But just delete everything in a row is dangerous: you can lose important data or disrupt MIUI. In this article, we will discuss 7 safe cleaning methods that work on all models from budget Redmi to flagship Xiaomi 14, including devices with HyperOS.

Xiaomi smartphones are characterized by aggressive caching and duplication of files by the system. For example, messengers can take up 2-3 times more space than their interface shows, due to hidden logs and temporary files. We will show you how to find and remove this junk without root rights, and also teach you to distinguish safe to delete files from critical ones. At the end of this article, a checklist for express cleaning and answers to frequent questions that will help avoid typical errors.

Why the standard “clean” in the settings does not work

Many users limit themselves to clicking the "Clean" button in Settings → Storage, but this method only removes the surface cache, temporary files that the system can recover in hours.

• 📁 Duplicate media files created by MIUI Gallery and Mi Cloud (e.g., thumbnails for previews take up to a maximum of 1-2 GB).
• 🤖 Residual application files that remain after uninstallation (folders) /Android/obb/ and /Android/data/ often not completely cleaned).
• 📊 Logs and dumps of the system that Xiaomi collects for diagnostics (files with the extension.log and.dmp in the folder) /MIUI/debug_log/).
• 🎮 Cache of games that is not deleted through standard means (e.g. Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile can take up to 10GB of “invisible” cache).

Moreover, after upgrading to HyperOS (for example, on the Xiaomi 13T or Redmi Note 12), many users notice that memory is clogged even faster, due to a new file management system that uses real-time data compression more actively, the paradox: compression saves space, but creates additional temporary files that are not always deleted correctly.

Method 1: Deep Cleaning through “Security” (no root rights)

The built-in Security app (the shield icon) is the safest cleaning tool, and it removes debris without affecting user data, and it starts the advanced cleaning.

1. Open the Security app (if it is not on the home screen, search through the system search).
2. Go to Cleanup (or Accelerate on older versions of MIUI).
3. Click Deep Clean (not to be confused with Quick Clean!).
4. Wait for the analysis to be completed and select the categories to delete: 🗑️ Residual files (the most secure item). 📱 Application cache (can slow down the first program download after cleaning). 📎 Large files (check manually – your videos may be here!).

Clean up

⚠️ Warning: If after cleaning some apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) started to load longer, it is normal. 1-2 Do not clear the cache of these applications separately through Settings. → Applications – This can lead to the loss of unsaved media files.

Residual files after uninstallation|Cache of system applications (for example, “Camera” or “Gallery»)|Error logs (.log files)|Temporary download files (Download folder if your files are not there)-->

Method 2: Manually remove hidden folders (for experienced ones)

Some folders in Xiaomi don’t appear in the standard file manager, but take up gigabytes of memory. To see them, you will need a root-rights support Explorer (for example, FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer) or activate the display of hidden files in Mi File Manager:

1. Open Mi File Manager (standard Xiaomi Explorer).
2. Click on the three dots in the top right → Settings → turn on Show hidden files.
3. Go to the root folder of the storage (/storage/emulated/0/).
4. Find and check the following folders (sizes can reach several GBs): /Android/data/ — cache and application data (remove remote program folders) /Android/obb/ — Game files (can be deleted if the game is reinstalled) /MIUI/debug_log/ — System logs (remove everything except the current day) /DCIM/.thumbnails/ — Gallery miniatures (safe to remove) /Download/ — Temporary download files (check for important documents)

🔍 Advice: Before removing folders from /Android/data/ Check if they are being used by current apps, for example, the com.whatsapp folder is owned by WhatsApp, which will result in chat resets. Use the App Inspector app (available on Google Play) to check).

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work and root rights don’t, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a debugging tool that allows you to delete system cache and unnecessary files without root, which is suitable for Xiaomi on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS.

📌 Preparation:

1. Download ADB Tools for Windows/macOS/Linux.
2. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.

🛠️ Cleanup commands:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Clearing the cache of the Security app


adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.downloads # Cleaning up the download manager




adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary system files




adb shell pm trim-caches -1 # Cache cleanup of all user applications

⚠️ Note: pm clear will reset the settings of the specified application (for example, in Mi Cleaner you will have to reconfigure the exceptions). -rf folder-less /data/local/tmp/ — If you've done the commands, you've stopped the phone, you can restart it.

💡

Before using ADB, back up your important data via Settings → System → Backup. This will take 5-10 minutes, but save your files in case of an error.

Method 4: Storage optimization with HyperOS (for new models)

If your Xiaomi is running HyperOS (like Xiaomi 14, Redmi K70 or POCO F6), you have access to Smart Storage Optimization, which automatically compresses rarely used files and moves them to the Mi Cloud (if connected) to activate it:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Storage optimization.
3. Turn on the Smart Compression Switch.
4. Set up the parameters: 📅 Select files older – choose 30 or 60 days. ☁️ Automatic Cloud Download – Enable if you have a Mi Cloud account. 📂 Exceptions – add folders that do not need to be compressed (for example, with work documents).

Important: Smart Compression only works when there is free space in the cloud (minimum 5 GB).If the Mi Cloud limit is exhausted, files will not be archived, and the system will continue to take up memory.

Method 5: Transfer applications to a memory card (with limitations)

Many users are trying to solve the memory problem by migrating applications to microSD. MIUI/HyperOS It doesn’t work for all apps and has nuances:

• ✅ You can transfer: most games (Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars), some instant messengers (Viber, Skype), offline maps (Google Maps, 2GIS).
• ❌ Cannot be transferred: system applications (Camera, Phone), WhatsApp, Telegram, banking applications (due to security requirements).
• ⚠️ Limitations: After porting, the application may run slower and some features (such as widgets) will stop working.

🔧 How to transfer:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application → Storage → Change (if the option is active).
3. Press the Memory Card and confirm the transfer.

💡 Alternative: If portability is not possible, use the memory card to store media files. In Mi File Manager, go to Settings → Default storage and select microSD to save photos and videos.

💡

Moving applications to a memory card doesn’t always solve the problem: many modern games (such as Genshin Impact) require installation on internal memory due to cheat protection.

Method 6: Reset partition cache (without data loss)

If the phone is slowing down and memory is full, a Wipe cache partition will help, which removes temporary system files without affecting user data, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including POCO and Black Shark.

📱 Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears (on some models – Volume up + Volume down + Power).
3. In the Recovery menu, select the language (if you have a choice).
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (control – volume buttons, choice – power button).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Reboot your phone (Reboot → System)

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will delete all your data. If there's no Wipe Cache option in the Recovery menu, then your model is using Fastboot mode - in this case, you will need a PC and a team to reset the cache:

fastboot erase cache

Method 7: Automatic cleaning on schedule

To avoid manually clearing your memory, set up automatic cleaning via the Security app:

1. Open "Security» → Cleanup.
2. Click on the gear icon (⚙️) top-right.
3. Turn on the Auto Clean option.
4. Set up a schedule: 🕒 Cleaning time – select night time (e.g. 3:00). 📅 Frequency – once a week is enough. 🗑️ What to clean – tick “Residual Files” and “App Cache».

📊 Efficiency: Autocleaning saves up to 1-3 GB per month, but does not replace full manual cleaning. For maximum effect, combine it with the removal of duplicate photos (Gallery section). → Management → Duplicate).

What to do if your memory is running out anyway

If after all the manipulations, the memory continues to clog, the problem may be:

• 🔄 Cyclical overwriting of files (e.g. Telegram or WhatsApp constantly download new media, but do not delete old ones).
• 🛠️ File system errors (check through Settings) → Warehouse → Diagnostics).
• 📦 Hidden updates (some apps, such as Xiaomi Community, download updates in the background).

🔍 Diagnostics:

1. Install the DiskUsage app (available on Google Play) – it visualizes which files take up the most space.
2. Check the /Android/data/ folder for large files with the.tmp or.bak extension – they can be deleted.
3. Turn off automatic media download in instant messengers (WhatsApp: Settings → Storage and Data → Autoload media).

If the problem is not solved, consider hardware reasons: some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro) have a memory controller defect that causes the system to display free space incorrectly, in which case only replacing the memory module in the service center will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi memory cleanup