How to add RAM on the smartphone Xiaomi: real ways and myths

Have you noticed that your Xiaomi has started to slow down when multitasking, and apps are constantly rebooting? The reason is often a lack of RAM. Unlike a PC where hardware upgrades are standard, it's getting harder with smartphones, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible to fix it.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to increase RAM on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from virtual memory software tricks to radical methods like chip replacement (yes, it’s possible on some models!). It’s important to understand that not all solutions are equally effective, and some can even harm. So we’ll be honest about the pros, cons and risks of each approach, and also give a checklist for safe experimentation.

Spoiler: If you're waiting for the magic 4GB RAM button, it's not there, but there are workarounds that will actually improve performance, and let's start with the simplest and end with advanced users.

1. Virtual memory (RAM Expansion): how it works and whether to include

The most affordable way to “boost” RAM on Xiaomi is to activate RAM Expansion (aka Dynamic RAM or Virtual Memory), which uses a piece of embedded memory (ROM) to temporarily store data as if it were RAM. It sounds tempting, but there are nuances.

The feature is available on most devices with MIUI 12.5+ and Android 11/12/13, including:

• 📱 Xiaomi 11/12/13 series including 11T Pro, 12 Pro)
• 📱 Redmi Note 10/11/12 Pro+ older
• 📱 POCO F3/F4/F5, X3 Pro, X4 GT
• 📱 Black Shark 4/5 (gaming-smartphone)

To enable virtual memory:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → All the characteristics.
2. Tap 5-7 times on RAM (or Memory) until the RAM Expansion menu appears.
3. Select the amount of virtual memory: usually offer 1 GB, 2 GB or 3 GB.
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Virtual memory does not replace physical RAM, it only temporarily caches data. + messenger + browser performance may even fall due to delays in reading/write to internal memory.

2. Optimization of current memory: what to remove and what to leave

Before you try to “boost” RAM, make sure you use your existing memory efficiently. Many Xiaomi users face artificial shortages of RAM due to background MIUI processes, duplicate services and “heavy” applications.

• 🧹 Turn off the autoload of unnecessary apps: go to Settings → Annexes → Auto-run management and ban background work for social networks, instant messengers (except the main ones) and games.
• 🔄 Limit background activity: in Settings → Battery → Power saving mode: Enable the option “Limit background activity».
• 🚫 Remove the “eaters” of RAM: these include running widgets, live wallpaper, applications with constant synchronization (for example, Facebook, TikTok).
• 🔧 Use the "Light Mode": in Settings → Special opportunities → Easy mode (simplifies the interface and reduces the load).

It's also worth checking which apps consume the most memory.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Memory Use.
3. Sort the list by descending – the first 5-10 points and there are your main “brakes”.

Remove the cache in Settings → Storage |

Disable Auto-Run for 10+ applications |

Transfer messengers to "saving mode" |

Remove unused widgets from the main screen |

Enable "Easy Mode" (if available)-->

Important: Some MIUI system processes (e.g., com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.midrop) cannot be disabled without root rights.

3.Using microSD as an additional RAM: myth or reality

There is a common advice on the Internet to “use the flash drive as RAM.” On Xiaomi, this is possible, but with huge caveats. Technically, Android supports the Adoptable Storage feature (starting with version 6.0), which allows you to format the microSD as internal memory.

If you still want to try it,

1. Insert a UHS-I U3 or A2 class microSD (minimum recommended volume is 32 GB).
2. Go to Settings → Storage → [Your flash drive] → Three dots → Storage settings.
3. Select “Format as internal memory” (if available).
4. Confirm the action – the data on the flash drive will be erased!

⚠️ Note: After formatting, the flash drive cannot be removed without data loss, and some applications (such as games) may refuse to work with external memory due to the limitations of Google Play Protect.

4. Physical RAM Increase: Is It Possible on Xiaomi

Now, the most radical method is to upgrade physical memory, and unlike laptops, where you can change the RAM bar in 5 minutes, it's getting harder with smartphones, but on some Xiaomi models, it's theoretically possible.

• 🔧 Replaceable RAM models: only flagship devices with modular architecture, such as Xiaomi 12S Ultra (Experimental Support) or Black Shark 5 Pro (for enthusiasts).
• 💰 Cost: replacement of the RAM chip will cost 3,000–10,000 ₽ (depending on the model and volume).
• ⚠️ Risks: loss of warranty, damage to motherboard, overheating due to chip incompatibility.
• 🛠️ Where to do: Only in authorized Xiaomi service centers (self-replacement almost always ends in tears).

The replacement process looks like this:

1. Diagnostics of the device for compatibility (not all chips are suitable even for “collision” models).
2. soldering of a new RAM chip (requires professional equipment such as BGA-station).
3. Firmware modified bootloader to recognize the new amount of memory.
4. Stability testing (the risk of blue screens or accidental reboots)

In practice, this upgrade is only valid for gaming smartphones (such as Black Shark) or devices with a removable processor (experimental concepts like Project Ara, but they are not from Xiaomi).

💡

If you are critically lacking in RAM, consider buying a used Xiaomi flagship with a large amount of memory. For example, the Xiaomi 12 Pro with 12 GB of RAM can be found for 25,000-30,000 ₽ — It is cheaper and more reliable than upgrading an old smartphone.

5. Alternative methods: cloud services and remote RAM

If all the previous methods didn't work, look at cloud solutions, which won't increase physical RAM, but will help you offload the device. Here are three options that work:

• ☁️ Cloud Games: Services like Xiaomi Cloud Gaming, NVIDIA GeForce NOW Xbox Cloud Gaming runs games on remote servers without loading your smartphone.+ Mbit/s).
• 🖥️ Remote Desktop: Applications like Microsoft Remote Desktop or Chrome Remote Desktop allow you to connect to a powerful PC and use its resources).
• 📱 Virtual Machines: UserLAnd or Termux can run a lightweight version of Linux and transfer some of the tasks there.

For most Xiaomi users, the easiest option is cloud gaming, such as the built-in Game Turbo service in MIUI, which optimizes performance and offers cloud-based versions of popular games.

1. Open the Game Space (an icon in the form of a joystick).
2. Choose the game you want to play in the cloud.
3. Connect to Wi-Fi and follow the instructions.

⚠️ Attention: Cloud services consume a lot of traffic. At a tariff limit of 10 GB/month, an hour of play in the game 1080p «Eat up to 3-4 GB. Disable background updates to save traffic.

6 Myths about increasing RAM: what not to do

There are a lot of “advice” going around the web that not only doesn’t help, but can also hurt your Xiaomi.

• ❌ «RAM cleaning apps speed up smartphone: Utilities like Clean Master or DU Speed Booster often removes the necessary processes from memory, which makes them reboot even longer. Android manages the memory itself - don't interfere with it.
• ❌ «You can increase RAM through engineering mode": "There are no options for adding memory in the engineering menu (#4636###.) All "instructions" for changing the parameters of vm.heap* - fake, leading to failures.
• ❌ «Root rights will solve the problem: Yes, you can connect a swap file with root, but this is a temporary solution that will accelerate memory wear and increase battery consumption.
• ❌ «Reflashing to custom MIUI Add RAM: No firmware can physically increase memory, and the most is to optimize its use, but often it leads to bugs.

If you stumble upon a "magic" instruction that promises to add 4GB of RAM in 5 minutes, that's a hoax. The only real way to increase physical memory is to replace the chip (which we talked about above), but that's not for everyone.

💡

No application or secret code can increase physical RAM. All programs that promise to overclock memory are either useless or harmful. The only methods that work are optimization of current memory or upgrade hardware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about RAM on Xiaomi