Smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO They're famous for their price-performance ratio, but even flagship models start to slow down over time, and the main reason is the loaded RAM. MIUI It aggressively caches applications, the background processes eat up hundreds of megabytes, and some programs refuse to shut down altogether, resulting in a device that works with 2 to 3 GB of RAM even at 8 to 12 GB of RAM.
The problem is compounded by the fact that Xiaomi hides some of the optimization tools deep in the settings, and the standard Google Play βcleansersβ often only mask the problem β 10 proven ways to really free RAM on Xiaomi, including little-known chips MIUI 14/15 and manual settings for experienced users.
We wonβt recommend βjust reboot your phoneβ or βremove unnecessary appsβ β these are obvious things; instead, weβll look at the system mechanisms that eat up memory, from auto-run services to hidden processes. MIUI, We will show you how to turn them off without harming stability.
β οΈ Warning: Some methods require superuser rights (root) or disable important system services. If you are not sure about your actions, skip such steps or back up data through Settings β The phone. β Backup.
1. Closing background processes through a hidden menu MIUI
System system MIUI It hides the real state of RAM from the user by showing "optimized" data in the standard menu. To see the full list of working processes and manually close unnecessary ones, use the engineering menu:
1. Open the phone keyboard and enter the code:
##4636##(Some models may require code ##225##.)
2. In the menu that appears, select Usage Statistics.
3. Go to the Running tab β all active processes, including system processes, are displayed here.
4. Slip through the unnecessary process and select Stop.
β οΈ Warning: Do not close processes with the names com.android.systemui, miui.home or android.process.media, this will lead to a crash of the interface or reboot. It is safe to stop only user applications (for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
This method instantly frees up 300-800 MB of RAM, but the effect is temporary β after 10-15 minutes, some of the processes will start again.
2. disable auto-run applications (including system)
Many programs (Facebook, TikTok, Mi Browser) automatically start when you turn on your phone or connect to the Internet, even if you do not use them. MIUI There is a built-in tool to disable autostart, but it is hidden:
1. Go to Settings β Applications β Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select AutoRun.
3. In the list, mark all applications that you want to prohibit auto-run (especially messengers and social networks).
4. Press Disable at the bottom of the screen.
To completely disable (including system services), you will need to activate the developer mode:
Settings β About the phone β MIUI version (shap 7 times)Then go back to Settings. β Additionally. β For developers and include:
Do not save actions (limits background activity)
Limit background processes (set a value without background processes).
β οΈ Note: Disabling Autoplay for Google Play Services or Mi Account may disrupt push notifications and sync. If messages stop coming after the changes, return the settings for these applications to their original state.
Disable auto-start for social networks|Limit background processes in developer mode|Check the notifications after the changes|Reboot the phone to apply settings-->
3. Clearing the cache MIUI Dalvik (without root)
System cache MIUI And Dalvik, the Android virtual machine, eventually inflate to gigabytes, taking up not only storage space, but also RAM, and you can clean them without superuser rights through a hidden recovery menu:
1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button and volume up at the same time until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset β Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation, power to confirm).
4. After cleaning, restart the device.
This method frees up to 1-1.5 GB of RAM by deleting temporary system process files, and it is recommended to repeat the procedure every 1-2 months.
On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) after cleaning the cache through Recovery, the firmware region may reset. To avoid this, check the current region in Settings before the procedure. β Additionally. β Region and write it down.
4. Optimization MIUI through the battery laboratoryΒ»
V MIUI There's a hidden feature called Battery Lab that allows you to fine-tune your resource consumption, and it's not available on all models, but if your smartphone supports it, it's one of the most effective ways to free up RAM:
1. Activate the developer mode (see section 2).
2. Go to Settings β Battery and performance β Battery lab.
3. Include options:
Limit background activity (set a strict limit)
Memory optimization (select Aggressive)
- Turn off animation. MIUI (Reduces the load on the processor and RAM)
On some firmware (MIUI 13-15) these settings may be called otherwise:
- Smart optimization.
- Deep cleansing.
β οΈ Attention: Enabling Aggressive Memory Optimization may result in applications automatically shutting down when folded (e.g. YouTube or Google Maps will restart when returned.
π‘
After activating the Battery Lab, add important applications (messengers, navigators) to the exception list: Settings β Battery β Exclusions of optimization.
5.Use of ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)
If standard methods do not help, you can manually kill system processes through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires you to connect your phone to your PC, but gives you maximum control over RAM.
1. Install. ADB Tools on your computer (you can download from [the official Android website](https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools)).
2. Connect the phone to USB and turn on the debugging. USB In Settings β For developers.
3. Open the command line (CMD) file ADB and do it:
adb shell
su
cmd appops set com.miui.securitycenter android:background_restricted false
cmd device_idle whitelist +com.android.vending4.To kill a particular process (e.g. Facebook), use:
adb shell am force-stop com.facebook.katanaList of commands for cleaning RAM:
Stop all user processes:
adb shell am kill-all- Clear the Dalvik cache:
adb shell pm trim-caches 1000Gβ οΈ Note: Su commands require root rights. Without them, some functions will not be available. Also, do not use kill-all during active tasks (for example, downloading files or calling) - this will interrupt the processes.
| ADB Team Team | Action. | Need root? |
|---|---|---|
| adb shell am kill-all | Closes all user applications | No. |
| adb shell pm trim-caches 1000G | Clears the cache of all applications | No. |
| adb shell su -c "echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches" | Resets the system cache (releases up to 1.5 GB of RAM) | Yes. |
| adb shell dumpsys meminfo | Detailed statistics of memory usage | No. |
6.Alternative firmware and cores for maximum optimization
If your Xiaomi supports custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience, ArrowOS), installing them can dramatically improve the management of RAM. MIUI, These firmwares do not overload the system with unnecessary services and give more control over the processes.
The advantages of custom firmware for RAM:
Absence of Xiaomi background processes (Mi Cloud, Mi Browser, GetApps)
More aggressive memory cleaning mechanism
Possibility of installing alternative cores (e.g. FrancoKernel or KirinKernel) optimized for performance
β οΈ Attention: Installing custom firmware resets all data and may take away warranties:
1. Unlock the bootloader through [the official Xiaomi website](https://en.miui.com/unlock/).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model.
3.Make a full backup through TWRP β Backup.
For models POCO F3, Redmi K40 Xiaomi 11T We recommend the Pixel Experience firmware β it uses the Android stock core without modifications MIUI, which reduces the load on RAM by 20-30%.
How to check the compatibility of the firmware?
7 Hardware Methods: Increased Virtual Memory (Swap)
If the physical RAM is catastrophically lacking (for example, on Redmi). 9A With 2GB of memory, you can create a swap file on your internal drive, which won't replace real RAM, but it will help you avoid crashing apps.
Instructions for devices with root rights:
1. Install Swap Enabler from Google Play.
2.Set the size of the swap file: 512 MB-1 GB (no longer recommended - the speed will decrease).
3. Select the folder for the paging file (preferably on internal memory, not on the paging file). SD-map).
4. Activate swap and restart the device.
β οΈ Attention:
Swap reduces the life of flash memory due to frequent recordings.
- On weak processors (Snapdragon) 4xx, Helio Gxx: This can increase the lambs instead of reducing them.
- Do not use swap on devices with eMMC memory (e.g. Redmi). 8A) β It will drastically reduce its resource.
For devices without root, an alternative is the application RAM Expander, but it only works on firmware with zRAM support (check Settings). β The phone. β The kernel version).
8 Monitoring and prevention: how to avoid recurring problems
To prevent the RAM from clogging again, follow simple rules:
- Turn off Adaptive Brightness β this service constantly monitors sensors and eats up to 100 MB of RAM. Use manual settings: Settings β Display. β Brightness.
- Replace the standard launcher (MIUI Launcher) on Nova Launcher or Lawnchair, which consume 30-50% less memory.
- Remove or freeze the built-in Xiaomi apps through ADB:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.browser
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.scanner
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayerFor automatic monitoring, use the Simple System Monitor app (shows detailed real-time RAM statistics) or DevCheck (analyzes background activity).
- π Check out Google Play Services: They often take 300-500MB of RAM. Limit their activity in Settings β Annexes β Google Play Services β Battery. β Limit background activity.
- π± Use the βLightβ versions of applications: Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, Twitter Lite consume 2-3 times less memory.
- π Set up automatic reboot: With the Auto Reboot app, schedule a weekly phone reboot (e.g. at 3am).
- π« Turn off Mi Cloud and Synchronization MIUIΒ»: These services are always in the memory. β Accounts. β Mi Account β Synchronization.
π‘
Regularly cleaning RAM through the engineering menu (#4636##) and disabling auto-start applications give the greatest performance gains without risk to the system.