How to completely clear the cache of all applications on Xiaomi: instructions for MIUI 12-14

Why should Xiaomi’s cache be cleaned regularly?

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO MIUI-based smartphones are known for their performance, but over time even they start to slow down. The main reason is clogged applications. These are temporary files that are created to speed up programs, but when stored, take up gigabytes of memory and slow down the system. For example, YouTube cache can weigh up to 1 GB, and Telegram can weigh up to 500 MB when used actively.

Cache cleaning on Xiaomi is different from other Android devices because of the features of the MIUI shell. There is no universal “clean everything” button, but there are several working methods – from manual cleaning to hidden developer functions. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods for MIUI 12, 13 and 14, including those that are not described in the official documentation.

It is important to understand the difference between cache and application data. Cache is temporary files that can be deleted without consequences. and application data (com.example.app) contains settings, logins and progress in games, and cleaning them is equivalent to reinstalling the program.

Method 1: Standard cache cleaning via MIUI settings

The safest method that is suitable for all Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 8 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra) does not require root rights or special knowledge. MIUI 12–14:

1. Open the Settings → Applications.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Scroll down the list, the heaviest apps will be on top.
4. Select an app (such as Chrome or TikTok) and click Storage.
5. Tap Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data!).

The downside is that you have to manually clean each application, and on a 100+ smartphone, it takes 15 to 20 minutes, but it's guaranteed that you don't delete any important data.

Close all background applications

Connect your phone to charge (if charge < 30%)

Backup of important data

Check the space in memory (should be ≥ 1 GB)

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Tip: If the Clear Cache button is inactive, the app is using a real-time cache (like Google Play Services) and try to restart the phone and try again.

Method 2: Clearing the cache of all applications immediately through "Security"

MIUI has a hidden function of mass cache cleaning, but it is hidden in the security menu.This method works on 80% of Xiaomi models, except the oldest ones (before MIUI 10).

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to Clean Up (or Accelerate in New Versions)
3. Click Deep Cleanup → Garbage Files.
4. Check the Cash item (do not touch the "Residual Files" and "Large Files").
5. Slip Clean and confirm the action.

The advantage of the method is that it clears the cache of all applications in 1 click, the disadvantage is that it does not show how much memory is freed, and some system applications (for example, Mi Video) can recover the cache in a few hours.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the phone starts to brake

Never cleaned.

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Method 3: Cleaning the cache with Recovery Mode (for experienced)

If the phone is slowing down and standard methods don’t work, you can use Recovery Mode, which deletes all temporary files, including the cache of system applications that are not available through normal settings, and is suitable for Xiaomi models with an unlocked bootloader.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset (use volume buttons for navigation).
4. Select Wipe Cache (not Wipe Data!)
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 1-3 minutes).
6. Restart your phone via Reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will reset your phone to factory settings, deleting all your data, including photos and contacts.

Once the cache is cleared through Recovery, the phone can boot longer than usual (up to 5 minutes), which is normal, and the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings will reset, and you will have to reconfigure them.

Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)

If you are familiar with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), You can clear the cache of all applications with one command. This method is suitable for Xiaomi with the enabled USB-It's debugging, and it works even on locked bootloaders. It'll require a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and a package. ADB Tools.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn it on. USB-Debugging on the phone: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times until you say "You're a developer" and then go back to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers and activate debugging.
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
3. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device name should appear, such as the 1234abcd device.)

adb shell pm trim-caches -1

This command clears the cache of all user applications. To clear the cache of system applications, use:

adb shell su -c 'pm trim-caches -1'

(Requires root rights.)

⚠️ Note: The pm trim-caches command does not remove the cache of Google Play Services and some system processes. MIUI. Cleaning them will require manual removal via adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms, but this could cause disruptions to Google services.

Advantage ADB-method: the cleanup takes place at the system level, affecting even those files that are not visible in the standard settings.

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If so, ADB-Cleaning the phone has become slower, restart it in safe mode (Powering) → Click "Switch off" → This will help identify an application that recovers cache too aggressively.

Method 5: Automatically clean the cache with a scheduler

MIUI has a built-in cleaning scheduler that can remove the cache on schedule, and this feature is hidden in the security settings and only works on MIUI firmware 13 and later.

1. Open Security → Cleanup → Settings (cog in the corner).
2. Activate the Autoclean switch.
3. Choose the frequency: Every day, once every 3 days or once a week.
4. Turn on the option to Clear the app cache (turn off cleaning photos and downloads if you don’t want to lose files).

Pros: no manual control. Cons: cleaning is superficial without affecting deep system files. In addition, on some models (POCO F4, Redmi K50), autocleaning can conflict with MIUI optimization, causing lags.

For maximum efficiency, combine automatic cleaning with manual cleaning (once every 1-2 weeks) to help maintain performance at the level of a new phone.

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Autocleaning in MIUI does not remove the cache of applications that have been running in the last 24 hours, but it is done to preserve the user experience, but reduces the effectiveness of the method.

What if after cleaning the cache, the phone began to lag?

In rare cases, after a mass cache clearing, Xiaomi may start to run slower, which is because the system has to recreate temporary files for commonly used applications.

• 🔄 Reboot the phone – it will reset the background processes and accelerate the generation of a new cache.
• ⚡ Turn off animation: go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (7 taps for developer mode, then in For developers → Scale of animation and choose No animation.
• 📱 Reset the graphics settings: in the same developer menu, find Reset settings GPU and activate it.
• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary applications – often the lags cause not the cache itself, but the background processes of underused programs.

If the problem persists, check memory usage in Settings → Memory. If less than 10% of the total is free, transfer files to a memory card or to the cloud.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with Snapdragon processors 8 Gen 1/2 (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K60) After cleaning the cache, increased heating may be observed in the first 10–15 It's okay, it's reassembling optimized files for the chipset.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up cache on Xiaomi