Xiaomi's modern smartphones have enormous capabilities, but even the most powerful processor can't save you if the internal storage is full. When the system memory is crammed to the end, the device starts to run slower, applications fly out, and new photos just have nowhere to save, this is a common problem that users face after a year or two of active use of the gadget.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for freeing up space, from simple cleaning of the basket to deep work with system files. Memory cleaning is not just about removing pictures, it is a set of measures to optimize the operation of MIUI. You will learn to find hidden reserves of space that you did not know about, and prevent critical filling of the disk in the future.
Many users mistakenly believe that to speed up work you just need to delete a few applications. However, often the problem lies in junk files that accumulate for months. A competent approach to managing the file system will allow you to free up gigabytes without losing important data. Let's start with the basic tools that are already built into your phone.
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The easiest and safest way to start cleaning is to use Xiaomi’s regular toolkit, which preinstalled the Security app, which has a built-in disk space analysis module that automatically scans the system for temporary files, remnants of remote programs and cache.
Launch the app and select Cleanup. The system will suggest removing junk that doesn't carry a payload, usually advertising files, app installer residues, and temporary logs. Attention: don't blindly trust automated selection, sometimes files that you recently downloaded can be squeezed into it.
- 🗑️ Click the “Clean” button to delete temporary system files.
- 📸 Check the Photos and Videos section for duplicates or screenshots.
- 💬 Separately analyze the attachments in messengers, which often take up a lot of space.
- 📦 Delete. APK-Installation files that are no longer needed after installing the software.
Deep cleaning allows you to get a more detailed look at the issue, you can manually select file categories to delete, which is especially useful when you need to make room urgently, and automatic analysis shows few results, and regular use of this tool will help maintain order in the file system.
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The built-in cleaner is safe for system files, but requires manual verification before removing large amounts of data.
Storage management and analysis of occupied space
To get a deeper understanding of what is eating up your memory, you need to look at the storage settings. Settings path → About phone → Storage will show you a detailed map of disk occupancy, and you can see how much space is occupied by applications, images, videos and system files.
It often turns out that the lion's share of memory is occupied not by the applications themselves, but by their data. Social networks and instant messengers tend to grow to giant sizes. For example, Telegram or WhatsApp can store gigabytes of watched videos and photos in their cache, even if you have already seen them.
| Type of data | Description | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Annexes | Established programmes and their data | Remove unused, clean up heavy cache |
| Images | Photos, screenshots, thumbnails | Move to the cloud or PC, remove the marriage |
| Video | Camera footage, uploaded videos | compress or transfer to an external carrier |
| System files | OS files and temporary data | Clean only with regular means |
Special attention should be paid to the folder MIUI It can store error logs and backups of themes, and if you don't use complex customization features, many files can be deleted. miui_log It may only be necessary to diagnose specific phone problems, and normally it does not take up a critical amount of space.
Data visualization helps you make a decision faster, and if you see "The Other" taking up a disproportionate amount of space, it's a manual file manager check, and often there's forgotten downloads or streaming cache hiding.
Cleaning the cache of applications and messengers
The most voracious in terms of memory are social networks and instant messengers, which save every image and video that is open so that when you re-watch them, you don't download them again, and over time, this cache can reach tens of gigabytes, significantly slowing down the smartphone.
To clear the cache of a particular application, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select the desired program (for example, Instagram or TikTok) and click Memory. There you will see the "Clear Cache" button. It is important not to confuse it with the "Clear All" button, since the second option will delete your logins and login settings.
- 📱 For Telegram, it is better to use the built-in setting: Settings → Data and memory → Use of memory → Clear the cache.
- 💬 In WhatsApp, it is better to clean through the Storage tab inside the app itself to see which chats take up the most space.
- 🌐 Browsers also accumulate a lot of garbage; go to the browser history and select to clean up the data sites.
Automatically clearing the cache in the messenger settings allows you to set a limit, such as setting a limit of 1 GB or setting up automatic deletion of old media files after a week, which will save you from having to do it manually in the future.
☑️ Monthly cleaning of messengers
Work with Gallery and Cloud Services
Media is what users are most likely to accumulate. Xiaomi’s high-quality cameras mean that each photo weighs a few megabytes, and 4K video can take up a gigabyte per minute of shooting.
Use cloud services to upload photos automatically. Google Photos or Yandex.Disk can automatically upload new images to the cloud and delete them from your phone, leaving only thumbnails, which frees up a huge amount of space without losing access to the archive.
⚠️ Before mass deleting photos, make sure they are actually uploaded to the cloud and accessible from another device. Losing family archives due to synchronization is a common mistake.
Also worth checking is the Recycle Bin folder in the gallery. Deleted photos are often stored there for another 30 days, continuing to take up space. Cleaning the Recycle Bin is an instant way to get back a few gigabytes. Remember the Screenshots folder, where hundreds of unnecessary screenshots can lie.
If you're shooting a lot of video, consider changing your camera settings. Switching from 4K to Full HD or reducing your frame rate from 60 to 30 fps will significantly reduce the size of the final files. To view on a smartphone screen, the difference is often subtle, and space is saved significantly.
How to enable auto-delete in Google Photos?
Removal of duplicates and large files
When you use your smartphone, you can have duplicate files in your memory, when you sync or re-download documents or just because you're inattentive, and when you search for and delete copies, you can do that effectively.
Use a file manager, such as Xiaomi's File Manager or a third-party Total Commander. Sort files by size. Often, you can find forgotten installation files of major games or documentation in the Download folder that is no longer relevant.
There are some tools that can be used to find duplicates, but you have to be careful. Some system files can have copies that you need to work with. Only remove user-generated content: music, documents, videos. If the file is called IMG_2023... It has an exact copy, one of which can be safely removed.
- 🎵 Check the folder with the downloaded music; often tracks are downloaded several times from different sources.
- 📄 Look for files with the.apk,.zip, and.rar extensions – these are archives and installers that are useless after use.
- 📹 Video files are the main consumers of the place; review long entries and remove unsuccessful takes.
Regularly reviewing the Downloads folder should become a habit, with many users storing price lists, restaurant menus and tickets that have already become obsolete for months, deleting these files safely and quickly frees up space.
Radical Methods: Resetting and Formatting
If the software cleaning doesn't work and the memory fills up on its own, there may be some bugs or fragmentation in the file system, and in these cases, resetting to factory settings helps, and it will put the phone back into a store-like state by removing all the user's junk.
Before you do this, make sure to make a full backup of your data. Use Mi Cloud or connect your phone to your computer. After resetting Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all of your phone data as quickly as possible.
⚠️ Warning: A full reset deletes ALL data, including contacts, messages and photos, if not stored in the cloud or on the cloud. SIM-Make sure you have an up-to-date copy of the map.
Another method available to advanced users is formatting the internal drive as an external drive (if supported) or cleaning the Dalvik Cache partition via Recovery mode, but these actions require an accurate understanding of the processes, otherwise you can get a brick instead of a smartphone.
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Before resetting the settings, remove SD-This ensures that you don't accidentally format the memory card along with the phone's internal memory.
Sometimes the problem lies in a specific system update that doesn’t work properly with the file table, in which case waiting for the next security patch or flashing the device through the computer can solve the problem with the “disappearing” memory.