Xiaomi’s current MIUI or HyperOS smartphones have a powerful hardware, but they start to run slower over time. One of the main reasons for the slowdown is that the system’s storage is overflowing with temporary files, which accumulates as you use your browser, messengers and games, taking up precious space.
Regular cleaning helps to restore the device to its former agility and frees up gigabytes of memory. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to delete temporary files, from built-in tools to manual methods for advanced users.
Why you need to clean the cache on Xiaomi smartphones
Cache is a buffer memory that stores temporary app data for quick downloads, such as a browser that stores copies of pages visited and Instagram that previews photos, and over time, this “useful garbage” grows to unimaginable sizes, occupying up to 30-40% of available storage.
When the disk space runs out, the Android operating system starts to run unstable, manifested in the form of interface friezes, long runs of programs and even spontaneous reboots, deleting the cache is safe for your personal data, such as contacts or photos.
However, you need to understand the difference between cache and application data: If you delete the data, the program will return to the "just installed" state, and you will lose logins or progress in games. Clearing the cache affects only temporary files without touching your personal information.
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Clear the cache every 2-3 weeks to maintain maximum system performance without using third-party utilities.
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The easiest and most reliable way to get a smartphone running is to use Xiaomi’s regular tools, which pre-installed a system security application that combines antivirus and memory cleaner, which automatically scans the system for junk files.
To get started, run the app through a menu or find it on your desktop. The green Cleanup button will start the analysis process. The system will quickly find temporary files, remnants of deleted programs and advertising debris. This method is ideal for those who do not want to delve into the settings.
☑️ Proper cleaning through security
Once you scan, you'll see a list of categories that occupy space, where you can selectively delete the cache of certain applications or clean everything at once, and it's important to note that the regular cleaner doesn't touch important system files, so the risk of damaging the firmware is minimal.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use Deep Clean too often if you are actively using navigation or streaming services, as this will force applications to re-download large amounts of data.
Manually cleaning the cache of individual applications
Often, a particular application, like Telegram or TikTok, is inflated to a few gigabytes, and in such cases, a global cleanup may not help, and you need to act point-by-point, which allows you to make room without affecting the work of other programs.
To do this, go to your smartphone settings. Find the Apps section and select All Apps. In the list that opens, find the memory overflow culprit. Click on it to open the detailed control menu.
Inside the menu, select Memory or Storage, and you'll see two buttons, "Clear" and "Delete." We'll be interested in the first one. When you click on it, the system will suggest you to select to clear the cache or all the data. Choose Clear the cache to save authorization and settings.
This method is especially effective for social networks and messengers, which cache a huge number of media files. After the procedure, the application will run a little longer than usual, but take up significantly less space on the disk.
Cleaning through the developer menu and service functions
For more experienced users, there is a hidden menu that allows you to manage memory at a deep level, which is a developer menu that you have to manually activate, and it gives you control over processes that you can't see in the standard interface.
To activate the mode, go to About Phone and quickly click on MIUI or HyperOS seven times. After the message "You became a developer" appears, go back to the main settings menu and select Additional → For Developers.
Here, find Memory or Download Memory. This section shows detailed statistics on RAM and ROM usage. By clicking on the Clean button on this menu, you free up RAM, which can temporarily speed up heavy gaming.
| Cleaning method | Security | Efficiency | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Annex | Tall. | Medium | Low. |
| Hand cleaning | Tall. | Tall. | Medium |
| Developer menu | Medium | Tall. | Tall. |
| Third-party utilities | Low. | Medium | Low. |
What's Dalvik Cache?
Delete temporary files through Explorer
The Android file system allows you to manually delete temporary files that create applications, using a standard File Explorer or Explorer, a method that requires care not to delete the extra files.
Open the explorer and go to the internal storage, find a folder called Android and inside it is data, it stores the data of all the installed programs, look for folders with the names of the applications you want to clean, and inside them you find the directories cache or temp.
Select the contents of these folders and delete them. Don't delete the folders themselves, just the contents, so that applications can create temporary files again. It's also worth checking the root folder for files with the.tmp extension or folders with names like log.
⚠️ Note: When manually cleaning through Explorer, never delete files with the.xml or.db extension unless you are sure of their purpose, as this may result in resetting application settings.
This approach allows you to clear the tails of long-deleted games and programs that often remain in the system, and regular audit of the file system helps to keep order and find forgotten downloads.
Using Recovery Mode for Deep Cleaning
Recovery Mode, or Recovery Mode, is designed to diagnose and reset the system, but it also allows you to clear the partition cache.It is a powerful tool that deletes temporary files of the operating system itself, not just applications.
To enter this mode, turn off your smartphone completely. Then press the button combination: usually it's Volume Up and Power. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, keep the volume up. In the menu, the navigation is done with volume buttons, and the selection is done with the power button.
Find Wipe Cache Partition. Confirm the action. This process will take a few seconds. Once completed, select Reboot. This action is safe and will not delete your personal photos or contacts, but can solve cyclic reboot problems.
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Cleaning the cache partition in Recovery Mode is the best solution if the phone is stuck on the logo or running extremely slowly after a system update.
It is worth noting that on some new models with a locked bootloader, access to this menu may be limited or require unlocking, in which case it is better to use standard cleaning methods inside the operating system.