How to find and free memory on Xiaomi phone: a step-by-step guide

Why Xiaomi is running out of memory and how to fix it

You see a notification that says, “Not enough memory” on your Xiaomi, even though there aren’t many photos and apps installed? This is a typical problem for smartphone owners — especially models with 64 or 128 GB of storage. It’s not just your files: MIUI actively caches data, and some apps (like Facebook or TikTok) can eat up several gigabytes unnoticed.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to check memory on Xiaomi, from standard settings to hidden folders that the file manager doesn’t show. You’ll learn how to find junk files that take up space but don’t show up in the gallery, and what to do if the phone writes “memory is full” even though you haven’t downloaded anything. Instructions are relevant for Redmi Note 10/11/12, Poco X3/X4/X5, Mi 11/12/13 and older models on MIUI 12/13/14.

Warning: If you have a model with eMMC memory (for example, Redmi 9A or Poco M3), the write speed will decrease over time due to overflow of cells, in which case even cleaning will not help - you need a factory reset or a memory module replacement.

Method 1: Standard Memory Check in Xiaomi Settings

The fastest way to find out how much space is occupied is to go to the system settings, which works on all versions of MIUI, including the latest ones (14.0+).

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone.
3. Slip on the Warehouse (or Memory in older versions).

Here you will see a diagram of the memory distribution by category: System, Applications, Images, Videos, etc. Click on any category to see details. For example, in the Applications section, you can sort programs by size and remove the most voracious ones.

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If you see a larger (5-10 GB) “Other” item in your memory settings, it’s usually a system application cache. It can be cleared through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Clear the cache for all programs at once.

Note the line Available - if it's less than 10% of the total, the phone will start to brake.

• 📁 Transfer of files to SD-card (if supported).
• 🗑️ Cleaning the cache through Settings → Warehouse → Clean up.
• 🔄 Remove duplicate photos in Google Photos or Xiaomi Gallery.

Method 2: Xiaomi File Manager – Where to Look for Hidden Folders

The standard File Manager app on Xiaomi doesn’t show all files by default, to see hidden folders that take up space but don’t show up in the gallery:

1. Open the Files (yellow folder icon)
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Activate the switch to show hidden files.

Now go to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and pay attention to these folders:

• 📂.thumbnails – thumbnails of images (can weigh) 1-3 GB).
• 📂 Android/data — Application data (here are often heavy game files).
• 📂 MIUI/backup — backups of the system (sometimes taken up by the 5 GB).
• 📂 DCIM/.thumbnails — gallery-cash.

If you find a large folder but aren’t sure if it can be cleaned, use the Files by Google app – it analyzes files and offers safe options to delete.

Method 3: Memory check via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t show where memory went, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for advanced users and requires connecting the phone to a computer.

First, turn on USB debugging:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Turn on USB debugging.

Now connect the phone to the PC and execute in the command line:

adb shell df -h

You'll see a table with partitions. Pay attention to the column Available (available) and Use% (used). If the partition /data is 90%+ full, it's critical to clear the cache or reset the settings.

Method 4: Memory analysis through third-party applications

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools don’t give the full picture, install one of these apps (available on Google Play):

• 🔍 Files by Google – Shows junk files and duplicates.
• 📊 DiskUsage – visualizes occupied space in the form of a diagram.
• 🛠️ SD Maid – Finds residual files after deleting applications.
• 🗃️ Storage Analyzer – sorts files by size and type.

Important: Some applications (such as CCleaner) can delete critical MIUI files, which will cause crashes.

Example of Files by Google:

1. Open the app and go to the Cleanup tab.
2. Click Free Space - the program will scan the phone.
3. In the Large Files or Unused Applications section, select which to delete.

Method 5: Search and remove duplicate photos/video

One of the main memory eaters on Xiaomi is duplicate photos and videos, which appear when:

• 📸 Automatic backup in Google Photos.
• 🔄 Synchronization with Mi Cloud.
• 📱 Transfer files via ShareMe or Xender.
• 🎮 Screenshots from games (such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile).

To find and remove duplicates:

1. Open Gallery → Albums → Duplicates (in new versions of MIUI 14).
2. Select unnecessary copies and click Delete.
3. For a deep check, use Duplicate Files Fixer or Remo Duplicate Photos Remover.

If there are no duplicates, but the memory is still busy, check the DCIM/Screenshots folder – sometimes thousands of screenshots accumulate there over the years of use.

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Regular cleaning of duplicates can free up up to 5-10 GB of space on phones with active camera use (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro+).

Method 6: Cleaning the cache of system applications

Xiaomi system applications (such as Mi Video, Music, Browser) actively cache data, but do not always clean it correctly.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Open any app from the top lines (usually Google Play Services, Facebook, Mi Browser).
4. Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – it will remove settings!).

For mass cleaning:

1. In the same Application Management menu, click on the Recycle Bin icon at the top.
2. Select Clear Cache for all applications.

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If the apps started to run slower after cleaning the cache, restart the phone.MIUI reassembles the cache the next time you run, and the speed will return to normal.

Be careful with apps like Mi Account or Security – it is better not to touch their cache, so as not to break the sync with your Xiaomi account.

What to do if the memory is full but there are few files

If all of the above methods didn’t work and the phone still shows that the memory is full even though you’re not storing anything, the following reasons are possible:

1. Damaged file system – happens after incorrect extraction SD-Map or crash when updating.Solution: back up and reset via Settings → Additionally. → Recovery and discharge.
2. Viruses or malware – some Trojans create hidden files in system folders. Check your phone through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.
3. Memory display error - sometimes MIUI miscalculates the free space.Reboot your phone or update your firmware.
4. The /cache partition is filled in, which is temporary update files, and is cleared through the adb shell su rm -rf /cache/* (root rights required).

If the problem persists, try rolling back the firmware to the previous version of MIUI – sometimes memory bugs are fixed in the next updates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi