How to find and open internal memory on a Xiaomi smartphone: all the ways

Xiaomi’s internal memory isn’t just storage for photos and apps, it’s a file system with hidden folders, cache and service data. Where did gigabytes of memory go when you only had a couple of photos in the gallery, and Settings showed that 80 percent of the space was occupied? MIUI (Xiaomi firmware actively uses internal storage for temporary files, updates and backups that are not always visible through standard Explorer.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to find and view internal memory on Xiaomi (including the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO X5, Mi 11 Ultra, and others), where hidden files are stored, how to access them without root rights, and why sometimes the system shows the wrong amount of free space, and a unique method through ADB, which works even on locked bootloaders.

1. Standard method: through the "Conductor" MIUI

The most obvious way is to use Xiaomi's built-in Explorer, but many users don't know that it hides system folders and files with extensions it doesn't recognize by default to see the full structure of internal memory:

1. Open the Explorer app** (the folder icon on the desktop or in the application menu).
2. In the top menu, tap on three points (⋮) and select "Settings».
3. Activate options: 🔍 «Show hidden files** – displays folders with a dot at the beginning (e.g..thumbnails,.data). 📁 «Display system files** - will reveal access to the /system, /data (Requires Superuser Rights). 📄 «Show file extensions** – help identify unnecessary duplicates (e.g.,.nomedia).
4. Return to the root directory – now you will see a complete list of folders, including: 📂 DCIM — photo and video. 📂 Download – Downloaded files. 📂 MIUI — Firmware service data (temporary update files are often accumulated here). 📂 Android – Application data (including obb cache for games).

⚠️ Attention: Delete files from folders Android/data or MIUI/backup It can cause app malfunctions or loss of backups. Before cleaning, check if the file is being used by the system (e.g. com.miui.gallery - gallery data).

💡

If Explorer doesn’t show an Android folder, try updating MIUI to the latest version or using a third-party file manager (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Manager).

2. Through the "Settings" of the phone: analysis of occupied space

MIUI offers a built-in memory analysis tool that shows exactly what data is taking up space, and it's useful if you want to understand where gigabytes went without going deep into the file system.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Memory (or Settings → Storage on new versions of MIUI).
2. Wait for the scan to be completed (it can take up to 1 minute).
3. Slip on any section (such as Apps, Images, or Other Files) to see the details.

Pay special attention to the sections:

• 📱 «System data** – Update files can be stored here (MIUI/ota), Error logs and memory dumps can be safely deleted via the "Clear" button».

⚠️ Note: If the System Data section** is more than 5GB occupied, this may indicate a malfunction MIUI. Try clearing the cache through Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points. → Clear the cache of all applications.

3. Hidden folders and files: what can be deleted without risk

Xiaomi’s internal memory contains dozens of hidden folders, many of which can be safely cleaned, and below is a list of the most voracious directories and tips for cleaning them:

• 📁 /Android/data — Delete only the folders of remote programs (for example, com.tencent.ig — if you delete). PUBG Mobile).

To clean the hidden folders:

1. For Android/obb folders, use special utilities like SD Maid – they can find duplicates and garbage.

Advanced method: access via ADB (no root)

If standard methods don’t work and internal memory is clogged with invisible debris, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a debugging tool that allows you to view a file system without superuser permissions, which works even on locked downloaders.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Installed drivers Xiaomi and ADB (You can download from the official Android website).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode** on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version** (you will receive a notification saying “You’ve become a developer”). Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging and confirm permission.

terminal

command-line

adb devices

The serial number of your device should appear.

adb shell ls /sdcard/

For detailed analysis, use:

adb shell du -h -d 1 /sdcard/ | sort -h

This command will show the size of each folder in human-readable format (in megabytes/gigabytes).

⚠️ Note: Adb shell rm commands -rf If you're wrong, you can permanently damage the system if you delete files. Always check the path twice before you delete them. -rf /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails It is safe and adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/Android delete all application data.

5. Specifics of Xiaomi models: where to look for memory on Redmi, POCO and Mi

Different Xiaomi series of smartphones have features in the organization of internal memory.

For models with dynamic memory (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 8+256 GB), it is important to follow the section “Virtual RAM”** (Settings → About Phone → Memory → Virtual RAM).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ folder /MIUI/ota It can be protected from viewing through a conductor. ADB (section 4) Third-party root-access file managers (e.g., Root Explorer).

💡

Nana POCO F4 GT Other Xiaomi gaming models can take up to 50% Clean the folder regularly. /Android/obb through SD Maid or hand-made.

6. If memory “disappears” for no reason: diagnosis and solutions

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the internal memory of Xiaomi shows occupied space, but none of the methods helps to find the "loss".

• 🔄 Memory scanning error: MIUI The solution: restart the phone and wait for the re-scan (busy up to 5 minutes).
• 📦 Encrypted data: On some models (e.g. Mi) 10T Pro) application data is encrypted and its size is not displayed in the explorer. ADB-Command: Adb shell df -h It will show the real use of memory.
• 🔧 File system failure: If the phone suddenly shuts down while recording files, damage is possible ext4/f2fs. Solution: perform reset via Settings → Resetting settings → Reset all settings (data will remain, but the cache will be cleared).

If none of the methods worked, check your memory for broken sectors:

1. Install the A1 SD Bench app from Google Play.
2. Run the Memory Check test** (Device tab).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's internal memory