How to find internal memory on your Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

You bought a new Xiaomi smartphone, but you can't find where the internal memory is stored, or you find that there's less space on the phone than you expected, POCO and Mi, especially after updating to MIUI 14/15, The internal memory can be hidden in non-obvious partitions, and sometimes part of it is occupied by system files that you do not even know about.

In this article, we will not only show you where the internal memory in Xiaomi phones is physically located, but also explain how to properly check, clean and manage it.

• 🔍 Why there is less memory on the phone than stated in the specifications (spoiler: it is not only system files that are to blame).
• 📱 Where to look for the "Memory" section in MIUI different versions, from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15.
• 🛠️ How to make room if your phone says “Memory is full” but you haven’t downloaded anything.
• 🔧 Hidden tricks for advanced users (including: ADB and engineering menu).

If you have already tried to find memory through Settings → The storage, but it doesn't show all the data -- don't worry. We'll reveal all the secrets, including those that Xiaomi doesn't write about in the official instructions.

1.Why Xiaomi’s internal memory is “disappearing”: 3 hidden reasons

Before we look for memory, we'll figure out where it goes. Even on a new phone, the available space is always less than the box indicates. For example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro with 256 GB actually shows the memory. ~230GB, that's why:

• 📦 System files MIUI. The operating system takes 10 to 20 GB (depending on version). MIUI 15 This value has increased due to new features.

But there are less obvious memory eaters:

• 📸 Cash cameras, when you're shooting in RAW or 4K Temporary files can weigh gigabytes.
• 🎮 Game updates. Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile download data in the background.
• 📥 Files. OTA-Update updates, after update MIUI packet (~2–3 GB) often stays in the folder /cache.

⚠️ Note: If the phone shows that the memory is full 90%, But you haven't installed any apps, check the folder. /MIUI/Backup. There are automatically saved backups that can weigh tens of gigabytes.

If the difference between claimed and real memory is more than 20-25 GB, this is an occasion to check the phone for viruses or file system errors, and we will discuss this in the section on diagnostics.

Method 2: Standard path through Settings (for all versions) MIUI)

The easiest way to find internal memory is through the settings menu. MIUI The path to this section has changed. Here are the actual instructions:

For MIUI 14/15 (2023–2026):

1. Open Settings (cog icon on the desktop).

2. Scroll down and select About Phone.

3. Slip on the Warehouse (or Memory in some localizations).

4. Here you will see a diagram with the distribution of memory by category: System, Applications, Media Files, etc.

For MIUI 12/13 (2020–2022):

1. Go to Settings. → The memory (a section may be called a repository and USB-accumulator).

2. Press on the Inner Memory.

3. The system will show the total volume, occupied and free space.

If you're in your version MIUI There is no “memory” item, try it:

• 🔎 Enter the word "storage" in the search for settings».
• 📱 Use the memory widget on the desktop (long press) → «Widgets» → «Memory»).

⚠️ Note: In some firmware (for example, on the POCO F5) The memory section is hidden if Lite Mode is enabled. To turn it off, go to Settings → Special facilities → Lite Mode.

Method 2: Through the file manager (viewing hidden folders)

Xiaomi's standard File Manager doesn't show all folders, but to see the full internal memory structure, you need to enable the hidden file display:

1. Open the File Manager application (the folder icon on the desktop).

2. Slip on three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper left corner.

3. Select Settings → Show hidden files.

4. Return to the root directory – here you will see a complete list of folders of internal memory, including:

• 📁 Android – App data and cache.
• 📁 MIUI — System files and backup copies.
• 📁 DCIM — Photos and videos (including hidden.thumbnails folders).
• 📁 Download – Downloaded files.
• 📁 Cache – temporary files (often weighing a few gigabytes).

Important detail: folder /data (It's not available without root rights by default, and if you want to view it, you'll need special software like Root Explorer.

To quickly find the most “heavy” files:

1. In File Manager, go to the root directory.
2. Slip on three points in the upper right corner. → Sorting → By size.
3. Scroll down the list, the largest files will be at the beginning.

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If the folder Android/obb It takes up a lot of space, and it's game files (like Genshin Impact or Honor of Kings) that can be deleted, but you'll have to download the games again.

Method 3: Through the Engineering Menu (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't show the full picture, you can use the engineering menu (#4636###) to provide access to technical information, including a detailed memory report.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636### (some models may not work, then use the alternative method below).
3. Select Storage Information.
4. Here you will see a detailed report on internal memory (Internal Storage), SD-map and cache.

If the combination does not work, try:

• 📱 Install the application MTK Engineering Mode (for MediaTek processors).
• 🔧 Use it. ADB-Command: Adb shell df -h It will display a list of all memory sections indicating the free and occupied space.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change the settings in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose. /efs may result in loss IMEI.

5. Method 4: Memory verification through ADB (technical)

If you want the most accurate memory data, including hidden partitions, use the ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires connecting your phone to your computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools from the official Google website.
2. Turn on the phone to debug. USB: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Use 7 times to become a developer) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.
3. Connect the phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb shell df This command will show all the memory partitions with the exact size.
4. For detailed analysis, use the adb shell du -sh /data (I'll show you the size of the folder. /data, where user data is stored).

Example of output of the command adb shell df -h:

Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on




/dev/block/mmcblk0p53




11G   6.2G  4.8G  57% /data




/dev/block/mmcblk0p54




2.0G  1.1G  900M  55% /cache

This data will help to identify which section is full, for example, if you /cache It can be cleaned through Recovery Mode.

💡

The adb shell df command shows the real memory allocation, including hidden system partitions that are not visible in standard settings.

6. Method 5: Diagnostic memory via Recovery Mode (if the phone is buggy)

If the phone is slowing down, is producing errors or shows an incorrect amount of memory, it is worth checking the file system through Recovery Mode, which is especially true after unsuccessful updates or crashes.

How to get in to Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button. + Volume up (on some models – Volume down).
3. Wait for the Mi logo to appear and release the buttons.
4. Choose your language (if required).

On the Recovery menu:

• 🔧 Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (cleaning the cache won't delete your data).
• 🛠️ For a deep check, select Advanced → Repair File System (can help if memory is “disappearing” for no reason).

⚠️ Warning: Do not choose Wipe Data unless you have backed up.This operation will delete all data, including photos and apps.

If the memory is not displayed correctly after cleaning the cache, the problem may be:

• 🔋 Damaged flash memory (a common problem with Redmi) 9A and POCO M3).
• 📱 Unofficial firmware that improperly mounts partitions.
• 🦠 A virus masquerading as system files.

7 How to Free Up Internal Memory on Xiaomi: 5 Working Methods

Now that you've found the memory, we'll tell you how to clean it up when the space runs out. A1 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Method 1: Cleaning the application cache

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.

2. Select an app (e.g. Facebook or TikTok).

3.Slip the Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning, use the settings → Warehouse → Cache data. → Clean up.

Method 2: Delete Unnecessary Files with File Manager

Open File Manager and check the following folders:

• 📁 Download – Remove Old Downloads.
• 📁 DCIM/.thumbnails — Photo miniatures (can be removed without consequences).
• 📁 Android/obb — Game files (if games are deleted, folders can be cleared).
• 📁 MIUI/Backup — backup copies (weigh up to) 10–20 GB).

Method 3: Transfer of applications to SD-map

If you have SD-map, some applications can be transferred to it:

1. Settings → Annexes → Select an application → Warehouse → Change. → SD-map.

Note that not all applications support portability (especially system applications).

Method 4: Disabling pre-installed applications

Many Xiaomi system applications cannot be removed, but you can disable:

1. Settings → Applications → Application Management.

2. Find an unnecessary app (e.g. Mi Music or Mi Browser).

3. Press Disable (this will stop it working and free up some of the memory).

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If the memory “disappears” for no reason, and the phone slows down, hard reset will help:

1. Make a backup (via Settings) → The phone. → Backup).

2. Go to Settings → Resetting settings → Resetting all settings.

3. After reset, the phone will return to its "clean" state, and the memory will be freed.

💡

Before resetting, check if your Mi Account is linked to your phone. After reset, you may need to enter your login/password to unlock (Factory Reset Protection).

8. Frequent errors and their solutions

When working with internal memory, Xiaomi users face typical problems.

If none of these methods worked, the problem could be hardware damage to the flash memory.

• 📱 Check your phone with the Mi Flash Tool (if it’s not computer-defined, it’s a bad sign).
• 🔧 Contact the service center – sometimes it helps to solder the memory chip (relevant to Redmi). 8/9 series).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions