Redmi and Poco are famous for their speed, but over time, even the most powerful devices start to work slower, because of the accumulation of system debris, app cache and duplicate photos that cover precious gigabytes, and if your phone has started to slow down or issues warnings about space shortages, it’s time to do the general cleaning.
MIUI and its global version of HyperOS provide users with powerful built-in tools for maintenance. However, many gadget owners are unaware of hidden features or afraid to remove something superfluous. In this article, we will discuss all the safe ways to help return the device to its original sharpness without losing important data.
Before you start taking radical steps like factory resets, it's worth trying less aggressive methods. Proper cleaning will not only free up space, but also prolong the life of the drive. Let's look at an algorithm that's time-tested and safe for your Xiaomi.
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The first and most accessible tool is the standard Security app, which is preinstalled on every device, which automatically scans the system for malware and temporary files. To start a deep cleanup, open the app menu and click on the Garbage icon.
The system will analyze and suggest that you delete files that are not used by applications. These are usually the remnants of deleted programs, temporary browser files and error logs. The amount of garbage often reaches 1-2 GB, which is essential for budget models with 64 GB of memory. After scanning, just press the clean button.
However, the standard analyzer is sometimes too conservative to touch some folders. For more careful cleaning, go to the settings of the Security app itself, where you can adjust the frequency of automatic checks and exclude important folders from the scan, so that you do not accidentally lose your working files.
It's important to understand that clearing the cache doesn't delete your personal data, logins or passwords. These are temporary files that speed up the loading of pages in the browser or pictures in social networks. Deleting them will cause applications to download them again, which will take a couple of seconds, but will free up space.
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Run the cleanup through the Security app once a week to keep the system on top without any dramatic performance jumps.
Don't be fanatical about trying to get a "0 byte" of cache, Android is designed to use free memory to speed things up, and a completely empty cache can even temporarily slow down the launch of commonly used programs.
Manual cleaning of cache and application data
If the automatic tools fail, you need to intervene manually. Most often, messengers and social networks take up space. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications and sort the list by volume. You will be surprised how much the chats on Telegram or Viber weigh.
Select a heavy app and go to Memory, and you'll see two buttons here: Clear and Delete. Be very careful: Clear only removes the cache, and Erase the data resets the app to post-installing, removing logins and settings.
- 📱 For instant messengers, it is better to use the built-in cleaning inside the application itself, so as not to lose correspondence.
- 🗑️ YouTube or streaming services cache can be safely deleted – it’s just buffered videos.
- ⚙️ System applications (such as "Phone" or "Messages") are not recommended to be touched without an urgent need.
What to do if the "Clear Cache" button is inactive?
Special attention should be paid to the gallery. Often, it stores deleted photos that lie in the basket for 30 days. Also check the DCIM →.thumbnails folder. It stores thumbnails of your photos and videos. This file can grow to huge sizes if you took thousands of pictures.
To access hidden system folders, you may need a file manager with hidden file rights, and Xiaomi’s standard File Explorer can do this if you enable the appropriate option in the display settings.
☑️ Application repository verification
Storage analysis and search for hidden files
Sometimes memory is occupied by files that are not visible during normal browsing, such as forgotten downloads, old WhatsApp backups, or firmware update files, and use the built-in storage analyzer to find them.
Go to Settings. → The phone. → Storage. The system will show you a diagram of the space distribution. Notice the "Other" section. If it takes too much, it's worth checking the folder. MIUI → debug_log. Some applications reset error reports that the average user does not need.
| File type | Where to find | Can be removed | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| APK files | Downloads / Install | Yes. | Low (they're installers) |
| Logs of debugging | MIUI / debug_log | Yes. | Low (developers need) |
| tumbnails | DCIM / .thumbnails | Yes. | Medium (the gallery will recreate them) |
| System cache | Cache folder | Careful. | High (authorization can fly off) |
Also worth checking is the Android → data folder, which stores game and heavy apps data, and you can't delete the entire contents of this folder, which will lead to loss of progress in games and program settings, and only remove subfolders that are familiar to you and that are related to games that are already deleted.
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The files with the.apk extension in the Downloads folder are installation packages, and once you install the programs, they become useless garbage and take up space.
Owners of models with an SD memory card should remember that cleaning the internal memory will not affect the external card. It needs to be carried out separately, preferably by connecting the card to the computer or using a file manager with access to root (if you have rights).
Cleaning through a computer and ADB-team
For advanced users who want to clean the phone thoroughly, a PC connection is suitable. This allows you to see the file system in full and remove what is hidden from the eyes of the mobile OS. Connect your smartphone via USB and select the MTP file transfer mode.
On your computer, open the device like a regular disk. Go through the main folders: Download, Documents, Bluetooth. Often there are old presentations, music and documents obtained through file sharing for years.
If you're familiar with USB debugging, you can use ADB, which is a powerful command line tool, and it can clear the cache of system partitions that are not available through the interface, and you need to run the console in the ADB folder.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command compulsorily trims the cache of all applications to a minimum. Be careful: after this procedure, the first launch of applications may take longer, as they will have to re-form temporary files. Use this method only if there is really not enough space.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-The commands require the included debugging USB. Do not delete system files manually through your computer unless you know their exact purpose – this can lead to a “boot loop” (cyclic reboot).
Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings
When no method works and the phone is unstable, the last argument is a complete reset, which will put the device back out of the box, and all your data, contacts, photos and apps will be permanently deleted.
Before starting the procedure, make sure to back up. Xiaomi offers a cloud service Mi Cloud, but for a full copy it is better to use local backup or sync with Google Account.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” The system will request the screen unlock password and the password from the Mi Account to verify the identity of the owner.
- 🔋 Charge your phone to minimum. 50-60% before discharge.
- 🔌 Don't take it out. SIM-card and memory card during the process.
- ⏳ The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, be patient.
⚠️ After resetting on modern versions of Android will work protection FRP (Factory Reset Protection. You'll need to enter the Google account and password that were on your phone before the reset. Forget the password, lock the device.
Prevention and optimization of the system
To keep the question of how to clean Android from coming up every month, you need to change your smartphone habits. Regular prevention takes a couple of minutes, but saves you hours of nerves in the future.
Set up autodelete messages in instant messengers. In Telegram, for example, you can set up automatic deletion of media files from the cache after 3 days or a week, this will prevent the folder with the application data from growing.
Also keep an eye out for system updates. Newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS often come with patches that optimize memory and fix leaks. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for updates.
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Use the Cleanup widget on your desktop, and one tap on it allows you to quickly free up RAM and start the garbage scanner without going into deep menus.
Don’t install the dubious accelerator apps from the Play Market. 99% of the time, they are the source of advertising and debris, slowing down the system instead of speeding up. Xiaomi’s built-in tools are more than enough for a comfortable experience.