Hand-cleaning Android on Xiaomi from garbage: 7 proven ways without software

Your Xiaomi is slowing down, quickly draining or issuing notifications of memory shortages? The reason most often lies in the accumulated digital garbage: the remnants of deleted applications, cache of system processes, duplicate photos and unnecessary logs. Unlike automated “cleaners” who often delete data at random, manual cleaning allows you to control exactly what remains and what goes into the basket.

In this article, the current methods for MIUI 14/15 (including HyperOS shells, which work on all modern smartphones of the brand: from the budget Redmi Note 12 before the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. We'll look at how to safely delete unnecessary files through built-in tools, which folders can be cleaned without risk to the system, and how to prevent re-accumulation of garbage. No root rights or questionable utilities, only official features and proven techniques.

Why manual cleaning is more effective than automatic cleaning

Applications like Clean Master or CCleaner promise a “magic button” to free up memory, but in practice they do:

• 🧹 Deleting the cache of all applications in a row, including those you actively use (such as maps or instant messengers), this leads to re-downloading of data and increased traffic.
• 📊 They hide the real problems: instead of cleaning system logs, they show 200 MB of “free” cache from Google Play Services, which will recover in an hour.
• 🛡️ Often require unnecessary permissions (access to the SMS, contact), which poses security risks.

You may manually:

• 🎯 Point to remove the cache of only those applications that really slow down (Facebook, TikTok, games).
• 🗑️ Find and remove duplicate photos/video that take up gigabytes (especially important for owners) POCO F5 64MP camera).
• 🔧 Clear folders with temporary files (/data/local/tmp, /cache), which the system has not touched for years.

Another thing that's good about manually is that you learn to understand which files are safe to delete and which ones you shouldn't touch. /MIUI/Wallpaper weight 50–100 MB, but cleaning it will cause the wallpaper to be reset to standard. /MIUI/DebugLog with error logs can weigh up to 1 GB and boldly removed.

Preparation for cleaning: what to do before you start

Before you start, follow 3 mandatory steps:

Create a backup copy of important data|Check the free space in memory|Disable synchronization of cloud services|Close all background applications-->

1. Backup.Even if you don't plan to delete personal files, an error in cleaning system folders can cause a failure.Use the built-in Settings feature → The phone. → Backup or Mi Cloud (if you have a Xiaomi account).The alternative is to copy folders. DCIM, Downloads and Documents on PC.

2. Memory check. Go to Settings. → Memory and see what exactly takes up space. If the System partition weighs 15.+ GB on Redmi 10 is OK (MIUI And here's 10GB in the "Other" section, a reason to clean up.

3. Disable sync. Cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) can automatically restore deleted files. Go to Settings → Accounts and suspend sync for cleaning time.

⚠️ Note: Do not use a root file manager (such as Root Explorer) to delete folders in your file. /system or /vendor. This will lead to a "brick" of the device, and all the manipulations in this article are safe for uninvited phones.

Method 1: Cleaning the application cache

Cache is a temporary file that applications create to speed up work, and over time it grows to several gigabytes, especially in:

• 📱 Social media (Facebook, Instagram, VK — up to 1-2 GB each).
• 🎮 Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile – cache of updates and textures).
• 🌍 Maps (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps – offline maps and routes).

How to clean:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as TikTok) and tap Storage.
3. Click Clear Cache. To clean up completely (including your account details), select Clear All Data, but this will result in you logging out of your profile.

For mass cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Select the Cash tab and mark unnecessary apps.
3. Tap to clean (on) MIUI The 15 buttons can be called Optimize).

💡

Once the Google Play cache is cleared, the marketplace can take a long time to load. That's OK -- it recovers data. Don't interrupt the process!

Method 2: Delete unnecessary files through the file manager

V MIUI There are built-in Files (folder icon), but for deep cleaning, you better use Mi File Manager (download in GetApps) or Solid Explorer.

Where to look for garbage:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Download — It's where you get loads from browsers, messengers, and you delete everything except the right documents.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails — Photo and video miniatures (you can delete them, they will be restored automatically).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data — Cache of games and applications: Delete folders of remote programs (for example, if you deleted Clash of Clans long ago, but its folder is still there).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/DebugLog — error logs (weighing up to) 1 GB, removed without consequences).

How to clean:

1. Open the file manager and enable the display of hidden files (in Mi File Manager: ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files).
2. Go to the specified folders and manually delete unnecessary files (long press). → Delete).
3. For folders like DebugLog, you can use mass deletion: highlight everything (⋮ → Select everything) and delete.

Pay special attention to the Downloads folder.

• 📄 Old ones. APK-Files (remains from manual application installation).
• 🎵 Music and video downloaded from VK YouTube (see files with extension.mp3,.mp4).
• 📑 PDF and DOCX, which you have opened for a long time (such as tickets or checks).

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos with the Free Place function, check the folder DCIM/.cloud_foto. It can store original photos that have been "optimized" by the service, and only delete them if you are sure that copies are saved in the cloud.

Method 3: Cleaning system logs and dumps

Android MIUI They're constantly creating logs to debug, and on user devices, they're useless, but they take up space:

• 📜 /data/anr — login's not responding" (ANR-mistake).
• 📜 /data/tombstones — memory dumps when applications crash.
• 📜 /cache — Temporary update files and installer.

How to delete:

1. Open the Settings. → About the phone and 5 times tap on the version MIUI, to enable the developer mode.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and enable debugging by USB (You don't have to plug in the cable).
3. Install. ADB on PC (instruction below) and execute commands:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/anr/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




rm -rf /cache/*




reboot

If you don’t have a PC, use the Termux app (download to GetApps):

1. Open Termux and enter:

pkg install tsu


tsu




rm -rf /data/anr/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




exit




exit

Reboot the phone.

💡

Cleaning the logs through ADB or Termux releases 200–500 MB speeds up the system, but it requires caution. /data!

Method 4: Removing duplicate photos and videos

Xiaomi cameras (especially in Mi 11 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro models)+) Keep 3-5 copies of a single photo:

• 📸 Original (e.g., original, IMG_20260501_123456.jpg).
• 📸 Mini version for previews (.thumbnail).
• 📸 Copy after editing in Xiaomi Gallery (IMG_20260501_123456_edit.jpg).
• 📸 Files for HDR/night-time (IMG_20260501_123456_HDR.jpg).

How to find and remove duplicates:

1. Open the gallery and tap it. ⋮ → Management → Duplicate (in) MIUI 15 Ways May Be Different: Albums → Utilities. → Duplicate).
2. The app will automatically find similar photos. View them and delete the unnecessary ones (hold your finger on the screen for mass selection).
3. For video, use the Files by Google app (available in the Play Store): open the Cleanup tab → Large files and sort by size.

Manual method (for advanced):

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the folder. DCIM/Camera.
2. Sort files by date (right click) → Sorting → By date).
3. Delete files with suffixes edit, _HDR, _thumbnail, if the originals are saved.

💡

Before you delete duplicates, turn on the hidden files on your PC. Sometimes the originals are saved in a folder. DCIM/.thumbnails different-named.

Method 5: Optimizing Autoboot and Background Processes

Many apps run when you turn on your phone and run in the background, consuming memory and charge. For example, Facebook can wake up 20 times an hour to check notifications.

Turning off the autoload:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an application (such as AliExpress) and tap AutoRun.
3. Turn off the Allow Auto Start option.

Limitation of background activity:

1. In the same app menu, select the Battery. → Background activity.
2. Set Limit for applications that shouldn’t work in the background (such as games or banking apps that you rarely use).

3. Cleaning up the list of recently opened:

• Click on the square button (multitasking) and swipe up all unnecessary apps.
• V MIUI 15 You can attach frequently used applications (swipe down on the icon) so that they do not close when cleaning.

⚠️ Note: Do not limit background activity for Google Play Services, Mi Cloud and Settings.This may cause notifications and sync failures.

Method 6: Reset system cache (without data loss)

If the phone is slowing down a lot but you don’t want to do a full reset, try resetting the system cache.This will delete temporary Android files but won’t affect your data, apps or settings.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button. + Volume upwards before the appearance of the Mi logo (on some models, for example) POCO X5, You need to hold the volume up. + Loudness down + Nutrition).
3. You'll be in Recovery mode. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
4. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (in Chinese firmware may be called Wipe Cache ).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.

After restarting, the system will collect data again, so the first run can take 5-10 minutes.

• 🐢 The phone hangs on the logo. MI switch-on.
• 🔄 Applications are closed spontaneously.
• 📱 The screen began to twitch or brake when scrolling.

💡

Cache resetting is a soft alternative to a full reset, and it doesn't delete your data, but it fixes many system lags.

Method 7: Preventing future accumulation of garbage

To avoid cleaning your phone every month, you should try to prevent:

1. Automatic cleaning of the cache:

• Go to Settings. → Memory. → Auto-cleaning.
• Turn on the option and set a schedule (for example, once a week).
• Add to the exceptions messengers and frequently used applications.

Background data limitation:

• B Settings → The Internet and the Internet → Use of data select the application (e.g. Facebook).
• Activate Background Data and Unlimited Data for critical applications only.

Gallery settings:

• Open the gallery, tap it. ⋮ → Settings → Cloud synchronization.
• Turn off Autoboot if you are not using the Mi Cloud.
• Enable Storage Optimization (remove duplicates automatically).

Regular memory check:

• Open the settings once a month → Memory. → Analyze and delete unnecessary files (Section "Large Files" and "Unused Applications").

💡

If you often install APK-files from the Internet, create a folder APK_Archive You can put it in the root of the memory, and you can save the installers, so you don't lose them, and you can easily remove the unnecessary ones.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi cleanup