Cleaning up the browser cache on Xiaomi: a complete guide for all models (2026)

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are known for their performance, but over time, even they start to slow down. One of the main reasons is a crowded browser cache, which stores site data (images, scripts, styles) to speed up their loading when you visit them again. However, when the cache grows to gigabytes, it takes up precious space on the internal drive and slows down not only the browser, but the entire system.

Xiaomi devices feature the MIUI Browser (formerly called Mi Browser), which is often set by default. But many users prefer Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera. In each of these browsers, the cache clearing process has its own nuances. Moreover, Xiaomi has hidden system tools that allow you to remove the cache of all applications at once — this can be useful if the browser “hangs” and does not respond to commands.

In this article you will find:

  • 🔍 Step-by-step instructions for Chrome, MIUI Browser, Firefox and other popular browsers
  • 📱 Specific features of cleaning on Redmi, POCO Xiaomi (including models 2023-2026)
  • ⚡ Alternative methods through settings MIUI and Developer Mode
  • ⚠️ Warnings: What happens if you delete the cache incorrectly, and how to avoid data loss

Why Xiaomi Browser Cache Should Be Cleaned Regularly

Browser cache is not just “junk” to ignore, but on Xiaomi devices it affects:

  • 🚀 Page loading speed: A crowded cache can lead to the opposite effect – sites will open longer, as the browser spends time searching for relevant data among outdated ones.
  • 📉 System performance: MIUI aggressively manages memory, and if the cache takes several gigabytes, the system begins to force the background applications to close.
  • 🔒 Security: The cache may store outdated authorization data, cookies with compromising information, or even malicious scripts (if you have visited questionable sites).
  • 📱 The life of the drive: a constant overwriting of the cache to eMMC or UFS-The drive accelerates its wear (relevant to the budget models of Redmi and POCO).

For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro with UFS 3.1, the browser cache can take up to 5-7 GB when you actively use social networks and streaming services. And on Redmi Note 12 with UFS 2.2, even 2-3 GB of cache significantly affect the read / write speed.

⚠️ Note: If you use your browser to work with web versions of messengers (for example, WhatsApp Web or Telegram WebK), clearing the cache will lead to logging out of your account!

📊 What browser do you use on Xiaomi?
Google Chrome
MIUI Browser
Mozilla Firefox
Opera
Other

How to Clear Cache in Google Chrome on Xiaomi

Google Chrome is the most popular browser on Android, and on Xiaomi it is often manually installed (since MIUI defaults to its browser).Cache clearing in Chrome has two levels: basic (via browser settings) and advanced (via Android settings).

Basic method:

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner → select History → Clear viewing data.
  3. Put the flags in front of you: 🗑️ Cookies and website data 🖼️ Cached images and files

All the time.

Clear the data

Advanced method (if the browser "hangs"):

  1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
  2. Find Chrome in the list and tap it.
  3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
  4. To completely reset, click Clear Data (this will delete all saved passwords and bookmarks!).

Cleaning instructions:

  1. Open MIUI Browser.
  2. Slip on the three horizontal lines at the bottom of the screen → Settings.
  3. Go to Privacy and Security → Clear the data.
  4. Choose: 🗑️ Clear the cache (delete temporary files) 🧹 Clear the history (optional) 🍪 Delete cookies (recommended for security)

Confirm the action.

If the browser is unstable even after cleaning, try resetting its settings:

  1. In the same browser settings, find additional → Reset settings.
  2. Confirm the reset. This will return the browser to the post-installing state, but it will not delete the bookmarks.
What happens if MIUI Browser doesn’t open?
If the browser is hanging on the start screen, try: 1. Clear the cache through Settings → Applications → MIUI Browser → Storage → Clear the cache. 2. Remove browser updates (the button “Delete updates” in the same menu). 3. Reboot the phone in safe mode (press the power button → “Safe mode”) and repeat the cleanup.

Action.What's removedEffects of consequences
Clear the cacheTemporary site files (images, scripts)Websites will load more slowly on the first visit
Delete cookiesAuthorization data, site settingsYou'll have to log in to your accounts again.
Clear historyList of pages visitedQuick links to frequently visited sites will disappear
Reset the settingsAll personal browser settingsThe standard start page will return, fonts and themes will be dropped.

Clearing cache via MIUI settings (for all browsers)

If the browser refuses to open or cleaning through its menu does not help, you can use the system tools MIUI. This method is universal and works for any browser, including Firefox, Opera or Samsung Internet.

Step-by-step:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
  2. In the search bar, type the browser name (e.g. Chrome or MIUI Browser).
  3. Tap on the app. → Warehouse.
  4. Click Clear Cache. If you want to delete all data (including bookmarks and passwords), select Clear Data.

To clean the cache of all applications (including browsers):

  1. Go to Settings → About Phone → tap the MIUI version 7 times to activate Developer Mode.
  2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
  3. Find the option to Do Not Save Actions (or Limit Background Processes) and turn it on, which will cause the system to automatically clear the cache of closed applications.

For example, on POCO F5 s MIUI 14 Users Often Complain That After Cleaning the Cache MIUI Browser stops opening some websites (e.g. banking portals) due to the removal of the site. SSL-certificates that are stored in the cache:

  1. Reboot the phone.
  2. Open a problem site in private mode (incognito).
  3. If the site is open, go back to normal and update the page.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) After cleaning the cache, you may not be able to log in to some Xiaomi services (for example, Mi Cloud).This is due to the removal of authorization tokens. To avoid the problem, before cleaning, turn off sync in Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account.

How to Automate Cache Cleanup on Xiaomi

Manually cleaning the cache is tedious, especially if you’re actively using a browser. Fortunately, there are several ways to automate this process on Xiaomi:

  1. Use the built-in optimizer MIUI: 🧹 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Clean up. Activate Auto Cleanup and add browsers to the list. Set up a schedule (e.g., clean up every day at 3:00 a.m).

Install third-party software:

  • 📱 Apps like this SD Maid or CCleaner can clean the cache on a schedule. MIUI They need rights. ADB (see below).
  • Set up ADB-Teams (for advanced users): adb shell pm clear com.android.chrome # Clean Chrome adb shell pm clear com.mi.globalbrowser # Cleanup MIUI Browser These commands will completely reset browsers, so use them with caution.

💡

Automatic cache cleaning may conflict with the adaptive battery function in MIUI. If after setting up the auto-cleaner, the phone becomes discharged faster, turn it off and manually clean the cache every 1-2 weeks.

What to do if after cleaning the cache, the browser works worse

Sometimes after cleaning the cache, users notice that the browser has become:

  • 🐢 Slowly load pages
  • 🔋 Hotter
  • 📵 More frequent errors (e.g., more frequent, ERR_CACHE_MISS)