Cache Cleanup on Xiaomi Redmi 9: A Complete Guide to Speeding Up Your Phone

Xiaomi Redmi 9 is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but over time even it begins to “slow down” the main reason is clogged cache, which takes up precious memory and slows down the system. In this article, we will discuss how to properly clean the cache on Redmi 9 (including modifications of Redmi 9A/9C/9T), without deleting important data, and return the phone performance.

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications and a system to speed up re-operations. For example, when you open Instagram, it stores thumbnails of photos in cache so that it can upload them faster the next time it runs. But over time, these files accumulate, taking up gigabytes of memory. On Redmi 9, with its modest 32-64 GB of storage, this is especially critical.

It is important to understand that there are three types of cache: 1) Application cache - temporary data of specific programs (for example, YouTube or Telegram cache), 2 System cache - files that are created by MIUI itself to speed up the interface, 3) Dalvik cache - optimized versions of applications for fast download (you can delete it only through Recovery).

In this tutorial, we will look at all the ways to clean up, from standard MIUI tools to hidden features for power users, and find out why cleaning the cache through Settings removes only some of the debris, and how to get to hidden temporary files.

1. Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings

The easiest and safest way is to remove the cache for specific programs. It won't affect their work, but it will free up space. On Redmi 9 with MIUI 12/13, the path to the menu may be slightly different, but the general logic holds.

How to do this:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook or Google Chrome).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. For complete cleanup (including login data), select Clear all data, but note: this will reset the program settings.

How much space can I get? Depends on the application.

• 📷 Instagram - up to 500MB
• 🎵 Spotify – up to 1 GB (if you downloaded music)
• 🌍 Google Maps – up to 2 GB (card cache)
• 📺 YouTube – up to 300 MB (miniatures and video buffer)

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui or com.miui.home) unnecessarily. MIUI, until the phone is rebooted.

If you are too lazy to clean each application manually, use the automatic cleaning function:

1. Go to Settings. → Memory.
2. Click Clean in the section "Junk files".
3. Select the app cache and confirm the action.

2. System cleaning through "Security" (built-in antivirus)

MIUI has a built-in security tool that not only scans for viruses, but also finds unwanted files, including cache, which is more effective than manual cleaning, as it analyzes hidden temporary data.

Instructions:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the Cleanup tab (or Accelerate in new versions).
3. Press the check and wait for the scan to be completed.
4. Select Garbage Files → App Cache and click Clear.

The advantage of this method is that it shows exactly how much space the cache takes up (usually 1-3 GB on a loaded phone).

• 🗑️ Temporary files APK (leftovers after application installation)
• 📁 Empty folders
• 🔍 Log files (log files)

If you see Deep Clean in the Cleanup section, don't rush to use it. It deletes not only the cache, but also the application data (for example, save in games).

Backup important data |Remember application logins/passwords |Check the space available (should be ≥10%) |Disable automatic application updates-->

3. Clearing Dalvik cache via Recovery Mode

Dalvik cache is an optimized version of installed applications that the Android virtual machine creates to speed up their launch, and cleaning it is useful if the phone has started spontaneously restarting or emitting an error "App stopped." However, this can only be done through Recovery Mode.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off Redmi 9.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (if required), then go to Wipe & Reset (or Advanced in older versions).
4. Select Wipe Dalvik Cache and confirm the action.
5. After cleaning, restart the phone (Reboot).

What this procedure does:

• 🔄 Resolves errors such as "Unfortunately, [app] has stopped"
• ⚡ Accelerates the first application launch after rebooting
• 🗃️ Frees up to 500 MB-1 GB (depending on the number of installed programs)

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse the Wipe Dalvik Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will reset the phone to factory settings, deleting all your data.

If the phone is loading for a long time (5-10 minutes) after cleaning the Dalvik cache, it's normal, and the system restores optimized files for applications.

4.Using third-party applications to clean up the cache

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, you can use third-party utilities, which offer more flexible settings and often find debris that the system misses.

How to use CCleaner (for example):

1. Install and open the application.
2. Go to the Cleanup tab.
3. Select the App Cache and System Cache.
4. Press Analysis, then Clean.

Tip: Before using third-party cleaners, back up important data. Some utilities (such as SD Maid) can delete files that the system considers unnecessary, but which you will need.

💡

If the app is slower after cleaning the cache, just restart it, and the first time you run it, the cache is created again, and the speed will return to normal.

5 Manually clean the cache through the file manager

For power users, there is a way to manually delete cache by gaining access to hidden folders. This is risky (you can delete important files), but sometimes necessary if standard methods do not help.

How to do this:

1. Install a file manager with access to root folders (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
3. Go to /data/data/<name packet app>/cache For example, for WhatsApp it will be /data/data/com.whatsapp/cache.
4. Delete all files in the cache folder.

Where to look for system cache:

• 📂 /cache/ — time-file
• 📂 /data/dalvik-cache/ — Dalvik cache (root rights required)
• 📂 /data/system/package_cache/ — cache

⚠️ Attention: Delete files from folders /system or /vendor If you don't have root rights, you can't load your phone!

If you have root access, you can use the command via Terminal Emulator:

su


rm -rf /cache/*




rm -rf /data/dalvik-cache/*




reboot

6.Automatic Cache Cleanup: Setup of the Scheduler

To avoid manually clearing the cache, set up automatic cleaning via MIUI Optimizer or third-party utilities, which is especially useful if you are actively using your phone and do not want to monitor the free space.

How to set up in MIUI:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Settings.
2. Turn on the automatic cleaning option.
3. Select frequency: Daily, Weekly or Memory Shortage.

For more flexible configuration, use MacroDroid (task automation):

• 🤖 Create a macro with a trigger Free Memory Level < 1GB.
• 📲 Action: Clear the app cache.
• ⏰ Set a limit: no more than 1 time per day.

Advantages of automatic cleaning:

• ⏱️ Don’t waste time on manual cleaning.
• 📈 Maintaining stable productivity
• 🔋 Reduce the load on memory, which prolongs the life of the drive

💡

Automatic cache cleaning is not a panacea. If the phone is slowing down due to memory fragmentation or outdated firmware, more radical measures are needed (for example, resetting to factory settings).

7.What to do if cleaning the cache did not help?

If Redmi 9 continues to slow down after all the manipulations, the problem could be deeper.

If nothing helps, consider the following steps:

1. Update the firmware: go to Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Reset to factory settings (pre-make a backup!).
3. Check battery health: a worn-out battery can cause lags.Use the AccuBattery app.
4. Install custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) if the official MIUI is too overloaded.

On Redmi 9 with 2/3/4 GB of RAM and Helio G35/G80 processor, the brakes are often not due to cache, but with a lack of RAM. Check the list of running applications in Settings → Apps → Launched and close the unnecessary ones.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up cache on Redmi 9