Cache on Xiaomi smartphones are temporary files that create applications and a system to speed up work. Over time, they accumulate, take up gigabytes of memory and can cause crashes, from slow interfaces to sudden program outages. Especially relevant is the problem for devices with 128 GB of memory or less, where every megabyte counts.
In this article, 7 proven ways to clean up cache on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO running MIUI 14/15 (Android 12-14), we will analyze both standard methods through settings and hidden features for power users, and explain why cleaning cache through Files only removes 30-50% of garbage, and how to get to the remaining 50%.
1. Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings
The safest way to do this is to selectively remove the cache for the programs that take up the most space, which won’t delete your data (like WhatsApp messages or saved games), but will free up space.
How to do this:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management
- 🔍 Enter the name of the program in the search (for example, TikTok or Google Play Store)
- 🗑️ Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache
- 🔄 For a complete reset (deletes and app data) select Clear all data – but be careful!
⚠️ Please note: Do not clear the cache for Google Play Services and MIUI This can cause disruptions to Google services and Xiaomi branded features (for example, the weather in widgets will no longer update).
Social networks (Vkontakte, Instagram, Facebook)
Messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)
Browser (Chrome, Mi Browser)
Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact)
Streaming services (YouTube, Twitch)-->
2. Automatic cleaning through "Safety" (MIUI Optimizer)
Xiaomi has built into MIUI a tool for automatic system optimization, Security, which not only clears the cache, but also closes the background processes, saving battery life.
Instructions:
- Launch the Security app (Icon with shield)
- Go to the Optimization tab (or Acceleration in new versions)
- Click Deep Cleaning → Clean Up
- Wait until the process is completed (may take 1-3 minutes)
| Type of cleaning | What's removed | Recommended frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Regular cleaning | Application cache, temporary files | 1 time per week |
| Deep cleaning | Cash + Residual files of remote programs | 1 time per month |
| Cleaning up garbage | Empty folders, thumbnails, logs | With memory shortages |
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If the phone is running slower after cleaning through Security, restart it. MIUI sometimes miscalculates the occupied space after mass deletion of files.
3. Manual cleaning through File Manager
Xiaomi’s built-in file manager can search and delete cache, but it doesn’t do it as efficiently as specialized utilities, but it doesn’t require root rights.
Step-by-step:
- 📁 Open the Files app (Icon with folder)
- 🔍 Go to the Category section → Garbage files
- ✅ Check the boxes: 🗑️ Cash app. 📁 Residual files 🖼️ Miniatures (unless you use the Xiaomi Gallery)
- 🗑️ Click Clean at the bottom of the screen
⚠️ Note: Deep Cleaning in Files can delete data from the folder DCIM/.thumbnails — These are gallery miniatures, and once cleaned, the gallery will take longer to load when it opens for the first time until it recreates the preview.
1 time a week |1 time a month |Only when I run out of memory |Never clear |I don't know what it is-->
4. Hidden cleaning through Recovery mode (for experienced)
If the phone is slowing down a lot and standard methods don't work, you can use Recovery Mode, which removes dalvik-cache, a system cache that often causes lags after updates.
How to log in to Recovery:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up for 10 seconds
- In the recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation, power button for selection).
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion
- Restart the device (Reboot) → Reboot to System)
What to do if you recover in Chinese?
5. Clean up Google Play cache and Google services
Google’s Play Market, Google Play Services, Google Services Framework (GSP) services are all using cache to speed up, but sometimes it’s bloated to a few gigabytes, especially if you update apps frequently.
How to clean:
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management
- 🔍 Find and open one by one: 🛒 Google Play Store ⚙️ Google Play Services 🔄 Google Services Framework
- 🗑️ In each of them, click the Warehouse. → Clear the cache
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After clearing the Google Play cache, the Store may temporarily (1-2 minutes) not show app covers and descriptions.
6.Use of ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)
If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can delete the cache of all applications with one command, which is useful when standard methods don't work because of MIUI failures.
Instructions:
- Install ADB Tools on PC
- Turn on USB Debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version → Back to Additional Settings → Developer Options → Debugging over USB)
- Connect the phone to your PC and execute in the command line: adb shell pm trim-caches -1 This command clears the cache of all user applications.
⚠️ Note: Adb shell pm clear removes all application data (as in reinstalling), not just cache!
7. Automatic cleaning on schedule (via Automate or Tasker)
To avoid manually clearing the cache, you can set up automatic execution of this task, and this will be suitable for applications like Automate or Tasker (root or ADB rights are required for some actions).
Example of flow in Automate:
- 📱 Block Condition: Time (e.g. every Monday at 3:00 am)
- 🔄 Shell command block: pm trim-caches 1000000000 (clears cache for all applications except system applications)
- 🔔 Block Notification with text "Cash cleared: [date]"
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If you have Xiaomi with a Snapdragon processor, after automatically cleaning the cache, restart the phone. This will help avoid micro-hangs due to dalvik-cache reassembly in the background.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many users make the same mistakes when cleaning the cache, which leads to even more problems.
- Cleaning the cache of system applications (such as MIUI Launcher or Settings) – this can reset desktop settings or language settings.
- Using the Play Market cleaners – most of them are either inefficient or contain advertising software. Xiaomi has already built all the necessary tools into MIUI.
- Cleaning the cache during the update – if you have started downloading the MIUI OTA update, do not clear the cache, otherwise the firmware file may get corrupted.
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If the app is slower after cleaning the cache, it's normal. The cache exists to speed up reopening. After 1-2 use, the program will "overclock" again.