The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, launched in 2019, is still popular due to its combination of specs and price. However, over time, active users begin to notice a decrease in performance, interface hanging and quick battery discharge, most often caused by overcrowded system memory and accumulated temporary files known as cache.
Cache is a buffer zone where apps store data for fast loading. For example, Google Chrome stores copies of visited pages, and social networks saves images from tape. Over time, this data can reach several gigabytes, which is critical for models with 32 or 64 GB of internal memory. Clearing the cache allows you to free up space and speed up the MIUI operating system.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the cleaning options available, from standard system tools to advanced methods through the engineering menu.You’ll learn how to safely remove junk files without losing important logins and passwords.Proper file system maintenance will extend the life of your Redmi Note 7 and ensure you’ll stay stable for a long time.
The concept of cache and its impact on the work of Android
Many users confuse cache with application data, which often leads to the accidental deletion of important information. Cache is a set of temporary files that are created during the operation of programs. Their main goal is to speed up the re-start of functions, but when they grow too much, they begin to interfere with the system.
On Xiaomi devices with MIUI shell, cache accumulation is particularly intense due to aggressive background processes. The system constantly updates widgets, news feeds and advertising, storing this data in memory. If you do not clean regularly, the free space ends and the phone starts to work slower.
⚠️ Note: Deleting the cache is safe for your personal data, but deleting the "Application Data" will result in the program being reset to its original state with the loss of saved passwords.
It's important to distinguish between types of caching. There's a cache of individual applications, a system cache. Dalvik/ART cash DNS. For the Redmi Note 7 The most critical is the volume of the user cache, since the partition is small here. Regular cleaning helps to avoid errors when updating programs and reduces the load on the Snapdragon processor. 660.
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Use the Cleanup function in the standard Safety app at least once a week to maintain optimal speed.
Use of the built-in Security application
The easiest and safest way to free up space on the Redmi Note 7 is to use a developer-generated tool. The MIUI shell has a deeply integrated optimization module that scans the system for junk files, a first step to take before using more sophisticated methods.
To get started, look for an icon on your desktop called "Security" (green shield), launch the app and wait for the automatic scan to be completed, and the system will suggest removing the files found, which can range from a few megabytes to a gigabyte.
After the initial cleanup, click on the Cleanup icon inside the app, and you'll see a more detailed breakdown by category: large files, unnecessary files, and duplicates. Storage analysis allows you to visually assess what exactly is taking up space on your device.
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The Big Files section often hides forgotten videos or archives that can be safely deleted. Be careful when cleaning the Download folder, as there may be important documents. Xiaomi's app usually tags safe-to-delete objects, but the final decision is always up to the user.
Manually cleaning the cache of individual applications
If the phone continues to run in an unstable way, you need to manually clean specific programs. Social networks like Telegram, VK and Instagram are the main consumers of disk space, and they store thousands of images and videos that are often unnecessary after a single view.
To do the cleaning, go to the Settings menu and select the App. Next, click All Apps and find the desired program, such as YouTube, in the menu that opens, select Memory, and then click Clear Cache.
| Annex | Type of data | Safe to remove | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Temporary site files | Yes. | Websites will be loaded a little longer on the first visit |
| Telegram | Photos and videos from chat rooms | Yes (better through the settings of the Telegram itself). | Frees up gigabytes of space |
| Google Play | Update files | Yes. | Re-checking for updates may be required |
| System services | Logs and temporal data | Carefully. | Possible temporary failures in the interface |
After cleaning the cache, heavy applications can run a little slower the first time, because they will have to recreate temporary files. This is normal behavior of the Android system. Don't worry if after the procedure, the amount of memory used has decreased slightly - some data is restored instantly.
Why does the Telegram cache take up so much space?
The Google Photos app or the standard Xiaomi gallery creates thumbnails of all images, which also takes up space. Clearing the data of these apps will reset the viewing settings, but will not delete the photos themselves if they are synchronized with the cloud.
Cleaning through the Recovery Engineering Menu
For deeper cleaning, affecting system temporary files, you can use Recovery Mode. This method allows you to remove the Dalvik partition cache, which often helps after updating the firmware or installing heavy applications. On the Redmi Note 7, this mode is entered by a key combination.
Turn off your smartphone completely. Then simultaneously press the Volume Up and Power buttons. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, keep the volume up, and open the main recovery menu, where the volume buttons are controlled and the power button is selected.
⚠️ Note: In the Recovery menu, do not select Wipe Data unless you want to completely reset your phone to factory settings with all data lost.
Using volume buttons, move the highlight to Wipe Cache (or Clean in some versions). Press the power button to confirm. The system will warn of the consequences, agree by choosing Yes or Confirm. The process will take a few seconds, after which a message will appear about a successful cleanup.
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Cleaning through Recovery is safe for personal photos and contacts, but removes system temporary files, which can solve problems with cyclic reboots.
Once you've finished, select Reboot and then Reboot to System. The first run after this cleanup can take longer than usual, as the system will reassemble the cache, which is a standard situation for the Android operating system.
Storage analysis and removal of garbage files
Sometimes standard methods don't show what's eating up the memory, and in those cases, the built-in storage analyzer comes to the rescue, and it lets you see the folder structure and find forgotten downloads that don't belong to the app cache, but take up space.
Go to Settings. → The phone. → Storage. This is a diagram of the space distribution. Notice the categories "Other" and "Applications." Often in the folder. MIUI → debug_log Logs of debugging are accumulated, which can be safely deleted through the file manager.
To access hidden folders, use the Explorer app. Turn on hidden files in your Explorer settings. Find folders with names of remote applications or services you don't use. Deleting those directories manually frees up a lot of space.
Remember to check the Bluetooth folder if you've ever transferred files over the air. Also worth a look at the Android/obb directory, which stores the hard game cache files. If you delete the game but the folder is still there, you can manually delete its contents.