Cache Cleanup on Xiaomi Mi 10: A Complete Guide to Accelerating Your Phone

Xiaomi Mi 10 will eventually slow down even if you haven’t installed new apps. It’s often because of cache, which is a temporary file that accumulates when MIUI and software work. Cleaning up the cache can free up up to 3-5 GB of memory (depending on the intensity of use) and bring the device back to speed, but it’s important to do it right: Deleting the wrong files can cause malfunctions in applications or even the system.

In this article, you’ll find 5 proven ways to clean up the cache on the Mi 10, from standard MIUI tools to hidden features for power users. We’ll also look at which cache can be removed without risk (like Dalvik-cache or Google Play Services data), and which files should not be touched. If your phone is slow to charge, warm up or spontaneously reboot, cleaning the cache can be the first step to solving the problem.

What is cache and why you need to clean it on Xiaomi Mi 10

Cache is a temporary file that creates apps and a system to speed up your work, for example, when you open Instagram, the app caches thumbnails of photos so that it can upload them faster the next time you run them, and so does the browser, messengers, and even system processes.

On Xiaomi Mi 10, the cache is divided into three types:

• 📱 Application cache – files of individual programs (for example, YouTube or Telegram) can be deleted without consequences, but the next time the application is launched, the application will load longer.
• ⚙️ System cache - OS files MIUI, This includes Dalvik-cache (optimized code for fast Java applications), which is sometimes required to be cleaned after updates.
• 🗃️ bootloader cache are rarely used files that remain after installing updates and can only be deleted manually through Recovery.

Why the cache needs to be cleaned:

• 🐢 Slowing down: When the cache takes up more 1-2 GB, the system begins to “hang” when switching between applications.
• 🔋 Fast battery drain: fragmented cache makes Snapdragon 865 processor work harder.
• 📉 Application Errors: Older cache files may conflict with newer versions of programs (e.g. Google Maps or Mi Fit).
• 🚨 Memory shortage: on the Mi 10 s 128 GB of internal memory cache can "eat" up to 10-15% space-space.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse cache with app data! Deleting cache won’t result in account logging or loss of settings, and cleaning up data will reset the app to factory status.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of individual applications through MIUI settings

The safest method is to remove cache for specific programs, which does not affect system files and does not require superuser rights (root), Suitable if only one application (for example, TikTok or Mi Video) is slowed down.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the appropriate app (such as Facebook).
3. Press Warehouse.
4. Tap Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data!).

For mass cleaning:

1. In the same Application Management menu, click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Sort by size so you will see which programs take up the most space.
3. Flick through the list and clear the cache for apps that are 100MB and up.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for Android System, MIUI System or com.android.phone – this can cause phone malfunctions or loss of mobile network.

Close all background applications

Connect your phone to charge (if your battery level is below 30%)

Backup important data (in case of error)

Check the free disk space (should be at least 500 MB)-->

Method 2: Using a built-in MIUI cleaner

MIUI has its own optimization tool, Security (formerly called Cleaner), which not only removes the cache, but also finds unnecessary files, duplicate photos and residual data from remote applications.

How to use:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the Cleanup tab (or Accelerate in new versions of MIUI 14+).
3. Press the check and wait for the scan to be completed.
4. In the Garbage Files section, select App Cache and Residual Files.
5. Click Clean (at the bottom of the screen).

Advantages of this method:

• 🔍 Automatically finds the heaviest cache files.
• 🛡️ System-Secure – Does not affect critical data.
• 📊 It shows how much space will be vacated.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Does not clean Dalvik-cache and other system caches.
• ❌ May miss the cache of some system applications (e.g. Mi Cloud).

💡

If your phone is still slowing down after cleaning through Security, try restarting it. Some processes (such as Media Server) only restart after the reboot.

Method 3: Clean Dalvik-cache and system cache via Recovery

If the Xiaomi Mi 10 has become very slow after the MIUI update, it may be damaged Dalvik-cache, a special cache that speeds up the work of ART (Android runtime environments), its cleaning helps to correct errors such as “the application stops constantly” or “MIUI interface lags”.

Warning: This method requires logging into Recovery Mode. Don't be alarmed - it's a regular mode, but the wrong actions can lead to a reset.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select a language (e.g. English).
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
5. Confirm the action with swipe or select Yes.
6. After cleaning, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

What will be cleaned up:

• 🗑️ Dalvik-cache (recreated automatically on the next launch).
• 🧹 Cache of system updates (files with.zip extension in the folder) /cache).
• ⚙️ Temporary kernel files MIUI.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t choose Wipe Data or Factory Reset from this menu – it will result in a complete phone reset!

Method 4: Manually clean the cache through the file manager (for experienced)

If you want to control which files are being deleted, you can manually clear the cache through a root file manager (like Root Explorer) or the standard Xiaomi Files app, a method that is suitable for removing the cache of specific games (like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile), which can take several gigabytes.

How to find the app cache:

1. Open the files. → Internal memory.
2. Go to the Android → data folder (you need superuser rights to view content).
3. Find a folder with the name of the application package (for example, com.whatsapp for WhatsApp).
4. Inside, there will be a cache folder, which can be deleted completely.

System folders with cache (you can delete, but carefully!):

• 📁 /cache — update cache and temporary system files.
• 📁 /data/dalvik-cache — optimized files ART.
• 📁 /data/system/package_cache — cache of installed packages.

Warnings:

• 🚫 Don't delete the folders. Android/obb — It stores game data (for example, graphical resources of Call of Duty Mobile).
• 🚫 Don't touch the files in /system — This can lead to a brick (breakdown) of the phone.

💡

Manual cache cleaning is effective for freeing up space, but requires caution. If you are not sure about the name of the folder, use standard methods (Methods 1-3).

Method 5: Automatically clean the cache with ADB (no root)

If you're familiar with the command line, you can clear the cache of all applications at once using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require root rights, but you need to install ADB on your PC.

Instructions:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
2. On your phone, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and in the command line (in the folder with adb.exe) do:

adb devices

(A device with a serial number must appear).

adb shell pm trim-caches 1000G

(This will clear the cache of all applications except system ones).

To clean the cache of a particular app (e.g. Facebook):

adb shell pm clear com.facebook.katana

Advantages of the method:

• 🔧 Doesn't require root rights.
• 🚀 Clears the cache faster than manually through settings.
• 📊 You can automate with scripts.

⚠️ Note: The pm clear command not only removes the cache, but also the application data (like the Clear Data button in the settings.

What to do if cleaning the cache does not help

If the Xiaomi Mi 10 still slows down after cleaning the cache, the problem may be deeper.

• 🔄 Update. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → System update. Sometimes the lags get fixed in newer versions of the firmware.
• 🛠️ Check the space: if the phone has less than 5 GB of free space, the system starts to "glut." Delete unnecessary files or transfer them to a memory card.
• 🔋 Battery diagnostics: A worn-out battery (capacity below 70%) may cause sudden brakes. Check battery status via Settings → Battery → Battery status.
• 🧠 Resetting: If nothing helps, do Reset to factory settings (but save data first!).

It's also worth checking out:

• 📡 Background processes: Some applications (such as Mi Security or Clean Master) can slow down the system themselves. → Permits → Auto-start.
• 🔥 Overheating: If the phone is heated above 45°C, Snapdragon 865 processor starts trottling. Clean the dust charger connector and avoid gaming when charging.

💡

If the brakes only appear in certain applications (like Camera or Gallery), try rolling them back to the factory version. To do this, click on Settings → Apps and select Show All Apps, then find the problematic app and click Remove Updates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning the cache on Xiaomi Mi 10