Why Clean Cache on Xiaomi Redmi and When You Really Need It
Cache on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are temporary files that create applications and a system to speed up work. They store data about frequently used functions, images, web pages and even interface settings. However, over time, the cache can take up gigabytes of memory, slow down the device or cause app crashes. For example, the cache of Google Play Services on Redmi Note 12 often grows to 1-2 GB, and the cache of messengers (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) – up to 500 MB or more.
But cleaning the cache isn't always helpful, and if you notice that your smartphone is slowing down when you open apps, it's overheating a lot, or it's making errors like "No memory," it's time to act, but it's not worth cleaning the cache every day, because it might slow down the device because the apps have to re-download the data, and the optimal frequency is once every 1-2 months or when there are clear signs of overload.
It is important to understand the difference between types of cache:
- 📱 Application cache – temporary files of specific programs (for example, Instagram or YouTube).
- 🖥️ System cache - data MIUI, Android core and Google services.
- 🗑️ Garbage files – remnants of remote applications, error logs, duplicate media.
On Redmi with MIUI 14+, the system itself offers to clean up the garbage through the Optimize notification, but this only deletes a part of the files.
Method 1: Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings
The safest method is to remove the cache for specific programs. This will not delete your data (photos, messages, logins), but will free up space. The instructions are relevant for all Redmi on MIUI 12-14, including the Redmi Note 11 Pro, Redmi 10C and older models.
How to clean:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select an app (like Facebook or Chrome).
- Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
- For a complete application data reset (including logins), use Clear Data, but this will remove all settings!
What applications most often “clog” the cache:
- 🎵 Spotify, Yandex Music – up to 1 GB per song covers.
- 📷 Instagram, TikTok – up to 500 MB for video miniatures.
- 🗺️ Google Maps, 2GIS – up to 300MB per map.
- 💬 Viber, WhatsApp – up to 200MB for stickers and media.
☑️ What to clean up first
⚠️ Warning: Do not cache system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home unnecessarily. MIUI, And you'll have to reboot your smartphone.
Method 2: Automatic cleaning through MIUI Security
Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have a built-in optimization tool called the Security app, which analyzes the system and suggests removing unnecessary files, including cache, app residues and duplicates.
Step-by-step:
- Open the Security app (if it isn’t on the home screen, search through search).
- Go to the Optimization or Cleanup tab (the name depends on the version of MIUI).
- Press the Check and wait for the analysis (may take 1-2 minutes).
- Select categories for cleaning: 🗑️ Garbage files – remnants of remote applications. 📁 Application cache — temporary data. 🔍 Log files – logs of system errors.
Clean up
| Type of file | What's removed | Safe? |
|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Temporary data (images, thumbnails, web page cache) | ✅ Yes. |
| Garbage files | Remains of remote programs, empty folders | ✅ Yes. |
| Log files | Logs of error MIUI Android | ⚠️ May interfere with debugging problems |
| Uploaded files | APK, documents, media from browsers | ❌ No (check manually!) |
Once cleaned, reboot your smartphone to help MIUI recalculate the free space. If the "Clean Up" option is not available in Security, update the app via Google Play or Mi App Store.
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If after cleaning the cache, the application began to work slower, just restart it - the data will be reloaded.
Method 3: Cleaning the system cache with Recovery Mode
System cache (or Dalvik-cache) are files that Android creates to speed up the launch of applications, and cleaning them can help if Redmi's smartphone spontaneously restarts, produces errors like "App has stopped" or slows down when multitasking, but this method requires logging into Recovery Mode and is only suitable for advanced users.
Instructions for Redmi with MIUI (including Redmi 9A, Redmi Note 10 Pro, etc.):
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the Power + Volume buttons up and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
- In the Recovery menu, select the language (if you have an option).
- Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation, power button for selection).
- Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
- Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.
⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will completely reset the smartphone to factory settings, removing all your data. Also do not interrupt the cleaning process - this can lead to damage to the cache partition and the need to flash it back.
After restarting, MIUI will automatically restore the required cache files, a method that is especially useful if you have recently updated your firmware and encountered lags.
What happens if the Recovery Mode does not open?
Method 4: Using a file manager for manual cleaning
If you want to manually control which files are being deleted, use the built-in Files (or a third-party manager like Solid Explorer), a method that is suitable for deleting the cache of specific folders, such as Android/data or Android/obb, where game data is stored.
How to manually clean:
- Open the Files app (folder icon).
- Go to Categories → Applications or open the Storage Analysis tab.
- Select App Cache or Large Files.
- Mark unnecessary files and click Delete.
Deleting files from here can lead to system crash and the need for flashing.
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Manually clearing the cache through the file manager is the most flexible method, but it requires caution. Always check file extensions before deleting!
Method 5: Cleaning the cache through ADB (for advanced users)
If standard methods don’t help (e.g., Google Play Services cache is not cleared through settings), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and enabled USB debugging, but allows you to remove the cache of even system applications.
Instructions:
- Enable USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to become a developer), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB.
- Connect Redmi to your PC and install drivers (if necessary).
- Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
- To clear the cache of all applications, perform: adb shell pm trim-caches -d 100M (where 100M is the maximum cache size in megabytes; put 1G for 1GB).
- To clear the cache of a particular app (e.g. YouTube): adb shell pm clear com.google.android.youtube
Advantages of the method:
- ✅ Remove the cache of system applications that are not available through settings.
- ✅ Allows you to set a cache limit to save space.
- ✅ It works even if the smartphone “hangs” on the Mi logo.
⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB have superuser rights. Misuse (e.g. adb shell rm) -rf /data) It can completely erase data from the device. Always check the syntax of commands before executing!
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Cache cleaning seems like a simple procedure, but many Xiaomi Redmi users make mistakes that lead to problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:
Error 1: Clearing the cache of all applications in a row
Many people think that the more cache they delete, the better. However, some applications (such as the Google Play Store or Mi Video) start to work slower after cleaning the cache, because they have to re-upload the data. Solution: Clear the cache only those programs that really slow down or take up a lot of space.
Error 2: Delete Android/obb folder without backup
This folder stores additional game files (such as textures for PUBG Mobile or Free Fire) and deleting them will cause the games to start downloading data again, spending traffic. Solution: Before cleaning, check which games are installed and back up the folder if necessary.
Error 3: Interrupting Cache Cleanup in Recovery Mode
If you interrupt the Wipe Cache process (for example, by taking out the battery or forcibly turning off the smartphone), this can damage the /cache partition.Symptoms: endless download, errors in installing applications.Solution: Repeat the procedure or reflash the smartphone through the Mi Flash Tool.
Mistake 4: Using Google Play Cleaners
Applications like Clean Master or CCleaner often delete not only cache, but also useful files, and also show false warnings about "viruses." Solution: Use only built-in MIUI tools or verified file managers.