How to Clear Cache on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 5 Ways to Free Your Memory

Why does Redmi 9 cache require regular cleaning?

Xiaomi Redmi 9 with 4GB of RAM and 64/128GB of internal storage seems powerful enough for everyday tasks, but even on such a device, applications slow down over time, photos open more slowly in the gallery, and the system gives notifications about memory shortages, and 90% of these problems are caused by contaminated cache.

Cache is a temporary file that creates apps and a system to make it work faster. For example, when you first open Instagram, it stores some of the data (avatars, story previews) in cache so that it can be downloaded faster the next time you run it. But over time, these files accumulate, take up gigabytes of memory and start slowing down the phone. On Redmi 9 with its low-cost MediaTek Helio G80 processor, this is especially noticeable: the system starts to hang even when you just flip through the feed on social networks.

Another problem is cached data errors, for example, if an application crashes while writing a file to cache, that "broken" file can crash every time a program is run, and clearing the cache in such cases works as a "reboot" for the application.

Cache types on Xiaomi Redmi 9: what can and can not be deleted

Before you start cleaning, it’s important to understand what types of cache exist on your Redmi 9 and how removing them will affect how your phone works:

• 📱 Application cache – temporary files of individual programs (for example, YouTube or Telegram) and their cleaning is safe and recommended when the brakes of a particular application.
• 🖥️ System cache – files that the operating system creates MIUI It can be cleaned up to speed up the work, and it can help with the common interface lags.
• 🌐 Browser cache – saved web pages, cookies and autocomplete data in Chrome, Mi Browser or other browsers. Deletion will lead to logging out of accounts on sites.
• 📁 Dalvik cache is a technical file on the Android virtual machine, and it only makes sense to clean it after you update the system or if you have a serious failure.

On Redmi 9 with MIUI 12-14, cleaning Dalvik cache through standard settings is impossible – this will require access to the recovery menu. Also, do not confuse cache with application data (for example, saves in games or chats in messengers) – their removal will lead to the loss of personal information.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings

The safest and most targeted method is to remove cache for specific programs, which is useful if you only slow down one application (for example, TikTok or Google Maps).

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the list, find the desired application (for example, Facebook) and tap it.
3. Go to the Warehouse section.
4. Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data!).

For convenience, you can sort applications by cache size:

Click on three dots in the top right corner of the app list

Select "Sort by size"

Note the applications with a cache > 500 MB

Clear the cache for the most "heavy" programs-->

Example: the user Redmi 9 WhatsApp app took 1.2 GB of cache due to the large number of voice messages and stickers. After cleaning, the messenger began to open 2 times faster, and free memory was added 800 MB.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home unless absolutely necessary – this can cause shell malfunctions. MIUI.

Method 2: Mass cleaning the cache of all applications

If the phone is slower to work as a whole (not just individual programs), it makes sense to clear the cache of all user applications at once, which will save time and do not require manual passage on each point.

Algorithm of action:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Slip on the item Clean in the "Cash applications" section.
3. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

On the Redmi 9 with MIUI 13-14, this method allows you to free up 1.5 to 4 GB of memory (depending on the number of applications installed), for example, after such a cleanup, a test device with 50+ installed programs was freed up 2.8 GB.

💡

After mass cleaning of the cache, restart the phone – this will help the system to reassemble the necessary temporary files without errors.

Method 3: Clearing the browser cache (Chrome, Mi Browser, Firefox)

Browsers are one of the main cache eaters on Redmi 9. For example, Google Chrome can accumulate up to 1 GB of temporary files in a month of active use. Cleaning the browser cache will not only free up space, but also:

• 🔒 Delete saved passwords (if not synced to your Google account).
• 📍 Resets the autofill data forms.
• 🍪 Delete cookies, which will lead to the exit of accounts on the sites.
• 🕒 Speed up the loading of web pages (after the first load).

Instructions for Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome → Tap on three dots → “History”


2. Select "Clear Data"




3. Set the "All Time" period.




4. tick "Cookies and Site Data" + "Cached Images and Files"




5. Click "Delete Data"

For Mi Browser, the path is different: Browser settings → Privacy → Clear personal data. Here you can choose whether to delete history, cookies or only cache.

⚠️ Note: If you use your browser to work with important sites (for example, Internet banking), before clearing the cache, make sure to remember passwords or they are stored in a password manager such as Google Password Manager.

Method 4: Cleaning the system cache with Recovery Mode

This method is intended for experienced users and is recommended only if:

• 🐢 The phone is severely slowed even after cleaning the cache of applications.
• 🔄 There was a failure after the update. MIUI.
• 📱 Apps are constantly flying out with an error.

To clean the system cache on Redmi 9:

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 Wipe & Reset (manage by volume buttons, choose by power button).
4. Choose Wipe Cache (Do not confuse with Wipe Data – it is a complete reset!).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.
6. Reboot your phone with Reboot → Reboot to System.

On Redmi 9 with MIUI 14, after cleaning the system cache, the first turn on can take up to 5-7 minutes - this is normal, since the system reassembles the cache again.

Method 5: Automatically clean the cache with MIUI Optimizer

Xiaomi Redmi 9 has a built-in optimization tool, MIUI Optimizer, which can automatically clear the cache on schedule.

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Go back to the basic settings and open Additional → for developers.
4. Find the MIUI Optimization option and turn it on.
5. In the Auto Cleanup section, set a schedule (for example, once a week).

Advantages of this method:

• ⏰ It works in the background without your involvement.
• 📊 Analyzes which applications are most commonly used and clears the cache only for "inactive" programs.
• 🔄 You can configure exceptions for important applications (for example, messengers).

💡

Automatic cache cleaning via MIUI Optimizer is the most gentle method, as the system itself determines which files can be safely deleted without compromising performance.

Frequent Cache Cleaning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many Redmi 9 users make critical mistakes that instead of speeding up the phone, have the opposite effect.

1. Delete data instead of cache: in the application settings, it is easy to confuse the Clear cache and Clear data buttons. The first deletes only temporary files, the second deletes all settings and saves (for example, correspondence in Viber).
2. Frequently clearing the cache of popular apps: If you clean the cache of YouTube or Google Maps daily, these programs will take longer to download, as they will have to download data again.
3. Ignoring updates after cleaning: After a mass cache cleaning, it is recommended to update apps in Google Play, as older versions may conflict with the "clean" system.
4. Cleaning the cache of system applications: Deleting the cache for com.android.phone (phone calls) or com.miui.securitycenter (security) can cause malfunctions in the phone.

How to avoid problems:

• 🔍 Before cleaning, check what you delete (cache or data).
• 📅 Do not clear the cache more than 1 time every 2-3 weeks (except for browsers).
• 🔄 After a mass cleaning, restart the phone.
• 📱 Use memory analytics apps (like Files by Google) to see which files take up the most space.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Cache Cleanup Questions on Redmi 9