How to Clear the App Cache on Xiaomi Redmi: The Complete 2026 Guide

The app cache on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a temporary file that helps programs load and run faster. However, over time, it accumulates, taking up precious space in the device's memory and slowing down its performance. If your Redmi slows down, applications open long or the system issues notifications about memory shortages, it's time to clear the cache.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to clean up cache on Xiaomi Redmi, including hidden MIUI features that not everyone knows, how to remove cache for individual applications, how to do mass cleaning, and what to do if standard methods don’t work, and why you shouldn’t clean the cache of all applications in a row and how it can harm your smartphone.

Why do I need to clean up the cache on Xiaomi Redmi?

Cache is not just garbage. It does an important job of speeding up the re-launch of applications by storing commonly used data (e.g., thumbnails of images, input form data, or interface elements).

• 📉 Slowdown: Cache overflows can lead to lags and hangs, especially on Redmi budget models with 3-4GB of RAM.
• 🚨 Application errors: Older cache files sometimes conflict with updated versions of programs, causing crashes.
• 📱 Lack of memory: Redmi with 32-64 GB of storage cache can take up to 5-10 GB, blocking the installation of new applications.
• 🔒 Privacy breaches: Some applications store sensitive data in the cache (e.g. chat histories or geolocation).

But there's a caveat: cleaning the cache doesn't always solve the brake problem. If your Redmi slowed down after a MIUI update or because of background virus activity, the cache has nothing to do with it, in which case resetting or checking for malware will help.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui or com.miui.home) unless absolutely necessary. MIUI, Up to the black screen after the reboot.

Method 1: Clearing the cache for a separate application

If a particular app (such as Instagram, Telegram or Google Chrome) is slowing down, clearing the cache just for it is safer than a mass cleanup and will not affect the operation of other programs.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app you want (use the search at the top if the list is long).
3. Slap it on and select the Warehouse.
4. Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – this will delete all settings and accounts!).

For convenience, you can sort applications by cache size:

1. In the Application Management section, click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Sort by Size → Cash.
3. Now at the top of the list will be the apps with the largest cache.

Are there any important unsaved data in the application (for example, drafts in messengers)

The application is not updated at the moment (otherwise the cache will be restored immediately)

You have enough free space on your device (minimum 10% of the total)

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On some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+), after cleaning the cache, a notification may appear: “The application may run slower on the first run.” This is normal – after reopening, the program will create a cache again, but already optimized.

Method 2: Mass cleaning the cache of all applications

If you want to clear the cache of all applications at the same time, MIUI has a built-in feature, which saves time, but has downsides:

• ✅ Frees up space quickly (can remove up to a few gigabytes).
• ❌ Slows down the first start of all programs after cleaning.
• ❌ May reset temporary settings (for example, browser search history).

How to do a mass cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Memory (or Storage on new versions of MIUI).
2. Slip on the app cache section (usually displayed as a graph).
3. Confirm the action by clicking Clean in the pop-up window.

On the Redmi with MIUI 14 and newer, the path may be different:

Settings → About the phone → Memory → Cash applications

⚠️ Warning: After a mass cache clearing, some applications (such as Google Maps or YouTube) may require re-authorization or download the data again.

Method 3: Cleaning the cache with Recovery Mode (for experienced)

If your Redmi is slowing down and doesn't respond to standard methods, you can clear the cache through Recovery Mode, which only removes the Dalvik-cache without affecting user data.

• 🔄 Errors Resolved After Updating MIUI.
• 🐢 Corrections of strong lags when the phone "hangs" on the logo.
• 📱 Preparations for firmware or resetting settings.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset (use volume buttons for navigation, power button for confirmation).
4. Choose Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data – it’s a complete reset!).
5. Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
6. Reboot your phone with Reboot → Reboot to System.

After restarting, it may take longer than usual to start the system, which is normal, and all your data (photos, contacts, messages) will remain in place.

Method 4: Automatically clean the cache with Security App

MIUI has a built-in Security app that can automatically clear the cache and optimize the system, which is handy if you don't want to do it manually.

How to set up automatic cleaning:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Optimization tab (or Cleaner in English).
3. Slip on Deep Cleaning → Cash applications.
4. Enable the Auto Clean option and set a schedule (e.g. once a week).

Advantages of this method:

• 🤖 It works in the background without your involvement.
• 📊 Analyzes which applications can be cleaned without risking performance.
• 🔄 You can configure exceptions for important programs (for example, messengers).

But automatic cleaning also has its downsides: sometimes it removes the cache too aggressively, which makes it take longer for applications to load, and if you notice the lags after auto-cleaning, turn it off and go back to manual methods.

💡

Security has a hidden feature called Game Turbo that clears the cache for games only, which is useful if you play heavy games (like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) and notice slowdowns. → Game mode.

Method 5: Cleaning the cache through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work or you want to clear the cache of system applications without risk, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and basic command line knowledge, but gives you complete control.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📥 Installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.

Instructions:

1. Turn on the developer mode on the phone (go to Settings → About phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
4. Open the command line (or Terminal) and type:

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep cache

This command will show you a list of cache apps. To clear the cache for a specific package (e.g., com.facebook.katana), use:

adb shell pm clear com.facebook.katana

For mass cache cleaning of all user applications:

adb shell "su -c 'find /data/data -name 'cache' -exec rm -rf {} +'"

⚠️ Attention: Su command requires root rights. It won't work without them. ADB This can cause system failure, so follow the instructions carefully.

What if cleaning the cache doesn’t help?

If your Redmi is still slowing down after cleaning the cache, the problem could be deeper.

If none of these methods have worked, consider the following steps:

1. Recoil from the previous version of MIUI (if the brakes started after the upgrade).
2. Checking battery health (a worn-out battery may cause lags).
3. Install custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS).

💡

Cache cleaning is a temporary solution, and if your Redmi is older than 3-4 years, the brakes may be associated with hardware wear (e.g., flash memory degradation), in which case only a replacement device or a storage upgrade (on supported models) will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning cache on Xiaomi Redmi