How to clean up the cache on the Xiaomi smartphone: 5 ways to MIUI 12-15

Why Xiaomi Cache Should Be Cleaned Regularly

Cache memory on Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi and POCO lines) are temporary files that create applications to speed up work. Over time, they accumulate, taking up up to 5-10 GB of precious space. But the problem is not only in memory: crowded cache can cause the MIUI interface to freeze, camera slowdown or even occasional device reboots.

Xiaomi owners often find that after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, the system begins to “brake” – this is due to improper cleaning of the old cache. For example, after switching from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14, many users note that the gallery takes a long time to load photos, and the Google Play Store gives an error of 927 – these are classic symptoms of “junk” cache.

In this article, you will find 5 proven cleaning methods (including hidden MIUI features), a table comparing methods on efficiency, as well as answers to frequent questions – for example, why WhatsApp or Telegram take up gigabytes of memory again after cleaning the cache.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings

The safest method is to manually clean the cache for specific programs, which is suitable if you notice that only a few apps have become slower (for example, Instagram or TikTok), this method does not delete account data or stored files, only temporary data.

Instructions for MIUI 12-15:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size, so you will see the most "gluttonous" programs.
3. Select an app (like Facebook) and click Storage.
4. Tap Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – it will delete all settings!).

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home – this can cause a launcher to crash MIUI. If push notifications stop working after clearing the Google Services cache, restart your phone.

📱 Social media cash (VK, Telegram, Instagram)

🎮 Cash games (PUBG, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty)

📷 Cash galleries and cameras (files.thumbdata)

🌐 Cache of browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser)

❌ Do not touch the system applications with the com.miui. or Android package.

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Once the YouTube or Netflix cache is cleared, videos can be loaded longer on the first run, which is normal. The system caches the data again to speed up the subsequent viewing, and if the application starts to fly out after cleaning (for example, VTB Bank), delete and install it again.

Method 2: Completely clean the cache of all applications (without root)

If Xiaomi's phone is getting a lot of brakes, and you see in the storage settings that the Cash partition is over 3GB, it's time to do the general cleaning. MIUI has a hidden feature for mass cleaning, but it's hidden in the Warehouse menu.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. At the bottom of the screen, tap on the Clean (or Free up space in MIUI 15) item.
3. Select the Cash tab and tick against all applications (or select the ones you need manually).
4. Click Clean and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) POCO F3) After mass cache clearing, the sound may disappear from YouTube or TikTok.This is due to the deletion of the cache of com.google.android.gms. Solution: restart the phone or update Google Play Services manually.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the phone starts to brake

Never cleaned.

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

If MIUI is so slow that even settings are opened with a delay, cleaning the cache through Recovery mode will help.This method deletes all temporary system files, including the update cache and dalvik cache, which often solves problems with "suspend" after updating the firmware.

Instructions for Xiaomi with MIUI Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up simultaneously and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (if you have a choice) and tap Wipe & Reset.
4. Choose Wipe Cache (Do not confuse with Wipe All Data – it is a complete reset!).
5. Confirm the action and wait until the completion (it will take 1-3 minutes).
6. Reboot your phone with Reboot → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with a locked bootloader (e.g., Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) After cleaning the cache through Recovery, this error may appear MIUI version cannot be installed on this device:

• 🔄 Restart your phone in normal mode.
• 📱 Connect to Wi-Fi and wait for automatic update checks.
• 🔧 If the error persists, reset the network to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

Method 4: Automatically clean the cache with Security App

Xiaomi is embedding a security utility in MIUI that not only scans viruses but also optimizes memory, a technique that is suitable for beginners, as it does not require manual selection of applications.

How to use:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Optimization tab (or Cleaner in the global versions of MIUI).
3. Slip the Deep Cleanse and wait for the analysis.
4. In the Garbage Files section, select the App Cash and click Clear.

💡 Useful advice: B MIUI 14/15 And we got Auto Cleanup, and it automatically deletes the cache once a week, so you can turn it on:

1. In the Security app, go to Settings → Autoclean.
2. Activate the switch and select the day of the week (we recommend Sunday when the phone is less used).

⚠️ Note: The Security app sometimes mistakenly labels Google Maps or Waze cache files as “junk,” which makes maps load longer. If you use the navigator a lot, add these apps to the exceptions in the Security settings.

Method 5: Clean up the MIUI update cache (hidden folder)

Many people don't know, but MIUI stores the update cache in a hidden /cache folder that isn't cleaned by standard methods. If you update your OTA firmware frequently, this folder can grow to 1-2 GB. It can only be cleaned through root or ADB File Manager.

Instructions via ADB (without root):

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times according to version, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Download ADB Tools and open the command line in the folder with adb.exe.
3. Enter the commands in turn: adb shell su rm -rf /cache/* reboot

🔹 PC-free alternative: If you have root access, use Root Explorer or file manager FX File Explorer:

• 📂 Go to the root directory and find the folder. /cache.
• 🗑️ Delete all files inside (do not delete the folder itself!).
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

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Clearing /cache is especially relevant if you get the “Not enough room to update” error when you install a new version of MIUI via Settings → System Update.

What to do if after cleaning the cache problems remain

Sometimes cleaning the cache doesn't solve the brake problem. Here are 3 steps to diagnose:

1. Check the space: If the phone has less than 10% of the free memory, MIUI starts to slow down regardless of the cache.
2. Turn off animation: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (stamp 7 times), then to Developers → Window/Switch animation scale and select No Animation.
3. Reset Settings: If the lags appeared after the MIUI update, reset the settings via Settings → System → Reset settings (does not delete files, only settings).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with Snapdragon processor 4xx/6xx (Like Redmi. 9C or POCO M2) The brakes may not be due to cache, but to overheating. AIDA64 — if CPU heats up 60°C in simple, cleaning the cache will not help (replacement of the thermal paste is necessary).

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If after clearing the Google Play cache, the Market issues an error DF-DFERH-01, delete the data of the Google Play Services application and the Google Services Framework in Settings → Applications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up cache on Xiaomi