Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones offer users a huge opportunity for multimedia, games and work, but even 256 GB of memory can fill up faster than you notice. MIUI or HyperOS accumulates data every day: this is the cache of messengers, forgotten downloads, and system logs. When the occupancy indicator lights up in red, the device starts to work slower, and new applications stop being installed.
In this article, we will not only examine the basic methods of deleting files, but also the hidden features available to power users. You will learn to distinguish between secure data for deletion and critical system files. Proper cleaning of internal memory prolongs the life of the drive and returns the phone to the previous response speed of the interface.
Analysis of memory occupancy built-in tools
Before you start taking any drastic measures, you need to know exactly what's taking up space. Xiaomi's shells have a built-in analyzer that visualizes the distribution of data. Go to Settings → Memory or use the Security → Cleanup app. The system will automatically scan the device and show you a diagram where you can see what's eating up gigabytes: apps, images or system files.
Special attention should be paid to the "Applications" section. Often, it happens that one messenger or social network takes up tens of gigabytes due to accumulated media files. Standard cleaning of the cache through the application settings does not delete the history of correspondence, but releases temporary files that can be downloaded again. It is a safe way to quickly get free space.
If you see that the "Other" partition takes up a disproportionate amount of space, this may indicate the presence of residual files from remote programs or a cache of system updates. In such cases, a standard analyzer may not show the detail, and you will need to use third-party slits or manually check folders through the file manager.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from system folders with names Android/data or MIUI manually, if you're not sure what they're supposed to do, it can cause applications to crash or you can lose your system settings.
Use of the application "Security" and Deep Clean
Each Xiaomi smartphone has a Security system app preinstalled, which is the main tool for maintaining the device, and it hides a powerful Deep Clean module that finds large files, duplicate photos and rarely used applications. Run a scan and go to the appropriate tab for detailed analysis.
The duplicate search feature is particularly useful for those who are actively taking pictures. The algorithm finds the same images, even if they have different names or slightly different sizes. You can choose a series of the same pictures and leave only one, deleting the others, which instantly frees up a significant amount of memory.
☑️ Checklist for quick cleaning
You can also find large files in this section that you might have forgotten to delete, like old video files or archives, and the system sorts them by size, allowing you to quickly make a decision about deleting, and using this tool regularly is the best way to prevent space shortages.
Cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks
Messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber are the biggest memory eaters on Android. They cache every photo and video you see, even if you haven't downloaded it explicitly. It's better to use the apps' built-in tools to clean them effectively, because they allow you to delete media files while leaving text messages intact.
Telegram can set up automatic cache cleanup. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory use and set a timer, like "3 days." After that, the app will delete old media files from the phone's memory, storing them in the cloud, which dramatically changes the situation with space shortage.
- 📱 On WhatsApp, go to Settings → Data and storage → Storage management to see which chats occupy the most space and remove media from them selectively.
- 🗑️ In Viber, cleaning is performed through additional → Memory where you can delete cache and downloaded files.
- ⚙️ In the system settings of Android (Applications) → All apps) can be clicked on Clear Cache for each messenger, but it is less effective than internal settings.
⚠️ Note: When you clean your messenger data through your Android settings (Clear Data button), you may lose your entire correspondence history if it wasn’t saved in a backup. Use only Cache Clearing or internal app settings.
Why is the cache constantly growing?
Working with the Downloads folder and the file system
Download is a black hole that contains all the files in your browser, documents, APK installers, and stored images, and many users don't look in there for years, unaware that there may be gigabytes of junk in there. Open Explorer and go to Downloads.
You can often find older versions of apps you have already updated, or PDF-Size-sorting will help quickly identify heavyweights. Removing unnecessary.apk installers is the first step to take, as they no longer provide any value once you install them.
It's also worth checking the DCIM →.thumbnails folder. This hidden directory stores thumbnails of your photos for quick viewing in the gallery. Over time, this file can grow to several gigabytes. It can be safely deleted, but the system will recreate it when you open the gallery again, so doing this only makes sense if there is an acute shortage of space.
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Use the Hide feature in Explorer to protect personal files from accidental deletion, but remember that this is not encryption, but only hiding from view.
Removal of duplicates and large files
In addition to built-in tools, it is worthwhile to review media files manually or using specialized utilities. Duplicates often occur when syncing with the cloud, sending files over Bluetooth or Mi Share, and creating screenshots of the same content.
Large files, such as recorded screens, long videos or offline maps of navigators, also require attention. Often users forget that they downloaded a map of an entire country for navigation, which now lies dead weight. Check the map folders (Google Maps, Yandex Maps, OsmAnd) and delete unnecessary regions.
| File type | Where to find | Security of removal |
|---|---|---|
| APK installers | Download folder | Safe (after installation) |
| File.thumbnails | DCIM/.thumbnails | Safe (recovered) |
| Logs of applications | Android/data/.../logs | Safe. |
| System libraries | System/lib | Dangerous (not to touch) |
Transfer data to memory card and cloud
If internal storage is crowded, the smartest solution is to transfer media files to an external medium. Xiaomi smartphones support microSD cards. You can transfer photos, videos and music to Settings → Memory → Use as a portable storage, and then move files to the card in the file manager.
The alternative is to use cloud services like Google Photos, Yandex.Disk or Mi Cloud, and by setting up automatic sync with Free Space, you delete the original photos from the device, leaving them in the cloud, allowing you to access the entire archive without taking up the phone's physical memory.
To transfer applications to a memory card in modern versions of Android, the possibilities are limited, but some Xiaomi allow you to transfer some data. → Annexes → Select the application → Memory. If the "Change" button is active, you can move the app to the SD-The map, though it may slow it down slightly.
⚠️ Note: Memory cards have lower write and read speeds compared to internal memory. It is not recommended to transfer active applications or games to them, as this can cause lags and interface hangs.
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Regularly cleaning the messenger cache and transferring photos to the cloud are the most effective ways to maintain free space on Xiaomi without losing important data.