How to Clean Storage on Xiaomi Redmi 7: The Complete 2026 Guide

Noticing that your Xiaomi Redmi 7 has become slow, and notifications of memory shortages appear almost every day? The problem is familiar to most owners of this budget smartphone with 32 GB of internal memory, of which the user is only available ~24 GB. Even after removing photos and applications, free space melts like snow in the sun. What is the matter?

The matter is in the system debris that accumulates unnoticed: application cache, residual files after updates, duplicates in the gallery and hidden data from the site. MIUI. In this article — 7 proven methods of cleaning the storage, from basic to advanced, taking into account the features of Redmi 7 (model M1901F7G/M1901F7H). No root rights or complex manipulations, only secure methods that won’t damage the system.

Redmi 7 features the lack of a memory card slot in some versions (depending on the region), so cleaning internal storage is more critical than on flagships, we will discuss how to free up from 3 to 10 GB of space without losing important data, and also tell you which files can be deleted without risk and which should not be touched.

All instructions are valid for MIUI 10–14 firmware (including global and Chinese versions). If your smartphone is running on an older version, update the software first via Settings → About Phone → System Update.

1. Built-in cleaning utility MIUI: a quick way

The easiest method is to use Xiaomi's built-in Cleanup tool, which removes temporary files, cache and debris from the system without affecting personal data.

Open the Security app → go to the Cleanup tab. The system will automatically scan the device for unnecessary files.

• 🗑️ Application cache (500 MB to 2 GB)
• 📁 Residual files after deleting programs
• 📥 Downloads (APK, archives, documents)
• 🎵 Music and video from messengers

Press Clean and Confirm Action. On Redmi 7, this method releases an average of 1.5-3 GB on the first run. Repeat the procedure every 1-2 weeks to keep the system clean.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the System Data section manually - this can cause malfunctions MIUI. Trust in automatic cleaning.

2. Manual removal of the app cache

Cache is a temporary file that apps create to speed up work, and over time, it grows to giant sizes, especially for social networks and instant messengers. On Redmi 7, Facebook or Telegram cache can take up to 1 GB.

To clear the cache of individual applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as YouTube or Instagram).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning:

• 🔍 In the same Application Management menu, click on the three dots in the upper right corner. → Size-based sorting.
• 📊 Sort the applications by place and clear the cache from the most “gluttonous».
• 🚫 Do not clear the cache of system applications (such as Settings or Phone) – this can cause errors.

After cleaning the cache, some applications can load longer on the first run — that's normal. After 1-2 use, the speed will return to normal.

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and duplicates

Redmi 7 has a lot of apps from Xiaomi and Google that many users don’t use, like Mi Video, Mi Music, Google Play Books or Duo, which can be removed or disabled to free up to 1 GB of space.

List of safe applications to remove:

To remove pre-installed applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications.
2. Select the unnecessary application → Delete (or Disable if deletion is blocked).
3. To completely remove system applications, you will need ADB (instruction below).

Also check the Downloads folder for duplicate files. Often the same APKs or documents are downloaded multiple times. Use a file manager (like Mi File Manager) to look for duplicates by size or name.

4.Gallery cleanup: hidden files and thumbnails

The gallery on Redmi 7 stores not only your photos, but also thumbnails, edit cache and instant messenger files, which can take up to 2-3 GB, and are not displayed in standard viewing.

How to clean hidden gallery files:

1. Open Gallery → Albums →.thumbnails folder (may be hidden – turn on the display of hidden files in the file manager settings).
2. Delete all files from this folder. They will automatically recover the next time you view the photo.
3. Go to Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage → Clear the data (this will remove the edit cache).

Also check the folders:

• 📸 DCIM/.thumbnails — photo-picture
• 🎥 Movies - video from messengers
• 📥 Pictures/Screenshots — snippet
• 🔍 Android/data/com.mi.gallery - cache gallery

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Use Files by Google to automatically search for duplicate photos and unnecessary screenshots, it's free and works without root rights.

If you are actively using WhatsApp or Telegram, check the folders WhatsApp/Media and Telegram/Telegram Images – there are often gigabytes of unnecessary media files.

5. Transfer data to a memory card (if there is a slot)

Some Redmi 7 modifications (such as the M1901F7H) support memory cards up to 512 GB. If you have a slot, transferring some of the data to a microSD will help relieve internal memory.

How to transfer data:

1. Insert a memory card (UHS-I or A1 class is recommended for speed).
2. Go to Settings → Storage → SD card.
3. Select Transfer Data and mark files to move (photo, video, music).
4. For applications: in Settings → Applications, select the program → Storage → Change → SD card.

Limitations:

• ❌ Not all applications support mapping (especially system-based ones).
• ⚠️ After the transfer, the application may work slower.
• 📱 Do not transfer WhatsApp or Telegram data – this will cause errors.

If there is no card slot, consider a USB-OTG drive, plug the flash drive through the adapter and transfer old photos or videos to it.

6.Reset to factory settings: a last resort

If none of the methods worked and there is less than 1 GB of free space, you will have to do a hard reset. This will completely clean the phone, returning it to the state of “out of the box”. On Redmi 7, the reset takes ~ 5 minutes and frees up up to 10-12 GB of space, but deletes all user data.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup of important files (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Additional → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the phone will look like new.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi 7 models with unlocked bootloader, a reset can result in Mi Account being blocked.If you don't remember Xiaomi account details, don't perform a reset!

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore the backup immediately – first check how much space is freed up.
• 📱 Install only the necessary applications, avoiding “junk” programs.
• 🔧 Turn off auto-update apps on Google Play.

7. Advanced methods: ADB and hand cleaning

For advanced users willing to work with the command line, there are ways to clean up that give more control, such as through ADB, you can delete unnecessary system files or disable preinstalled applications.

Examples of useful ADB-Teams for Redmi 7:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.gallery #Cleaning up gallery cache


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.facebook.appmanager # Deletion of Facebook Services




adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files

You can also manually clean folders:

• 🗃️ /data/log — Logs of the system (can be deleted)
• 📂 /cache — cache updates (cleaned without consequences)
• 🔍 /data/data/com.android.providers.media — mediacache

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system or /vendor — This will lead to a brick of the phone. /data.

For convenience, use a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer), but remember: careless actions can disrupt MIUI.

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ADB-commands and manual cleaning are the best, but they need to be careful. MIUI.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 7 cleanup