Cleaning Xiaomi memory from garbage: 7 ways to free up space on Android

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO Android smartphones accumulate gigabytes of unnecessary files over time: app cache, remnants of deleted programs, duplicate photos and system debris. Even on new models like Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+, users face memory shortages after several months of active use. The reason is not only the small amount of the drive — it is the peculiarities of MIUI and Android, which aggressively cache data to speed up work.

This article is not about the banal deletion of photos or cleaning the cart, we will discuss the system methods that will help to free up 5 to 20 GB of memory without losing important data. APK-Remains after uninstallation of applications, and why the standard "Optimizer" MIUI And what are the hidden features in Xiaomi's engineering menu, and how to use them without the risk of bricking your phone.

Why Xiaomi is fast clogging memory: 3 main reasons

The memory shortage problem at Xiaomi is not only related to the storage capacity, but also to the MIUI architecture.

• 📱 Aggressive caching MIUI: The system creates duplicate thumbnails, caches web pages, and even saves temporary files from Google Play Services that are not automatically deleted. /data/system/package_cache can weigh up 1-2 GB.
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications: When uninstalling the program through Settings → Applications often remain files in /data/app-lib/ and /data/data/. For example, after the removal of Facebook may remain 300 MB of garbage.
• 🔄 Auto Updates and System Logs: MIUI Maintains detailed error logs (/data/anr/, /data/tombstones/), And the background updates to Google Play and MIUI packetize /cache/, But they're not always removed.

Fun fact: Xiaomi with Android 13+, the system reserves up to 5 GB of “Private Storage” that is not displayed in standard memory analysis, which is used for encryption and recovery, but it cannot be cleared without unlocking the bootloader.

⚠️ If after cleaning the memory, the phone began to work slower, this is normal. MIUI rearranges the cache during 12-24 Don't panic or reset your settings!

Method 1: Deep cleaning through the built-in Optimizer (but right!)

Many users complain that the standard Optimizer in MIUI only cleans 100-200 MB, even though the memory is busy, because by default it does not touch the system cache and the remnants of applications, to make it work more efficiently:

1. Open Settings → About the phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and turn on Do not turn off background processes (this is temporary!).
3. Run the Optimizer (the broom icon on your desktop) and select Deep Clean.
4. After analysis, click Additional → Clear the system cache (this item appears only after activation of the developer mode!).

This method allows you to remove up to 1-1.5 GB of hidden debris, including ART/Dalvik cache and temporary Google Play files. But beware: after such a cleanup, the phone can slow down for the first 10-15 minutes - this is normal.

Battery charge > 50% | Important data (photos, contacts) | Background tasks (antivirus, optimizers) | Closed all applications-->

Method 2: Manual removal of cache and application residues (without root)

Even after uninstallation of the application through Settings → Applications in the system remain:

• 📁 Folders with settings in /data/data/[package_name]/
• 📦 Residues APK into /data/app-lib/
• 🗃️ Cache and temporary files in /cache/

To remove them without root rights:

1. Install File Manager+ (it can work with system folders without root).
2. Go to /data/data/ and manually delete folders with the names of the remote applications (e.g. com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
3. Clear /cache/ – it stores temporary update files and recovery cache.
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete folders called com.android., com.xiaomi. or com.google.* are system components! an error can lead to bootloop (locked phone turn on).

Critical information: On Xiaomi with Android 12+ folder /data/data/ SELinux protected if File Manager+ You can’t see the contents, use them. ADB-team:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.package.name

Replace com.package.name with the name of the remote application package (you can find it through the App Inspector in Google Play).

Method 3: Clean Dalvik cache and ART (accelerates phone + frees memory)

Dalvik cache and ART are optimized versions of installed apps that Android Runtime creates. Over time, these files fragment and take up excess space (up to 500 MB - 1 GB), Cleaning will not only free up memory, but also speed up the phone.

Instructions:

1. Activate the Developer Mode (see Method 1).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the item Clean Dalvik/ART cache (on some firmware it is hidden - see spoiler below).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 3-5 minutes).

Once the Dalvik cache is cleared, the first launches of the applications will be slower, which is normal, since the system reassembles the optimized files, and after 10-15 minutes, the work will stabilize.

💡

Cleaning up Dalvik cache is especially useful after major MIUI or Android updates.It eliminates lags and frees up to 1GB of storage.

Method 4: Remove duplicate photos and junk files through MIUI Gallery

The Gallery app in MIUI has a built-in tool for finding duplicates and junk files, but it's hidden in the depth of settings. Here's how to use it:

1. Open the Gallery and tap three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Control. → Cleanup.
3. Activate all switches: 📸 Duplicate photos (seeking similar pictures up to 5 times apart%) 🎥 Blurred Video (deletes low resolution files) 📄 Screenshots (finds old screens older than 30 days) 📥 Downloaded files (clears the Download folder)

Start cleaning up

This method allows you to free up from 500 MB to 3 GB if you are actively using the camera or download files from instant messengers. Importantly, MIUI Gallery does not delete files from cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud), so check first that important data is synchronized.

Method 5: Using ADB to clean hidden partitions

With ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can remove garbage that is not available through standard settings, which requires connecting your phone to a PC, but does not need root permissions.

What can be cleaned through ADB:

• 🗃️ Update cache (/cache/ota/) — before 1 GB
• 📥 Temporary Google Play files (/data/local/tmp/) — before 500 MB
• 🔄 Logs of the system (/data/anr/, /data/tombstones/) — before 300 MB

Step-by-step:

1. Download Platform Tools from the Android Developers website.
2. Activate debugging over USB in the developer settings.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb devices (the name of your device should appear).
4. Follow the commands in turn: adb shell pm trim-caches 1000G adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* adb shell rm -rf /cache/ota/* adb shell rm -rf /data/anr/* adb shell rm -rf /data/tombstones/*
5. Reboot the phone:

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf If you have errors after the reboot (for example, Google services are not working), reset the cache via Recovery (click Power). + Volume up when switched on).

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Before using ADB, back up your important data via adb backup or Mi Cloud.

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

Method 6: Recovery cache reset (radical method)

If previous methods didn’t help and the phone started to slow down, cache reset via Recovery Mode will help.This method does not delete user data, but cleans all temporary system files, including:

• 🔄 Kesh. Dalvik/ART
• 📦 Remains of updates MIUI
• 🗑️ Temporary kernel files

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up until the MI logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu (manage volume buttons, choose power button) select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 1-2 minutes).
5. Reboot your phone (Reboot → System)

After the cache is dropped:

• 🔄 First switch will take 3-5 minutes (system reassembles cache).
• 📱 Apps will open more slowly within an hour.
• 📈 Free from 1 to 3 GB of memory.

💡

Resetting your cache via Recovery is the most effective way to fix the lags after a MIUI update. but don’t confuse it with Wipe Data, which will delete all your files!

Method 7: Optimize memory with third-party utilities (with caution!)

Google Play has hundreds of memory optimizers, but most of them are either useless or harmful. We tested 5 popular utilities and picked two that actually work on Xiaomi:

How to use Files by Google:

1. Open the app and go to the Cleanup tab.
2. Select categories for analysis: 🗑️ Unnecessary files (cache, temporary files) 📁 Duplicate (photos, documents) 📎 Large files (video, APK)

Clean up

SD Maid is more powerful, but it requires root rights.

• 🧹 Remove the remnants of uninstalled applications (CorpseFinder).
• 🗃️ Database Optimizer (Database Optimizer).
• 🔍 Search for empty folders and broken labels.

⚠️ Warning: Don't use "optimizers" that promise to "speed up your phone by 300%." DU Speed Booster often contains adware and consumes more resources than they free. Xiaomi is already optimized at the kernel level – you do not need to “overclock” it with third-party utilities.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi memory cleanup