How to Clean Up RAM on Xiaomi: The Complete 2026 Guide

Your Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco started to slow down, applications spontaneously close, and animations twitch? 90% of these problems are associated with overloading RAM. Unlike permanent memory, where files are stored, RAM is responsible for multitasking — and when it is not enough, the system is forced to “kill” background processes. But cleaning RAM on Xiaomi has a nuance: the wrong actions can not only not help, but also worsen performance.

In this article, 7 proven ways to free up RAM, including hidden MIUI features, developer settings and automatic tools. We’ll look at why standard “app closure” is often useless, how Xiaomi’s memory management mechanisms work, and what to do if the phone “chokes” even after cleaning. All methods are tested on current versions of MIUI 14/15 and adapted for models from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Why Xiaomi RAM is clogged faster than other smartphones

Xiaomi manufacturers have traditionally equipped their devices with an aggressive memory management system that prioritizes the speed of application launch over its stability in the background, which means that even with enough RAM (for example, 8-12 GB), the system can artificially restrict background processes.

• 🔄 MIUI Memory Extension (available with MIUI 12.5): Uses a portion of the permanent memory as virtual RAM, but often results in "suspends" when an active swap is performed.
• 📱 Background optimization: By default, MIUI blocks applications from running in the background after 10–30 minutes without activity.
• 🚀 System Process Priority: Xiaomi services (e.g., com.miui.securitycenter) take up to 1-1.5 GB of RAM and are not cleaned by standard methods.
• 🔄 Automatic reboot: Some models (e.g. Poco F5) restart background processes every 6 hours, creating the illusion of a "memory leak."

It’s important to understand that free RAM ≠ is efficient. Android is designed to use all available memory to caching frequently used data. If you see 3-4 GB of free RAM after cleaning it up, it’s not always a good thing: the system will waste resources on re-loading data.

Method 1: Manually Closing Applications (and Why It’s Often Useless)

The most obvious method is to swipe apps into the multitasking menu, but there are pitfalls.

1. Open the multitasking menu (swipe up with a delay of 0.5 seconds).
2. Swipe up the app card to close it.
3. For mass cleaning, click on the Close Everything icon (usually at the bottom of the screen).

⚠️ Warning: This method only clears visible processes. Most system services and background tasks will remain active. Moreover, MIUI can automatically restart closed applications (such as Mi Video or GetApps) in a few minutes.

Method 2: Clean RAM through “Security” (hidden MIUI tool)

MIUI has a built-in deep memory cleaner that removes not only user processes, but also part of the system processes.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Security.
2. Select “Optimization” (or “Acceleration” in newer versions).
3. Click on “Clear Memory” (may be called “Free RAM”).
4. Confirm the action if a request appears.

This method is more effective than manual closing, as it affects:

• 🧹 Cache system applications (e.g., MiuiDaemon).
• 🔄 Google Play Services and Mi Account background tasks.
• 📱 Processes related to weather widget and notifications.

🔹 Limitation: The tool does not clear the memory occupied by the Android kernel and drivers (usually 1-1.5 GB).It can also reset background sync (for example, for Telegram or Gmail).

Save important data from the clipboard

Close all active calls or broadcasts

Disable VPN (can block system processes)

Check the battery level (below 15% cleaning may not work well)-->

Method 3: Developer settings for memory management

For advanced users, MIUI offers hidden RAM management options to activate:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You are a developer!” appears.
3. Return to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.

Key parameters are now available:

⚠️ Warning: Changing the "Background Process Limit" parameter to below the "Standard Limit" can result in:

• 🚫 Stop syncing your Google Account.
• 🔔 Disappearance of notifications from messengers.
• 🔄 Automatic restart of system services in 5-10 minutes.

Method 4: Disabling Unnecessary System Applications

MIUI preinstalles dozens of applications that take up RAM even if you're not using them, and you can turn them off (but not remove them completely without root).

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Show all processes."
3. Find unnecessary apps in the list (see table below) and select “Disable”.

🔹 What applications can be turned off without risk:

⚠️ Attention: Don't turn it off:

• 🚫 com.miui.securitycenter (security center – responsible for cleaning RAM).
• 🚫 com.android.phone (telephone services).
• 🚫 com.google.android.gms (Google Play Services) will cause the system to crash.

💡

Before disabling system applications, check them in Safe Mode (press the turn off button → “Reboot in Safe Mode”). If the phone is stable, you can turn off.

Method 5: Use of third-party utilities (with caution!)

Google Play has hundreds of RAM cleaning apps, but 90 percent of them are either useless or harmful. We tested the top-end utilities on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12 -- the results in the table:

🔹 How to Use Greenify Properly:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Provide access to special features in Settings → Special features → Greenify.
3. Add unnecessary apps to the hibernation list (e.g. Facebook, TikTok).
4. Activate the option “Aggression mode” (requires ADB).

⚠️ Warning: The side of the boosters is often disguised as cleaning RAM:

• 📊 False memory usage graphs (show "free" where there is none).
• 🔄 Automatic reboot of system processes (which increases load).
• 🛑 Blocking important services (e.g. Google Play Services)

Method 6: Deep Cleaning through ADB (for Advanced)

If standard methods don't work, you can manually kill system processes through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a PC and minimal command line knowledge.

🔹 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Download Platform Tools from the Android website.
2. Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (see Method 3).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and open the Command Prompt in the ADB folder.
4. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
5. To clean the RAM, use: adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS adb shell input keyevent 187 # Emulation of the "Clean All" button adb shell am kill-all

🔹 Additional commands for power users:

• Current process view: adb shell ps -A | grep -E 'u0_a|system'
• Forced closure of a particular process (e.g. Facebook): adb shell am force-stop com.facebook.katana

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB may lead to:

• 🔄 Bootloop (cyclic reset) in killing critical processes.
• 📵 Loss of mobile communications (if you close com.android.phone)
• 🔒 Screen lock (if you kill com.miui.home)

💡

ADB is a powerful tool, but it requires caution: Always check commands for unnecessary processes before applying to system services.

Method 7: Reset partition cache (last chance before hard reset)

If RAM is clogged due to a damaged system cache, a Wipe Cache Partition reset will help, which does not delete user data, but requires a reboot to the recavator.

🔹 Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the MIUI logo appears.
3. In the recovery menu, select the language (if you have a request).
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Restart the device (Reboot) → Reboot to System).

🔹 What does this method do:

• 🧹 Clears temporary system application files.
• 🔄 Resets the Dalvik/ART cache (accelerates application launches).
• 🛠 Fixes errors associated with "memory leaks."

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option (hard reset) will delete all your data, including photos and apps.

Frequently asked questions