Your Xiaomi Redmi has become slow, apps spontaneously shut down, and games hang? Most likely, the problem is overloaded RAM. Even on the new Redmi Note 12 or Redmi 10 models, the system can “suffocate” from background processes. In this article, we will analyze 7 proven methods of cleaning RAM — from standard MIUI tools to hidden functions for power users.
Note that cleaning RAM doesn’t always solve the problem of slow operation. If after all the manipulations the phone keeps lying down, the cause may be a filled storage (less than 10% of free space), outdated firmware or hardware malfunctions. At the end of the article, we added an FAQ with answers to typical questions on this topic.
Why is RAM clogged on Redmi?
RAM (Rapid Memory) is responsible for the system's performance, and when memory is scarce, MIUI begins to force applications to close, causing slowdowns, and the main causes of overload are:
- 📱 Background processes: Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), social networks and games continue to work even after the folding.
- 🔄 Autoloading apps: Many programs (such as AliExpress or TikTok) run when your phone is turned on.
- 🤖 Google Services and MIUI: System processes (com.miui.analytics, Google Play Services) consume up to 30% of RAM.
- 🐛 Memory Leaks: Errors in firmware or applications (often found on Redmi with custom firmware).
On models with 4 GB of RAM (for example, Redmi 9A), the problem is more pronounced than on flagships with 8-12 GB (Redmi K60 Pro). However, even top-end devices are not immune to memory leaks when used actively.
Method 1: Manual cleaning through the “Recently used” menu
The fastest way is to close all active applications manually, and on MIUI, it's like this:
- Click on the square button (a list of recent apps) or swipe up and hold.
- At the bottom of the screen will appear the button “Close all” (or icon basket) – tap it.
- For selective cleaning, swipe unnecessary apps up.
⚠️ Warning: Do not close system processes like Settings or Launcher - this can lead to interface failures. It is also not recommended to clean RAM more than 1 time in 2-3 hours: constantly restarting applications, on the contrary, increases the load on the processor.
💡
Redmi with MIUI 14 and later has a swipe-down gesture across the screen of recent apps – it instantly closes all processes.
Method 2: Using the built-in Optimizer
MIUI has a built-in memory cleaner tool called Security (formerly Optimizer) that removes cache, stops background processes, and even suggests speeding up the phone with a single tap.
- Open the Security app (shield icon).
- Go to the Acceleration tab (or Optimization on older versions).
- Click “Clean” and the system will show how much memory is freed up.
- For deep cleaning, tap "Deep Acceleration" (reboot may be required).
On Redmi with MIUI 13 and higher, the "Application Freeze" option has appeared in this menu - it temporarily stops unused programs without deleting them from memory.
| MIUI version | Title of section | Additional options |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 and below | "Optimizer." | Clearing the cache, stopping processes |
| MIUI 13–14 | «Security» → «Acceleration» | Deep acceleration, application freezing |
| MIUI 14 (HyperOS) | «Security» → «Optimization» | Automatic cleaning on schedule |
Method 3: Disabling Autoboot Applications
Many programs (Facebook, Instagram, banking apps) automatically start when you turn on your phone and hang in the background, consuming RAM.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select an application (such as VK) and tap “Out-Start”.
- Turn off the "Allow Auto Start" slider.
For mass blackout:
- In the same menu (Application Management), click on the three dots at the top → “AutoStart”.
- Sort the list by “Run” and disable unnecessary ones.
⚠️ Warning: Do not disable auto-start for system applications (Google Play Services, MIUI Daemon: This could disrupt your phone, and some WhatsApp apps will stop showing notifications.
Unused games|Social media (VK, Instagram)|Shops (AliExpress, Wildberries)|Fitness trackers (if you don’t use them all the time)-->
Method 4: Cleaning the cache and application data
Cache and temporary application files can take up hundreds of megabytes of RAM, and cleaning them will not only free up memory, but also eliminate possible errors.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select a “slowdown” app (such as TikTok).
- Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».
- If the application is bugged, tap “Clear the data» (⚠️ This will reset all the program settings!).
On Redmi with 6GB of RAM and less, clearing the Google Chrome and YouTube cache can free up up to 500-800MB of RAM. However, don't get carried away: constantly cleaning the cache causes apps to reboot data, which increases traffic and battery consumption.
What happens if you clear the application data?
Method 5: Using the Performance Mode
Redmi with MIUI 12+ has a hidden mode that optimizes the allocation of RAM, which is useful for gamers or when working with heavy applications (Photoshop, AutoCAD).
- Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
- Go to Performance Mode (on some models – Game Turbo).
- Enable the slider and select a profile: 🎮 «Games" - maximises FPS, block notifications. ⚡ «Productivity – speeds up data processing. 🔋 «Battery – Balance between speed and power consumption.
This mode temporarily blocks background processes, giving more RAM to the active application. For example, when you run Genshin Impact on the Redmi Note 11 Pro, the FPS can grow by 10-15%.
Method 6: Resetting settings to factory (last resort)
If nothing helps and the phone freezes every 5 minutes, it may be a problem with system errors, in which case hard reset will help.
How to reset:
- Create a backup: Settings → About Phone → Backup.
- Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
- Select “Erase all data” and confirm.