Owners of the popular budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 5 often face a lack of free space, which leads to a slowdown and the inability to install new applications. The device, released a few years ago, originally had a limited amount of built-in storage, which in modern conditions quickly fills with junk files, messenger cache and system logs.
Cleaning up memory on Redmi 5 requires a comprehensive approach, as standard photo deletion does not always give the desired result, you need to understand the structure of the MIUI file system, be able to find hidden folders and know which system files can be deleted without risking the stability of the gadget.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all available ways to free up space, from using built-in Android tools to advanced partitioning methods, and learn how to safely remove remnants of remote applications and optimize data storage.
Use of the built-in “Cleanup” application
The first and most obvious step to free up space is to use a regular tool, which is preinstalled in the MIUI shell. The Cleaner app scans the main directories for temporary files, ad cache and residual data, and you can run the scan through a shortcut on your desktop or in the Tools folder.
Once the analysis is complete, the system will suggest removing files it considers safe to delete, but don't blindly trust the automation: look carefully at the list so you don't accidentally delete important documents or screenshots. The algorithm is designed to look for system debris, not user data.
⚠️ Before mass cleaning through third-party applications or built-in cleaner, be sure to check the Recycle Bin folder in the Gallery, as deleted photos are restored only through cloud backups.
For a deeper cleaning inside the Cleanup app, there is a hidden menu. If you press and hold the central button for 5 seconds, additional settings will open to clear the cache more aggressively.This action is safe for Xiaomi Redmi 5 and does not affect personal account settings.
Manual cleaning of cache and application data
The main consumers of free space on Redmi 5 are social networks and instant messengers such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber. These applications store all received media files into internal memory, creating huge archives that are often duplicated. Standard deletion of the application does not always remove these files completely.
To free up gigabytes of space, you need to go to the storage settings. Go through the Settings path → Memory → Application data. Here you will see a list of all installed programs, sorted by size, select the most heavy applications and click the Clean button.
It is important to distinguish between two types of cleaning: Clear cache and Reset data. The first operation deletes temporary files (pictures from tape, video previews) without affecting your logins and correspondence. The second operation completely removes the application along with all settings and authorizations, returning it to the “just from the store” state.
☑️ Checking messengers
Special attention should be paid to the application Google Photos and Chrome. Browsers accumulate gigabytes of cache when browsing sites with “heavy” graphics. Regular cleaning of the browser cache can free up to 500 MB of free space, which is critical for models with 16 or 32 GB of memory.
Working with the “Other” folder and hidden files
Xiaomi users often notice that the Other category takes up a suspiciously large amount of space, but they can’t figure out what it’s made of, which includes files that the system can’t identify as music, photos or videos, and includes application databases, game cache, remnants of remote programs, and system logs.
To analyze the content of this category, it is recommended to use a file manager with access to hidden folders, for example, the standard “Conductor” from MIUI with the inclusion of hidden files. You can turn this option on in the Explorer settings by activating the “Show hidden files” switch.
The largest folders are usually Android/data and Android/obb. The first one stores application data, the second one stores heavy game cache files, and you can only manually delete the contents of these folders if you are sure that the relevant applications are no longer needed or you are ready to re-download their data.
| folder | Description of the contents | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI/debug_log | System logs for debugging | Can be removed |
| Tencent/MicroMsg | Cash and media WeChat/WhatsApp | Clean through the app |
| Android/obb | Game data (cache) | Delete if the game is not needed |
| DCIM/.thumbnails | Photo miniatures | Safe to remove |
What is a.thumbnails folder?
Transfer applications and files to SD-map
The Redmi 5 features a hybrid slot that allows the microSD card to be used, the only lifeline for owners of the 16GB version, and the transfer of data to an external drive allows you to free up critical system space.
In modern versions of Android, transferring entire applications to a memory card is limited to the system developers, but media files can be moved without restrictions. SD-map as the default recording location for camera and voice recorder.
Some applications allow you to manually specify the path to files. For example, in the Yandex.Navigator or offline maps, you can select the storage of cards on the computer in the settings. SD-This frees up hundreds of megabytes of interior space.
⚠️ Attention: Do not format SD-The card is like "Internal Storage" on older devices like Redmi 5 without any emergency, which can lead to a decrease in overall system speed due to low speed reading of cheap memory cards.
If you decide to format a card as an internal memory, all the data on it will be destroyed, and the card itself will be encrypted and linked specifically to this smartphone, inserting it into another phone or computer and reading the data without formatting will not work.
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Use UHS-I (Class 10) and higher memory cards, and cheap Class 4 or Class 6 cards will severely slow down your smartphone if you move apps or active databases to them.
Removing duplicates and heavy media files
Over the years, Xiaomi Redmi 5 has accumulated many duplicate photos, especially if you often send images through messengers or take screenshots of the same checks.
The built-in Cleanup tool has a duplicate search feature, but it doesn't always work perfectly.A more reliable way is to install a dedicated take search app or manually sort by size.Sort files in the gallery by size to find the old videos that take up the most space.
And look at the WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images/Sent folder, which stores copies of every image you've ever sent to your interlocutors, and often it weighs more than the folder that contains the incoming images, because it stores the originals.
It's also worth checking the Download download folder. Browsers and file managers often save installations there. APK-files that have been installed or updated for a long time.
Using ADB for Advanced Cleaning
For power users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a method of cleaning through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to remove system debris and cache that is not available through the usual interface, you will need a computer and enabled debugging over USB on your smartphone.
By connecting Redmi 5 to a PC, you can execute a command to clear the cache of all applications at once, which is especially useful if the phone interface is slow.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command forcibly cuts the cache of all applications to the lowest possible value, freeing up space, but it should be used with caution, since after execution, applications can load a little longer on the first run until a new cache is created.
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Use of the ADB-commands are the most powerful cleaning tool, but it requires a PC and basic command line skills.
Another useful command is to delete the temporary files of the system:
adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*This operation is secure and only deletes temporary files created during the system operation or debugging, and does not affect user data, settings or installed applications.