Redmi series smartphones like the Xiaomi 7A have gained popularity due to their robust battery and low price, but the amount of built-in storage is often a source of criticism among active users. Standard 16 or 32 gigabytes are quickly filled with modern applications, heavy messengers and high-resolution photos. When the free space runs out, the MIUI operating system starts to work unstable, and new programs stop being installed.
Users often experience a phone that becomes a brick, not because it breaks, but because it is crowded. In this article, we will look at proven methods to help restore the device to speed without losing important contacts and messages, learn where hidden files are hiding and how to properly configure the system for automatic maintenance.
Memory cleaning on Xiaomi 7A is not just removing pictures from the gallery, but a comprehensive approach to managing the file system. We will look at the regular shell tools, cloud services and specialized utilities for deep cleaning. Following these recommendations will prolong the life of your gadget and eliminate constant notifications about the shortage of space.
Analysis of the occupancy of the storage facilities
Before you delete files at random, you need to know exactly what's taking up the lion's share of resources. The MIUI shell includes a powerful built-in analyzer that visualizes the distribution of data, avoiding deleting system files that are critical to the smartphone's operation and focusing on user debris.
To start the diagnosis, go to Settings → About Phone → Storage. The system will scan and report in a color diagram. Here you will see a breakdown by category: apps, images, videos, documents and system files. Notice the “Other” section, which is often inflated by temporary update files.
The in-house analyzer will also show the amount of cache that can be safely removed at a single click, but don’t rely on automatic cleaning alone, as it doesn’t always affect application logs or remnants of remote programs.
It is important to understand the difference between the space of an application and its data. The program itself can weigh 50 MB, but its cache and downloaded files can grow to several gigabytes, and storage management requires regular monitoring of such heavyweights.
Using the "Security" application for quick cleaning
The most affordable tool for Xiaomi 7A owners is the pre-installed Security app, which combines antivirus and cliner functions, allowing you to free up space in a couple of touches, and the algorithms of the program are sharpened to the specifics of the MIUI file system.
Run the application and select "Clean up." The system will scan the device for temporary files, installation residues. APK-After the analysis is complete, you will see a list of files that can be deleted without risking system stability.
☑️ Checking before deep cleaning
⚠️ Attention: The “Acceleration” function in the Security app closes the background processes, which can temporarily free up RAM (RAM), But it doesn't affect the permanent storage.
In the Deep Cleanup section, the utility offers to remove large files, duplicate photos and rarely used apps, one of the most effective ways to quickly get several hundred megabytes of free space, and regular use of this feature helps keep the phone in good shape.
Special attention should be paid to the "Recommendations" section, where the system suggests removing application installation files. APK-files remain dead weight, occupying valuable megabytes on the Xiaomi disk 7A.
Clearing the cache and data messengers
The most voracious apps on any Android smartphone are messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber. They store every photo, video and voice message received in memory of the device. Over time, folders with media files can take up to 10-15 GB, which is a critical volume for the Xiaomi 7A.
To clean up, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select the messenger you want and go to Storage. There are two buttons available: Clear cache and Clear all. One deletes temporary files, the second resets the app to factory settings, deleting correspondence.
- 📸 WhatsApp: Inside the app go to Settings → Data and storage → Storage management. You can delete large files from specific chat rooms here.
- ✈️ Telegram: Use the built-in “Data Use” feature in Telegram settings to set up cache autodeletion (e.g., store media for 3 days).
- 💬 Viber: In Viber settings, select Memory and clear the cache, saving important media files beforehand.
Telegram cache can be cleaned safely — all messages and media are stored on the server and re-downloaded if necessary. WhatsApp situation is different: if you delete media files through the phone settings, they disappear from chats forever, if you did not make a backup. So backup chats in Google Drive before cleaning is mandatory.
Why does Telegram take up so much space?
Regularly checking chat attachments allows you to delete unnecessary videos that have been viewed once and forgotten, often taking up 90% of the space in the messenger folders.
Managing photos and video files
Multimedia is the main consumer of memory on smartphones with little built-in storage. Xiaomi 7A camera takes good quality pictures, but modern formats require a lot of space. Video at 1080p resolution can eat up to 200 MB per minute of recording.
The first step is to transfer all media files to a microSD card, and to do this, in Explorer, select files, click "More" and select "Move." Specify the path to SD-Once transferred, delete the originals from the internal memory, which will make room for the system to run and install applications.
| File type | Average size | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Photo (JPEG) | 2-5 MB | Compression or cloud |
| Video (1080p) | 150-200 Mb/min | Transfer to SD |
| Selfie (RAW) | 20-30 MB | Post-processing removal |
| Screenshots | 0.5-1 MB | Regular cleaning |
Use cloud services like Google Photos to store your archives. Enable the "Free Space" feature in the Google Photos settings, which automatically removes from your device those images and videos that have already been successfully uploaded to the cloud and protected from loss.
⚠️ Note: Before deleting the original photos, make sure that the sync with Google Photos or other cloud is complete. Check for files in the cloud through the browser in incognito mode.
Remember the Recycle Bin folder in the gallery. Deleted files often stay there for 30 days, continuing to take up space. Cleaning the Recycle Bin is a mandatory step in the final cleaning.
Removing Unused Applications and Games
On the Xiaomi 7A, every gigabyte counts, so having games you haven't played in months is unacceptable.Modern games like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty can take up more than 2-3GB along with the resource cache.
Go to Settings → Apps → All apps and sort the list by size. You'll be surprised to find programs that haven't been used in six months. Deleting even two heavy games can free up to 5 GB of space, which will significantly improve system performance.
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Use the Restricted Apps feature in your battery settings to prevent unnecessary programs from running in the background and creating temporary files.
Also, you should pay attention to system applications that can not be removed in the standard way, but you can turn off. If you do not use the standard Mi browser, navigation or Google services (with caution), they can be turned off in the application management menu, which will hide them and stop background activity.
For advanced users, there is the possibility of removing system debris through ADB-It's a standard uninstall menu for the average user, and remember that removing system components can lead to unstable operation. MIUI.
Setting up SD-maps as internal memory
One of the key features for Xiaomi 7A owners is the ability to use the microSD card as an extension of internal memory, which allows you to install applications and save data directly to the USB drive, bypassing the limitations of the built-in drive.
To activate this feature, insert the card into the slot. The first time you connect, the system will suggest formatting it. Select "Use as internal storage." Importantly, the card will be formatted and all the data on it will be destroyed, so back up.
- 🚀 Speed: Use class cards for comfortable work UHS-I Class 10: Slow maps will lead to interface lags.
- 🔒 Binding: Once formatted, the card is encrypted and linked to a specific phone. On another device, it won't be read without being completely reset.
- 📂 Transfer: After setting up, the button "Move to" will appear in the application menu SD-map for many installed programs.
This feature dramatically changes the experience of using a budget smartphone. You get a conditional 32 GB (16 GB of built-in). + 16 GB card) or more for installation of programs. However, it is worth remembering that the speed of work with the computer is very high. SD-The card is always lower than with the built-in memory.
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Use of speed SD-Cards as internal memory is the best way to extend the life of Xiaomi 7A without buying a new phone.