How to completely clean up memory on Xiaomi Redmi 9A: from cache to system garbage

Xiaomi Redmi 9A

MIUI

SD-map

7 Proven Methods

MIUI 12/13

Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to clear the cache in the settings - but this is only the tip of the iceberg.Real "eaters" of memory on Redmi 9A hidden in system logs, duplicate photos, remnants of remote applications and even in APK-update files that MIUI It doesn't always delete automatically, like when you update your firmware in your folder. /data/app Temporary files may remain up to 1-1.5 GB - and the system does not touch them for months.

Another trap is optimizing MIUI for weak devices. Redmi 9A is a budget-friendly segment, so Android restricts the background activity of applications, but aggressively caches data for the future. Paradox: the less memory, the more actively the system tries to “reserve” it to speed up work, as a result, the user sees in the settings 2-3 GB of “other” storage that can not be cleaned by standard means.

1.Diagnostics: what exactly is taking up memory on the Redmi 9A

Before we start cleaning, we need to understand which files are eating up space. MIUI has a built-in storage analyzer, but it doesn't show all categories. Here's how to get the whole picture:

Open Settings → About Phone → Memory. Here you will see the categorization of Apps, Images, Videos, Audio and the mysterious Other, which often takes up 10-15% of the total memory — system files, update cache and debris from remote programs.

For detailed analysis, use third-party utilities like Files by Google or SD Maid (available in the Play Market) to show:

• 📁 Folders with duplicates (e.g, DCIM/.thumbnails — Photos that can be removed without consequences)
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications (Folders) /android/obb and /android/data They often store unnecessary files)
• 📄 Logs and dumps (files with.log or.dumpstate extension in the root folder)

A critical feature of Redmi 9A is that if less than 1 GB of free memory is left, the system starts to slow down not because of fullness, but because Android can not create temporary files for background processes, which leads to lags, spontaneous reboots and errors when installing applications.

2. Cleaning the application cache and system

The most obvious, but often the wrong way, is that many users clean the cache selectively, one app at a time, and that's inefficient, because the main garbage is in the system cache and Google Services data.

To clear the entire cache at once:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Clear cache of all apps.
3. On the Redmi 9A, this process can take 1-2 minutes - don't interrupt it!

To clean the system cache (including MIUI cache and updates):

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 🧹 Select Deep Cleanup and mark the following items: System Cache, File Residues, Unused APK.
• 🚫 Do not clean the Downloads section through this utility – it can delete important files downloaded manually.

Consequences Warning: After deep cache cleaning, some apps (like YouTube or Google Maps) will take longer to load when they first run, which is normal.

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If the phone is slower after cleaning the cache, restart it. MIUI sometimes incorrectly processes the freed space without a reboot.

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Redmi 9A has a lot of Xiaomi and Google apps that can’t be removed by standard means, but can be disabled or removed with ADB (advanced users).

List of safe applications to remove / disable:

To disable pre-installed applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an unneeded app (such as Mi Video).
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Remove Updates first).

To completely remove system applications, you will need ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a risky procedure that can lead to unstable phone operation.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer

(Replace com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer with the desired application package).

4. Data transfer to SD-card (if supported)

Redmi 9A officially supports microSD up to 512GB, but there are nuances:

• 📱 Modifications with 2/32 GB memory allows you to transfer only media files (photos, videos, music).
• 📱 Modifications with 3/32 GB 4/64 GBs (if they exist for your region) can support Adoptable Storage, which is the portability of applications to your region. SD.

To transfer files to SD-map:

1. Insert a memory card (UHS-I U1 or higher is recommended).
2. Open Files (File Manager application from Xiaomi)
3. Select files (for example, in a folder) DCIM/Camera), Press More. → Move it → SD-map.

To port applications (only if Adoptable Storage is supported):

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse → SD-map.
2. Select Settings → Format as internal memory.
3. 🚨 Warning: After that, the card will be encrypted and will not be read on other devices!

⚠️ Attention: If you are using SD-The card is an internal memory, do not remove it without first turning off the settings. This can lead to data loss or damage to the file system. SD-The card will be lower than the built-in memory.

Make a backup copy of data from the card|Check the card for errors (via PC)|Format in FAT32 (Not if you're an Adoptable Storage)|Insert the card before switching on-->

5. Cleaning the “Other” Storage: Logs, Dumps and Temporary Files

The “Other” section of Redmi 9A memory analysis often takes 1-3 GB and is not cleaned by standard means.

• 📜 Logs of the system (/data/log, /data/anr) — Created when applications fail.
• 🗃️ Temporary update files (/cache, /data/ota_package).
• 🧹 Remains of the remote APK (/data/app-lib).

To clear these files:

1. Install File Manager+ (from Play Market) and give it root rights (if the phone isn’t rooted, skip this step).
2. Go to the root folder and delete the contents of the following directories (if they exist): /data/log /data/anr (files with the extension.trace) /data/ota_package (If there are files with a name update.zip)

For cleaning without root rights:

1. Use the SD Maid app (the CorpseFinder section will find the remnants of the remote applications).
2. Run deep cleaning in Settings → Additional → Storage → Cleanup.

It is also recommended to limit background activity for unnecessary applications:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook or Instagram).
3. Set a limit on background activity → Limit.

Bonus: Disable the interface animation to speed up the work:

1. Activate Developer Mode (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → Press 7 times).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the items Animation Scale, Transition Animation and Animator Duration – set the value to Disable.

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Turning off the background activity of applications not only saves memory, but also increases battery life by 10-15%.

7. factory reset (last resort)

If all previous methods failed and there is critically little free memory (less than 500MB), you will have to perform a complete reset, which will delete all data, including photos, messages and installed applications, so make a backup beforehand.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Resetting → Delete all data.
3. Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Attention: After the Redmi reset 9A It might be stuck on the logo. MIUI on 10-15 Don't turn off your phone or remove the battery if the freeze lasts longer. 30 Try to enter the Recovery Mode (squeeze the power supply) + Volume up) and repeat the reset.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Don’t restore data from a backup right away – first check how much memory is available out of the box».
• 📱 Install only the most necessary applications, avoiding “junk” utilities (such as memory cleaners – they often create more problems than they solve).
• 📁 Transfer the media files to SD-Map or cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud).

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning Redmi memory 9A