Memory Cleanup on Xiaomi Redmi: A Complete Guide for All Models

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are known for their price-performance ratio, but even the most capacious models face a lack of space over time. Clogged memory leads to brakes, sudden reboots and inability to install updates. In this article, we will discuss all possible cleaning methods, from basic to radical, that will help return the device to performance.

Redmi’s peculiarity is that they use hybrid memory (if you have a model marked UFS 2.1/2.2/3.1), where part of the RAM can be temporarily used as storage, which makes it difficult to manually clean: standard methods often do not affect system caches and duplicates of MIUI. We will take these nuances into account and show how to make room without losing important data.

1. Analysis of occupied space: what exactly is the memory?

Before you start cleaning, you need to understand which files are eating up space. MIUI has a built-in tool for this:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Memory.
2. Slip on the chart at the top of the screen.
3. Wait for the analysis to be completed (it may take 1-2 minutes).

The system will show the distribution of memory into categories: applications, media, files and system data.

• 📱 Apps – especially those that weigh >500 MB (social networks, games, instant messengers).
• 📸 Photo / video - even in high resolution 108 MP (Redmi Note 11 Pro models)+ newer).
• 🗑️ Cache and garbage are temporary files that MIUI It doesn’t always clean automatically.
• 🔄 Duplicates are a typical problem after updates MIUI 13→14.

If the System Data partition is >15 GB, it is a sign of clogged updates or remnants of old firmware. These files cannot be manually deleted, special methods will be required (see section 5).

2. Quick cleaning: removing cache and debris

To start with, the simplest and most secure methods that don't affect user data, MIUI has two built-in tools:

Clearing the application cache

Cache speeds up the software, but it grows to giant sizes over time to clean it up.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as YouTube or TikTok).
3. Slip the vault. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning, use Settings → Memory → Clean (the broom icon in the upper right corner) and this will remove the cache of all applications except system ones.

2.2. Deletion of unnecessary files through "Cleaning"

The cleaning function in MIUI finds:

• 📄 Temporary files (.tmp,.log)
• 🗑️ Empty folders
• 🔍 Duplicate photos (only in the MIUI 14+)
• 🎵 Unused. APK-file

How to start:

1. Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Select file categories to delete.
3. Confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files with the.obb extension manually - this is game data (for example, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile), their loss will lead to the reboot of several gigabytes.

3. Optimization of multimedia: photos, videos and music

Photos at 48 MP (Redmi Note 10 Pro) or 108 MP (Redmi Note 11 Pro+) take 10-30 MB each. Videos at 4K@30fps take up to 400 MB/minute. Here's how to reduce their weight:

Photo and video compression

Use the built-in MIUI function:

1. Open the gallery. → Choose a photo/video.
2. Slip again. → Squeeze.
3. Choose quality (High reduces weight by 40-60%).

For batch processing, install Google Files (formerly Files by Google):

• 📱 Automatically detects large and duplicate files.
• 🔍 Suggests to remove blurry photos.
• 🗑️ Clears screenshots older than 30 days.

Transfer to the cloud or external storage

If you have a microSD-enabled model (such as the Redmi 9A or Redmi Note 10S), transfer the media to the map:

1. Insert microSD (recommended UHS-I Class 10).
2. In the Gallery, select files → More → Move → Memory Map.

For cloud storage, it is suitable:

• 🌥️ Google Photos (15GB free, lossless compression).
• 🌥️ Mi Cloud (5GB free) integration with MIUI).
• 🌥️ Yandex Disk (10 GB free, convenient for users from Russia).

⚠️ Note: When using Mi Cloud, turn off automatic video download in synchronization settings - otherwise all traffic may go away per day (tests on Redmi Note 11 showed consumption up to 3 GB / hour when downloading). 4K-video).

4. Application Management: What Can Be Delete Without Harm?

The average user installs 50-80 apps, but only actively uses 10-15. The rest take up space and work in the background.

Removal of unnecessary programs

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management and sort by size. Delete:

• 🎮 Games you don't play >3 months, for example, PUBG Mobile weighs ~2GB).
• 📱 Duplicate applications (two messengers, two browsers).
• 🛠️ "Optimizers and cleaners – they take up memory and often show false warnings.

Disable pre-installed annexes

Xiaomi installs many system programs that can’t be removed, but you can disable:

1. Go to Settings → Applications.
2. Tap it on three points. → Show all applications.
3. Find the unnecessary (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music) → Disable.

This will free up to 1-2 GB and stop background activity.

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Before you uninstall your system applications, check if they are used for important functions, such as Mi Share for fast file transfer between Xiaomi devices.

5.Deep cleaning: removing system debris and update cache

If <10% of memory is free after the previous steps, the problem lies in the system files. MIUI tends to accumulate:

• 🔄 Remains of old firmware (/cache and /data/ota_package).
• 📦 GetApps store cache (can weigh) >1GB).
• 🔍 Logs of the system (/data/log).

Cleaning through Safe Mode (Safe Mode)

Download to Safe Mode to disable all third-party apps:

1. Press the power button → hold Off → confirm the transition to Safe Mode.
2. In this mode, delete suspicious files through Explorer.
3. Reset the device.

5.2 Manual removal of update cache

This method deletes files that MIUI does not automatically clean even after installing updates. Be careful - incorrect actions can lead to a system failure.

1. Install Explorer with access to root folders (e.g. FX File Explorer).
2. Move to the /data/ota_package Delete all files with the.zip extension.
3. Clean the /cache folder (remove all its contents).

6. Radical measures: resetting to factory settings

Free if you <5% And the memory, and the system slows down, and the last option is Hard Reset, which will delete all the data, including the data:

• 📱 Applications and their settings.
• 📸 Photo/video (if not saved to the map or cloud).
• 🔑 Accounts and passwords (except those linked to Google).
• 📞 Call log and SMS.

How to perform the reset:

1. Make a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore the backup right away – first check if the clean system is failing.
• 📱 Install applications gradually (by 2-3 a day) to track which one might be re-inflicted.

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Resetting to factory settings is the only way to completely remove viruses that masquerade as system files (e.g. XiaomiAds or Msa).

7. Prevention: how to avoid repeated clogging?

To prevent memory from getting clogged again, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Once a month, clean the cache through Settings. → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 📱 Remove unused applications immediately after installation (if you don’t need them).
• 📸 Set up automatic upload of photos to the cloud (but turn off video downloads!).
• 🔍 Check the Download folder regularly – unnecessary ones accumulate there. APK archives.
• 🛡️ Turn off automatic app updates in the Play Market (or limit only to Wi-Fi).

For models with microSD (such as Redmi 9C or Redmi Note 10), set up the default file save to the card:

1. Settings → Storage → Reservation by default.
2. Select a Memory Card for photos, videos and downloads.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup on Redmi