Memory Cleanup on Xiaomi Redmi 7A: A Complete Guide to Freeing Up Place

Xiaomi Redmi 7A is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but its main drawback is only 16/32 GB of internal memory. Over time, the device starts to slow down, applications fly out, and the system gives a notification “Not enough memory.” If your Redmi 7A is slower and photos and videos are not saved, it’s time to clean the memory.

In this article, you will find 7 proven ways to make room on the Redmi 7A without root rights and loss of important data, we will examine both standard methods (cache cleaning, garbage removal) and hidden MIUI functions that many people do not know about, and at the end we will answer frequent questions and warnings about typical errors.

1.Analysing Occupied Space: What Eats Memory on the Redmi 7A?

Before you clean it, you need to figure out what exactly takes up space. Redmi 7A with MIUI 10/11/12 has a built-in memory analyzer that shows the file distribution by category.

1. Go to Settings. → Memory.
2. Click on the graph at the top of the screen.
3. Wait for the scan to be completed (it may take 1-2 minutes).

The system will break the occupied space into blocks:

• 📱 Applications – installed programs and their data.
• 📷 Media files – photos, videos, music (most often occupy the most space).
• 🗃️ System files - cache, logs, updates.
• 📄 Other files - downloads, documents, APK.

The Redmi 7A is particularly high on the following:

• 🎵 YouTube and TikTok cache (can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• 📸 Photo and video in permissions 4K (one video up to 500 MB).
• 📦 Residual files after deleting applications (folder) /Android/obb/).
• 🔄 Duplicate files (especially in the DCIM and downloads).

On Redmi 7A with 16 GB of memory, the system reserves up to 6-8 GB for your needs, so the user is available only ~ 8-10 GB. If you see that less than 1 GB is free, the smartphone will start to slow down, and some functions (for example, updating applications) will stop working.

2.Cache cleaning applications: a quick way to free up 500MB-1GB

Cache is a temporary file that applications save to make things faster, accumulates over time and takes up gigabytes of memory. On Redmi 7A, the cache can be cleared in two ways:

Method 1: Clearing the cache for all applications at once

1. Open Settings → Memory → Clear the cache.
2. Confirm the action (may take 10 to 30 seconds).

Method 2: Selective cache cleaning for individual applications

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook or Chrome).
3. Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data!).

What apps are most often "cluttered" cache on Redmi 7A:

• 🌍 Browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser) – up to 300-500 MB.
• 📺 Social networks (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook) – up to 1 GB.
• 🎮 Games (PUBG Mobile, Free Fire – Cache of maps and textures.
• 📹 Video players (YouTube, MX Player - buffered videos.

Clear browser cache |Delete social media cache |Check games for unnecessary data |Clear YouTube cache-->

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for system applications (Settings, Phone, Messages) – this can cause malfunctions in the smartphone. Also do not delete the cache of Google Play Services, otherwise Google services will stop working.

3. Delete unnecessary applications and their residual files

Redmi 7A has many MIUI system applications that cannot be removed by standard methods, but there are 3 types of software that can be disposed of without consequences:

1. Unnecessary user applications (games, instant messengers that you do not use).
2. Duplicate services (e.g., two browsers: Chrome and Mi Browser).
3. Malware (if you install APKs from unverified sources)

How to remove applications correctly:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots at the top → Sort → by size).
3. Select the unnecessary app and click Remove.

If the Remove button is inactive (grey), it means the application is system.

• 🛑 You can turn it off (this hides it from the menu and stops background work).
• 🗑️ You can remove the updates (return to the factory version).

List of safe to remove system applications on Redmi 7A:

To completely remove system applications, you will need ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

adb shell


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

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

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Before you delete system applications, back up through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will help you recover data when you crash.

4. Cleanup of downloads, duplicates and junk files

The Downloads folder on Redmi 7A often becomes a dump of unnecessary files: old APKs, documents, pictures from messengers. Also, duplicate photos (for example, screenshots with the same content) and residual files after updates take up a lot of space.

How to find and remove garbage:

Step 1: Cleaning the Downloads folder

1. Open Explorer (or any file manager, such as Total Commander).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/Download.
3. Delete unnecessary files (APK, PDF, ZIP, etc.).

Step 2: Finding and removing duplicates

For this purpose, applications can be used:

• 🔍 Files by Google (built-in Cleanup feature»).
• 🗑️ CCleaner (section “Duplicates»).
• 📁 Duplicate Files Fixer (specialized software).

Step 3: Delete the Residual Files

After deleting applications, their data often remains in folders:

• /Android/obb/ – cache of games (can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• /Android/data/ – Application data.
• /DCIM/.thumbnails – photo and video miniatures

These folders can be manually cleaned through Explorer, but be careful not to delete active application files (for example, if PUBG Mobile is playing, do not touch its folder in /Android/obb/).

⚠️ Note: Do not use deep cleaning features in applications like Clean Master or 360 Security. They often delete important system files, which leads to a bootloop ( looped reboot) on Redmi. 7A.

5. Transfer files to a memory card or cloud

If the Redmi 7A’s internal memory is full and you don’t want to delete anything, transfer your files to a microSD or cloud storage. This smartphone supports memory cards up to 256 GB (FAT32 or exFAT format).

Method 1: Transfer to microSD

1. Insert the memory card in the slot (on Redmi). 7A It's combined with SIM-The card will require an adapter for two SIM + microSD).
2. Open Explorer, select files (photos, videos, music).
3. Click Move and select the memory card.

To have applications installed on SD-default-card:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Preferred installation location.
2. Select Memory Card.

Method 2: Upload to the cloud

Free cloud services for Redmi 7A:

• ☁️ Google Photos – unlimited storage for high quality photos (up to 16 MP).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud – 5GB free (integrated into the MIUI).
• ☁️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB when registering.
• ☁️ Mega – 20 GB free (with encryption).

How to automatically upload photos to Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Open the settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Enable the function and select quality ("High" - unlimited, "Original" - counts at 15 GB).

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Moving files to a memory card or to the cloud doesn't free up internal memory unless you delete the originals! after copying, check that the files are duplicated and delete them from your phone.

6.Reset to factory settings: a last resort

If none of these methods worked, and the Redmi 7A has less than 500 MB of space left, you'll have to do a hard reset, which will delete all data, including:

• 📱 Installed applications and their settings.
• 📷 Photos, videos, music (if not on the list) SD-map).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS, Call log (if not synced to Google).
• 🎮 Game saving (if not linked to an account).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Save important data to your PC or memory card.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.
4. After restarting, set your phone as new.

If the phone freezes and does not respond to touch, you can reset through Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off Redmi 7A.
2. Press Volume Up + Power and hold for 10 seconds.
3. In the recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power for confirmation).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 7A After the reset, an error may appear “No”. OS installed (no installed OS) This occurs due to partition damage /system. To fix it, you will need to reflash the phone via Fastboot.

7.Memory optimization: how to prevent future filling

To prevent memory from running out too quickly on the Redmi 7A, follow these tips:

• 📵 Limit the background activity of applications: Go to Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery management.Select Background Limitation for Unnecessary Applications.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic media download in messengers: WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Autoboot media → Turn off for mobile data. In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media → Choose "Never».
• 🔄 Set up automatic cache cleaning: Install SD Maid or Files by Google. Enable Auto Clean (e.g. once a week).

Combine the photo and video

1. In the camera, select a resolution of 12 MP instead of 48 MP.
2. Use apps like Photo Compress to reduce the weight of your photos.

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Even if you cleared the memory, the Redmi 7A will eventually start to slow down again, which is because MIUI is actively using cache to speed up the work, the optimal balance is to keep 1-1.5 GB of memory free.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup on Redmi 7A