How to effectively clean up memory on Xiaomi Redmi 9: the complete guide

Owners of the popular budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 9 often face a lack of internal storage, which inevitably leads to a slowdown in the interface and problems when installing updates. the operating system MIUI, based on Android, over time, overgrows temporary files, app cache and system debris, which takes up precious gigabytes. Proper cleaning allows not only to free up space, but also significantly extend the life of the device without having to buy a new model.

In this article, we will take a look at all available methods of freeing up space, from standard system tools to manually deleting hidden files. You will learn which folders can be deleted without risk to the system, how to optimize multimedia and whether to use third-party programs. Proper memory management is the key to stable operation of your gadget.

Before we start taking drastic measures, we need to review the current state of the vault, and understanding what exactly occupies space will help us avoid removing important documents or system components, and we'll look at both embedded utilities and the possibilities of computer diagnostics.

Storage occupancy analysis and system tools

The first step is always diagnostics. The built-in memory analyzer allows you to quickly determine which categories of files consume the most resources. The standard approach in the MIUI shell involves using the Security application, which is pre-installed on every Redmi 9 device. This tool scans the device and suggests removing junk files, but its functionality is deeper than it seems at first glance.

To access the detailed statistics, you need to go to the Settings → Memory menu. Here you will see a color diagram where each bar corresponds to a specific type of data: applications, images, videos, audio, documents, etc. By clicking on any category, you can get a list of files and delete the extra. System files usually occupy a fixed amount, but their size can grow due to error logs and temporary update data.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from system folders manually through the file manager unless you know exactly what they are intended for, and this may result in an incorrect interface or a cyclical device reboot.

The Security app also has a Cleanup feature that finds cache, ad files, and remnants of deleted applications, but it’s worth remembering that aggressive cache cleaning can cause apps (like a browser or maps) to take longer to load when they first run, as they have to re-download data.

Cleaning the application cache and removing temporary files

Social networks and instant messengers are the biggest contributors to digital garbage, and apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber, and Instagram store every photo and video you see in your phone’s memory, even if you didn’t open it on purpose, and cleaning up the cache of these programs is the fastest way to free up a few gigabytes.

To do the cleaning selectively, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select the app you want (like YouTube or TikTok) and click Memory. There will be a "Clear Cache" button. It's important not to confuse it with the "Clear Everything" button, as the second option will delete your logins, passwords and settings inside the app.

• 📱 Telegram: has a built-in autodelete cache setting, which can be found in the Data and Memory menu» → «Memory use. Set a timer of 3 days or 1 week».
• 📸 Instagram: caches previews of stories and tapes.Cleaning through Android settings is safe but will require re-authorization.
• 🌐 Browsers (Chrome, UC Browser: accumulate site history and files, and can be safely deleted through the standard cleanup menu.

Special attention should be paid to the folder MIUI It's a core of internal memory, and it often has debugging logs and error reports, and the path to that is usually like an internal drive. → MIUI → debug_log. If you're not a developer, you don't need those files. Also check the Download folder, which often contains forgotten installation files. APK documents.

Working with multimedia: photos, videos and cloud services

Media files are the main consumer of space on any modern smartphone. Redmi 9 camera takes quality pictures, but one minute of video in 1080p resolution can take up to 150 MB. Store thousands of such files on the built-in drive is irrational. The optimal solution is to move the archive to the cloud or to an external medium.

Google Photos allows you to set up automatic sync, and once photos are uploaded to the cloud (Google accounts give you 15GB for free), you can delete them from your device with a single “Free Space” button, which will only delete those copies that are already stored in the cloud, leaving the phone clean.

If your Redmi 9 has a memory card slot (it is combined with the second one) SIM-So, you can use it to store photos and videos, and you can set the camera settings to save the images right on the camera. SD-To do this, open the camera, click the settings menu and select Save to SD-map».

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Use the Photo Compression feature in Google Photos or Xiaomi Gallery to reduce the size of old photos without any visible loss of quality if cloud storage is crowded.

Removal of unused applications and residual files

Many users install apps just in case or for a single feature, and then forget about them. Not only do they take up space, but they can also run in the background, using up battery power. MIUI has a handy tool to manage this.

Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Sort the list by size. You will be surprised to find games or services that take up 1-2 GB. Deleting such applications is the most efficient way to instantly get free space. Don’t forget to also check the Android → data folder, where heavy files often remain after deleting games (cache cards, resources).

System applications that cannot be removed in the standard way (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, Facebook if preinstalled) can be disabled, which will hide them from the menu and prevent them from updating or running in the background, although they will take up space anyway. Root rights or use are required to completely remove system software ADB (Android Debug Bridge via computer.

⚠️ Attention: When in use ADB Removing critical components such as com.miui.securitycenter or com.android.systemui can turn the phone into a brick or cause permanent reboots.

Use of a memory card and USB-accumulator

Xiaomi Redmi 9 supports microSD cards up to 512 GB (officially), although in practice, larger cards often work. Using external memory is the best solution for those who do not want to constantly clean the phone.

Once you have the card installed, the system will suggest formatting it. Select "Use as a portable storage" if you plan to transfer the card to other devices. If the card is only on this phone, you can choose "Use as internal storage," but this will encrypt the card, and it will not be read on other devices without formatting.

To work with files on a flash drive, use the Explorer app. You can manually move folders. DCIM (Photos, Music and Download to external media, and in the settings of some applications (for example, voice recorder or DVR), you can specify the way to save files immediately to the user. SD-map.

Radical measures: Resetting before