How to effectively clean the memory on Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, despite its venerable age and popularity, eventually begins to suffer from a lack of free space. This is a classic problem for devices with 32 or 64 gigabytes of internal memory, which is quickly filled with junk files, app cache and heavy multimedia data.

In this guide, we will not only look at the standard cleaning methods available through the MIUI menu, but also deeper ways to free up space. You will learn how to safely remove system debris, analyze disk space and which files you absolutely cannot touch. A competent approach to the file system will allow you to extend the life of your gadget without having to buy a new device.

Analysis of the occupied space in the MIUI settings

The first step is always diagnostics, and the MIUI has a powerful tool built in to visually assess what is eating up precious gigabytes, and you don't have to delete everything right away, you have to understand the storage structure, so you have to go to the Settings menu and find Memory or use the standard Security app.

The system will then offer a scan, and then it will give you a detailed report, and you'll see the categorization of apps, images, videos, documents, etc., and you'll pay special attention to the "Other" section, which often gets inflated by accumulated logs and temporary files.

• 📊 Click on the Clean button in the Security app to automatically remove apparent debris.
• 📂 Check your messenger folders manually, as they often take up to 40% of your memory.
• 🗑️ Use the built-in Storage analyzer to find duplicate files.

⚠️ Before mass cleaning of the category "Other" make sure that there are no important installation files. APK or saved documents that the system may have mistakenly classified.

Statistics show that regular analysis takes no more than 5 minutes a week, but saves hours of nerves when working with a slow interface. If you see that the Applications section takes the lion's share, then it's time to revise the list of installed software.

Cleaning up cache and data heavy applications

Social media and instant messengers are traditionally the most voracious consumers of memory. Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber and Instagram have a habit of storing every image and video they view into cache, and over time, this temporary buffer can grow to several gigabytes, although it is not formally the data that the user needs.

To clean up, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select the app from the list and click on Storage. There are two buttons available: Clear cache and Clear all. The first is secure and only deletes temporary files, the second will reset the app to the post-installing state by deleting logins and correspondence.

Settings → Applications → All Apps → [Select App] → Storage → Clear the Cache

Gallery and cloud services are worth a special attention. If you have Google Photos or Mi Cloud sync enabled, check if the original images are stored locally. Google Photos’ Free Space feature allows you to remove from your device those pictures that have already been uploaded to the cloud.

• 🚀 Clean up YouTube cache regularly if you watch a lot of high-resolution videos.
• 💬 In Telegram settings, enable autodelete media files after a week.
• 📸 Check the “Recently Deleted” folder in the gallery, the files there take up to 30 days to complete.

⚠️ Note: Clearing data (not cache) for banking applications will require re-authorization and setting up biometrics, be prepared to re-enter the password.

Removal of system debris and residual files

Even after removing applications, Android often has tails — folders with settings and temporary files. On Redmi Note 4 with its file system, these residues can accumulate for years. For deep cleaning, the best way to use a built-in MIUI Explorer or file manager is to use it.

Go to the root of internal memory and look for folders with the names of remote games or programs. Android/data and Android/obb. It stores game cache files. If you delete a game but the folder with its name (e.g. com.gameloft.android) is still there, you can delete it manually.

There is also a hidden debugging log section that can take up space. While Redmi Note 4 has no superuser rights to access system partitions, clearing user logs is possible through a developer menu or special utilities.

Remember that after manually cleaning the folders, it is recommended to restart the device, which will allow the MIUI system to recalculate the file indexes and correctly display the freed up space.

Working with multimedia and transferring to a memory card

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 supports the installation of microSD cards, which is a salvation for owners of the 32 GB version. Proper organization of photo and video storage is the key to free internal memory. The camera by default saves all photos in internal memory, but this behavior can be changed.

Go to the camera settings and find the item "Save in" SD-Once activated, all new photos and videos will be written directly to the external drive.

Also worth paying attention to is the Download folder, which is where browsers and torrent trackers often save huge files that the user forgets about. Move the archives of movies and music to the map, leaving only operational tasks for internal memory.

• 📁 Move the WhatsApp Media folder to the memory card through the settings of the messenger itself.
• 🎵 Use music streaming services instead of storage MP3-file.
• 📹 Compress video before sending or store originals only in the cloud.

⚠️ Warning: Do not transfer the folders of system applications or the applications themselves to the memory card if you have the option in the settings. This can lead to unstable operation of the Redmi Note 4 and slow down the launch of programs.

Using Developer Mode and ADB for Advanced

For those who aren't afraid of complex interfaces, there's a USB debugging method, and by connecting the Redmi Note 4 to a computer, you can use ADB commands to remove system debris that the average user can't see, and that requires you to turn on the developer mode.

To activate the mode, you need to 7 times click on the build number in the About Phone menu. Then in advanced settings, turn on USB Debugging. This method allows you to remove pre-installed Xiaomi applications (bloatware) that take up space and are not removed in the standard way.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.player

Using such commands, you can free up several hundred megabytes of system partitioning, but extreme caution is required: removing critical system components can lead to a bootloop.

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Before removing system applications via ADB, be sure to write down their exact package name so that you can restore the system in case of an error.

Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings

If no methods help and the memory fills up on its own, there may be critical errors in the file system, in which case the solution is a full reset, which will return the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 to the state out of the box.

Before the procedure, make sure to back up all important data to your computer or the cloud. Reset will delete absolutely everything: contacts, SMS, photos and installed applications. You can access the reset menu through Settings → Advanced Settings → Recovery and Reset.

Once reset, the system will work as fast as possible and the memory is 100% cleared, and it is recommended not to install all applications at once, but to do this gradually, observing the memory filling to identify the culprit of the problem.

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Comprehensive approach: regular cleaning of cache, transfer of media to the SD-Map and unused apps allow you to keep Redmi Note 4 in great shape without losing performance.