Owners of the popular budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 3S sooner or later face the problem of lack of free space. This is a classic situation for devices with internal memory of 16 or 32 GB, especially given that part of the space is occupied by MIUI system files. When the drive is full, the phone starts to run slower, applications fly out, and new programs are not installed.
But don’t panic, as the MIUI-based Android system provides powerful tools for managing files. Cleaning up your device to speed up and free up gigabytes of photos and music. In this article, we’ll look at all the effective ways, from standard features to deep cleaning system debris.
Before we start taking drastic measures, we need to understand what exactly takes up space. Often it's not the apps themselves, but their accumulated cache and messenger files. The right approach to maintaining Redmi 3S will extend its life and ensure comfortable use.
Analysis of vault occupancy
The first step should always be diagnostics: you can't blindly delete files without understanding their purpose. Xiaomi's built-in tools allow you to see the structure of the occupied space in detail, which helps identify the memory eaters, which are often forgotten videos or archives.
The most accurate picture is the standard Security app, which scans the device and sorts the data into categories, and the user immediately sees that the most space is occupied by, for example, WhatsApp or the browser cache, which allows you to act point by point, removing only the extra.
You also have to look at the storage settings, and it shows a memory distribution diagram, and if the "Other" partition takes up a suspiciously large amount, it's a signal that there are orphan files or remnants of deleted programs, and deleting them requires a more careful approach.
Cleaning with built-in MIUI tools
The safest and fastest way to free up space is to use the regular Cleanup utility, which is built into the Security app and is available by default, and the scanner's algorithm is configured to keep important system files from being deleted, minimizing the risk of operating system damage.
To start the procedure, you need to open the Security app and select Cleanup. The system will analyze the device and suggest that you delete temporary files. However, it is important not to stop there. After the initial cleanup, you need to click on the Deep Cleanup button to find large files and duplicates.
⚠️ Note: When using Deep Clean, carefully check the file list before deleting. Sometimes the Big Files folder may contain important documents or saved navigation routes.
The Cache Clearing feature on this menu is safe, it removes temporary data that applications have created to speed up work, but that over time inflates. After this procedure, Redmi 3S can run a little faster, since the system will not need to index corrupted temporary files.
☑️ Quick cleaning plan
Working with the cache of applications and messengers
The bulk of data in modern smartphones is generated by instant messengers. Telegram, Viber and WhatsApp store every photo and video viewed in the memory of the device. Without regular cleaning, these folders can grow to several gigabytes, critically filling the internal drive.
Unlike simply cleaning the cache through settings, it is better to use the built-in tools of the applications themselves. For example, on Telegram you can set up automatic deletion of media files. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use and set a auto-delete timer.
For WhatsApp, the procedure is a little different: you go to the chat settings and select "Store Data," where the app will show you the most spaced dialogs, and you can selectively delete media files from specific correspondence without losing text.
Chrome or the standard MIUI browser accumulates gigabytes of cache when browsing pages with heavy graphics, and it is better to clean up through the browser settings in the “Privacy” section, selecting “Clear History” and noting “Images and other files saved in cache”.
Where is the Telegram cache stored on Redmi 3S?
Removal of duplicates and large files
Often users forget about downloaded files that are no longer needed, such as APK installation packages, old presentations, or copied movies, and finding and removing such objects is the most efficient way to instantly get free space.
Use Xiaomi's File Manager app, which has a convenient sorting by file type, select Documents or Applications, and sort the list by size. Files over 100MB that you don't need right now, delete safely.
Special attention should be paid to duplicate photos. When shooting frequently or synchronizing with the cloud, copies of images can appear on the device. There are special applications for finding duplicates, but you can also use the built-in analyzer in the Cleanup section -> Similar photos.
| File type | Where to find | Recommendation | Security of removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| APK installers | Download folder | Delete everything | Tall. |
| Thumbnail (miniatures) | DCIM/.thumbnails folder | Clean periodically | High (restored) |
| Log files | MIUI/log folder | Delete | Tall. |
| Cash cart. | Card settings (offline) | Remove unused regions | Medium |
Data portability and work with SD-card
The Redmi 3S features a microSD card slot, which is a lifeline for owners of the 16GB version. Using an external card properly allows you to offload internal storage. However, simply inserting a card is not enough – you need to configure the system correctly.
Modern versions of Android and MIUI allow you to use a memory card as part of an internal storage (Adoptable Storage), but on Redmi 3S this feature may be limited or absent depending on the firmware version, so the most reliable method is manual transfer of media files.
Configure the camera and messengers so that they save photos and videos on the default SD-This will prevent the system partition from filling up quickly. To do this, select Storage in the Camera settings and specify SD-map.
⚠️ Attention: Don't put it on SD-The map itself, if they don't officially support it, can lead to unstable programs and launch errors on Redmi. 3S Due to the lower speed of reading the external map.
Check the contents of the memory card regularly. The microSD card file system is prone to errors when writing and overwriting frequently, and it is recommended to format the card every six months (pre-saving data on a PC) to maintain its performance.
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Use memory cards of class speeds not lower than Class 10 or UHS-I. Slow cards will slow down the operation of the entire smartphone, as the system may try to cache data to an available medium.
Radical methods and resetting settings
If none of the above methods helped to free up enough space, the last resort is a complete factory reset, which completely clears the internal memory by removing all user data, accounts and applications.
Before starting the procedure, be sure to back up important data. Use Xiaomi Cloud or Google Drive cloud services, or copy the files to your computer. Once reset, the phone will be like new, with maximum free memory.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Restore and Reset → Reset. The device will restart and begin the cleaning process. This can take 5 to 15 minutes.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure the battery level is at least 50% before starting the reset. interruption of the process due to battery discharge can cause damage to the system partition and the inability to boot the phone.
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A complete reset is the only solution that is guaranteed to clean up all system debris and registry errors, but takes time to set up the phone afterwards.