How to completely clean the memory of Xiaomi phone: from cache to garbage

Your Xiaomi or Redmi is slowing down, apps are crashing, and the system is giving a notification "Memory is full"? The problem is familiar to most smartphone users on MIUI. Even new models with 128-256 GB of memory after a year or two of operation begin to "choke" in unnecessary files, the reason for this - aggressive caching of applications, duplicate photos in the gallery, residual data from remote programs and hidden system log files.

In this article, 10 proven ways to clean up memory on Xiaomi, from basic (for a beginner) to advanced (for advanced users), we will discuss how to make space without losing important data, which files can be deleted without risk and which should not be touched. We will focus on the features of MIUI 14/15 and models with hybrid memory (Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13T, etc.).

1. Built-in tools MIUI: clean-up

Start with the standard system features – they are secure and do not require third-party applications to be installed. MIUI has two key tools: Cleanup (quick deletion of temporary files) and Storage (deep analysis of occupied space).

To open the cleaning menu:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Memory (or Settings → Storage on New Versions).
2. Slip on the "Clean" button - the system scans the cache of applications, downloads and the basket.
3. For detailed analysis, click Files → select categories (Images, Videos, APK, etc.) and remove the unnecessary.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.miui.home or com.android.systemui) through the All Apps menu – this can cause shell malfunctions. MIUI.

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If the applications load longer after cleaning the cache, that's OK, and the system will recover the data the next time it runs.

2. Removal of duplicate photos and videos in the gallery

One of the biggest memory black holes on Xiaomi is duplicate media files, which appear when:

• 📸 Automatic backup in Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• 🔄 Synchronize with messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), which save copies of sent files.
• 📁 Transfer data from other devices via Mi Mover or ShareMe.

To find and remove duplicates:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select "Manage" → "Dublicates".
3. The system will show groups of identical files. Select the ones that are unnecessary and click "Delete".

For deep cleaning, use third-party utilities such as Files by Google or CCleaner, which find duplicates even in hidden folders (.thumbnails, DCIM/.cache).

3. Clearing the cache of individual applications

Some programs (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) can take up to 1-2 GB of cache each, while a standard cleaning through Settings → Storage does not always delete all temporary files.

How to clean the cache manually:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select a program (for example, YouTube) → "Warehouse".
3. Tap "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data" (Warning: This will reset the app settings!).

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system services with the names com.qualcomm... or android.hardware... this can disrupt the operation of the camera module, GPS mobile.

Backup important data |Close all background programs |Check out the free space after cleaning |Reboot the phone-->

4. Removal APK-files and residual data

After installing apps from APK or uninstalling programs through the Play Market, the phone has “tails”:

• 📦 APK-files in the Download folder or APK.
• 🗑️ Residual data in folders /Android/data/ and /Android/obb/.
• 🔧 Configuration files in /data/data/ (root-only).

How to delete:

1. For APK: Open Files → Go to Downloads or APK → Delete unnecessary files with the.apk extension.
2. For residual data: use SD Maid (requires root) or manually check folders: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/

On models with hybrid memory (Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5), the /Android/obb/ folder can take up to 5-10 GB due to the cache of games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).

5. Cleaning system logs and dumps

MIUI actively logs system errors, especially if the phone is rooted or has modified firmware installed, which take anywhere from 500 MB to 2 GB and are stored in hidden folders:

• 📜 /data/log/ — Logic of the kernel and system services.
• 📊 /data/anr/ — Application dumps that “hang".
• 🔍 /data/tombstones/ — report-breakdown.

They can be removed:

1. Through ADB (no root): adb shell pm trim-caches 1G adb shell rm -rf /data/log/* adb shell rm -rf /data/anr/* adb shell rm -rf /data/tombstones/*
2. Root Explorer (if you have root access)

6. Transfer data to a memory card or cloud

If your internal memory is full of photos, videos, or music, transfer it to a microSD or cloud.

Method 1: Memory card

1. Insert microSD (up to 1TB cards are supported on 2022+ models).
2. Open Files → Select Files → Move → Select a map.
3. For automatic photo saving: Camera settings → Save Place → SD card.

Method 2: Cloud storage

• ☁️ Google Photos – free 15 GB, compression without loss of quality.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud – 5GB free, integrated with MIUI.
• ☁️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB free, convenient for users from Russia.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Redmi models K60 Pro when migrating applications to microSD, they can run slower due to limitations UFS 3.1 vs microSD UHS-I.

7. Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If the phone is full 90%+ And it slows down even after all the manipulations, and it's hard reset, which will delete all the data, including accounts, photos and apps, but it will return the device to a clean state.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup: Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select "Erase all data" and confirm.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Restore data from backup (but not all files – only important ones!).
• 🚫 Don’t install all apps at once – add them gradually, watching for free space.
• 📱 Turn off automatic media download in messengers.

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Resetting to factory settings is the only way to completely remove viruses and system debris, but it should be the last step after all other cleaning methods.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi memory cleanup