How to clean up the memory of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 phone: an expert guide

Despite their age, Redmi Note 4 smartphones are still popular with users due to reliability and maintainability. However, owners often face a critical lack of free space, which leads to a slowdown in the MIUI interface and the inability to install new applications. Overcrowded storage is not just an inconvenience, but a direct path to unstable operation of the Android operating system.

In this article, we will look at all the effective ways to free up space, from standard tools to advanced methods of cleaning system debris. You will learn which folders can be deleted without risking data, how to work with cache correctly and why standard cleaning is often useless. Memory optimization requires an integrated approach, which we will discuss in a moment.

Before we start taking radical action, we need to audit the space we occupy, and understanding what eats gigabytes allows us to do things point-by-point rather than randomly, and it often turns out that the lion's share is occupied by forgotten video files or the remnants of remote games.

Analysis of the occupancy of the storage facilities

The first step is always diagnostics. The MIUI shell on the Redmi Note 4 has a powerful analyzer built in that allows you to visually evaluate the file distribution. To get into it, go to Settings → Memory. Here, the system will show an approximate distribution between applications, images, videos and system files.

The good thing about the in-house analyzer is that it's safe. It won't show system files that could lead to a bootloop (cyclical reboot), but it may not always be accurate because it doesn't scan hidden folders of messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which often swell to giant sizes.

Note the Other category, which often includes browser cache, temporary update files, and remnants of remote programs, and if this category is larger than 5-7 GB, manual cleaning through a file manager or PC connection is required.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files from Android system folders through Explorer unless you know exactly what they are intended. Android/data It can reset app settings or deprive you of access to purchased content.

For deeper analysis, you can use third-party tools like DiskUsage or Files by Google, which build a graphics card where each file is represented by a rectangle of a certain size, and it allows you to instantly find the heavyweights hidden in the back of the directories.

Cleaning cache and temporary application files

The easiest way to get back up is to clear the cache, which is temporary data that apps save to speed up content loading, and over time, that cache grows and starts to take up valuable space, especially if you have a model with 32GB of internal memory.

To clear the cache selectively, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select a heavy app (like YouTube, Chrome or browser) and click Memory. Here you will see two buttons: Clear and Delete. We are interested in the first one. Clicking Delete will erase all data, including logins and progress, which we don't need yet.

Pay special attention to messengers. Telegram and WhatsApp have their own built-in cleaning settings. Telegram, for example, you can set up autodelete the cache of media files. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use and set a timer for Cached Media for 3 days or a week.

There is also a global cleanup through the built-in Security app (green zipper icon). Run the scan and press the Clean button. This will delete temporary system files but will not affect your personal photos or documents. Regular use of this feature helps to maintain performance at an acceptable level.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing the cache of maps (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps) will delete the saved offline maps. If you use navigation without the Internet, you will have to download regions again.

Working with garbage in messenger folders

The most voracious apps on Redmi Note 4 are social media and instant messengers, which store every photo and video you see in your device’s memory. Android/media/com.whatsapp or Android/media/org.telegram.messenger can weigh tens of gigabytes.

Within these directories, you often find folders with the names Private, Images, Video. This is where all the "circles", stickers and resent videos are stored. It is safe to delete them through the file manager if you have already saved important files to the cloud or to your computer. The folder structure may vary depending on the version of Android (7.0 Nougat or 8.0 Oreo on Redmi Note 4).

It is critical for Telegram users to know about the Local Storage feature.The app can store gigabytes of data even if you don't see it in chats (like channels you once read), cleaning through the app's settings is much more effective than manually deleting files.

Remember to check the Download folder. Browsers by default save all downloads there. APK-file, PDF-documents and pictures. Often there are installers of applications that you've already installed, or older versions of programs.

Removing duplicates and heavy media files

Duplicate accumulation is a scourge of any file system. On the Redmi Note 4, with its not-so-fastest eMMC memory, having thousands of identical photos is a big drag on gallery indexing. There are special clinch apps that find the same files by hash amount, even if they have different names.

But the best way to do this is to manually sort files by size, go to the file manager, select Size by Size, and look at the top of the list, and often there are forgotten 4K videos or long screen recordings that you don't need anymore, and the video files take up the most space, and deleting them gives you instant results.

Also worth paying attention to the DCIM/Camera folder. If you shot in high resolution or used Portrait mode, these files can weigh 10-15 MB each.Moving the archive to the cloud service (Google Photos, Yandex.Disk) with the “Free space” function is the best way to save memories without clogging the phone.

Use the Recycle Bin function in the gallery. After mass deleting files, remember to clean the cart itself, otherwise the space will not be vacant. The files in the cart take up space exactly until their storage period expires (usually 30 days) or until you forcibly delete them.

Use of the SD-maps and portability of applications

The Redmi Note 4 features a hybrid slot that allows you to use a microSD memory card.This is a salvation for owners of versions with 32 GB of memory. SD-The map allows you to transfer most of the user content to it.

In modern versions MIUI transfer of the applications themselves SD-The map is limited, but you can transfer photos, videos and music without any problems. SD-The card is as Portable Storage (unless it is formatted as internal). Then, in the camera settings, specify saving the photo directly to the map.

For instant messengers, you can also change the way you save media files. In the Telegram or WhatsApp settings, select SD-This will prevent the internal memory, which is critical to the Android system, from being filled.

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Tip: Use UHS-I class memory cards (U1 or U3). Cheap Class 10 cards can run slower than the phone's built-in memory, leading to hangings when shooting videos or running heavy apps from the card.

If you decide to format the card as “Internal Storage,” remember that it will be encrypted and can’t be read on other devices without resetting.This is a good option if you have a large card (64-128GB) and plan to use it only on this phone.

Radical Methods: Resetting and Root Rights

When software methods fail, there is “heavy artillery” left, and Factory Reset is guaranteed to clear the phone of any debris, and make sure to back up your important data through the Mi Cloud or your computer before doing so.

For advanced users, the option is to obtain Root rights. On Redmi Note 4 (codenamed mido), this is done relatively easily through unlocking the bootloader and installing TWRP Recovery. Having superuser rights allows you to remove system debris that is not available to the average user and use powerful cleaners like SD Maid.

⚠️ Warning: Getting Root rights and unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty (if it is still valid) and may cause the system to break if you do not perform well. Some banking applications will stop working without additional security settings (Magisk Hide).

Also worth considering is the installation of custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience), stock MIUI over time, overgrown with heavy services that can not be removed. Lightweight firmware based on pure Android works wonders with memory and performance of older devices, making the Redmi Note 4 relevant even in 2026-2026.

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Comprehensive cleaning (cache + media + transfer to SD) is more effective than just removing applications. System debris tends to quickly accumulate again.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)