How to completely clean up system memory on Xiaomi smartphone: from cache to hidden files

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones eventually start to slow down due to overcrowded system memory. Even if you regularly delete photos and apps, the MIUI operating system continues to accumulate temporary files, cache and residual data, resulting in a device that opens programs more slowly, switches between tasks longer, and in the worst cases, it gives a notification “Memory is full”, although at first glance there is still free space.

The problem lies in the features of Android and shell MIUI: The system reserves some of the memory for its needs, and user actions (installation/deletion of applications, updates, synchronization of accounts) leave behind “digital garbage”, for example, after uninstallation of the program, its settings and cache can remain in folders. /data/data/ or /Android/obb/. In addition, Xiaomi actively uses background processes to optimize work, which additionally loads memory.

In this article, we will discuss 7 working methods for cleaning system memory, from basic (manual cache cleaning) to advanced (ADB and hidden folders). All methods are tested on current versions of MIUI 14/15 and are suitable for Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/13, POCO F5/X5 and others. Importantly, some actions require developer rights or PC connection – we will describe each step in detail to avoid errors.

1. Cleaning the cache of applications and systems through settings

The easiest and safest way to free up a few gigabytes of memory is to remove the app cache and system cache, which does not affect user data (photos, messages, accounts), but can significantly speed up the smartphone.

How to clear the cache of individual applications:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Choose an app that takes up a lot of space (for example, YouTube, Telegram, Google Chrome).
• 🧹 Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – this will remove all settings!).
• 🔄 Repeat for all heavy programs (especially messengers and social networks).

To clean the system cache (includes temporary MIUI and Android files):

• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 🔍 Click on “Deep Cleanup” and wait for analysis.
• 🗑️ Select the “App Cache,” “Junk Files,” and “Residual Files” items, then click “Clean Up».

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. Mi Account, Security) through the Application Management menu – this can cause malfunctions MIUI. Use only the built-in cleaning utility.

2. Delete unnecessary files and “digital garbage”

In addition to the cache, the smartphone’s memory accumulates temporary download files, duplicate photos, empty folders and remnants of deleted applications, which can be found and deleted manually or using built-in MIUI tools.

Methods of searching and removing garbage:

• 📁 Download folder: Open the files → Internal memory. → Download and remove unnecessary APK, documents, archives.
• 🖼️ Photos: Xiaomi Gallery has a function "Search for duplicates" (Gallery) → Albums. → Duplicate).
• 🗑️ Recycle Bin: Delete files from the Recycle Bin (Files) → Basket → Clean up).
• 📦 APK and OBB: Folders. /Android/obb/ and /Android/data/ often contain remnants of remote games (e.g. Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile).

For automated garbage search, use the built-in utility:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Select the Files tab and wait for the scan.
3. Remove the categories “Large Files”, “Unused Files” and “Residual APK Files”.

Download folder (except important documents)

Duplicate photos in the Gallery

/Android/obb/ folder content for remote games

Cash of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)

Files from the basket-->

3. Storage optimization with Security App

The Security app in MIUI contains advanced memory cleaning tools, including analysis of rarely used applications and optimization of background processes, and is more powerful than the standard Settings utility.

How to use Security to clean up:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the “Cleanup” or “Optimization” tab.
3. Click on “Deep Clean” and wait for the analysis to be completed.
4. Remove the proposed categories: “Cash”, “Residual files”, “Advertising garbage”.
5. In the Memory Management section, turn off auto-start for unnecessary applications.

The advantage of this method is that it automatically detects hidden files that are not visible through a standard Explorer.

• 📂 Temporary update files (/cache/).
• 🗃️ Logs of the system (/data/log/).
• 🔄 Google Play Services cache files and MIUI.

⚠️ Warning: If your smartphone is slower after cleaning through Security, restart it. In rare cases, the utility removes the cache of critical services, and they are restored only after a reboot.

4.Memory cleanup via Recovery mode

If standard methods didn’t work and the smartphone still makes errors about memory shortages, try cleaning through Recovery Mode, which deletes temporary system files but doesn’t affect user data (photos, contacts, messages).

Instructions for Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language and go to Wipe & Reset.
4. Choose Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data – it’s factory reset!).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Reboot the device (Reboot).

This method is particularly effective if:

• 🐢 The smartphone is slowing down after the update MIUI.
• 🔄 Applications are closed spontaneously.
• 📱 A notification appears “System memory is full” although there is free space.

5 Manual removal of hidden folders and files (for experienced)

Some files are not deleted by standard methods, as they are hidden from the user.

• 📁 Remains of Remote Applications in /data/data/.
• 🗃️ Logs of system in /data/log/ or /sdcard/log/.
• 🔄 Cash updates. MIUI into /cache/.
• 📦 Google Play Services files in /Android/data/com.google.android.gms/.

To access these folders, you need root access or ADB. Let's look at both.

Method 1: Through ADB (without root)

Connect your smartphone to your PC, enable debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock the developer menu, then Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB) and execute the commands:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*




rm -rf /cache/*




rm -rf /sdcard/Android/obb/* (delete the game cache!)




rm -rf /sdcard/Android/data/* (cautiously - delete application data!)

Important: Rm command -rf /sdcard/Android/data/* deletes all user data of applications (save games, settings of messengers), use it only if you are ready to lose this information!

Method 2: Through a file manager with root

If you have root rights, use Root Explorer or Solid Explorer:

1. Open the manager and provide root access.
2. Go to /data/data/ and delete the folders of remote applications.
3. Clean /cache/ and /data/log/.

⚠️ Note: Delete files in /system/ or /vendor/ This can cause a device to blink (completely inoperable). /data/, /cache/ and /sdcard/.

6. Disabling and removing system applications

MIUI preinstalles dozens of system applications, many of which are never used (e.g. Mi Pay, Mi Video, GetApps) that take up space in memory and run in the background, using resources, and can be disabled (without root) or deleted (with root).

How to disable unnecessary system applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Show Systems."
3. Select an unneeded app (e.g. Mi Music, Mi Browser).
4. Click “Disable” (not “Delete” – this is not available without root).

List of safe to disable system applications (does not affect the stability of MIUI):

To completely remove system applications, root or ADB is required. For example, to remove Mi Pay via ADB:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.mipay

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Before uninstalling system applications, back up your application via adb backup or TWRP. If you experience problems after deleting (e.g. Mi Account doesn’t work), restore the application from the backup.

7. Reset to factory settings (last chance)

If all previous methods failed, and the smartphone still makes errors about the lack of memory, then a complete reset remains, which deletes all data (photos, apps, accounts), returning the device to the “out of the box” state.

How to reset:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Mi Cloud or Google Account.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data” and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the completion (it will take 5-10 minutes) and set up the smartphone again.

Alternative method (if the smartphone is not turned on):

1. Turn off the device.
2. Press Power + Volume up to enter Recovery.
3. Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the reset and reset.

⚠️ Note: After a reset, Xiaomi may request a binding to your Mi Account if the device protection feature was previously enabled!

💡

Resetting to factory settings is the only way to completely remove fragmented data and “junk” in system partitions, but after resetting, you will have to reconfigure the smartphone and restore the data from the backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup on Xiaomi