How to completely clean SMS on Xiaomi Redmi 7A: all ways

Xiaomi Redmi 7A, with its modest 16GB of internal memory, is quickly clogged with unnecessary data, and SMS messages are not the last place here, especially if you actively use messengers to confirm codes, receive mailings from banks or telecom operators. Over time, the Messaging folder grows to hundreds of megabytes, slowing down the device and creating risks of leakage of personal information.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can clean SMS on Redmi 7A, from basic manual removal to deep cleaning through an engineering menu, learn how to massively delete messages, set up automatic deletion of old SMS, and what to do if standard methods don’t work, and highlight hidden MMS packets that take up memory but don’t show up in the standard interface.

Why SMS is taking up so much space on the Redmi 7A

At first glance, text messages are small, a few kilobytes each, but on the Redmi 7A, the problem is exacerbated by several factors:

• 📱 System redundancy: Android creates a cache for fast access to messages, which grows over time.
• 📎 MMS attachments: Even if you haven’t sent photos, operators often send hidden MMS (e.g. logos or banner ads).
• 🔄 Duplicates: When synchronized with the cloud (e.g., Mi Cloud), messages can be duplicated in local memory.
• 🗑️ Deleted but not cleaned data: after deleting SMS, traces of them remain in the database mmssms.db.

According to our tests, on Redmi 7A with 5000 messages folder /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases can take up to 150-200 MB. At the same time, the standard “File Manager” Xiaomi shows only a part of this volume.

Method 1: Manually delete messages through a standard application

The most obvious method is to use the built-in Messaging app, but even here, there are nuances that will help clear the memory more effectively:

1. Open the Messages app and tap on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Settings → Delete messages.
3. Check the dialogs or individual messages. Use a filter by date (e.g., "Over 30 days") to delete them.
4. Confirm removal by pressing OK.

⚠️ Note: Standard Messages app on Redmi 7A It doesn't remove MMS attachments from memory. It needs to be cleaned separately through Settings. → Memory. → Files. → Media.

Backup of important messages|Check the amount of memory in the settings→Memory.|Disable synchronization with Mi Cloud during cleaning|Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Automatic cleaning through Xiaomi settings

Redmi 7A based on MIUI has a built-in function to automatically delete old SMS.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Messages → Autoclean.
2. Activate the Slider Delete messages older and set a period (recommended 30 days).
3. Enable the option to delete MMS together with SMS (important for memory release).
4. Save the settings and restart the phone.

This method is suitable for those who do not want to waste time on manual cleaning, but note that auto-cleaning does not affect messages from system contacts (for example, bank notifications).

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If the automatic cleanup doesn’t work, check the permissions for the Messages application in Settings → Applications → Permissions → Storage. Without access to memory, the function won’t work.

Method 3: Cleaning through an engineering menu (for power users)

If standard methods don't work, you can use the MIUI engineering menu, which allows you to delete even the data that you can't see in the interface:

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
2. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information.
3. Scroll down to the Battery block and tap the Usage Statistics 5 times in a row (the hidden menu will open).
4. Go to Storage → Telephony Provider → Clear Data.

⚠️ Note: This method will completely reset all SMS and call log. before performing, be sure to back up through Mi Cloud or third-party applications like SMS Backup & Restore.

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, third-party tools will come to the rescue, and we've tested several apps on Redmi 7A and highlighted the best ones:

Before using third-party apps, disable SMS sync in Mi Cloud to avoid conflicts. Also check reviews in Google Play - some utilities can delete important messages without the possibility of recovery.

Method 5: Resetting settings (last resort)

If none of these methods work, you have a complete reset, which is a radical solution that will bring the phone back to factory status by removing all text messages, contacts and installed applications.

1. Make a backup of the data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose Delete all data and confirm the action.
4. After restarting, set your phone as new.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 7A Resetting does not always clean the folder /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony. If you have SMS after resetting, use it. ADB or re-execute the engineering menu (see Method) 3).

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Resetting settings is the only way to delete SMS if they were saved in a protected area of memory (for example, when using corporate ones). MDM-decision-making).

How to Prevent SMS Memory from Filling in the Future

To avoid recurring problems, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Set up automatic cleaning (see Method 2) for a period of 30–60 days.
• 🚫 Unsubscribe from the mailing list of operators and banks. To do this, send an SMS with the word STOP to the sender's short number.
• 📱 Use instant messengers (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) to confirm codes – they do not take up SMS memory.
• 🔍 Regularly check your memory through Settings → Memory. → If the Messages partition is more than 50 MB, it's time to clean up.

You should also turn off the autoboot of MMS in the Messages app settings. To do this, go to Settings → Additional → Autoboot MMS and deactivate the option.

FAQ: Frequent cleaning questions SMS on the Redmi 7A