Cleaning up Xiaomi phone from garbage: a complete guide for MIUI

Why Xiaomi Phone Is Clogged and How to Fix It

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are known for their functionality, but over time, even they start to slow down, because of accumulated system debris: residual application files, cache, duplicate photos and temporary data. According to our tests, after a year of active use on Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro devices, garbage takes up to 3-7 GB of memory, which is critical for models with 64/128 GB of storage.

The problem is compounded by the features of MIUI: the shell aggressively caches data to speed up work, but often does not clean it automatically. For example, after removing an application, its folders can remain in /Android/data or /Android/obb. In addition, many users are not aware that cleaning through Settings removes only part of the garbage - the bulk is hidden in system partitions.

In this guide, we will look at 7 proven cleaning methods, from standard MIUI tools to hidden features and third-party utilities. All methods are tested on MIUI 12-14 firmware and are relevant for 2020-2026 models. Importantly, some operations require majority root or ADB rights, but the methods work without them.

Method 1: Integrated cleaning of MIUI (baseline)

Let's start with the simplest one, the built-in Cleanup tool (formerly Security), which deletes the app cache, temporary files and residual data, but doesn't touch deep system folders.

1. Open the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to the "Cleaning" tab.
3. Click on “Scan” and wait for analysis.
4. Select the categories to clean (we recommend that you note everything except the “Journal” – they are needed for debugging).
5. Click “Clear” and confirm the action.

⚠️ Attention: This method only removes surface debris, for example, it won't touch:

• 📁 Remote application folders in /Android/data and /Android/obb.
• 🗑️ Cache of system services (e.g. com.miui.system).
• 📸 Miniatures and metadata photo / video in DCIM/.thumbnails.

For deep cleaning, proceed to the following methods.

Cache of user applications (for example, Instagram, Telegram)

Temporary download files (APK, ZIP)

Residual data after MIUI updates

Error logs (logs) for the last 30 days-->

Method 2: Manually cleansing cache for individual applications

If the phone starts to lag after installing a particular app (like PUBG Mobile or TikTok), it's worth cleaning its cache manually. This won't delete your account details, but will free up space.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (such as the Gallery or Google Play Store).
3. Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – this will remove all settings!).
4. For system applications (such as Mi Video), you may need to click on “Storage” → “Clear Cache”.

Which apps are most likely to clog up memory:

💡 Useful tip: If after cleaning the cache, the application began to work slower, restart the phone. MIUI Reconstruct temporary files in the background.

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For games (like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile), clearing the cache can reset the graphics settings. Before doing so, take a screenshot of the graphics settings in the game!

Method 3: Delete Residual Files of Remote Applications

When you delete an application through Settings or Google Play, MIUI leaves its folders in /Android/data and /Android/obb. These files can take up gigabytes of memory! For example, after uninstalling Genshin Impact, a file of ~14 GB remains in the obb folder.

To remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (select the "File Transfer" mode»).
2. Open folders: Internal drive/Android/data/ Internal storage/Android/obb/
3. Delete folders with the names of remote applications (for example, com.miHoYo.GenshinImpact).
4. For system folders (e.g. com.xiaomi.market), don’t use this method – you risk breaking MIUI.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete active application folders! This will lead to their collapse. Before cleaning, check if the application is installed through Settings. → Annexes.

Method 4: Cleaning the system cache with Recovery Mode

If the phone has become very slow after the MIUI update, the fault may be a damaged system cache, and cleaning it through Recovery Mode helps in 80% of cases of "lag" after the updates.

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button + volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select the language (English / Chinese).
4. Go to "Wipe & Reset» → «Wipe Cache».
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Reboot the phone ("Reboot» → «Reboot to System»).

Clearing the cache through Recovery does not delete user data, but resets some system settings (e.g., permissions for applications). After rebooting, you may need to reissue permissions to access contacts, storage, etc.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Wipe Cache" with "Wipe Data"! the second option will delete all data on the phone.

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Cleaning the system cache through Recovery is the only way to eliminate lag after a failed MIUI update without losing data.

Method 5: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)

If you’re ready to work with the command line, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will allow you to remove debris that is not available through standard methods, such as clearing the cache of all applications at once or removing unnecessary system APKs.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (Download Platform Tools from Google).

Cleanup commands:

# Clearing the cache of all user applications


adb shell pm trim-caches -1




Delete temporary MIUI files (requires root)



adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*




List of the heaviest folders in /data (for analysis)



adb shell du -h /data | sort -rh | head -n 10

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf File is permanently deleted. A mistake along the way can lead to data loss.We recommend that you first use adb shell ls to check the contents of folders.

Method 6: Third-party cleaning utilities (TOP-3 verified)

If manual methods seem complicated, use specialized applications. We tested dozens of utilities and selected the 3 most effective for Xiaomi:

💡 Tip: Before using third-party utilities, back up important data. Some applications (for example, SD Maids may delete files that MIUI sees it as systemic.

Method 7: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If the phone is unbearably slow and previous methods have failed, it will be a hard reset that will delete all data, including apps, photos and settings, but will return the device to factory performance.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.
4. Enter your password (if required) and confirm.
5. After restarting, set your phone as new.

⚠️ Note: On models with the bootloader unlocked (for example, after firmware custom recovery) reset can lead to a breech (breakdown) of the device! → Additionally. → For developers → Status of lockdown OEM).

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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 option.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi cleanup