How to completely clean your Xiaomi phone of unnecessary files: Guide 2026

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based or new HyperOS-based smartphones are known for their functionality, but over time, even they start to slow down due to the accumulated digital debris. Unnecessary files take up precious space, slow down the system and drain the battery. Research suggests that up to 30 percent of internal memory on Android devices can be occupied by temporary data, duplicates and remnants of deleted applications.

In this article, you will find practical cleaning methods adapted to the latest versions of Xiaomi firmware. We will analyze both standard system tools and hidden functions that are not written about in the official instructions. We will pay special attention to the safe removal of the system cache without risking damage to the firmware, this is true for models from the Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

1. Built-in cleaning tools in MIUI/HyperOS

The manufacturer has integrated several memory optimization utilities into the shell, and their main advantage is that they do not require super-user rights (root) and work on all models, including the POCO F5 and Redmi K60.

The main tool is called "Cleanup" (or "Security" in global versions) to open it:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Cleaning
2. Click "Check" (button at the bottom of the screen)
3. Wait for the analysis to be completed (usually 10-30 seconds)

The system will automatically find:

• 🗑️ Garbage files (remains after uninstallation of applications)
• 📁 Application cache (temporary data that can be safely deleted)
• 📎 Duplicate files (repeated photos, videos or documents)
• 📥 Large files (archives, high-resolution videos)

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the Downloads section through this utility unless you are sure of their content. System cleanup sometimes flags important documents with.apk or.zip extensions as garbage.

For a deeper cleaning, go to the Deep Clean tab (not available on all models).

• 🔄 Residual files after system updates
• 📦 Empty folders (often left behind after file transfers)
• 📊 System logs (error logs up to 500 MB)

2. Manual cleaning of the app cache

Cache speeds up programs, but over time it grows to giant sizes, for example, Telegram or TikTok cache can take 1-3 GB, and games like Genshin Impact can take up to 5-7 GB.

To clear the cache for a specific application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. Select the app you want (like YouTube or Google Chrome)
3. Click on “Storage” → “Clear Cache”

For mass cleaning:

• 🔍 Use the filter by size: in the same Application Management section, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by Size»
• 📉 Cache applications >500 MB should be cleaned first.
• 🔄 Some apps (like Google Play Services) recover cache immediately after cleaning it up – that’s okay.

Close all background applications

Connect your phone to charge (for long-term operations)

Make a backup copy of important data

Check the vacant space after cleaning-->

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse Clear Cache with Clear Data.** The second action will delete all application settings, including logins and passwords. For example, after clearing WhatsApp data, you will have to log in again to your account.

3. System garbage disposal via Safe Mode

Some files are not deleted in normal mode due to active processes, in which case Safe Mode (Safe Mode), where only system applications work, helps.

How to run Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the “Switch Off” button for 3-5 seconds.
2. In the menu that appears, press and hold your finger on the “Switch off” item before a request to switch to Safe Mode appears.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (may take up to 2 minutes)

In safe mode:

• 🛠️ Remove apps that haven’t been removed before (e.g., pre-installed games from Xiaomi)
• 🗃️ Clear the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Here are the photos and videos that are up to 1 GB
• 📂 Check the Download folder for old.apk files

To exit Safe Mode, simply restart your phone in the usual way.

4. Cleaning through MIUI Cleaner (hidden utility)

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden utility called MIUI Cleaner, which is more effective than standard cleaning, and it deletes even files that other tools skip.

How to activate it:

1. Open the Calculator app.
2. Enter the sequence:..123456789 (two dots, then numbers 1 to 9)
3. The menu will appear "MIUI Cleaner"** - select "Deep Clean"

The utility will offer to clean:

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If MIUI Cleaner doesn’t open, try entering the sequence in the English keyboard layout or upgrade to the latest version.

5.Storage optimization through ADB (for advanced)

For users who are ready to work with the command line, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) opens up additional possibilities, which allows you to delete files that are not available through the standard interface.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on PC
2. Enable USB debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version, Press 7 Times; Then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB)
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined
4. To clear the cache of all user applications: adb shell pm trim-caches 500M (where 500M is the desired free cache volume)

Additional useful commands:

• 📊 Viewing the occupied space by folders: adb shell du -h /sdcard/ | sort -rh | head -n 20
• 🗑️ Delete Empty Folders: Adb Shell Find /sdcard/ -type d -empty -delete
• 🔍 Searching for files >100 MB: adb shell find /sdcard/ -type f -size +100M -exec ls -lh {} \;

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB They have direct access to the file system. Misuse of the file system can lead to data loss or system damage. -rf /sdcard/ Remove all files on the internal storage.

6. Automation of cleaning with Tasker

Tasker allows you to create automatic tasks for regular cleaning, which is especially useful if you forget to do it manually.

Example of a weekly cleaning task:

1. Install Tasker and AutoInput plugin from Google Play
2. Create a new task with actions: Open the Cleanup app** (com.miui.cleanmaster) Simulate clicking the Check button** (via AutoInput) Wait 30 seconds (Wait: 30s) Simulate clicking on Clean up**

Set the trigger to schedule (e.g. every Sunday at 3:00)

Additional ideas for automation:

• 📤 Automatically delete files from Download older than 30 days
• 🗃️ Cleaning up Google Play Services cache when reaching 1GB
• 📸 Optimization of photos (reduced resolution of copies in Google Photos)

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Automated cleaning saves up to 30% of the time compared to manual cleaning, but requires initial adjustment. The optimal frequency is 1 time per week.

7. Alternative cleaning applications

If Xiaomi’s standard tools don’t work, you can use third-party utilities. It’s important to choose proven apps without aggressive advertising.

Top.-3 applications for Xiaomi 2026 year:

How to use third-party cleaners correctly:

• 🛡️ Stop "optimizing" RAM» — On Xiaomi, this often leads to increased battery consumption.

Frequently asked questions