Cleaning internal memory on Xiaomi Redmi 5: from cache to deep cleaning

Xiaomi Redmi 5 (released in 2017) is still a popular budget smartphone, but its main drawback is only 16/32 GB of internal memory. Over time, even these modest amounts are littered with garbage: app cache, duplicate photos, remnants of deleted programs and MIUI system files. If your Redmi 5 began to slow down, issue a notification “Not enough memory” or refuse to install updates, it’s time to do a general cleaning.

In this article, we will discuss 7 proven ways to clean up memory, from basic (cache and debris removal) to radical (factory reset), especially the hidden MIUI packs, which take up to 3-5 GB and are not deleted by standard means. All instructions are tested on Redmi 5 with MIUI 9-12 firmware (including global and Chinese versions).

1. Analysis of occupied space: what eats up memory?

Before you clean, you need to figure out what exactly takes up space. Redmi 5 has built-in tools and third-party utilities.

Open Settings → Storage. Here you will see a diagram of the distribution of memory by category:

• 📱 Applications – installed programs and their data (cache, settings, databases).
• 📷 Multimedia – photos, videos, music (often duplicated in clouds and instant messengers).
• 📄 Files - documents, downloads, APK-file of remaining updates.
• 🔄 The other is the most insidious partition! MIUI, system logs, remnants of remote applications.

If the "Other" section is more than 2-3 GB, it is a signal that it is time to clean up the system debris.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 5s MIUI 9-10, the built-in Storage Analysis may show incorrect data about the Other partition. If the sum of all categories exceeds the total memory capacity, it is a firmware bug. Restart your phone or use third-party utilities.

2. Cleaning the application cache and system

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications to speed up work, and over time, it grows to giant sizes (especially for social networks, instant messengers and games). On Redmi 5, the cache can be cleared in two ways:

Method 1: Manual cleaning for individual applications

Go to Settings → Applications → App Management. Select a program (like Facebook or Telegram) and click Storage → Clear Cache. For a radical cleanup, also click Clear Data, but note: this will reset all the application settings (you will log out of accounts).

Method 2: Mass cleaning of the cache

MIUI has a built-in tool for this:

1. Open the Settings → Storage → Cleaning.
2. Click the app cache and confirm the deletion.
3. For deep cleaning, select Garbage Files and APK-Files (remainders of deleted updates).

Close all apps (especially instant messengers and games)

Connect your phone to charge (the process can take 5-10 minutes)

Check the vacant space before and after cleaning

Reset the device to apply changes-->

Once the cache is cleared, don't be surprised if the apps load longer than usual -- they'll have to recreate temporary files. That's normal and temporary.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui or com.miui.home) – this may cause interface failures MIUI.

3. Removal of duplicates and unnecessary files

Photos, videos and documents are often duplicated: the same files can be stored in Gallery, Downloads, messenger folders (WhatsApp, Telegram) and cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud).

Use Files by Google to search for duplicates:

1. Open the app and go to the Cleanup tab.
2. Select Duplicate Files or Large Files.
3. Look through the list and delete the unnecessary. Careful: don't delete files from Android or MIUI folders, which can disrupt the system.

Pay particular attention to:

• 📸 Screenshots – they are automatically saved to the Pictures/Screenshots And it can take gigabytes.
• 🎵 Offline music from Spotify, Yandex Music or Mi Music.
• 📄 APK-Files in Downloads – Remains of Manually Installed Applications.
• 📥 pup DCIM/.thumbnails — Here are the photos that can be safely removed.

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Before mass deletion of files, back up your important data to your computer or the cloud. Redmi 5 is convenient to use Mi PC Suite (the official utility from Xiaomi).

4. Clean the Others section (hidden MIUI files)

The most mysterious section in Redmi 5 memory is "Other."

• 🗑️ Logs of the system (/data/log)
• 🔄 Temporary update files (/cache)
• 📦 Remnants of Remote Applications (/data/app-lib)
• 🖼️ Cash themes for the decorating MIUI (/data/system/theme)

To clear this section:

Method 1: Safe Mode (Safe Mode)

Restart your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button → long tap on “Switch off” → “Reboot in Safe Mode”). In this mode, all third-party apps are disabled, and you can remove their residues:

1. Open the settings → Storage → Other.
2. Press Clear (if the button is active).
3. Restart the phone to normal mode.

Method 2: Manual deletion through file manager (for advanced ones)

Use Root Explorer or FX File Explorer with superuser rights (unlocked bootloader and root access required):

1. Go to /data/log and delete all files with the.log or.txt extension.
2. Clean the /cache folder (remove all its contents).
3. In /data/system/theme, delete folders with old themes.

⚠️ Note: Delete files in /system or /vendor If you don't have root access, you'll get a device knocked out!

5. Transfer data to a memory card (if supported)

Xiaomi Redmi 5 has a hybrid slot for microSD (instead of the second one) SIM-If you use a memory card, you can transfer some of the data to it:

How to move applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Google Maps) and click Storage → Change → SD card.
3. Confirm the transfer. Please note that not all applications support this feature.

Limitations:

• 🚫 System applications (MIUI, Google Services cannot be moved.
• 🚫 Some games, for example, PUBG Mobile may not work with memory card.
• 🚫 MicroSD applications (especially Class 4-6) are faster than internal memory applications.

For photo and video transfer:

1. Open the gallery or Files by Google.
2. Select files → Move → SD card.
3. Remove the originals from internal memory.

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The microSD cards on Redmi 5 are formatted as portable storage, not internal storage, which means that applications won’t be able to run entirely from the card — just a piece of data.

6. Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If all previous methods failed and there is less than 1 GB of free memory, it is time to consider Hard Reset.

• 📱 Applications and their settings
• 📷 Photos, videos, music
• 📞 Contacts (unless synced with Google or Mi Account)
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords

How to reset:

1. Back up your important data (via Mi Cloud or computer).
2. Open Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
3. Select Resetting → Erase all data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore data from the backup right away – first check how much memory is freed up.
• 📥 Install applications selectively (only those that are really needed).
• 🔧 Turn off auto-update apps on Google Play.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 5s MIUI 9-10 after reset, the microSD partition may disappear. To return it, go to Settings → Warehouse → Setting up SD-maps and format the map again.

7. Prevention: how to prevent memory filling?

To avoid clearing your memory every week, follow these simple rules:

• 📵 Delete the app cache once a month (especially Facebook, Instagram, Telegram).
• 🚫 Turn off autoloading media files in messengers (Settings) → Data and storage).
• 🔄 Regularly transfer photos and videos to your computer or to the cloud (Google Photos with High Quality compression does not take place).
• 📦 Use the “light” versions of applications (Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite).
• 🔍 Check the size of the game in Google Play before installing it (Genshin Impact weighs 15, for example).+ GB!).

For automatic cleaning, set up MIUI Optimizer:

1. Open the settings → Further → Optimization.
2. Turn on Auto Cleanup and set a schedule (e.g. once a week).
3. Activate Deep Cleanup (delete junk files and cache).

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If you install/remove apps frequently, turn on the option “Auto-Update only over Wi-Fi” in Google Play, which will prevent unexpected memory filling when updating programs over the mobile Internet.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleaning on Redmi 5