How to Clean Up Your Internal Memory on Xiaomi Redmi 7: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi Redmi 7’s internal memory clogs up faster than you realize. High-resolution photos, app cache, system updates and unnecessary files eat up precious gigabytes, leaving you with the message “Not enough memory.” But don’t rush to buy a new smartphone or memory card — 80% of users can free up 3 to 8 GB just by following basic guidelines.

This article is not about the Play Market memory cleaners (many of them are themselves a source of garbage), but only the proven methods that work on Redmi 7 with MIUI 10-14, including the current versions of Android 9-12. We will understand which files can be deleted without risk, how to clean the cache correctly, and why it is sometimes better to abandon automatic cleaning in favor of manual control.

Why does memory end so quickly?

Smartphone Redmi 7 was released with 32 or 64 GB of internal memory, but is really available to the user 5-10 GB less — part is the firmware MIUI and system files.

• 📸 Photo and video format HEIF/HEVC (borrow 50% The average user's memory, even 10-second-stage 4K «weight» ~150 MB.
• 🗑️ App cache – temporary files that should speed up the software, but often remain after deleting programs. For example, the cache of TikTok or Instagram can reach 1-2 GB.
• 📦 Updates MIUI, which are automatically downloaded and stored in a folder /cache even after installation.
• 🎮 Games – One Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile takes 4-6 GB, plus additional resources.
• 📄 Downloads — PDF, APK, Archives that are downloaded “just in case” and forgotten.

MIUI has a built-in memory analysis tool (Settings → Memory), but it often shows an incomplete picture, such as not taking into account files in the /Android/obb folder where games store additional data. To see the real distribution, use third-party utilities like Files by Google or SD Maid (available in the Play Market).

⚠️ Warning: If the memory is refilled in a few days, check your smartphone for viruses. Some Trojans (e.g. Android.Triada) create hidden files in system folders. Use Malwarebytes or the built-in scanner MIUI In Settings → Security.

Method 1: Cleaning the application cache

Cache is temporary data that apps save to make it faster, like YouTube caches videos to load faster when you re-watch them, and the problem is that many programs don't clean the cache automatically, and it accumulates over the years.

To remove the cache for all applications at once:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Snapping on each application from the top of the list (where the large cache size is indicated) and select Clear Cache.

For deep cleaning (including unnecessary files and residual data):

• 🧹 Use the built-in tool MIUI: Settings → Memory. → Cleanup → Select the category “Junk” and click Clean.
• 🔍 For advanced users: through ADB You can delete the cache of all applications with one command: adb shell pm trim-caches -1 (Requires the developer mode on and connection to the PC).

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home – this can cause interface failures. MIUI. Also avoid cleaning the cache of Google Play Services, otherwise Google services will be disrupted.

Method 2: Manually Delete Unnecessary Files

MIUI hides many folders from the user, but they can be accessed through Explorer (embedded or third-party, such as Solid Explorer).

For removal:

1. Open the Explorer and go to the desired folder.
2. Select files (long-term pressing → ticks).
3. Click Delete and confirm the action.

Pay special attention to the Android/data folder, which stores app data. If you delete a game but it's still in the folder (e.g. com.supercell.clashofclans), you can clean it. Don't delete active application folders!

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Before you delete files, back up your important data. Connect Redmi 7 to your PC and copy DCIM, Documents, and Downloads to your computer.

Method 3: Transfer data to a memory card

Redmi 7 supports microSD cards up to 256GB, but not all data can be transferred to an external drive. MIUI allows you to move:

• 📷 Photo and video (via Gallery) → highlight files → More. → Move it).
• 🎵 Music and podcasts (via Music or file manager).
• 📄 Documents (PDF, Word, Excel).

What can't be transferred to SD-map:

• 📱 Annexes (MIUI Adoptable Storage – Android feature for expanding memory).
• 🎮 Game data (e.g., saves in the PUBG Mobile or Free Fire).
• 🔄 Cash and system files.

If you are critically short of space, consider formatting your memory card as an internal drive (via Settings → Memory → SD Card).

• The card will be encrypted and will not be read on other devices.
• Speed will slow down (SD-cards slower than internal memory).
• When you remove the card, some applications may stop working.

Method 4: Removing System Garbage and Old Updates

MIUI stores update files in the /cache folder even if the update is already installed, and the system backs up firmware that can take up to 1-2 GB to delete them:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove the downloaded package.
3. To delete old backups, use the root Explorer or the command: adb shell rm -rf /data/backup/*

Additionally, you can clear the /data/log folder where the system logs are stored (root or ADB required) and these files are only used to diagnose errors and are safely deleted.

If you don’t want to mess around with manual cleaning, use the SD Maid app (in the CorpseFinder section it finds residual files of deleted programs). The alternative is CCleaner, but it’s less effective for MIUI.

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Regularly cleaning the /cache folder can speed up the phone, as the system won’t waste time searching for data among unnecessary files.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If all previous methods failed and the phone still shows “Memory is full,” it will be hard reset, which will delete all data, including apps, photos and settings, but return the smartphone to “clean” state.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the phone will look like new.

If the smartphone does not turn on or hangs on the MIUI logo, the reset can be done through Recovery mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up before the Redmi logo appears.
3. Select Wipe Data (manage volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
4. After reset, select Reboot.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi 7 with the bootloader unlocked, a factory reset can result in the device being locked (re-unlocked via Mi Unlock Tool required).If you're not sure if the bootloader has been unlocked, use only the soft reset via the settings.

How to Prevent Memory Filling in the Future

To avoid returning to memory cleanup every week, set up Redmi 7 to automatically manage files:

• 🔄 Enable auto-cleaning in Settings → Memory. → Automatic cleaning (set a schedule, for example, once a week).
• ☁️ Set up autoupload photos to the cloud (Google Photos or Mi Cloud) and delete local copies after backup.
• 📵 Limit the background activity of applications: Settings → Battery → Energy management → Select applications and set a limit.
• 🚫 Turn off auto-update apps in the Play Market (or allow only over Wi-Fi).

It’s also helpful to keep track of “glutty” apps, such as Facebook and Instagram can consume up to 500MB of cache per month, regularly check the list of apps by size (Settings → Apps → Size Sort) and remove those that haven’t been used in a long time.

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Install Files by Google and enable notifications about unused files, which will automatically prompt you to delete duplicate photos, old screenshots and large files that you haven’t opened in more than a month.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up Redmi memory 7