Xiaomi’s current smartphones offer impressive specs, but even 256GB of internal storage can be filled in a year of active use. Users often face a situation where the system notifies about the lack of space, applications start to work slowly, and new photos simply have nowhere to save. MIUI and the new HyperOS.
There are many reasons for memory overflow, from the banal accumulation of garbage in messengers to hidden system logs and duplicate photos, and in this article we will examine proven methods that will help to return hundreds of megabytes, and sometimes gigabytes of free space without losing important data.
Sometimes the problem isn’t the number of files, but the inefficient management of them. Understanding how Android distributes files on the drive will allow you to act point-by-point and securely without deleting any extra files.
Analysis of storage occupancy through staff funds
Before we start taking any radical action, we need to understand what's taking up the precious space. The built-in storage analyzer is the first tool to look at, and it provides a visual diagram of the distribution of data by category.
To access this tool, go to Settings → About Phone → Memory. Here you will see a breakdown by content type: apps, images, video, audio, etc. The system itself highlights the most “heavy” sections.
Note the Other or Other category, which often hides update files, streaming cache and temporary files that the system cannot automatically classify, and the Other section can take up up to 30% of memory and is often safe to clean after detailed analysis.
Use the built-in cleanup function, but do it consciously.Clicking the "Clean" button in the memory menu will remove only obvious debris, leaving important application data intact.
Cleaning the cache of applications and junk files
Cache is temporary data that apps store to speed up their work, and over time, the cache can grow to gigabytes, especially for browsers, social networks, and video services.
For manual cleaning, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select a demanding app (like YouTube or Chrome) and click Memory. There's a "Clear Cache" button available. It's important not to confuse it with the "Clear All" button, as it will delete your logins and settings inside the app.
☑️ Checklist for quick cleaning
The MIUI shell has a built-in Security app that automatically scans the device for temporary files, runs the scan and waits until the process is complete, and suggests removing files that do not affect the smartphone.
Regularly cleaning the cache helps not only to free up space, but also to eliminate errors in the operation of applications. If the program is not working correctly, a complete cleanup of its data (with the subsequent login to the account) often solves the problem.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing system applications (e.g., Themes, Google Services) data may result in resetting interface settings or widgets disappearing!
Working with messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber
Messengers are the main memory eaters on modern smartphones. Automatically storing all received photos and videos quickly clogs up storage. In Telegram, for example, cache can take up tens of gigabytes if it is not configured to limit it.
In Telegram settings, go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. You can set a cache size limit (e.g., 1GB) and set up automatic cleanup. It is also useful to turn off auto-save to the gallery for channels and groups.
On WhatsApp, the situation is similar. Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The app will show the chats that take up the most space and allow you to delete large video files selectively.
- 📱 Turn off auto-save media in the phone gallery in the settings of each messenger.
- 🗑️ Check the Documents folder inside messengers regularly – there are often old files.
- 📹 Remove large video files from chats, pre-save important to the cloud.
Remember the Archive or Favorite tab, which many users have been storing heavy files for years without ever having to look at them, and checking those sections can suddenly free up a few gigabytes.
Where to look for hidden messenger files?
Removing duplicates and optimizing the gallery
Photos and videos are the most voluminous content, often with duplicate images taken with a bad connection or accidentally re-pressed, MIUI has a built-in tool to find similar images.
Open the Gallery app, go to the Albums tab, and scroll down to the Similar Photos or Duplicates section, and the system will suggest selecting the best shots and removing the rest, a safe way to reduce the volume of the library.
It's also worth checking the folder "Recently Deleted" -- files you deleted can be stored there for another 30 days, taking up space -- cleaning up this bin will instantly return space.
| File type | Average size | Where to find | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo (JPEG) | 3-8 MB | DCIM/Camera | Constrict or delete screenshots |
| Video (1080p) | 100-200 MB/min | DCIM/Camera | Move to PC/Cloud |
| Raw (DNG) | 25-50MB | DCIM/Camera | Leave only for processing |
| Screenshots | 1-3 MB | Pictures/Screenshots | Remove immediately after use |
If you're shooting 4K video, remember that one minute of recording can weigh as much as a thousand photos.Rethink camera settings: 1080p resolution is often enough for everyday shooting, which saves space significantly.
💡
Tip: Set up Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud to automatically upload originals to the cloud, then delete local copies. This will free up to 90% of the gallery space.
Removal of unused applications and their residues
Many apps installed “just in case” hang in memory for years, taking up space not only with their installation file, but also with data. Deleting an application through a standard menu often leaves behind folders with settings and cache.
For deep cleaning, use the file manager. Go to the root of internal memory and look for folders with the names of remote programs. If you are sure that the application has been removed, the folder with its name (for example, com.example.game) can be deleted.
Look at the pre-installed apps (bloatware), some of which can be removed, others can only be disabled. Go to Settings → Apps, find unnecessary system software, and click "Disable." This will hide the application and stop its background processes.
- 🚫 Remove games that haven’t been played for more than a month.
- 📦 Use alternative lightweight versions of apps (Lite, Go) if they are available.
- 🔍 Check the list of "All applications" for unknown software.
Pay special attention to app stores and launchers installed as an add-on, which can consume resources even in the background.
⚠️ Note: Do not remove system components with names «MIUI», «System, Framework, or Google Play Services: This can lead to unstable phone performance or cyclical reboot.
Use of cloud storage and external storage
If internal memory is physically scarce, the best solution is to transfer data to the external environment. Xiaomi smartphones support work with cloud services and external drives through OTG.
Xiaomi Cloud is integrated into the system and allows you to synchronize contacts, notes, alarms and photos. Google Photos is also effective for photos, which when the “Free Place” function is enabled, deletes from the device those pictures that are already uploaded to the cloud.
For owners of models with memory card support (or using USB-C adapters), it is important to transfer media files to a flash drive. In the MIUI file manager, you can select files and click “Move” by selecting an external memory card as the target location.
💡
Moving photos and videos to an external medium or to the cloud is the only way to free up gigabytes of space without removing important content.
Consider signing up for cloud storage if your data is growing, which is cheaper than buying a new smartphone with more storage every two years.