How to Free Memory on Xiaomi Redmi 9: A Complete Guide with Proven Methods

Your Xiaomi Redmi 9 is starting to slow down, apps are suddenly shutting down, and the system is issuing warnings about memory shortages? This problem is familiar to many owners of budget smartphones with 32 or 64 GB of internal memory. Even if you haven't installed dozens of games, the system and app cache can eat up the lion's share of available space. In this article, we will discuss 7 working ways to free memory from basic to advanced, including hidden MIUI functions and third-party tools.

Feature of Redmi 9 (The code name lancelot is that it is equipped with eMMC memory, which is slower than the memory. UFS This means that a clogged drive not only reduces the space available, but also severely inhibits the system from fragmenting data. We won’t recommend the banal “delete unnecessary files” – instead, we’ll show you how to optimize memory without losing important data, including migrating applications to the Internet. SD-The map (yes, it is possible even on the MIUI 12/13!) and system debris cleaning.

1. Analysis of occupied space: what exactly is the memory?

Before you clean it, you need to understand which files and applications are eating up memory. MIUI has a built-in analyzer, but it often shows data inaccurately. Here's how to get the whole picture:

Open Settings → Phone → Memory. Here you will see a diagram of the allocation of memory by category: System, Applications, Media Files, Cash and Other. Pay attention to the Others section, which is where gigabytes of unnecessary files (logs, temporary data, remnants of deleted applications) are often hidden.

• 📊 System (8–12 GB): This is a firmware MIUI You can't reduce this partition, but you can clear its cache (more on that below).
• 📱 Applications (3-10 GB): This is the case APK-The most voracious are games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) and social networks (TikTok, Facebook).
• 🎵 Media files (2-20 GB): Photos, videos, music, even if you're not shooting 4K-Video, WhatsApp and Telegram can automatically download gigabytes of media.
• 🗑️ Cache (1-5 GB): Temporary application files that can be safely deleted, but they quickly accumulate again.

For more detailed analysis, use third-party utilities, such as Files by Google or SD Maid.

• 🔍 Duplicate photos (often take 1-3 GB).
• 📂 Large files (>100 MB) that has not been opened for a long time.
• 🗃️ Remnants of Remote Applications (Folders) Android/obb and Android/data).

⚠️ Note: If the System section is more than 15 GB occupied, this may indicate firmware damage or a virus.

2. Clear cache and temporary files without data loss

Application cache is a temporary file that speeds up the cache, but accumulates over time and takes up gigabytes. MIUI has two ways of clearing the cache: selective (for individual applications) and global (for all at once).

For selective cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like YouTube or Chrome).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For global cleaning:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Press Deep Clean (confirmation may be required).
3. Wait for the process to be completed (the occupied space will decrease by 0.5-3 GB).

It is also helpful to clear the cache of system applications that often go unnoticed:

• 📱 com.android.systemui (system interface).
• 🔄 com.miui.home (launcher) MIUI).
• 📶 com.android.phone (telephone services).

Use it for that. ADB-command (required to include debugging on the USB developer-setting):

adb shell pm clear com.android.systemui

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the cache of system applications can cause wallpaper, widgets and some settings to reset.Do not do this before important calls or using the navigator.

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Even after deleting apps, their files often remain in the Android/obb and Android/data folders. For example, a PUBG Mobile game after uninstallation can leave 1-2 GB of data.

Step 1. Remove via settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select the unnecessary app and click Remove.

Step 2: Cleaning up the residues

• 📁 Use a file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager) and manually delete folders with the name of the remote application in the file manager: /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb /storage/emulated/0/Android/data
• 🧹 Use the utility. SD Maid (requires root rights for complete cleaning).

Step 3: Remove pre-installed applications (bloatware):

Xiaomi installs a lot of unnecessary services (Mi Browser, Mi Music, GetApps, etc.) that can not be removed by standard means.

• 🛠️ No root rights: disable them in Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Select the application] → Shut down.
• 🔧 Root-rights: Use Titanium Backup or System App Remover to remove the entire file.

4. Transfer applications and files to SD-map

Redmi 9 supports microSD cards up to 512 GB, but MIUI by default does not allow you to port applications to them.

Method 1: Transfer through settings (limited support):

1. Put it in. SD-map and format it as internal memory (Warning: after that, the card will not be used on other devices!).
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Select the app and click Move to SD-map (not available for all applications).

Method 2: Use of ADB (for power users):

This method allows you to port applications even without formatting. SD-You can connect your phone to your PC, you can turn on Debugging. USB and execute the command:

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

After that, new applications will be installed on SD-To return the installation to internal memory, use:

adb shell pm set-install-location 0

Method 3: Manual file transfer:

• 📸 Photos and videos: in Google Photos, turn on Free Space (files will remain in the cloud, and from the phone will be deleted).
• 🎵 Music: In Spotify or YouTube Music, change the download path to SD-map.
• 📄 Documents: Use Mi File Manager to move files to folder /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/data on SD-map.

⚠️ Note: If you are formatting SD-The card is like an internal memory and then retrieve it without properly disabling (Settings) → Warehouse → Extract SD-card, phone may stop loading! Always use safe extraction.

5. Optimization of system processes and background activity

Many applications continue to run in the background, consuming not only battery power but also RAM, which indirectly affects storage performance. MIUI has hidden settings to limit background activity:

Limitation of background processes:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find options: Process limit → select process maximum 2 in the background. Do not save activity → turn on (this will prevent applications from maintaining state after closing).

Disabling Auto-Run Unnecessary Applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Autorun.
2. Turn off auto-run for applications that shouldn’t work in the background (such as games or rarely used utilities).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup copy: 📱 Contacts, SMS, Call logs: Settings → Google → Backup. 📸 Photos and videos: copy to PC or cloud (Google Photos, Yandex Drive). 🔑 Passwords: Export from Google Smart Lock or Bitwarden.

Settings → About the phone → Reset settings → Erase all data

Erase internal memory

Do not restore data from backup immediately

What to do after the discharge:

• 🔧 Don’t install all apps at once – add them one at a time and keep an eye out for free space.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play.
• 📥 First install only the most necessary applications (messaging, banking).

⚠️ Note: If there is still little memory after the reset (less than 10 GB), this may indicate a hardware problem, such as memory wear or controller error.

💡

Factory reset is not just a cleanup, but a complete reinstallation of the system, after which the phone works as fast as it did on the day of purchase, but all data will be lost without the possibility of recovery (if you did not make a backup).

7. Additional tips: how to prevent memory filling in the future

To avoid going back to cleaning your memory every week, follow these guidelines:

• 📵 Turn off automatic media download in messengers: WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Autoboot media → Turn off for mobile data. In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media → Choose "Never».
• 🔄 Clean up downloads regularly: folder /Download It often contains unnecessary files (APK, PDF, archive).
• 🎮 Use cloud saves for games: In Google Play Games, enable sync so you don’t store local saves.
• 📊 Set a limit for Google Photos: Select Quality in the app settings → Traffic savings (photos will be compressed).

Set up notifications about memory shortage:

To let MIUI warn you in advance:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Settings (cog in the upper right corner).
2. Enable the option of Memory Lack Warning.
3. Set a threshold (e.g., 1 GB).

Use of lightweight versions of applications:

Many popular services have lightweight versions that take up 2-5 times less space:

💡

If you install and uninstall apps frequently, use APKMirror or Aurora Store instead of Google Play. APK-files without automatic updates that eat away at memory.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory release on Redmi 9