How to Free Memory on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete Guide to Hidden Chips

Xiaomi’s internal memory is clogged faster than it seems: high-resolution photos, app updates, game cache and MIUI system files are stealthily eating gigabytes. Even if you regularly delete unnecessary files, free space is melting away. In this article, 10 proven ways to free up memory on any Xiaomi phone, including hidden shell features and technical tricks that are not written in standard instructions.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices are characterized by aggressive MIUI caching, which speeds up the phone, but leaves their tails in memory even after deleting apps, and not only will we be able to understand the basic methods (cleaning the cache, transferring files to the card), but also unique tricks for MIUI 14/15 that will help bring back up to 15-20 GB of free space without resetting to factory settings.

1. Deep Cache Cleaning: Why the Standard Way Doesn't Work

Most users go to Settings → Storage → Cleanup and click “Clean” but this method only removes the surface cache — temporary files that the system is ready to sacrificed without consequences.

• 📁 Dalvik cache – remnants from Android updates and MIUI, which are not automatically removed.
• 🎮 Cache games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) can weigh up to 5-8 GB.
• 🤖 System log files that MIUI Creates a diagnostic (do) 1-2 GB).

To remove them:

1. Open Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install Android Studio, and execute the command: adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.miui.cleanmaster This will reset the utility cleaning app and make it rescan the memory again.

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If the app stops after cleaning the cache, restart the phone. MIUI will recover critical data in 5-10 minutes.

2. Remove duplicates and junk files with hidden MIUI tools

MIUI 14/15 has a built-in tool for finding duplicates, but it's hidden from users.

1. Open the Files app (folder icon).
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Categories → Duplicates.
3. The system scans photos, videos and documents, finds identical files and suggests that they be deleted.

For deeper cleaning, use the code mode:

• 📱 Enter the phone combination in the app: ##4636##.
• 🔍 Select Use Statistics → Warehouse.
• 🗑️ All unnecessary files will be displayed here, including remnants of deleted applications and temporary data.

⚠️ Warning: Do not manually delete.nomedia files, which are responsible for hiding folders from the gallery, and if they are damaged, personal photos can be seen on public albums.

3.Moving apps to a memory card: why it doesn't always work

Many users try to free up memory by migrating applications to microSD, but there are limitations to MIUI:

How to transfer the application correctly:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application → Warehouse → Change.
3. If the SD Card button is inactive, the application does not support portability.

4. Clean up system updates and backups

MIUI automatically saves service packs and backups that can weigh up to 3-5 GB. These can be safely removed:

• 📦 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔄 Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Remove the downloaded package.
• 💾 For backups: Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset → Local backups → remove unnecessary.

⚠️ Note: If you uninstall the service pack while installing it, the phone may hover on the logo MI. Wait for the process to complete or cancel the update via Settings → Annexes → Updating the system → Stop it.

Make sure the phone is not currently updated | Check the MIUI version (do not delete packets for future updates) | Save important data from backups |Reboot the phone after cleaning-->

5. disable automatic download of multimedia in messengers

Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) automatically download photos, videos and stickers, clogging memory. Telegram, for example, cache can reach 10 GB.

• 📱 WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Autoboot multimedia → Turn off download for mobile data and Wi-Fi.
• 🤖 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot multimedia → Choose "Never».
• 💬 Viber: Settings → Multimedia. → Autoboot → Turn off all options.

To clean up already downloaded files:

• In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Clear the cache.
• On WhatsApp: Settings → Storage → Storage Management → sort by size and remove the unnecessary.

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Even after you turn off autoboot, files will be downloaded when you view them. To completely disable download, use background restriction in Android settings: Settings → Apps → Telegram → Mobile Traffic → Background Data Transfer → Limit.

6.Use of cloud services and photo compression

Photos and videos take up 60 percent of the memory on your phone.

• ☁️ Google Photos: Enable Backup and Sync → Choose High Quality (Unlimited Storage) over Original Quality.
• 📸 Compression in MIUI Gallery: Open the Gallery app → Choose a photo → More. → Squeeze (reduces weight by 40-60% quality-free).
• 🗃️ Xiaomi Cloud: Free gives 5 GB. Upload rarely used files: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.

⚠️ Note: When using Google Photos in High Quality mode, the resolution of photos is reduced to 16 MP, and the video is compressed to 1080p. If you care about original quality, choose Original quality (but it takes its place in the cloud).

7.Reset the recovery partition cache and remove unnecessary APKs

This is an advanced method for power users, where the recovery section accumulates temporary files from installing firmware and updates to clean them up:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data – it’s a factory reset!).
4. Reboot the phone.

Also check the /data/app folder for residual APKs.

1. Connect your phone to your PC and use an ADB or root file manager (such as Root Explorer).
2. Delete files with the.apk and.odex extensions in /data/app and /data/app-private folders.

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If after cleaning the recovery phone is long loaded - do not panic. MIUI restores the cache of system applications, it can take 5-10 minutes.

8.Alternative methods: from formatting to firmware replacement

If none of these methods worked, consider radical measures:

• 🔄 Reset to factory settings: Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset → Reset. Important: Pre-save data to the cloud or PC.
• 🛠️ Installing custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) will delete all system files MIUI, but will require unlocking the bootloader and may deprive the warranty.
• 💾 Replacement of internal memory (relevant for older models like Redmi Note) 4X or Mi A1). In new smartphones, memory is sealed into the motherboard.

⚠️ Note: When installing custom firmware, Xiaomi features such as Second Space, Game Turbo and synchronization with Mi Cloud will be disabled. LTE on some models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro with firmware based on the AOSP).

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory release on Xiaomi