The situation when Xiaomi smartphone suddenly starts to work slowly, and notifications about the lack of space appear at the most inopportune moment, is familiar to every owner of Android devices. Internal storage is quickly filled not only with applications, but also with system logs, messenger cache and forgotten video files, especially for models with a basic memory capacity of 64 or 128 gigabytes, where the system occupies a significant part of the space.
Understanding the structure of the MIUI file system or the new HyperOS allows you to not just delete files at random, but conduct a deep and safe cleanup. We will examine proven methods that will help you return your gadget to its former aspiration and free up gigabytes of useful space without losing important data.
Analysis of occupied space through settings
The first step is always to diagnose, and the standard tools in the system provide enough detail about what is eating up precious gigabytes. → Memory, where the system visualizes the distribution of data, and here you'll see a breakdown by category: applications, images, video, audio, and system files.
Notice the "Other" section, which is often where gigabytes of garbage are hidden that a standard analyzer can't classify, whether it's streaming data, offline maps of the navigator, or temporary update files, and detailed analysis helps to find hidden amounts of data.
In newer versions of the HyperOS shell, the analysis functionality has become more flexible, the system can itself suggest removing duplicate photos or large files that you haven't opened in a long time. Don't ignore these tips, because the algorithms work quite accurately.
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The Memory section in the settings is the main diagnostic tool, showing a real picture of occupancy, not just abstract numbers.
If you see that the bulk of the application, you should think about revising it. Many of the programs you use once a year can hang in the background and consume resources. Removing unnecessary software is the fastest way to get free space.
Use of the built-in Security application
Each Xiaomi smartphone has a Security system app preinstalled, which contains a powerful cleaning tool, launch it and click on the Clean button, and the scanner will analyze the system for temporary files, advertising debris and residues from remote programs, which is a basic level of service.
But standard cleaning is often superficial. To get to the deepest settings, click on a gear or three dots in the corner of the screen of the cleaner. APK-files that are left over after installing applications. It is also worth activating the memory cleanup function in the background.
⚠️ Attention: Memory acceleration function" (RAM expansion) on some models uses part of the internal storage for virtual RAM. If you critically lack space for photos, try to disable this option in the advanced memory settings to return these gigabytes to the system.
The Security app also has a Deep Clean section that scans WhatsApp, Telegram and other messaging apps, showing the attachments that take up the most space. You can selectively remove heavy videos from group chats without removing the entire correspondence. Selective cleaning saves important data.
Working with cache and application data
The most voracious consumers of a place are usually social networks and instant messengers. Telegram, VK, Instagram and TikTok store every photo and video viewed in cache. Over time, this folder can grow to 10-20 gigabytes. Clear the cache safely - this will not lead to loss of logins or passwords.
For manual cleaning, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select the right program, like YouTube, and click on Storage. Here you will see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear everything. The second button will completely reset the application to the state immediately after installation, which will require re-authorization.
Telegram has its own built-in cleaning mechanism that works better than the system. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use. Here you can set the cache autodeletion in, say, 3 days or a week, which automates the process and eliminates manual cleaning in the future.
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Set up an automatic decache in Telegram after 3 days, which will prevent the folder from growing with media files and save gigabytes of memory.
Remember browsers. Chrome, Yandex, and others accumulate download history and cache of sites. If you're actively surfing the web, cleaning up your browser data can instantly free up 1-2 gigabytes. Do this regularly, especially after watching high-resolution videos.
Clean Other folder and hidden files
The Other folder in the storage is often a black box where the system drops files that it has not been able to identify, including game data, cache from streaming services like Netflix or Spotify, and error logs, and it is difficult to manually find these files because they are scattered across system directories.
To combat this, you can use file managers with analysis, like Files by Google or Xiaomi's built-in Explorer. Sort files by size and date. Often in a folder. Android/data You can find folders of deleted games that take up space for years, and it's a safe procedure to delete those residues.
Also check the Download download folder..apk installation files, documents and images from work chats are often stored there. Unnecessary installers can be easily deleted — they are no longer needed after installing the application. Manual sorting gives the best result.
⚠️ Attention: When cleaning the folder Android/data Do not delete folders with active application names (e.g. com.whatsapp or com.tencent.igm), or you will lose game progress or correspondence data. 110%.
Another source of garbage is offline maps, and navigators like Yandex Maps or 2GIS can store maps of entire regions, and if you rarely use navigation without the Internet, delete downloaded maps or set up auto-update maps and clean up legacy versions.
Gallery optimization and cloud services
Media files are the main enemy of free memory. High-resolution photos and 4K video occupy a huge space. The current standard photo can reach 5-10 MB per picture, and a minute of video is 100-200 MB. Regular transfer of the archive to external media or to the cloud is necessary.
Use Google Photos with Free Space. The app will find images that have already been saved in the cloud and remove a local copy from your phone, which keeps the originals safe and only stores previews or recent images on your device. Cloud storage solves the GB problem.
Mi Cloud account holders can also use sync, and in the gallery settings, enable sync and select "Storage Optimization"; the system will replace the original photos with compressed copies, and leave the full versions in the cloud; when viewing the photo will be downloaded in good quality.
☑️ Checklist for media cleanup
Remember to check the Recycle Bin folder in the gallery. Deleted photos are often stored there for another 30 days, continuing to occupy space. Cleaning the basket is the final touch in freeing up space. It's also worth going through the screenshots - we usually do a lot of them and rarely delete them.
Discharge and radical clean-up measures
If the software methods don't work and the system says that the memory is busy even though the files are deleted, there may have been a file system error or a buildup of system debris, and then the factory reset helps, and it's a radical method that requires a backup.
Before resetting, make sure to back up your contacts, messages and settings via Mi Account or Google Account. Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The phone will return to the “out of the box” state, which is guaranteed to free up all the memory available to the user.
There is also a softer option, which is to clean through Recovery mode. Turn off your phone and press the button combination (usually Volume Up + Power). From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data. This will delete user data, but may leave some system logs. A full reset via settings is preferable.
What if memory is not released after resetting?
After reset, take your time to restore all the applications at once, install them one by one and keep track of the memory filling, and perhaps a particular application has a bug and inflates to giant sizes immediately after installation.
Comparison of cleaning methods
So that you can choose the best way, we've developed a method comparison table that will help you understand which tool is best to use in your situation.
| Method | Efficiency | Security of data | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Annex | Low/Mediocre | Tall. | Minimum |
| Hand-cleaning the cache | Medium | Tall. | Medium |
| Removing Media to the Cloud | Tall. | High (we need internet) | Low. |
| Reset to factory | Maximum | Low (needs backup) | Tall. |
Regular maintenance is more important than one-off promotions, and if you go through a cleaning checklist once a week, you don't have to resort to a full reset, you keep track of the weight of the apps, and you don't have files on your phone that you can transfer to your computer.
Remember that a nearly full drive is slower. Always leave almeno 10-15% free memory for normal system operation and background processes, which will ensure the stability of Android and no lag in the interface.