How to Free Your Memory at Xiaomi Redmi: A Complete 2026 Guide

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are among the most popular in Russia due to the ratio of price and performance.+ or budget Redmi 12C And they start to slow down over time because they don't have enough memory, and it's not always because of the small amount of storage, because it's often the system debris that's to blame. MIUI, Application cache and unoptimized settings.

In this article, 10 working ways to free up memory on Xiaomi Redmi without root rights and data loss, we will analyze both standard MIUI 14/15 tools and hidden features that are not written about in the official instructions, and we will focus on models with 32/64 GB of memory, where every megabyte counts.

1. Analysis of busy memory: what exactly "eats" the place?

Before you clean it, you need to figure out which files take up the most space. MIUI has an inbuilt analyzer, but it hides some of the data. Here's how to get the whole picture:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Memory.
2. Slip on the schedule "Occupied" - the system will show the distribution by category (Applications, Media, Cash, etc.).
3. For detailed analysis, click More Details → Storage.

Pay attention to:

• 📁 System files - if you are borrowing >15GB, it's a sign of bloated cache MIUI or residues after updates.
• 🎵 Audio/Video – often there are duplicates from the Gallery or downloads from instant messengers.
• 📱 Other apps – games with a few gigabytes of cache (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) fall here).

⚠️ Note: If the System Files section is >20GB on Redmi with 64GB of memory, which could indicate corrupted update files, and then only resetting to factory settings will help.

2. Cleaning the application cache and system

Cache speeds up programs, but eventually turns into garbage ballast. On Xiaomi Redmi, the cache is divided into three types:

1. App cache – temporary files of games and social networks (for example, stories on Instagram).
2. Dalvik cache – files of the Android virtual machine (cleaned only through Recovery).
3. MIUI cache - system log files and shell data.

How to clean:

• 🧹 For individual applications: Settings → Annexes → Select a program → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🗑️ Mass cleaning: Settings → The phone. → Memory. → Clean (remove the cache of all applications).
• 🔧 Hidden cache MIUI: Enter ##4636### in the dialer and select Usage statistics. → Clear cache.

Close all applications

Connect charging (the process can take 5-10 minutes)

Backup important data (in case of failure)

Check the vacant space after cleaning-->

Once cleaned, restart your smartphone, allowing the system to reassemble the cache without any debris. On the Redmi Note 12 Pro and later, the process takes ~3 minutes.

3. Removal of duplicates and unnecessary media files

Xiaomi Gallery and Google Photos automatically create duplicate photos and videos, for example, when editing a picture in MIUI, the original is saved, plus an edited version is added, so 500 photos easily turn into 1500.

How to find and remove duplicates:

• 🔍 Use the built-in tool: Gallery → Albums. → Duplicates (available on MIUI 14+).
• 📊 Cleaner apps: Files by Google or CCleaner have hash-based duplicate search features.
• 🗂️ Manual file check: /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots /storage/emulated/0/Download

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Before mass deleting a photo, turn on the hidden files in any file manager (e.g., in Mi File Manager: Settings → Show hidden files) so you will find folders like.nomedia that take up space but are not visible in the gallery.

4. Application optimization: what can be removed without harm?

Xiaomi Redmi has a lot of system applications that can’t be removed by standard methods, but can be disabled or replaced with lighter ones.

• 🎮 Game Turbo - Takes ~500MB, but only gamers need it.
• 📺 Mi Video – Player with advertising, replaced by VLC.
• 📰 Mi Browser – a browser with high RAM consumption, it is better to use Chrome Lite.
• 🛒 GetApps – Xiaomi’s branded store, duplicates Google Play.
• 🔊 Music is a standard player, replaced by Poweramp or AIMP.

How to disable system applications:

1. Install ADB on your PC (instruction: official Android site).
2. Connect Redmi via USB, enable Debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times).
3. Enter the command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer (replace com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer with the desired application package).

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system applications may disrupt work MIUI Account or Google Services. Before the procedure, check the dependent services via the command: adb shell dumpsys package com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer Search for the line dependencies.

5. Transfer data to a memory card or cloud

If your Redmi has a microSD slot, transferring apps and files to a memory card can free up to 10–30 GB.

• ✅ What to transfer: photos, videos, music, documents, some games (for example, Minecraft).
• ❌ What can not be transferred: system applications, data WhatsApp/Telegram, Google Play Services cache.

Step-by-step:

1. Insert microSD (UHS-I U3 class is recommended for speed).
2. Format it as internal memory (Settings → Storage → SD card → Set up → Internal memory).
3. Move files through Mi File Manager or Settings → Applications → Select Program → Storage → Change → SD Card.

For cloud storage, you will be able to:

• 🌥️ Google Photos – unlimited storage for photos in compressed quality.
• 📦 Mi Cloud – 5GB free for Xiaomi backups.
• 🗄️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB when registering for a promotional code.

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Formatting the memory card as an “internal” memory card binds it to your Redmi, and once it is retrieved, the data on it will not be available on other devices!

6. Factory reset: when is it the only way out?

If you've got less than 10 percent of the memory left and the system is down, you've got to do a hard reset, which will delete all the data, but it'll bring the smartphone back to its "clean" state. There are two ways to reset the Xiaomi Redmi:

Method 1. Through settings (soft reset):

1. Settings → About the phone → Reset settings → Erase all data.
2. Choose to clean everything (including internal memory).
3. Confirm with a Mi Account password (if linked).

Method 2. Through Recovery (hard reset):

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (control – volume and power buttons).

⚠️ Note: On Redmi models with a locked bootloader (such as global versions), resetting via Recovery may require entering the Mi Account password. If you forget it, use the official unlock tool: account.xiaomi.com.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Don’t restore backup through Mi Cloud – it can bring back garbage.
• 📥 Install applications selectively, avoiding “package” restores.
• 🛡️ Turn off automatic media download in messengers.

7 Hidden MIUI features to save memory

MIUI has some undocumented features that help save space. They're not in the standard settings, but they work on most Redmis:

• 🔄 Light mode. MIUI: Activated by the team in the dialer: ##6484## Reduces the weight of system animations and disables background processes.
• 🗑️ Autocleaning Cache: Enabled through Settings → Special facilities → Cleaning up memory → Automatically (hidden on some firmware).
• 📦 System File Compression: In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Tap 10 times on the logo – the Developer menu will appear → Compress system.

For Redmi Note 11/12/13 models with MIUI 14+, the Smart Cleaning function is available:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Memory Cleanup.
2. Turn on the Deep Clean option.
3. Set up a schedule (recommended 1 time per week).

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On Redmi with a Snapdragon processor (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+), enable the Limit background processes option in the developer settings. This will reduce RAM consumption and indirectly reduce memory load.

8. Prevention: how to avoid re-clogging?

To ensure that memory on Xiaomi Redmi does not run out every 2-3 months, follow the following simple rules:

• 📵 Turn off autoload media in messengers: Telegram settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media → Never WhatsApp settings → Warehouse → Autoboot media → Only on Wi-Fi.
• 🔄 Clean the cache once a month (set up a reminder).
• 🚫 Don’t install cleaners like Clean Master, they are the source of garbage.
• 📊 Use the lighter versions of apps: Facebook Lite instead of Facebook; Messenger Lite instead of Messenger; Spotify Lite instead of Spotify.

For models with 32 GB of memory (Redmi 9A/10A) critical:

• 🎮 Do not install games heavier than 1 GB.
• 📸 Store your photos in the cloud, not on your device.
• 🔋 Turn off log recording: Settings → Additionally. → Logs and reports → Shut down.

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Xiaomi Redmi with MIUI 15 has a feature called “Dynamic RAM Expansion”, which uses part of the internal memory as virtual RAM. Turn it off if you are experiencing a shortage of space: Settings → Additional → Extension of RAM → Turn it off.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up memory