Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation where once fast device starts to work slower and memory is overflowing for no apparent reason. It is a natural process of accumulation of system debris, residual files of remote applications and cache, which over time grows to gigabytes. Android operating system in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS has powerful built-in optimization mechanisms, but for maximum efficiency the user needs to understand the principles of their operation.
Timely cleaning allows not only to free up precious space for photos and videos, but also significantly extend the battery life. Overcrowded drive causes the processor to work in high load mode, which leads to heating of the case and rapid discharge. Therefore, regular maintenance of the gadget is a mandatory procedure, comparable to replacing oil in the car.
In this article, we will look at all the available cleaning methods, from standard tools to advanced methods through the computer, learn how to distinguish system files from user garbage and understand what data can be deleted without risking the stability of the smartphone.
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The easiest and safest way to clean up memory on Xiaomi is to use the regular Security app. It is preinstalled on all the brand devices and has deep access to system partitions, allowing you to delete the cache without risking damaging important files. Launch a shortcut with a shield on your desktop and click on the large green Cleanup button.
After scanning, the system will prompt you to delete temporary files, remnants of package installers and advertising debris. It is important to read carefully what exactly is marked for removal, as sometimes small but useful files enter the list.
- 🧹 The Cleanup tab removes the application cache and temporary system files.
- 📱 Applications section allows you to find and remove rarely used software.
- 📸 The category “big files” will help you find heavy videos that take up space.
- 🗑️ «Recycle bin stores deleted photos for 30 days before final erasure.
The app’s Deep Clean feature, which analyzes the contents of instant messenger folders like WhatsApp and Telegram, allows you to selectively delete old videos and documents while preserving important correspondence, is particularly relevant for users who actively share media files.
Manual cleaning through Explorer and file management
For more advanced users who want to gain full control of the file system, the manual method is fine. You need the Explorer or Files application. Go to the root folder of the internal drive and look at the directories with the names of the installed applications. Often after deleting the program, its folder with settings and cache remains dead weight.
Special attention should be paid to the Download folder. This is where all files from the Internet, documents and APK installers are saved by default. Over time, tens of gigabytes of unnecessary data can accumulate here. Be bold to remove old installers, since the current version of the application can always be downloaded again from Google Play.
☑️ Checklist for manual cleaning
Remember the DCIM folder where your photos and videos are stored. Often, the.thumbnails subfolder (which can be hidden) stores thumbnails of images that can weigh more than the originals. Deleting the contents of this folder is safe — the system will recreate it if necessary, but the space will be freed up instantly.
⚠️ Warning: Never delete files and folders that you don’t know the purpose of, especially those in the root directory that don’t have clear names.
Cleaning cache and data of specific applications
Social media and instant messengers are the main memory eaters. Telegram, VK, Instagram and TikTok save a huge number of temporary files for quick download of content. To clean them, go to Settings → Apps → All apps.
Select the app from the list and find Warehouse, and you'll see two buttons here: Clear Cache and Clear Everything (or Delete Data) and the first option is secure and only deletes temporary files. The second option will return the app to state immediately after installation, deleting your logins, settings, and correspondence if they are not stored in the cloud.
What is the difference between cache and data?
It is recommended to carry out this procedure regularly for browsers (Chrome, MI Browser), as the history of visits and cache of sites can significantly slow down the device. In the settings of the browsers themselves, there is usually a function “Clear History” or “Delete Viewing Data”, which makes the same more convenient.
Storage analysis and duplicate search
Often memory is not occupied by system debris, but by duplicate photos, identical video files, or forgotten backups. The built-in storage analyzer in MIUI helps visualize what exactly is taking up space. Go to Settings → About Phone → Storage.
Here you'll see a color diagram of memory distribution, and if you click on any sector, like Images or Video, you'll be taken to a gallery of files sorted by size, which allows you to quickly find and delete heavy videos that were shot accidentally or are no longer needed.
| Type of data | Where to find | Can I remove it? | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Settings → Applications | Yes. | Low. |
| Download folder | Conductor → Download | Yeah (selectively) | Medium. |
| System files | Root of the system | No. | critical |
| Tumbnails (.thumbnails) | DCIM → .thumbnails | Yes. | Low. |
Also worth checking is the MIUI → gallery → cloud folder if you’ve used Xiaomi Cloud cloud sync, which can leave local copies of photos already uploaded to the cloud that take up space twice.
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Use Files by Google to find duplicates, and it automatically finds similar images and suggests combining or removing them, saving time on manual searches.
Using ADB for deep cleaning of the system
For power users who want to make the most of their Xiaomi, there is a USB debugging and computer cleanup method. Connecting to ADB (Android Debug Bridge) allows you to remove system debris and pre-installed applications (bloatware) that cannot be removed by standard methods.
To start, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version). Then, in advanced settings, turn on USB Debugging.
adb shell pm list packages
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packetThis command allows you to remove a specific application for the current user without affecting the system partition completely, which is safe to guarantee. However, be extremely careful: removing system components such as com.android.systemui or Google Play services can lead to the inability to boot the device.
⚠️ Attention: Before use ADB Make sure to make a full backup of the data. A mistake in the command can lead to the “bricking” of the smartphone or loss of all user data without the possibility of recovery.
Resetting to factory settings as a radical method
If the software cleaning doesn’t work and the smartphone keeps slowing down, the final argument is a complete reset, which returns the device to a store-like state by removing all data, settings and applications, and is the most effective way to clean up Xiaomi of viruses and software debris.
Before you start, make sure that the battery is at least 50%, or better fully charge the device. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all data. The system will warn you of the consequences several times.
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Hard Reset is the only guarantee of removing hidden viruses and deep system errors that cannot be corrected by a routine cleaning.
Once you reboot, you'll get a clean system, and it's recommended that you don't restore the apps in bulk, but install them again from the Play Market, and that prevents the return of old junk and conflicting settings that may have caused problems.