How to Clean the Clipboard on Xiaomi Phone: All Ways

The clipboard on Xiaomi smartphones is a temporary storage for the text, links and images you copy. Over time, it gets filled with unnecessary data, which can slow down the device or even pose risks of leaking sensitive information. For example, if you copied passwords, card numbers or private messages, they remain available for applications with access to the buffer.

Unlike iOS, where the clipboard is automatically cleared, on Android (especially in the MIUI shell), copy history can be stored for weeks. In this article, we will examine all the current cleaning methods, from standard tools to hidden features that even advanced users do not know about.

Why Xiaomi’s Clipboard Should Be Cleaned Regularly

In MIUI, the clipboard doesn't work like it does on standard Android, because Xiaomi has integrated its own Clipboard Manager service, which saves copy history even after you reboot the device, which is handy if you often work with the same snippets of text, but creates several problems:

• 🔍 Data Leakage: Permission apps can read buffer history, including passwords and bank details.
• 🐢 System Slowdown: A large copy history takes up RAM, especially on budget models (Redmi) 9A, POCO C31).
• 📱 Keyboard conflicts: Some keyboards (like Gboard) duplicate history MIUI, resulting in doubles.
• 🔄 Insertion errors: With a large amount of data, the system can insert irrelevant fragments.

According to research, on Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12-14 clipboard on average takes up to 50-100 MB of RAM if it is not cleaned for months, while on some models (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro), the copy history is stored in encrypted form, but is still available for system applications.

⚠️ Note: If you use password managers (such as Bitwarden or 1Password), Never copy passwords directly through the clipboard. Instead, use the autocomplete function so that the data does not get into history. MIUI.

Method 1: Cleaning through MIUI settings (official method)

The easiest way to do this is to use the built-in MIUI tool, which works on all devices starting with MIUI 10, including the latest versions of HyperOS. Here's how to do this:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Additional → Clipboard (on some firmwares the path may differ: System and device → Clipboard).
3. Slip the Clean button in the upper right corner.
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

If you have MIUI 12.5+, you can set up automatic cleaning.

• 🔄 Turn on the option to Clean automatically.
• ⏱️ Set the period: After 1 hour, After 24 hours or When restarting.

Have you kept important pieces of text in your notes?

Are all applications using the buffer (messengers, browsers) closed?

Is the developer mode turned off (if it was turned on)?

-->

Some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) may have a buffer notification empty after cleaning, which is normal – the system simply informs the operation.

Method 2: Clean through the last action menu (quick method)

If you need to delete the latest copied data without going into the settings, use the notification panel:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find a notification with text Copyed in the clipboard (usually appears after copying).
3. Slip it and choose to Delete or Clean everything.

This method only removes the last 1-2 elements, and you still have to use Method 1 to clean up the history completely.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when I notice lag

Never cleaned it up.

-->

Method 3: Using a file manager (for power users)

The clipboard in MIUI stores data in system files. If standard methods do not work (for example, after a firmware failure), you can manually delete the history through File Manager:

1. Open the Files app (or any other file manager with access to root folders).
2. Cross the path: /data/data/com.miui.clipboard/files/ or (for new versions) MIUI): /data/data/com.android.providers.media/module_clipboard/
3. Delete all files with the.clip or.db extension.
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Deleting files manually can cause crashes if you make a mistake with the folder.We recommend pre-reserve a backup through Settings → System system → Backup.

If you don't have root permissions, this won't work -- MIUI will block access to system folders, in which case use ADB (see Method 5).

Method 4: Cleaning through third-party applications

If you don't like the built-in MIUI tools, you can use third-party tools that offer additional features like selective deletion or history encryption.

Before installing, check the permissions of the application. For example, Clipboard Manager requests access to the application. android.permission.READ_CLIPBOARD and WRITE_CLIPBOARD — This is normal, but if the app requests access to SMS or contacts, it is suspicious.

💡

If you use Gboard, press the clipboard icon (📋) In the keyboard dashboard, select "Clear History" and this will only delete data from Gboard, not from the system buffer. MIUI!

Method 5: Cleaning through ADB (for technical users)

If standard methods don’t work (for example, after a firmware update), you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a PC connection, but is guaranteed to work even on locked devices.

Instructions:

1. Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
3. Enter the commands in turn: adb shell pm clear com.miui.clipboard rm -rf /data/data/com.miui.clipboard/files/*.clipboard/
4. Reset the device.

This method completely resets the clipboard service, including all settings. Once executed, the story will be empty, and the system copy notifications will temporarily disappear (return after the first new copy).

💡

ADB-Teams work even on devices without root rights, but require enabled debugging. USB. If the debugging is disabled, you will not be able to connect!

How to prevent the accumulation of garbage in the clipboard

To avoid manually clearing the clipboard, set up MIUI to automatically manage your history:

• ⏳ Limit Storage Time: In buffer settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Clipboard) install automatic cleaning in 1-3 hours.
• 🚫 Disable unnecessary applications: In the Permissions section → Special permits → Access to the clipboard, deny access to underutilized programs.
• 🔒 Use alternative keyboards: For example, Fleksy or SwiftKey store your history locally and don’t transfer it to your computer. MIUI.
• 📱 Reboot the device regularly: When restarting MIUI Automatically clears temporary buffer data (but not the entire history!).

If you often work with sensitive data, consider using password managers (like KeePassDX) that insert data directly without affecting the clipboard.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Sometimes, cleaning up the clipboard on Xiaomi is accompanied by errors, and here are the most common situations and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting MIUI to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset) is a last resort, but it is guaranteed to clear the clipboard along with other system data.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi Mi) A1/A2) It uses a "clean" Android One, where the clipboard is managed through Google Services. In this case, the cleanup is done through Google Settings. → The device → buffer.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions