Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are famous for their functionality, but over time even the most powerful devices can slow down. One of the main reasons for the decline in performance is the sprawling cache of applications that accumulates temporary files, logs and data residues. Users often notice that free memory disappears on its own, and the interface begins to slow down when switching between tasks.
Cleaning up this temporary data is a safe and effective way to bring the device back to its former sharpness. Unlike removing photos or videos, cleaning the cache doesn't affect your personal files, but it does significantly unload the system partition. Let's take a look at all the methods available, from simple buttons in the interface to advanced debugging tools.
What is a cache and why remove it on MIUI
Cache is a buffer zone where apps store frequently used data for quick access. For example, YouTube saves thumbnails of videos, and the browser keeps copies of pages visited so as not to download them again. This speeds up the work, but over time the files become irrelevant and simply take up space. On Xiaomi devices with a MIUI shell or a new HyperOS, this data can take up gigabytes.
Android doesn’t always manage this process effectively on its own, and some app developers don’t prescribe the correct rules for deleting old data, and as a result, the cache can grow into inadequate size, causing system conflicts and errors when running programs. Regular cleaning helps avoid the “junk” that slows down the processor and disk controller.
It's important to understand the difference between cache cleaning and data resetting. Cache cleaning only removes temporary files without affecting logins, passwords, and game progress. This is a key difference that allows you to perform a prevention procedure without risking losing important information. If you decide to click Reset or Clear Everything, the application will return to state immediately after installation.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use questionable software from third-party stores. Android built-in and MIUI They cope with the task better, and third-party software often creates an extra load on the system.
Sometimes users confuse cache with system files. These are different concepts. Application cache is in open memory areas that are available for modification. System files are protected and deleted without root rights is impossible, and not necessary for normal optimization. Your goal is a custom cache that is safely deleted by standard methods.
Cleaning the cache through the standard Security app
The easiest and most affordable way for any Xiaomi smartphone owner to use the pre-installed Security app is a system tool that is already integrated into the shell and has the necessary access rights, and it automatically scans the device for junk files, including the cache of installed programs.
To start the procedure, you need to find an application icon that usually looks like a green or blue shield. Once you open, click on the large circular Cleanup button. The system will quickly scan and suggest that you delete the files found. However, for more detailed control, click on the Cleanup button again or select the garbage cleanup item in the tool menu.
Unlike simple quick cleaning, deep analysis allows you to see which apps take up the most space, you can manually eliminate important folders or, conversely, forcefully clear the cache of heavy programs like Telegram or Instagram, which gives you flexibility in managing disk space.
- 📱 Open the Security app on the desktop.
- 🧹 Click on the Cleaning button and wait for the analysis to end.
- 🔍 In the list that opens, find the Cash or Garbage section.
- ✅ Click the Clear button to delete temporary files.
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For more thorough cleaning, go to the Security settings and enable the Deep Clean feature if it is available in your version of MIUI.
The advantage of this method is that it works the same on older models like the Redmi Note 8 and on the new flagships of the Xiaomi 14 series. You don't need special knowledge or a computer connection. It all happens in a couple of touches, which is ideal for regular maintenance of the device.
Manually cleansing the cache of a particular application in the settings
If the memory problem is caused by one particular program, it doesn’t make sense to clean the entire phone. Android allows you to manage the memory of each application individually, which is especially useful for instant messengers and social networks, which tend to accumulate huge amounts of temporary data.
Go to the Settings menu and select the App. Some firmware versions may call it All Apps. Find the program you want, like TikTok. Inside the app menu, you're interested in Memory or Storage, and you'll see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear everything.
Use the Clear Cache button to delete only temporary files. This is secure and does not require re-authorization. The Clear Everything (or Reset) button will delete all data, including your accounts and settings, so be careful. The first option is enough to prevent this.
| Action. | What's removed | Do I need authorization? | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Temporary files, pictures | No. | Absolutely safe. |
| Clearing the data | All files, logins, settings | Yes. | Requires login to the account |
| Deletion of the annex | Application and all data | Yes (on installation) | Total reset |
This is a method that gives you complete control of the situation, you know exactly how much space the program took up before cleaning and how much space was freed up, it helps to identify "gluttonous" applications that are not working properly with memory, if the cache grows too quickly after cleaning, it may be worth reinstalling the application.
☑️ Checking before cleaning
Use of the hidden MIUI test menu
For more advanced users, there is access to a hidden engineering menu that allows you to manage the cache at a deeper level, which does not require root rights, but requires care. It is available on most Xiaomi and Redmi devices through a special code in the call.
Open the Phone app and dial the combination ##6484## or ##4636##. Depending on the version of MIUI, the menu may differ. Look for sections related to Usage or Storage. Here you can see detailed memory usage statistics and sometimes force the cache processes to stop.
Be careful when changing the settings in the engineering menu, don't change the settings you don't know how important, because it can cause the system to run in an unstable way, and the main purpose here is to monitor and, in some cases, reset usage statistics, which indirectly helps the system recalculate caching priorities.
⚠️ Note: In new versions of HyperOS, access to the engineering menu through codes may be restricted or modified by developers for security reasons.
It's a valid method if standard methods don't work, and space disappears mysteriously, and it's a diagnostic tool that helps you understand what's going on under the hood of your smartphone, but it's redundant for daily cleaning.
What if the code doesn't work?
Deep Cleaning through Developer Mode and ADB
The most powerful cleanup option available without superuser rights is USB debugging and ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands, which removes the cache of system applications that are not available through the standard menu, requiring a computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) and a USB cable.
First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After that, a new option will appear in the settings menu Additional → For developers. Inside you need to enable USB Debugging.
Connect your smartphone to your computer. Install Platform Tools on your computer. Open the command line and enter a command to access the device shell:
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command forcibly cuts the cache of all applications to a specified size (in byles). By putting a huge number, you are effectively ordering the system to free up as much space as possible. This is a "nuclear" cleanup option that can temporarily slow down the phone as the applications will have to recreate the necessary temporary files.
- 💻 Install the drivers. ADB computer.
- 🔌 Connect the phone with the cable and select File Transfer mode.
- 📱 Allow debugging on the smartphone screen when a request appears.
- ⌨️ Enter adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999 at the terminal.
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ADB commands allow you to remove cache even from system applications that are normally protected from being cleaned by the user.
Using ADB requires care. Incorrect commands can lead to the deletion of the wrong data. However, when used correctly, this is the best way to free up space on devices with a small amount of internal memory. After the procedure, it is recommended to restart the device for the correct operation of the system.
Automation and Task Planner by Xiaomi
So you can set up automation to avoid manual cleaning all the time, and the MIUI has a built-in task scheduler that can run garbage cleaning on a schedule or under certain conditions, and that eliminates the need to remember the procedure.
In the Security app, go to the settings (cog icon) and find Planner or Auto Tasks, where you can set a time, for example, 3 a.m. when the phone is not in use, and the system will scan and delete the accumulated cache.
There are also third-party automating apps like MacroDroid or Tasker that can be configured to clear the cache when a certain memory threshold is reached, such as if less than 1 GB is free, a cleanup script is launched, a smart approach that responds to a real situation, not a calendar.
Automation helps keep the system in good shape without human intervention, but it is worth making sure that Scripts do not work too aggressively. Constant cleaning of the cache can, on the contrary, increase battery consumption, since the processor will have to constantly reprocess data that has just been deleted.