Xiaomi’s smartphones, which are powered by MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, are known for their functionality and affordable price, but over time, even a powerful device starts to run slower and memory space shrinks critically, often due to the accumulated cache of applications that grows to gigabytes and slows down the system.
Clearing temporary files is not just a way to free up space, it's also an opportunity to fix bugs in the software. Cache data can get corrupted, causing crashes or incorrect display of content. In this article, we will discuss all the current cleaning methods, from standard system tools to advanced methods for power users.
It is important to understand the difference between cleaning the cache and resetting data. The first operation is secure and only deletes temporary files, the second completely erases settings and authorization in the application. Below we will discuss how to perform the first procedure as efficiently as possible without losing important information.
Cache Anatomy in the MIUI and HyperOS Shell
The Android operating system uses cache to speed up frequently used functions. When you open an application, the system saves temporary files so that the next time you start it up, you download them faster without going to the server or recalculating the data. On Xiaomi devices, this mechanism works aggressively, saving photo previews, video thumbnails and temporary update files.
Over time, the volume of such data becomes unnecessarily large, for example, messengers can store gigabytes of images you no longer need, but the system considers them important for performance. A crowded cache not only takes up space, but also creates an extra load on the file system, which is especially noticeable on models with the type of memory eMMC.
The MIUI shell has built-in monitoring mechanisms, but they are not always effective in deep cleaning. The user must independently monitor the state of the storage, especially if you actively use social networks and navigators. Understanding the structure of the files will help avoid deleting important information.
⚠️ Caution: Clearing the cache does not delete your personal communications, contacts or stored passwords within apps, but in some cases, you may need to re-authorize your Google or social media accounts.
It’s worth noting that some Xiaomi system processes create hidden cache files that are not visible when you browse folders as standard, which are responsible for widgets, design themes and system services, and regularly reviewing this data helps maintain the stability of the interface.
Standard cleaning through the Security app
The easiest and safest way to free up space is to use the built-in Security app, a system tool that is pre-installed on all Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, which scans the device for junk files, duplicates and large cache volumes.
To start the procedure, open the application and click on the large green Speed button or go to Cleanup. The system will automatically analyze the storage and suggest deleting temporary files, which is ideal for rapid prevention when you need to urgently release a couple hundred megabytes.
☑️ Checking before cleaning
A deeper analysis is available in the Cleanup in-app section, where the system breaks down the garbage into categories: app cache, ad files, APK installer packages, etc. You can selectively delete categories without touching system files.
- 🗑️ Application cache – temporary program work files that can be deleted without fear.
- 📦 APK-Files – installation packages that often remain after software updates.
- 📸 Miniatures – reduced copies of photos and videos from the gallery, taking up a lot of space.
- 📢 Advertising files – remnants of banner ads from free apps and games.
Using Xiaomi’s built-in cleaner is preferable to installing third-party counterparts, as it has deep permissions to access system partitions.Third-party programs often cannot access hidden directories due to Android security restrictions.
Manually cleaning the cache of a particular application
If the memory problem is caused by one particular application, like Telegram or YouTube, it makes no sense to clean the entire phone, and MIUI has a convenient memory management system for each individual program, which allows you to spot the overflow problems.
To get into the management menu, go to Settings, then select Apps and click All Apps. Find the program you want in the list. Inside the app menu, you're interested in Memory or Storage, and there'll be two buttons: Clear and Delete Data.
It is important not to confuse these functions. The Clear (or Clear cache) button only deletes temporary files. The Delete Data button resets the application to the post-installation state, removing logins, settings and local files. Be careful when choosing an action.
What to do if the cleaning button is inactive?
For instant messengers like WhatsApp or Viber, it’s better to use built-in cleaning tools inside the app itself, which let you choose which media files to delete (for example, leave text but remove old videos), which is a more flexible approach than completely cleaning through Android settings.
Regularly checking heavy apps helps keep the system on track. Social media and browsers tend to grow cache faster. If you notice that your phone starts warming up when you run a certain program, check its storage first.
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who lack standard methods, there is the possibility of cleaning through debugging via USB and computer, which allows you to remove the cache of system applications that are hidden from the average user, this will require a PC and an installed ADB (Android Debug Bridge).
First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings. → About the phone and quickly press 7 times on the field MIUI (or OS). After that, a new item will appear in the settings menu Additional → For developers, you need to turn on debugging. USB.
Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. On a PC, open the command line in the ADB folder and type in the command to access the shell: adb shell. Once successfully connected, you can execute a command to clear the cache of a particular package: pm clear the name packet. For example, for YouTube, this will be pm clear com.google.android.youtube.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This team tries to cut the cache of all applications to the specified limit (in bytes). Specifying a large number actually clears the entire cache available. It is a powerful tool, but you need to use it with caution, because it affects the operation of the entire system at once.
| ADB Team Team | Description of action | Level of risk |
|---|---|---|
| pm clear package_name | Completely clean up the data and cache of a particular application | Medium (resetting of application settings) |
| pm trim-caches size | Cutting the cache of all applications to a given size | Low (systemic operation) |
| wipe cache partition | Cleaning the cache partition through Recovery (not through ADB) | Low (data-safe) |
Use of the ADB-A mistake in the name of a packet can cause a reset of an important system application. Always check the name of the packet before entering the command.
Cleaning through the Recovery menu
If the smartphone is unstable, freezes or does not load properly, you can use Recovery mode. This is a special recovery environment that allows you to perform low-level operations, including cleaning the cache partition (Wipe Cache Partition).
To enter Recovery mode, turn off your smartphone completely. Then press the Volume+ and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, keep the volume up. When the menu appears, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button for confirmation.
Select Wipe Data from the menu. Importantly, in newer versions of MIUI, this option may offer a choice between Wipe All Data (full reset) and Clean Cache (cache only). Choose Clean Cache. If there is no such separation, be extremely careful, as in some older firmware, this action can reset the phone.
⚠️ Before logging into Recovery, make sure you understand the difference between Wipe Cache and Wipe Data.Factory Reset will permanently delete all your photos, contacts and apps.
Once you have selected an operation, the system will request confirmation, often requiring you to type in the word yes or press a special combination. The cleaning process takes a few seconds. Once completed, select Reboot to restart the system. The first run can be longer than usual, as the system will recreate the necessary temporary files.
Automation and third-party utilities
Xiaomi’s built-in tools are efficient, but sometimes require more flexible automation settings, and there are cache-cleaning applications that can clear the cache on a schedule or when a certain memory occupancy threshold is reached, but they should be critically chosen.
Many popular accelerators are themselves a source of advertising and intrusive notifications; they can consume more resources than they save. If you choose to use third-party software, choose proven open source solutions or from well-known vendors such as Files by Google.
💡
Use the Auto Clean feature in Xiaomi Security, set it to run once every 3 days or when more than 80% of your memory is filled, and this will prevent critical space shortages.
Also worth paying attention to the settings of the apps themselves: Telegram, for example, can set up automatic cache cleaning of media files after 3 days or a week; YouTube has a cache size limit, which is often more effective than external censors.
Regular maintenance of a smartphone does not require complex actions, just check the storage once a month and delete unnecessary files, memory control is a habit that prolongs the life of the device and keeps it high even after years of use.
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The best way to clean is a combined one: a built-in cleaner for quick prevention, manual cleaning of heavy applications once a month and monitoring auto-cleaning settings in messengers.