How to Clean RAM on Xiaomi Phone: The Complete Guide

Your Xiaomi has started to slow down, applications spontaneously close, and animations twitch? The fault is loaded RAM. Even the flagship models of Redmi or POCO with 8-12 GB of RAM over time face this problem due to the peculiarities of MIUI operation and background processes. Unlike cleaning cache or internal storage, working with RAM requires a different approach — it is important not just to free up resources, but to optimize their allocation.

In this article, you will find 7 proven methods of cleaning RAM on Xiaomi, including hidden MIUI features, development teams and third-party tools. We will analyze why the standard “clean up memory” in the multitasking menu is a half measure, and what will really help to return the phone to performance. All methods are tested on current versions of firmware (including HyperOS) and are suitable for models from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Why is RAM clogged on Xiaomi: 3 main reasons

Smartphone RAM is like a desk: the more open folders (apps) it has, the harder it is to focus on the main thing, but in the case of Xiaomi, the problem often lies deeper than it seems.

Reason 1: Aggressive MIUI optimization. The default system keeps even those applications that you have closed in the RAM, "just in case." This is called Memory Extension, a technology that should speed up the re-run of programs, but in practice often leads to memory leaks. For example, the Redmi Note 11 with 6 GB of RAM can show 4.5 GB busy even in a simple way, if you do not turn it off.

Reason 2: Background processes for Google and Xiaomi services, which include:

🔄 Google Play Services – can take up to 300-500 MB of RAM in the background.
📊 Mi Analytics and MSA (Mobile Services Alliance – Collecting data to improve MIUI, but always hanging in my memory.
🛡️ Security App – Xiaomi’s antivirus and cleaner that scans the system every 15-30 minutes.

Reason 3: Applications with poor optimization: Some programs (especially games and social networks) do not release RAM after closing, for example, Facebook or TikTok can “forget” to release up to 1 GB of memory if they are folded through the Home button, rather than closed through the multitasking menu.

📊 How often do you clean up your Xiaomi RAM?

Every day.

Once a week.

Only when the phone is slowing down.

Never clean.

The most obvious, but not always effective, method is that many users think that just swiping a finger up on the application card in the multitasking menu is enough to free up memory, and in fact, this only works for a fraction of the processes.

How to do it right:

Open the multitasking menu (swipe up from the bottom edge of the late screen).
Click on the “Close Everything” icon (usually at the bottom of the screen).
If there is no such button, swipe left/right on each application card to close them separately.

⚠️ Note: This method does not clear system processes and background services, for example, after cleaning the system, com.miui.home and com.android.systemui will still be stored in memory.

Save important data in open applications

Close all tabs in the browser

Disable file downloads (if it goes)

Make sure your phone is not connected to the PC USB-->

Method 2: Hidden Memory Cleanup in MIUI

MIUI (and the new HyperOS) has a hidden menu that allows you to force RAM to be released without rebooting, a method that works on all Xiaomi models, including the POCO X5 and Redmi K60.

Instructions:

Open the Settings. → The phone.
Click 5-7 times in a row on the MIUI Version (or HyperOS Version) until the message “You are a developer!” appears.
Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → Developer options.
Find the option "Memory Cleanup" and click on it.

This method removes all unnecessary processes from RAM, including background services, but does not affect critical system tasks. For example, after such cleaning on the Xiaomi 13T with 8 GB of RAM, an average of 1.5-2 GB is released.

What to do if there is no "clear memory" item?

On some firmware, this option is called "Don't keep activities." Turn it on, it will cause the system to automatically clear RAM when you fold applications. However, be careful: it may reset unsaved data in some programs (for example, draft messages in messengers).

Method 3: Disable Memory Extension (memory extension)

Memory Extension (aka RAM Expansion) allows you to use part of the phone’s internal memory as virtual RAM. Sounds good, but in practice often leads to slowdowns, because internal memory (UFS 2.2/3.1) is 5-10 times slower than real RAM (LPDDR4X/LPDDR5).

How to turn it off:

Go to Settings → About the phone → Memory.
Click on the icon. ⚙️ (gear) in the upper right corner.
Select "Memory Extension" and move the slider to "0 GB".
Reboot the phone.

Xiaomi model	Recommended Memory Extension Volume	Speed increase after switching off
Redmi Note 12 Pro+	0 GB (disable)	15%
POCO F5	1 GB (maximum)	10%
Xiaomi 13 Ultra	0 GB (disable)	20%
Redmi 10C	2 GB (if 4 GB RAM)	minus 5% (deterioration)

⚠️ Note: On budget models (e.g. Redmi) A2 or POCO C50) With 3-4 GB of RAM, completely disabling Memory Extension can lead to frequent app reboots. In this case, leave 1-2 GB of virtual memory.

Method 4: Cleaning through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can force RAM to be freed using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting the phone to a computer, but has the maximum effect of removing even those processes that are not visible in the multitasking menu.

Step-by-step:

Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
Turn on the phone debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times) → Developer settings → Debugging over USB).
Connect the phone to your computer and type in the command line: adb shell su echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches
Reset the device.

This command clears the cache of the core, which leads to the release of up to 30-40% of RAM. For example, on the Xiaomi 12 Pro with 12 GB of memory, after executing the command, ~3-4 GB is released.

adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS

It will close all system dialogues and some background processes.-->

Method 5: Optimizing the Autoboot of Applications

Many programs automatically start when you turn on your phone and hang on RAM, even if you are not using them. For example, AliExpress, Wildberries or SberBank Online can take up to 200-300 MB of memory each.

How to turn off autoboot:

📱 Using the Security App: Open the Security app. Go to Accelerate. → Autoboot: Disable unnecessary apps (such as games or stores).

ADB

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.example.app

Replace com.example.app with the application package (you can find out through the App Inspector in the Developer Settings).

On HyperOS models (Xiaomi 14, POCO F6 and later), autoboot is controlled via the Battery and Performance menu → Startup Optimization. Here you can select the Power Saving mode for individual applications, which will automatically limit their background activity.

Method 6: Use of third-party cleaners (with caution!)

Applications like CCleaner, Clean Master, or SD Maid promise to "magic clean up" RAM, but often do more harm than good.

🚫 Delete important system files (especially on HyperOS).
🔄 Start background processes that will take the RAM themselves.
📊 Collect your data for advertising (many cleaners are spyware).

❓ Can I clean my brain every day?

No, it hurts the phone. Frequent forced cleaning causes processes to restart, which: Increases wear and tear on flash memory (especially on budget models with eMMC); increases battery consumption due to constant reboot of applications; can lead to loss of unsaved data (for example, drafts in messengers); Clear RAM only when the phone is really slowing down, not "for prevention."

❓ Why Xiaomi with 12 GB of RAM still lacks memory?

Even with a large amount of RAM, problems arise due to: Poor optimization MIUI/HyperOS — system 3–4 GB for your needs. 4K-Games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) that can be used in the game 6–8 GB RAM. Multi-window mode - if open 2–3 Solution: Turn off background activity for games in Settings. → Annexes → Battery management and use Game Turbo to optimize resources.

❓ How to check how much RAM is really available?

To see the exact statistics: Install the AIDA64 or DevCheck app. Open the Memory or RAM section. Pay attention to the points: Total RAM is the total amount of RAM. Available RAM is the memory available for new tasks. Cached RAM is cached data (you can safely clean it up); Available RAM is normal at least 20-30% of the total. If it is below 10%, it is time to clean the memory.

❓ Does rebooting your phone help to clean RAM?

Yes, rebooting is one of the most effective ways, because: Cleans all processes, including system processes. Resets memory leaks that accumulate over time. Resets the kernel cache (similar to the ADB command from Method 4). Reboot the phone 1 time every 2-3 days, especially if you are actively using it. On Xiaomi with HyperOS, the reboot works faster thanks to the optimized kernel.