How to completely clean up memory on Xiaomi: from cache to system garbage

Your Xiaomi has started to slow down, apps suddenly shut down, and not enough memory appears every time you try to install a new application?The problem is not the “weak” hardware — 90% of users face clogged internal memory due to accumulated cache, residual files and duplicates. Even flagship models like Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Note 13 Pro+ lose up to 30% of performance after a year of use due to garbage in the system.

In this article — 10 Proven ways to clean memory on any Xiaomi smartphone (including devices on the device) MIUI 14/15 We're going to take a look at not only standard tools like Cleanup, but also hidden features that the manufacturer doesn't advertise, and you're going to learn how to safely remove *.thumbnails, clean up. /data/log, And why not use the Play Market cleaners!

1. Built-in "Cleanup" utility: what it actually deletes

The first thing that comes to mind when you're running a memory deficit is to run the built-in Security → Cleanup utility, but what few people know is that this tool doesn't remove all the garbage. It cleans by default:

• 🗑️ Application cache (temporary files that are created to speed up the operation of programs)
• 📁 Unnecessary APK (Remains from installed and remote applications)
• 🔍 Log files (system logs that take up to 500MB)
• 📥 Downloads (if you haven't cleaned the folder manually)

But the utility doesn't touch:

• 📸 Image sketches (folder) DCIM/.thumbnails, weighable 1–2 GB)
• 🎵 Cache of music applications (for example, offline tracks in Spotify or Yandex Music)
• 📱 Duplicate files (photos, videos, documents with the same content)
• 🔄 Residual data from remote applications (for example, TikTok cache or Instagram)

To start the cleanup:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Security → Cleanup.
2. Click on “Scan” and wait for the analysis to be completed.
3. Select file categories to delete (we recommend ticking all items except “Large Files” – it is better to check them manually).
4. Click “Clear” and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: If the memory is less than 500MB free after cleaning, then the main garbage is hidden in the system folders.

2. Manually cleaning app cache: why it's more important than it sounds

App cache is a temporary file that is created to speed up programs, such as Instagram caches stories, YouTube caches video previews, and Google Maps maps. Over time, the cache grows to giant sizes, with some users having a folder /data/data/com.instagram.android/cache that takes up to 3-5 GB!

Unlike built-in cleaning, manual cache cleaning allows you to remove debris selectively without affecting important data.For example, you can clear the Telegram cache, but save uploaded media files.

How to clean the cache manually:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Facebook or VK).
3. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».
4. For complete cleaning, click "Clear Data» (⚠️ This will remove all settings and logins to accounts!).

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home – this can cause shell malfunctions. MIUI.

Make a backup copy of important data (chats, photos, documents)

Close all applications (cache clears more efficiently)

Connect your phone to charge (the process can take 5-10 minutes)

Do not interrupt the cleaning (otherwise, files may be damaged)-->

3. Thumbnails Removal: How to Free 1-2 GB in 30 Seconds

One of the most obscure reasons for the memory shortage on Xiaomi is the sketch folder (DCIM/.thumbnails), which is the photo and video miniatures that the system creates for quick download in the gallery, the problem is that even after deleting the original files, the sketches remain in memory and can take up to 1-2 GB!

How to remove sketches:

1. Connect your phone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to DCIM/.thumbnails folder (if the folder is not visible, turn on the hidden files display).
3. Select all the files and delete them.
4. Restart your phone – the system will create new sketches only for existing photos.

If you use Google Photos, the sketches can also be stored in /Android/data/com.google.android.apps.photos/cache, which can be cleaned safely.

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To prevent the sketches from accumulating again, turn off their generation in the gallery settings: Gallery → Settings → Show sketches → Disable. Minus – the gallery will load a little slower.

4. Clean up /data/log folder: where up to 1GB of trash is hiding

The /data/log folder contains system and application logs, files that are created to debug errors. They normally take 50–100 MB, but if there are crashes (for example, MIUI Launcher often crashes), logs can grow to 500 MB–1 GB.

You can only remove them with root rights or through ADB. If you do not have root, follow the following steps:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
3. Enter the command adb shell rm -rf /data/log/*
4. Reboot the phone.

If you don’t want to use ADB, you can try clearing logs through MIUI Hidden Settings.

1. Open the app and go to System → Log Settings.
2. Press "Clear Logs."
3. Confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: Deleting logs won't hurt the system, but if there are errors after that, restart your phone.

5. Search and delete duplicate files

Duplicate photos, videos and documents are another hidden cause of memory overload, and they appear when:

• 📲 Copy files between folders (for example, from Download to Documents).
• 🔄 Synchronization with the clouds (Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex.Disk).
• 📸 Import photos from other devices (for example, through Xiaomi Share).
• 🎵 Download music from multiple sources (e.g. track downloaded and from) VK, from YouTube Music).

You can use the following to search for duplicates:

• 🔍 Built-in tool MIUI: Files. → Categories → Duplicates (available on MIUI 14+).
• 📱 Third-party applications: Files by Google, Duplicate Files Fixer, CCleaner (only for duplicate search, do not use "optimization»!).
• 💻 PC programs: Duplicate Cleaner, Auslogics Duplicate File Finder (plug your phone as a phone) USB-accumulator).

How to delete duplicates through Files by Google:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Open it and go to the “Cleaning” tab.
3. Click on “Duplicates of Files” and wait for the scan.
4. Select unnecessary copies and click “Delete”.

6. Transfer applications to a memory card (if supported)

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro or POCO X5 Pro), you can transfer some applications to microSD. This will free up to 5-10 GB of internal memory, but there are nuances:

• ✅ Not all apps work (for example, WhatsApp and Banking apps cannot be moved).
• ⚡ Speed may drop (class memory cards) A1/A2 slower-than-integrated memory UFS 2.2/3.1).
• 🔄 When you remove the map, the applications will stop working.

How to transfer applications to the map:

1. Insert microSD (we recommend A2 or UHS-I for better speed).
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Select an app (like Spotify or Netflix).
4. Click on “Storage” → “Change” → select a memory card.
5. Confirm the transfer (may take 1-5 minutes).

If the “Change” option is inactive, it means:

• The app does not support transfer.
• The memory card is formatted as a portable storage (you need to format it as internal memory, but this will remove all data from the card!).
• The system has disabled the option to Allow porting to SD (check in Settings → Additional → For developers).

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Moving to a memory card is a temporary solution, and for long-term optimization, it is better to clean the cache regularly and delete unnecessary files.

7.Reset to factory settings: when it really needs to

If all the previous methods didn't work, and the phone still brakes, the last resort is a hard reset, which will delete all data, including:

• 📱 Applications and their settings.
• 📸 Photos, videos, music (if not saved to a memory card or cloud).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS, Call logs (unless synced with Google or Mi Account).
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords and accounts.

When to do the reset:

• 🐢 The phone is unbearably slowing down even after cleaning the memory.
• 📱 Apps are constantly flying out with errors.
• 🔄 The system is not updated due to lack of memory.
• 🦠 Suspicion of a virus or malware.

How to reset:

1. Back up your important data (via Mi Cloud, Google Drive or PC).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.
4. Enter your password (if required) and confirm the reset.
5. Wait until it is completed (it will take 5-15 minutes).

⚠️ Warning: After a reset, do not restore data from a backup older than 3 months - this can bring back old errors and debris.Install applications selectively (selectively), rather than all at once.

8 System-level memory optimization: Hidden MIUI settings

MIUI and HyperOS have hidden features that help optimize memory without manual cleaning, which few people know, but they can free up to 1-3 GB:

1. Disabling application background activity

Many applications continue to work in the background even when you're not using them, and it's not just draining battery life, it's also using memory to limit them.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Facebook).
3. Click on “Battery Consumption” → “Limit background activity”.

2. Clean Dalvik cache (requires root or TWRP)

Dalvik cache is a temporary file that is created to speed up the launch of applications. Over time, they can take up to 500 MB. TWRP:

1. Download to TWRP Recovery (hold Power + Volume Up when you turn on).
2. Go to Advanced. → Wipe Dalvik Cache.
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

3. disabling MIUI Optimization

MIUI Optimization is designed to speed up the system, but in practice, it often slows down the phone, creating unnecessary processes.

1. Enable Developer Mode (7 taps on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Go to Additional Settings → For developers.
3. Find the option “MIUI Optimization” and turn it off.
4. Reboot the phone.

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Disabling MIUI Optimization can improve performance by 10-15%, but some animations will become less smooth.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup on Xiaomi