How to Clean Memory on Xiaomi Redmi 9A: From Cache to Complete Reset

Xiaomi Redmi 9A is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but its modest 2/32 GB of memory quickly gets clogged with garbage. If your phone starts to slow down, issue notifications about space shortages or spontaneously close applications, it’s time to clean up the memory. In this article, we will analyze 7 working methods, from simple to radical, taking into account the features of MIUI and the hardware limitations of the Redmi 9A.

It's important to understand that memory cleaning isn't just about removing unnecessary files. App cache, system log files, duplicate media, and even data fragmentation are affecting performance. We'll show you how to free up up to 5-7 GB of space without losing important data, using both built-in MIUI 12/13 tools and third-party utilities. And if the phone is already on edge, consider a safe reset before factory settings.

1. Analysis of occupied space: what eats up memory?

Before you clean, you need to figure out what's taking up space. On the Redmi 9A, there are two ways to do this.

1. Through Settings → About Phone → Memory. Here, the system will show the distribution by categories: “Apps”, “Images”, “Video”, “Audio” and “Other”. Note the “Other” section, which often hides up to 1-3 GB of garbage (log files, temporary data, remnants of deleted applications).

2. Through the Conductor MIUI (Menus. → Open the "Analysis" tab, and there's a more detailed breakdown, including folders. DCIM (Photo/video, Download (download) and Android/data (game-cash).

• 📊 Applications: Even after deletion, many programs leave “tails” in the folder /Android/obb (like a game PUBG Mobile or Free Fire can be used for 2 GB).
• 🎥 Media files: duplicate photos from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), screenshots, recorded video in high resolution.
• 🗑️ System garbage: log files (/data/log), Error dumps, temporary update files.

⚠️ Note: If the system section is occupied more than 10 GB - this is normal for the user. MIUI. Do not try to clean system files manually: this can cause crashes!

2.Cleaning App Cache: A Quick Way to Free Up 1-2GB

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications to speed up work, and over time, it accumulates and can take up to several gigabytes. On Redmi 9A, the cache can be cleaned in three ways:

Method 1: Clearing the cache for individual applications

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as YouTube or Facebook).
3. Click "Clear the cache."

For games (for example, Call of Duty Mobile), the cache can weigh 500 MB-1 GB. Remove it only if the game starts to slow down.

Method 2: Mass cleaning of the cache

• Open the settings → Memory → Clean.
• Select “App Cache” and confirm the cleanup.

This method removes the cache of all applications at once, but does not touch the login data (logins, passwords).

Method 3: Using the Security App

MIUI has a built-in Security utility, launch it, go to the Cleanup tab, and click Deep Cleanup, and it will find up to 1-1.5 GB of garbage, including residual files and unnecessary APKs.

Close all active applications

Connect your phone to charge (if the charge is below 20%)

Backup important data (in case of failure)

Do not interrupt the cleaning process.-->

⚠️ Note: Clearing the cache of Google Play Services or MIUI The system could cause temporary disruptions to Google services. After cleaning, restart your phone.

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Redmi 9A has many Xiaomi and Google system applications that cannot be removed by standard methods.

• 🗑️ Remove user applications: Go to Settings → Apps, sort by size and remove unnecessary ones (like games that haven’t run in a long time).
• 🔧 Disable system applications: the same Mi Video, Mi Music or Google Play Movies can be deactivated through Settings → Annexes → Three points. → Show all apps. Select the ones you don't need, click "Disable».
• 🧹 Delete Residual Files: After Deleting Applications, Check the Folders: /Android/obb/[annex] /Android/data/[Title appendix: Files weighing up to 500 MB–1 GB (for example, from TikTok or Instagram).

Removal of system applications will require root rights, but on Redmi 9A It's risky, you lose your warranty or you brick your phone. ADB-teams (without root):

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer # Deletes Mi Video


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser # Removes the standard browser

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Before uninstalling apps, check if they are being used for sync (such as Mi Cloud or Google Contacts).

4. Optimization of media files: photos, videos and music

Media files are the main memory eater on Redmi 9A. Here’s how to work with them:

Photos and videos:

• 📷 Move to the cloud: use Google Photos (free 15GB) or Mi Cloud (5GB). In Google Photos settings, turn on Free Space to delete local copies of already uploaded files.
• 🗃️ Remove duplicates: Apps like Files by Google or CCleaner find repetitive photos (such as screenshots or photos from messengers).
• 🎞️ Compress the video: recorded videos in 1080p occupy ~100MB/min Use Video Compress or CapCut to reduce size without critical quality loss.

Music and audio files:

• 🎵 Remove the cache of music applications: Spotify, Yandex Music and VK Music keeps songs in a folder /Android/data. Clean it or transfer the music to a memory card.
• 🔊 Convert to MP3: flac or.wav files take up 5-10 times more space than MP3 bitrate 192 kbit/s.

To automatically clean media files, set up the scheduler in Settings → Memory → Autoclean. Select “Delete unused files older than 30 days” – this will free up to 500 MB-1 GB without your participation.

5. Transfer of data to memory card

The Redmi 9A supports microSD cards up to 512GB, but not all data can be transferred to them.

• 📁 Photos, videos, music: transferred through the Explorer → Allocate files → Move it → Memory map.
• 🎮 Games (partial): Some games (e.g. Genshin Impact) allow you to save cash on your game. SD-Go to the game settings and select "Storage" → Memory map».
• 📱 Annexes (limited): in MIUI There is no Adoptable Storage feature (as in pure Android), but you can use it. App2SD (without root, transferring applications to SD impossible.

To automatically save new files to the memory card:

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Select “Preferred Save Place” → “Memory Map”.

⚠️ Note: MicroSD Class Cards UHS-I (For example, SanDisk Ultra A1) They're faster than the cheap Class 10, and on slow maps, apps and games will slow down.

6.Deep cleaning: reset to factory settings

If after all the manipulations are free less than 1-2 GB, and the phone is lagging, it is time to do a hard reset. This will delete all data, including applications, settings and media files, so first:

• 🔄 Make a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset → Local backup.
• ☁️ Sync your contacts and photos with your Google Account or Mi Cloud.
• 📝 Write down important passwords (they won’t be saved after resetting).

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data (reset to factory settings)” → “Erase everything.”
3. Enter. PIN-code (if installed) and confirm.
4. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After discharge:

• Don’t restore your backup right away – check how the clean phone works first.
• Install only the necessary applications (avoid “junk” utilities such as Clean Master).
• Turn off autoloading media files in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).

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Factory resets are a last resort, and if the problem is physical memory (like wear and tear on a flash drive), even a reset won't help, so you can go to the service center.

7. Prevention: How to prevent memory clogging

To avoid cleaning your memory every week, follow these rules:

• 📥 Limit autoloads: on WhatsApp, turn off “AutoSave Media” (Settings) → Warehouse and data → Autoboot media).
• 🗑️ Clean your cart regularly: in Google Photos and Gallery MIUI files after deletion fall into the cart and take up space for another 30-60 days.
• 🔄 Update Apps: New versions are often optimized and take up less space.
• 🛡️ Use lighter versions of apps: Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, Twitter Lite take up 2-3 times less space.

Set up a weekly automatic cleaning:

1. Open Security → Cleanup → Settings (cogs).
2. Turn on “Car Clean” and select “Every Week”.
3. Check the boxes “Cash”, “Residual Files” and “Large Files”.

If you shoot videos frequently, set a limit on the length of the videos in the camera (e.g. 1080p@30fps instead of 1080p@60fps) – this will reduce the file size by 30-40%.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning Redmi memory 9A