Memory cleanup on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: from cache to deep reset

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is one of the most popular budget smartphones of the brand, but even it eventually begins to “slow down” due to clogged memory. If your device gives a notification “Not enough memory” or apps suddenly close, the problem lies not in the “weak hardware”, but in the accumulated junk files. In this article, we will analyze all the ways to clean the memory — from basic to radical — that will return your Redmi Note 7 to its previous speed.

It is important to understand: memory on Android devices is divided into system (occupied with the OS and preinstalled applications) and user (your files, cache, installed programs). On Redmi Note 7 with factory 32/64 GB, free space can “melter” due to:

• 🗑️ App cache – temporary files that accumulate after each use of messengers, browsers and games.
• 📁 Residual files after deleting programs (for example, folders) Android/obb play-off).
• 📱 Automatically generated duplicate photos/videos (e.g. screenshots or copies from Google Photos).
• 🔄 System updates that are not removed after installation.

Before you start cleaning, check how much memory is occupied. Go to Settings → About Phone → Memory. Here you will see a diagram of the space distribution by category. If the System partition is more than 15-20 GB, this is normal; if the Other or Cache is more than 5-10 GB, it is time to act.

1. Cleaning the app cache manually

Cache is a temporary file that speeds up programs but eventually turns into digital garbage. On the Redmi Note 7, the cache can take anywhere from 1 to 10 GB, especially if you are actively using social networks, instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) or games.

To clear the cache for a separate application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select a program (such as Chrome or Facebook).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning of the cache of all applications:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Click Clear cache (the system will show how much space will be freed).
3. Confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse Clear Cache with Clear Data! The second action will delete all the app settings (e.g., Telegram chat history or saved passwords in your browser).

After clearing the cache, some programs can boot longer on the first run — that's OK. If there's still not enough space, move on to the next method.

2. Delete junk files through the built-in utility

Xiaomi is equipping its smartphones with a built-in Cleaner utility that automatically finds unnecessary files. On the Redmi Note 7, it is available from the Settings menu → Memory → Cleanup or through a desktop widget (broomstick icon).

How to use the utility:

1. Open the Cleanup and wait for the scan (minit 10–30 seconds).
2. The system will show categories of garbage: 🗑️ Cache applications (as in the previous method). 📁 Uploaded files (APK, archives, documents from the browser). 📎 Residual files (remains from deleted programs). 🔍 Duplicate photos (if the option is enabled in the settings).

Clean up

An important caveat: Cleaner doesn't always find all junk files, for example, it might skip:

• 🎮 folder Android/obb with game data (weighs up to several GB).
• 📸 Google Photos or Galleries Cache if it’s hidden in system folders.
• 📥 Update files MIUI, which remain in the folder Downloaded_rom.

⚠️ Note: If the utility offers to clean "Rarely Used Files", check the list manually! among them may be important documents or photos that you have not opened in a long time.

3. Manual folder cleaning: where to look for hidden trash

The built-in utility doesn’t always handle deep cleaning, and to free up additional gigabytes, you’ll have to manually check key folders through any file manager (such as Mi File Manager or Total Commander).

Where to look for garbage on Redmi Note 7:

How to delete files safely:

1. Open the file manager and follow one of the paths above.
2. Sort files by size (click on three dots → Sort → by size).
3. Delete the largest files by checking their contents.

Critical: The Android/obb folder often contains game files that can’t be deleted easily, which will cause crashes. If the game is still installed, delete it through Settings → Apps first, and then clear the obb folder.

4. Optimization of photo and video storage

Photos and video are the main memory eaters. On the Redmi Note 7 with a 48 MP camera, one RAW photo can weigh up to 50 MB, and a minute video in 4K can weigh up to 400 MB. If you are not a professional photographer, such files can be compressed without loss of quality.

Optimization methods:

• 📸 Change the camera resolution: Go to the camera → Settings → Photo resolution and choose 12 MP instead of 48 MP. This will reduce the weight of the images 3-4 times.
• 🎥 Shoot the video in Full HD instead 4K: In the same camera settings, select the resolution 1920×1080.
• ☁️ Enable auto-reserve in the cloud: Use Google Photos (up to 15GB free) or Mi Cloud (5GB). Once downloaded, the originals can be removed from your phone.
• 🗃️ Archive old photos: Move them to a PC or external drive, and leave only the last 1-2 months on your phone.

If you have already accumulated thousands of photos, use the applications to clean duplicates:

• Files by Google (finds repetitive and blurry images)
• Gallery Doctor (optimizes storage of media files).

⚠️ Warning: When transferring photos to your PC, make sure they're copied in full! USB-Cables or programs fail and files are lost.

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To quickly find the heaviest photos, open the Gallery, click on three dots → Albums → Video or Photos, then sort by size.

5. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Apps take up not only memory space, but also background processes that slow down the system. On the Redmi Note 7, they are particularly voracious:

• 🎮 Games (PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact – up to 2-4 GB each).
• 📺 Social networks (TikTok, Instagram – cache up to 1-2 GB).
• 📱 Xiaomi services (Mi Video, Mi Music) that cannot be removed by standard methods.

How to make room:

1. Remove unnecessary programs: Settings → Applications → Application Management → select unnecessary and click Remove.
2. Disable pre-installed apps: If you can’t delete them (like Mi Browser), click Disable – this will stop background processes.
3. Delete residual files: After uninstalling the games, check the Android/obb and Android/data folders for any remaining files.

Removing system applications (such as Mi Pay or Mi Game Center) will require root rights, but it is risky! Inexperienced users can disrupt the system. The alternative is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to disable unnecessary services without root.

The command to disable the application via ADB:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.name

Replace com.xiaomi.name with the batch name of the program (you can find it through the App Inspector in the Play Market).

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Deleting games and social media can free up to 5-10 GB of storage, but remember to clean their residual files in obb and data folders!

6. Reset to factory settings: a radical method

If all previous methods failed and the Redmi Note 7 has less than 1-2 GB of free space, you will have to resort to a full reset.

• 📱 Applications and their settings.
• 📸 Photos, videos, music (unless saved in the cloud or on PC).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS, Call logs (unless synced with Google or Mi Account).

How to reset:

1. Back up your important data (see the next section).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
3. Select Resetting → Delete all data.
4. Confirm the action (you will need to enter a pattern lock or PIN).

Once reset, the phone will reboot and go back out of the box, and the first turn on takes 5-10 minutes, and the system will be optimized.

1. Sign in to your Google and Mi Account.
2. Restore data from a backup (if it was created).
3. Install only the necessary applications (avoid downloading unnecessary programs).

⚠️ Warning: On the Redmi Note 7, the factory reset does not delete files from the memory card (if installed). SD-map, format it separately in Settings → Memory. → Memory map.

7. Backup before cleaning: how not to lose data

Before you delete files or reset your settings, make sure to save important data. On the Redmi Note 7, you can do this in several ways:

Method 1: Cloud services

• ☁️ Google Account: syncs contacts, calendar, notes and some settings. Included in Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Reservations SMS, Call logs, notes and photos. Activated in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud (GB 5GB free).
• ☁️ Google Photos: Automatically uploads photos and videos in original quality (up to 15 GB free).

Method 2: Local Copying on PC

1. Connect the Redmi Note 7 to your computer USB-cable.
2. Select File Transfer (MTP) mode on your phone.
3. Copy DCIM (photo/video), Download (download) and Documents folders to your hard drive.

Method 3: Backup through MIUI

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select data for saving (applications, SMS, system settings).
3. Click Create a backup and wait until it is completed.
4. The copy file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder – copy it to your PC.

After resetting or cleaning, you will be able to recover data from the backup via the same Recovery and Reset menu.

8.Prevention: How to avoid memory filling in the future

To avoid the problem recurring, follow simple rules:

• 📱 Remove the cache every 1-2 weeks (via built-in utility or manually).
• 🎮 Don’t keep games you don’t play, they take up the most space.
• ☁️ Set up autosynchronization with Google Photos or Mi Cloud and delete originals from your phone.
• 🚫 Discard Play Market cleaners – they often delete useful files and show false notifications.
• 🔄 Update. MIUI — In new versions, memory management is optimized.

If you install new programs frequently, use a memory card (up to 256 GB). On the Redmi Note 7, it supports the microSDXC format with Adoptable Storage.

1. Insert the card into the slot (hybrid, so you will have to choose - either a second SIM or SD).
2. When you first connect, the system will offer to format it as internal memory – agree.
3. After formatting, some applications can be transferred to the map in Settings → Applications.

⚠️ Warning: A memory card formatted as internal won’t be readable on other devices, and it may be slower than the internal memory, which will affect the speed of downloading applications.

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Regular cache cleaning and transfer of media files to the cloud will allow you to maintain at least 10-15% of free space on the Redmi Note 7 – this is enough for stable operation of the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup on Redmi Note 7