Xiaomi’s Redmi 4 series smartphones have proven to be reliable devices with great autonomy, but over time even they begin to experience a lack of free space. Internal storage is filled with accumulated app cache, system logs and forgotten downloads, which leads to a noticeable slowdown in the MIUI interface. Users often notice that the phone begins to open programs longer or even freeze when trying to take a new picture.
Memory cleaning is not just about removing photos, it's a comprehensive maintenance process for the Android operating system. In this article, we'll take a look at all the available methods for freeing up space, from standard system tools to advanced methods using an engineering menu.
Before we start taking drastic measures, it is important to understand the structure of disk occupancy. MIUI has its own features of storing temporary files that are not always visible to the user on a surface inspection, and we will consider how to safely remove excess without damaging important system components.
Analysis of the built-in storage occupancy
The first step to optimizing should always be diagnostics. You need to determine exactly what is taking up the lion’s share of your Redmi 4’s resources. Standard system tools give you the big picture, but often hide the details. First, go to Settings → Memory, where the system will provide basic usage statistics.
But the built-in analyzer doesn't always show the real picture of the file distribution. System data often takes up a suspiciously large amount of space, it can be due to the accumulation of update logs or residual files of remote programs, and data visualization helps to quickly find the culprit of the space shortage.
- 📱 The built-in analyzer in the Memory section shows the big picture, but does not detail folders.
- 📂 Third-party utilities like DiskUsage allow you to see the structure of files in the form of a graphics card.
- 💾 Telegram, WhatsApp cache often takes up to 70% of all available space.
- 🗑️ The shopping cart in the gallery can store deleted photos for up to 30 days, taking up a place in vain.
Using third-party analyzers requires caution, as they can request access to system files. It is recommended to use only verified applications from the official Google Play Store. After analyzing, you can decide which data can be deleted painlessly.
Cleaning the cache and temporary files of the system
Android and MIUI are actively using caching to speed up frequently run applications. However, over time, this temporary data can grow to gigabytes, no longer being useful. Cache cleaning is a secure procedure that does not delete your personal data, logins or passwords.
You don't have to install any additional software to do this. Xiaomi already has a powerful optimization tool built in. Open the Security app and select Cleanup. The system will automatically scan the device for junk files.
⚠️ Note: Do not use aggressive one-click cleanup modes in third-party crawler apps, as they can delete important authorization files in apps, forcing you to re-enter passwords.
In addition to the regular utility, you can clear the cache selectively for the most heavy applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, select the desired messenger or browser and click Clear → Cache. This is especially true for browsers that accumulate gigabytes of web pages.
☑️ Checklist for safe cleaning
Regularly performing such a procedure, for example, once a week, will help keep the system in good shape, and the accumulated cache not only takes up space, but can also cause errors in the operation of programs if files are corrupted.
Work with garbage in the folder Downloads and Documents
Download is the most popular digital garbage dump, when downloading files from the Internet, receiving documents in instant messengers or updating them. APK-The files are often saved here and forgotten by the user. With Redmi 4, with its limited internal memory, this becomes critical.
You should manually go through the contents of this directory through the File Manager Explorer. Note the files with the.apk extension, which are application installers that are no longer needed once installed. Deletion will make room instantly.
- 📄 Remove old documents PDF and DOC, You have already viewed and stored in the cloud.
- 🎵 Check the folder of the music player for tracks downloaded for offline listening.
- 📷 Find folders of screenshots taken a few months ago and delete irrelevant ones.
- 📦 APK-files after installing programs can be safely deleted, they are no longer needed.
It's also worth looking into hidden messenger folders, like Telegram creating a separate folder structure that can hold hundreds of megabytes of video and voice messages, and the messenger's settings have a feature called Memory Use, which allows you to selectively clear the chat cache.
Where to find hidden large files?
Removal of duplicates and unused applications
Over the years, it inevitably accumulates applications that you've stopped using, that not only take up space, but can also run in the background, consuming RAM and battery power, and uninstalling such software is the first step to making it easier.
MIUI has a handy app management feature. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps and sort the list by size or date of last use. You'll be surprised to find games you haven't played in six months or services you haven't used.
| Type of application | Recommendation | Action. |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Delete if you haven’t played for 1 month | Complete uninstallation |
| Social networks (Lite version) | Leave it if you have little memory. | Use instead of the main ones |
| Xiaomi system software | Don't touch without knowing. | You can turn it off in the settings. |
| Banking applications | Clear the cache | Do not delete, update |
Duplication files deserve special attention. When you copy data frequently between your computer and your phone or use different messengers to transfer photos, the same files can be saved in different folders. There are special tools for finding duplicates, but they should be used with caution, checking each file before deleting.
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Use cloud services (Google Photos, Yandex.Disk) with autoload and then delete local copies, which will free up gigabytes of space, leaving access to photos over the Internet.
Use of the SD-memory-extension
The Redmi 4 features a hybrid slot that allows you to use a microSD card, which is the perfect solution for storing media files such as photos, videos and music, and transferring this data to an external medium significantly relieves the internal memory where the system is installed.
For the system to work properly with the card, it must be formatted correctly. In modern versions of Android, you can choose formatting as "Inner Memory" or "Portifical Storage." For Redmi 4, you better choose the second option, so you can easily retrieve the card and read it on other devices.
After installing the card, it is recommended to change the settings of the camera and voice recorder so that they save files to the default. SD-The path to settings is usually in the settings of the Camera application itself: Settings → Save it on. SD-map.
⚠️ Note: Memory cards have a lower read/write speed compared to the phone's internal memory. SD-A card of heavy games or applications requiring a quick system response, as this can lead to lags.
Check the status of the memory card regularly. Flash file systems are susceptible to fragmentation and errors, and every six months it is recommended to copy the data from the card to the computer, format it and write the files back.
Radical Methods: Resetting and Engineering Menu
If the software cleaning methods fail and the memory fills up on its own, there may be a buildup of critical errors or malware in the system, in which case a full Factory Reset helps, which will delete all the data, so a backup is required.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Restore and Reset → Reset. The phone will reboot and begin the cleaning process, which can take up to 10-15 minutes.
For advanced users, you can access the engineering menu via code ##6484## or #4636##. You can find hidden memory tests here, but you can not change the settings without understanding the consequences. Errors in the engineering menu can lead to the failure of communication modules.
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Full reset is the most effective way to remove software debris and registry errors that cannot be manually removed through the file manager.
In some cases, especially on older firmware versions, cleaning the Dalvik Cache partition through Recovery mode helps. To log in, turn off your phone and press the Volume+ and Power button. From the recovery menu, select Wipe Data (caution, this is also a reset) or Wipe Cache Partition, if such item is available in your version of the recovery.