Cleaning up system memory on Xiaomi Redmi: a complete guide with proven methods

System memory on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is clogged with garbage faster than it seems: app cache, residual files after updates, duplicate photos and unnecessary ones APK-Files take up gigabytes of precious space, even if you regularly delete unnecessary programs, system processes. MIUI They continue to generate temporary data that is not automatically cleared, and as a result, the phone starts to brake, applications fly out, and the notification "Not enough memory" appears at the most inopportune moment.

In this article, we will discuss 7 proven ways to clean memory on Redmi, from basic (hand-cache removal) to advanced (ADB cleaning and hidden MIUI settings). All methods have been tested on Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4 and Redmi 9/10, but will also be suitable for other devices based on MIUI 12-14. Importantly, some operations require root rights or developer mode activation - we will warn you about this in advance.

1. Basic cleaning: cache and debris in MIUI

Start with the simplest, the built-in MIUI tools. Even if you've never cleaned your phone, this method will free up 1-3 GB of storage in 5 minutes. Open the Security app and go to Cleanup. The system will automatically scan the device and show:

• 🗑️ Application cache – temporary files that can be deleted without consequences.
• 📁 Unnecessary APK — Remnants of Remote Programs.
• 📷 Photo duplicates – copies of images created by messengers or cloud services.
• 🎵 Unused files – downloads, logs and other garbage.

Click Clean and Confirm Action. On Redmi Note 11, an average of 2.3 GB is released after this cleaning, which is enough to install 5-7 new apps or 1000 photos. If Deep Clean is available, use it, but be careful: it can delete data from some games (for example, Genshin Impact cache or PUBG Mobile).

⚠️ Note: Do not manually clear cache for system applications like com.miui.home or com.android.systemui through Settings → This may cause a failure of the launcher or notification panels.

2. Clearing the cache of individual applications

Some programs (social networks, instant messengers, games) accumulate more aggressive cache than others, for example, Telegram can take up to 500 MB only on temporary files, and TikTok can take up to 1 GB. To clear the cache for a particular application:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select a program (such as Facebook or YouTube).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. To clean up completely, click Clear Data, but note: this will reset the application settings (you will log out of your account, lose downloaded files, etc.).

Pay special attention to these “gluttonous” applications:

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for com.google.android.gms (Google Play Services) and com.miui.securitycenter (Security Center) MIUI). This can lead to account sync errors or fingerprint scanner failure.

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

Close all applications

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

Do not interrupt cleaning until completed-->

3. System garbage disposal through Storage Analyzer

MIUI has a hidden Storage Analyzer tool that shows all files on the device, including system files, to open it:

1. Open the File Manager application.
2. Go to Storage Analysis (may be called Storage → Analysis).
3. Wait for the scan to be completed (it will take 1-3 minutes).
4. Click on the category (such as Large Files or Unused APKs) and remove the unnecessary.

Please note these categories:

• 📦 Residual files – residues from remote applications (folder) /data/residual).
• 📄 Logs and dumps – files with the.log or.dmp extension in the folder /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log.
• 🔄 Duplicates: Copies of photos created by Google Photos or MIUI Gallery.
• 🗃️ Downloads - old ones APK, PDF and other files from the folder /Download.

Storage Analyzer also shows hidden files (such as Xiaomi Cloud cache or Mi Fit data) and only delete them if you are sure they are not needed. For example, the /MIUI/sss folder contains screenshots taken by gesture, and /MIUI/screenrecorder contains screen recordings.

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If the Storage Analysis section is missing, update the Files app via Play Market or clear its cache in the settings.

4. Clean through Recovery Mode (no root)

If the phone is slowing down a lot and standard methods don't work, try cleaning through Recovery Mode. This method removes the update cache and temporary system files, but does not affect user data.

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Volume Up + Power buttons and hold for 10 seconds until the MI logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (English / Chinese), then Wipe & Reset.
4. Choose Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe All Data – it’s a factory reset!).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 2-5 minutes).
6. Restart the phone (Reboot).

This method is especially useful after failed MIUI updates, when the system backs up older versions (the /cache folder can take up to 1-2 GB) and once cleaned, the phone will load faster and animations will become smoother.

⚠️ Note: If the Recovery menu does not include Wipe Cache, you have custom firmware installed on your device (for example, LineageOS.

5.Advanced Cleanup: ADB and Hidden Commands

For power users, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) can remove debris that is not available through standard settings, which requires connecting the phone to a PC, but allows you to clean:

• 🧹 Dalvik cache (accelerates applications).
• 🗑️ Residual update files (/cache/ota).
• 📦 Unnecessary system APK (For example, pre-installed games).

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB Tools, and open the command line in the adb.exe folder.
4. Enter the commands in turn: adb shell su pm clear com.miui.analytics # Cleanup of MIUI analytics rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* rm -rf /cache/* exit exit exit exit

After you execute the commands, restart your phone. Warning: rm -rf commands without specifying the correct path can delete critical files! If you are not sure, use only pm clear to safely clean the cache.

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ADB-Cleaning is effective for removing debris after updates MIUI, But you need to be careful. Don't delete files in folders. /system or /vendor — It's gonna crash the system.

6.Memory optimization: disabling unnecessary processes

Even after cleaning, memory can fill up quickly due to background processes, and MIUI has hidden settings that allow you to limit their activity:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select App Selection and disable Autoplay for unnecessary programs (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps).
3. Turn on charge saving mode – it limits background activity.
4. In Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autorun disable autorun for all applications except instant messengers and important utilities.

It is also useful to disable the synchronization of unnecessary data:

• 📱 Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Turn off backup of unnecessary data (such as notes or call records).
• 📊 Google Account: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Turn off sync for Google Play Movies, Google News and other unnecessary services.

These actions won’t release memory immediately, but they will slow it down by 20 to 30 percent, such as turning off Facebook auto-start saves up to 100MB of cache per week.

7.Extreme measures: reset to factory settings

If none of these methods worked and there was less than 1 GB of free memory, you'd have to do a hard reset, which would delete all the data, including photos, messages and apps, so first:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Copy important files (photos, documents) to your PC or cloud.
3. Record or take photos of account data (logins, passwords).

For discharge:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset All Settings (or Wipe All Data in Recovery).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 5-15 minutes).

Once reset, the phone will be “like new,” with as much memory as possible. Install only the necessary apps and clean the cache regularly to avoid refilling.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 9 Pro, POCO X3 NFC) After the reset, you may need to re-assign your Mi Account to unlock.Make sure you remember your login and password!

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup on Xiaomi Redmi