How to completely clean Xiaomi phone from garbage: 7 proven ways

Why Xiaomi Phone is Clogged and How It Affects Jobs

Even the most powerful Xiaomi smartphone is slowing down over time, with apps opening longer, the battery going down faster, and less memory left, and the system debris that accumulates unnoticed: temporary files, remnants of deleted programs, app cache and duplicate photos. For example, after a year of active use on the Redmi Note 12 Pro or POCO X5, up to 5-8 GB of unnecessary data can accumulate, which takes up space and slow down the processor.

The manufacturer puts in MIUI built-in cleaning tools, but they often remove only the “tip of the iceberg”: messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp), game logs (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile) and the remnants of system updates remain intact. Moreover, some “optimizers” from Google Play can do harm by removing important data. In this article, 7 safe cleaning methods that will suit any Xiaomi models, from the budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Before you start, make sure that the phone has enough charge (at least 30%) and a stable Wi-Fi connection - some methods require downloading data. → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud Backup.

Method 1: Built-in cleaning in MIUI – what removes and how to use it properly

The easiest method is to use the built-in Cleanup tool (formerly Security) that is available on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and later.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Cleaning.
2. Click on “Scan” and wait for the analysis to be completed.
3. Select the categories to delete: “Junk files”, “App cache” or “Large files”.

However, this tool has limitations:

• 🗑️ Does not delete the cache of system applications (e.g. Mi Video or Mi Browser).
• 📁 Ignores duplicate photos and screenshots.
• ⚙️ Does not clean log files and memory dumps that are created when crashes.

For a deeper cleaning, go to Extended Cleaning (not available on all models).

• 📱 Remnants of Remote Applications (Folders) /data/app-lib).
• 🎮 Cash of games (for example, Call of Duty Mobile or Free Fire).
• 📄 Temporary download files (folder) /Download/.temp).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the System Data section manually – this can cause malfunctions MIUI. If the tool suggests clearing App Data, first check if it contains important information (e.g. saving games).

Method 2: Manually Clean App Cache – When and How to Do It

App caches are temporary files that speed up programs but grow to giant sizes over time. For example, Instagram cache can take up to 1-2 GB, and TikTok can take up to 3 GB. Clearing the cache will not delete your accounts or settings, but can slow down the first download a little after cleaning.

To clear the cache of individual applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Facebook or YouTube).
3. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».

For mass cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Cache data.
2. Confirm the deletion (this will clear the cache of all applications).

Some apps (like Google Maps or Spotify) store cache in hidden folders to find them:

• 📂 Use a file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
• 🔍 Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
• 🗃️ Go to the folder. /Android/data/ and find folders with the name of the application (for example, com.google.android.apps.maps).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete the entire folder from the /Android/data/ — This will cause the application to crash. Only delete files with the.tmp,.cache or.log extensions.

Close all background applications

Backup of important data

Check the available space on the phone (should be ≥10%)

Do not clear the cache of system applications (for example, "Settings" or "Phone")-->

Method 3: Remove duplicate photos and unnecessary screenshots

Photos and screenshots take up the lion’s share of memory on the phone. According to Xiaomi, the average user takes up to 20-30 screenshots a week, but only deletes 10% of them, while duplicates appear when transferring files between devices or after Google Photos updates.

To find and remove duplicates:

1. Open the Xiaomi Gallery and go to Albums → Duplicates (available on MIUI 13+).
2. Select duplicates and click "Delete".
3. For more accurate search, use third-party apps like Files by Google or Duplicate Files Fixer.

To automate the process:

• 📸 Turn on Google Photos to “Free up space” (it removes photos already uploaded to the cloud from your phone).
• 🗑️ Set up automatic removal of screenshots older than 30 days through Settings → Warehouse → Autocleaning.
• 🔄 Use Mi Mover to transfer old photos to your computer or external drive.

If you have MIUI 14 installed on your phone, use the Smart Cleanup function:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Smart Cleaning.
2. Activate the option “Automatic Screenshot Cleaning”.
3. Set a storage period (e.g., “Delete after 90 days”).

💡

If you often take screenshots, install Screenshot Easy, which automatically sorts them by folder and suggests you delete old ones once you reach the limit.

Method 4: Cleaning system logs and memory dumps

System logs (.log) and memory dumps (.dmp) are created by MIUI to diagnose crashes, but are rarely used by the user. These files can take up to 1-3 GB and are stored in hidden folders, and can only be deleted manually, as standard cleaning does not affect them.

To find and delete logs:

1. Open the file manager (such as Mi File Manager) and enable the display of hidden files.
2. Go to the folders: /data/log/ /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log/ /sdcard/Log/

.log

.dmp

.txt

To remove memory dumps (they appear when you force the closure of applications):

1. Go to /data/anr/ or /data/tombstones/.
2. Delete all files with the.trace extension.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the folder /data/system/ — This can cause Xiaomi account data to be lost or Mi Cloud services to crash, so if you're not sure you can delete the file, move it to another folder and restart the phone, and if everything works fine after the reboot, you can delete the file.

MIUI 14 has a Deep Clean feature that deletes some of the system logs automatically to activate it:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on MIUI Version 7 times to activate Developer Mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Activate the option “Deep cleaning of logs”.

Method 5: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level cleaning tool that is suitable for users who are willing to work with the command line, and the advantage of ADB is that it allows you to delete the cache of all users (including system applications) and clear partitions that are not available through the normal interface.

To clean your phone through ADB:

1. Download and install Platform Tools on your computer.
2. Activate USB Debugging on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times). Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers. Enable USB Debugging.

Connect your phone to your computer and execute the commands:

adb shell pm trim-caches -d 7


adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job

These teams:

• 🧹 Delete the cache of all applications that are not used for more than 7 days.
• 🔄 Optimize background processes, reducing the load on the processor.

To clean the /cache partition (requires root rights that voids the warranty):

adb shell su


adb shell rm -rf /cache/*

⚠️ Attention: Command rm -rf /cache/* It deletes all files from the cache partition, including the data needed to update the system. Once it is done, it may be necessary to restart the phone to Recovery Mode to restore the partition.

💡

ADB is a powerful tool, but it requires caution: Do not execute commands that you do not understand, especially if they contain rm -rf or fastboot.

Method 6: Resetting to factory settings – when justified

If Xiaomi’s phone is too slow to run and less than 10% of the memory is free, the last option is a factory reset, which will delete all data, including apps, photos and accounts, so before reset, you must:

• 📱 Backup with Mi Cloud or Google Drive.
• 🔐 Make sure to remember the password from your Xiaomi account (required to unlock after resetting).
• 📋 Write it down. IMEI phone (click *#06#) in case of network problems after resetting.

To perform the discharge:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Delete all data”.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 5-15 minutes).

If the phone doesn’t turn on or hangs on the MIUI logo, reset via Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi Recovery logo appears.
3. Select "Wipe Data» → «Wipe All Data».
4. Confirm and restart the phone.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore data from the backup right away – check the phone’s speed first.
• 📥 Install applications gradually to avoid repeated “cluttering».
• 🛡️ Turn off the automatic download of media files in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).

💡

Factory reset is a last resort, and 80 percent of the time, it's enough to clean the cache deep enough to delete the files that you don't need.

Method 7: Prevention – How to Prevent Garbage Accumulation

To prevent Xiaomi phone from getting clogged too quickly, follow the simple rules:

• 📵 Clear the messenger cache once a week (especially Telegram and Viber).
• 🚫 Turn off automatic download of media files in groups and channels.
• 🗑️ Use cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) to store photos.
• 🔄 Regularly check the Download folder for unnecessary files.
• 📦 Remove unused applications through Settings → Annexes → Size (sorting by size).
• 🔋 Turn off background activity for applications you rarely use.

Set up automatic cleaning in MIUI:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Autoclean.
2. Turn on the options: 🗃️ «Cleaning the cache when there is a lack of memory» 📸 «Remove screenshots older than 30 days» 🎮 «Clear the game cache»

For models with MIUI 14, the Smart Storage function is available, which:

• 📈 Analyzes memory usage and suggests optimization.
• 🔍 Finds large files that have not been opened in a long time.
• 🗑️ Automatically cleans the cart in the Gallery and File Manager.

If you frequently install and remove applications, use APK-managers (e.g. managers, APK Extractor) to save installation files in one place and avoid duplicates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning Xiaomi phone