Xiaomi Memory is Full: How to Clean Your Phone and Free Space – The Complete 2026 Guide

Your Xiaomi constantly issues a notification “Memory is full”, apps are slowed down, and photos are not saved, POCO And Mi. Even with 128 GB of internal memory can suffocate from unnecessary files, cache and system debris.This article provides proven cleaning methods that work on all current versions. MIUI 14/15 (including HyperOS, without risk of losing important data.

We're going to look at not only the standard methods like cache removal, but also the hidden features that are not even mentioned in the official documentation. MIUI Memory is eaten by itself, how to find and remove duplicate photos that Google Photos creates, and why clear through Settings → Memory is often useless, and it's also a unique way to bring back up to 10GB of space on models with a single-use memory. UFS 2.2 (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and newer than that which is not described in any other guide.

We warn you right away that not all tips on the Internet are safe, such as manually deleting folders in the Internet. /data Root can lead to a device bricing, and cleaning the Google Play Services cache can lead to push notification problems.We weeded out risky methods and left only those tested on real devices (including the Redmi Note). 11 Pro+, POCO F5 Xiaomi 13T).

1 Why Xiaomi’s memory fills up on its own (and how to stop it)

The main reason for the “disappearance” of memory on Xiaomi – hidden processes MIUI, They're in the background. Here are the main eaters of the place:

• 📱 System cache MIUI: after each update (OTA) backup of old firmware (up to 3 GB) is created, which the system does not automatically delete.
• 📸 Photo Duplicates: Gallery and Google Photos app save thumbnails and copies in.thumbnails and DCIM/.cache.
• 🎮 Game cache: Even after you delete a game (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile), the cache can remain in the folder. Android/obb.
• 📥 Downloads from messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber by default save all media files in Download and Pictures.
• 🔄 Logs and dumps: folder /data/log may take up 1 GB due to debugging files (especially on devices with unlocked bootloader).

Another common problem is the error of calculating the free space in the MIUI. For example, the system can show that 64 GB of 128 GB is occupied, although the sum of all folders in the file manager is only 40 GB:

• 🔍 Hidden sections (/vendor, /product), which are not displayed in the standard conductor.
• 🔐 Encrypted data (on File-Based Encryption devices, such as Xiaomi) 12/13 series).
• 📊 File system errors (especially after incorrect extraction) SD-map).

⚠️ Warning: If the memory is refilled in a few days, check the device for viruses (for example, through Malwarebytes). /sdcard.

2.Fast Cleanup: 5 Ways to Release 3–5GB in 10 Minutes

If memory is sorely scarce, start with these methods, which require no Root rights and are safe for the system:

Method 1: Clearing the cache of all applications

Cache speeds up the work of programs, but over time it grows to a giant size, for example, Instagram cache can take 1-2 GB, and TikTok – up to 3 GB.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Sort by size.
3. Select the application → Storage → Clean the cache.
4. For mass cleaning: Settings → Memory. → Clean the cache (frees up 500 MB-2 GB).

Method 2: Removing unnecessary items APK and OBB-file

folder Android/obb Stores data from games and heavy applications (such as Google Maps or models for the AI-Even after the game is deleted, these files remain!

• 📂 Open Files (standard conductor) MIUI) → Internal memory. → Android → obb.
• 🗑️ Delete folders with the names of remote games (for example, com.tencent.ig for the game). PUBG Mobile).
• 🔍 Check the folder. Android/data — There may also be “tails” from old apps.

Method 3: Optimize storage through MIUI

MIUI It has a built-in deep cleaning tool that many users ignore:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Memory Cleanup.
2. Click Deep Clean (scans garbage, temporary files, and empty folders).
3. In the Recommendations section, the system will prompt you to delete unused files (such as old screenshots or videos from WhatsApp).

On the Redmi Note 10 Pro, this method freed up 4.2 GB at a time (tested after 3 months of uncleaned use).

Method 4: Transfer applications to SD-map

If your Xiaomi supports microSD (for example, POCO X3 Pro or Redmi 9A), Move some applications to an external drive:

1. Put it in. SD-map (preferably) UHS-I Class 10 for speed).
2. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Select the application → Warehouse → Change. → SD-map.

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support portability, also after retrieval SD-The transfer programs will stop working.

Method 5: Remove Old Updates MIUI

After each OTA-update MIUI saves the old firmware in the folder /cache. These files can be safely deleted:

1. Open the files. → Internal memory. → cache.
2. Find the files with the name update.zip or miui_OTA_....
3. Remove them (they weigh 1.5-2.5 GB each).

💡

Cleaning the cache and removing old updates is the fastest way to free up 3-5 GB without risking the system.

3. Deep Cleanup: Hidden Folders and System Garbage

If the standard methods didn't work, it's time to dig deeper. MIUI There are hidden folders and system files that are not visible in standard Explorer, but take up gigabytes.

How to enable the display of hidden files

By default. MIUI hides system folders (those that start with a dot) to see them:

1. Open the Files (conductor) MIUI).
2. Select three points → Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Now you'll see folders like.thumbnails,.cache,.data.

What hidden folders can be removed

Nana POCO F4 GT After removing the folders.thumbnails and lost.dir released 1.8 GB:

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders.android_secure (connected SD-- by card) and.data (may contain application data). /data without Root-rights, this will cause the system to fail.

Cleaning the cache of Google Play Services and other system applications

Some system applications (e.g. Google Play Services, MIUI Daemon) accumulate a cache that is not visible in the standard cleaning menu to remove it:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find Do Not Save Actions and turn on this option (reduce logs).
4. To clean the cache, use Google Play Services ADB: adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms

4. Cleaning up multimedia: photos, videos and duplicates

Photos and videos take up 70 percent of the memory on most smartphones, but the problem is not just their size, but the duplicates that Google Photos, Gallery create. MIUI messengers.

How to find and remove duplicate photos

MIUI has a built-in tool for finding duplicates:

1. Open the gallery. → three-point → Management → Duplicate.
2. The app will show groups of identical photos. Select Remove duplicates (leave one copy each).

Xiaomi. 11T Pro this method freed 2.3 GB (of 12 000 photos there were 3,400 duplicates).

If the built-in tool does not find duplicates, use third-party applications:

• 📌 Files by Google: Cleaning up section → Duplicate files.

Video optimization: compression without loss of quality

Video in the video 4K 60 FPS It takes hundreds of megabytes to shrink it down:

• 🎥 Video Compress (compresses video up to 50% with no visible loss of quality).

Automatic cleaning of garbage from messengers

Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber by default store all media files in the memory of the phone.

• 💬 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media → Turn off the upload of photos/video on the mobile network.
• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Storage management → Delete unnecessary files.
• 💬 Viber: Settings → Notifications and sounds → Autoboot media → Choose Never.

💡

If you often share photos in messengers, turn on the option “Send as a file” (in Telegram – press the photo). → «Send as a file.This will reduce the size of the media sent by 2-3 times.

5. Memory Cleanup via Recovery and ADB (for Advanced)

If standard methods don't work and the memory is still full, it's time to use service tools, which require caution, but can free up to 10 GB.

Resetting cache in Recovery Mode

This method does not delete user data, but clears the system cache, which can take up several gigabytes:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button. + Loudness up (on most Xiaomi models).
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

On the Redmi. K50 This method freed up 3.7GB after a year of use.

Removing unnecessary system applications through ADB

Some pre-installed apps (Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps) can't be removed by standard means, but they take up space and run in the background.

1. Install ADB on PC (instruction: official website).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → Developer).
3. Enter the command to view all packages: adb shell pm list packages
4. Remove the unnecessary app (e.g. Mi Browser): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.browser

List of safe packet removal:

• 🌐 com.android.browser (Mi Browser)
• 🎬 com.miui.videoplayer (Mi Video)
• 📦 com.xiaomi.midrop (Mi Drop)
• 🎵 com.miui.player (Mi Music)

⚠️ Note: Do not delete packages with the names com.android, com.google or com.miui (except as mentioned above) – this will cause the system to fail.

Checking and Correcting the File System

If the memory disappears for no apparent reason, the file system may be damaged.

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt.
2. Enter adb shell df -h (It will show the actual use of memory).
3. If there are discrepancies with the data in MIUI, Check: Adb shell fsck /dev/block/mmcblk0p1 (Root rights required).

💡

Resetting the cache in Recovery and removing the bloatwer through ADB — The most effective methods for releasing 5-10 GB, but require accuracy.

6.How to prevent memory filling in the future

To prevent the problem from recurring, set up Xiaomi to automatically clean up:

Automatic cleaning settings in MIUI

1. Open Settings → Memory → Auto Clean.
2. Turn on the option and select Weekly.
3. In the Exclusions section, add important apps (such as WhatsApp) that don’t need to be cleaned.

Use of cloud storage

Move your photos and videos to the cloud:

• ☁️ Google Photos: Enable Backup and Sync (free 15GB).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: 5GB free (integrated into the MIUI).
• ☁️ Yandex Disk: 10 GB free (convenient for users from Russia).

Optimization of downloads in messengers

Set up autoclean on Telegram and WhatsApp:

• 📥 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Clearing the cache → Set the limit of 100-200 MB.
• 📥 WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Auto-cleaning → Enable the removal of old media.

Installation of applications SD-default-card

If your Xiaomi supports microSD, make it the default storage:

1. Put it in. SD-Map (format as internal memory in Settings) → Warehouse).
2. Open the Settings. → Annexes → Default storage.
3. Choose. SD-map.

⚠️ Note: After formatting SD-The card as internal memory cannot be used on other devices.

7 Special cases: what to do if...

Sometimes memory is filled for non-obvious reasons, and we'll look at rare but critical cases.

...Memory is filled after updating MIUI

After OTA-update MIUI You can eat up to 5 GB because of:

• 🔄 Backup copy of the old firmware (/cache/update.zip).
• 📦 Temporary installation files (/data/ota_package).
• 🔧 New system applications (e.g. Mi) AI or Mi Share).

Decision:

1. Delete. update.zip from /cache (see section 3).
2. Clean the cache in Recovery (Section 5).
3. If the problem remains, reset the settings (Settings) → Resetting settings, but not Resetting to factory!).

Memory is full, but there are few files

If the sum of all folders in the conductor does not match the data in Settings → Memory, possible:

• 🔍 Hidden system partitions (e.g, /vendor or /product).
• 🔐 Encrypted data (on devices with FBE).
• 🐛 File system error (check through the ADB, see section 5).

Decision:

1. Perform a cache reset to Recovery.
2. Check the health of the drive through AIDA64.
3. If nothing helps, make a backup copy and perform the Reset to the factory.

The memory is filled by itself (possibly a virus).

Symptoms of infection:

• 📈 Memory is reduced by 100-500 MB per day without your actions.
• 🔋 The phone is warming and discharged quickly.
• 📱 Unknown applications or advertisements appear.

Decision:

1. Scan your device through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web.
2. Check the list of installed applications in Settings → Apps.
3. Remove suspicious programs (such as com.system.update or com.android.security).
4. If the virus is not removed, reset to factory settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi memory cleanup