Telegram messenger on Xiaomi smartphones over time turns into a real “eater” of memory. High-resolution photos, videos, stickers, voice messages and cache accumulate gigabytes, slowing down the device, especially the problem is on the budget models of Redmi and POCO with limited internal memory (32-64 GB), where every megabyte counts.
In this article, we will analyze all the ways to clean Telegram on MIUI - from basic (removal of garbage through application settings) to advanced (manual cleaning of folders through the file manager). Particular attention will be paid to hidden folders Telegram, which are not cleaned by standard methods and can take up to 50% of the total amount of data messenger. Instructions are relevant for all versions of MIUI 12-14 and Xiaomi models, including Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5 and the flagship series Mi 11/12/13.
Why does Telegram take up so much space on Xiaomi?
The reason lies in the architecture of the messenger and the features of MIUI:
- 📁 Automatic Media Download: Telegram saves all photos, videos and documents to a folder by default /storage/emulated/0/Telegram, And even if you didn't open them, on Xiaomi, this folder is often duplicated in the same way. /Android/media/.
- 🗑️ Cash and temporary files. MIUI It aggressively caches app data, and Telegram doesn't always properly clear the cache when it exits, and it accumulates files up to 1-2 GB in size.
- 🔄 Updates and backups: When you update your messenger, older versions aren’t always removed completely, and chat backups (if enabled) can weigh hundreds of megabytes.
- 🎭 Stickers and animations. Telegram/Telegram Stickers often grows to the point of 500+ MB, since MIUI It does not optimize the storage of static images.
According to our tests, Redmi Note 10 Pro with active use of Telegram accumulates from 3 to 8 GB of junk data for 6 months, while the standard function “Clear cache” in the application settings removes only 10-20% of this volume.
Method 1: Clean up via Telegram settings
Let's start with the simplest method available right in the messenger, which is suitable for removing unnecessary media files and chats, but does not affect system folders.
Open Telegram and go to the ⚙️ Settings → Data and memory. Here you're interested in three sections:
- Memory usage shows how much space media files, documents and cache take up.Click Clear Telegram cache (deletes up to 500 MB of temporary files).
- Media storage: 📸 Turn off Autoboot for Photo/Video in Mobile Data and Wi-Fi. 🗃️ Enable the Save in Gallery option only for important chats.
Clearing history
Important: Even after this, the /Telegram/Telegram Images folder can remain full, because MIUI caches the thumbnails separately, and you will need to manually clean them to delete them.
Disable autoload media in mobile data | Clear cache in Memory Use |Delete old chats (over 6 months) | Check the Telegram Images folder in the file manager-->
Method 2: Delete data through MIUI settings
MIUI provides built-in tools for managing application memory, which are more effective than cleaning inside Telegram, as they delete system files that are not available to the user.
Instructions:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find Telegram in the list and select it.
- Click on "Storage" and select: 🧹 Clear cache – deletes temporary files (safely). 🗑️ Clear data – reset all settings and chats (use only if you are ready to lose data!).
| Action. | What's removed | Effects of consequences |
|---|---|---|
| Clear the cache | Temporary files, thumbnails, download cache | Safe, chat rooms and media will stay |
| Clear the data | Everything: chat, media, settings, account | You will have to re-enter Telegram and restore the backup |
| Remove updates | Return the app to the factory version | Some functions may be missing |
⚠️ Note: If after cleaning the cache, Telegram begins to slow down or does not open media files, restart the smartphone. MIUI cache-driven.
Method 3: Manually clean Telegram folders through file manager
The most effective method, which removes up to 90% of junk data, would require a file manager with access to root folders (e.g., built-in MI File Manager or Solid Explorer).
Telegram folders on Xiaomi can be located in several places:
- 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/ — main folder.
- 📂 /Android/media/com.org.telegram/ — file-folder.
- 📂 /Android/obb/com.org.telegram/ — update cache and temporary files.
What can be manually removed:
| Folder/file | What it keeps. | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| Telegram/Telegram Images | All uploaded photos | Yeah, but you'll lose access to them in chat rooms. |
| Telegram/Telegram Video | Video files | Yeah, but the video will have to be re-downloaded. |
| Telegram/Telegram Documents | Documents (PDF, APK, ZIP) | Yeah, unless you need files. |
| Telegram/cache | Temporary files and thumbnails | Yes, it's safe. |
| Android/obb/com.org.telegram | Update cache | Yeah, but it might need a reboot. |
⚠️ Attention: Do not delete the folder Telegram/Telegram Databases -- it contains a chat database, and if it's damaged, it'll cause you to lose your message history!
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Before manually cleaning, back up important files from your Telegram folder to the cloud or PC. /Download/Telegram_Backup via file manager.
Method 4: Optimizing Media Storage in Telegram
To Telegram does not “clog” Xiaomi memory in the future, set up automatic optimization:
- Turn off autoboot: 📵 B Settings → Data and memory → Autoload Media Select “Never” for Mobile Data and Wi-Fi. 🔄 Enable the option to “Compress Images” to save space.
- Use cloud storage: ☁️ Enable Telegram Premium (if any) for increased cloud storage (up to 4GB). 📁 Move important files to Save Messages and delete local copies.
- Set up a cache cleanup: 🗑️ B Settings → Data and memory enable “Clear cache when exiting». ⏳ Install automatic chat cleaning over 1 year old.
Xiaomi with MIUI 13/14 also has a “Light Mode” feature for Telegram. It limits the background activity of the messenger and reduces memory usage. Included in Settings → Special Features → Light Mode.
How to check which chat rooms occupy the most space?
Method 5: Using third-party utilities for cleaning
If manual methods don't work, use specialized applications that scan memory deeper than the built-in MIUI tools.
Top.-3 utility for Xiaomi:
- 🛠️ SD Maid – finds residual Telegram files after uninstallation and clears the cache of system folders.
- 🧹 Files by Google – has a built-in “waste cleaner” that detects duplicate media from Telegram.
- 🔍 CCleaner – Deletes temporary files and cache, but requires caution (do not clean system partitions!).
Example of working with SD Maid:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- Run the scan in the "CorpseFinder" section (find the residual Telegram files).
- In the “AppCleaner” section, select Telegram and delete unnecessary data.
⚠️ Note: Do not use "memory optimizers" DU Speed Booster or Clean Master. These often delete critical files. MIUI, which causes system failures.
Method 6: Completely reset and reinstall Telegram
A full reset will delete all Telegram data, including hidden files that are not cleaned by standard methods.
Step-by-step:
- Export important data: 📤 B Settings → Additionally. → Exporting chat data to keep your history of important dialogues. 🖼️ Copy the necessary media files from /Telegram/ safe-haven.
- Delete Telegram: 🗑️ Go to Settings. → Annexes → Telegram → Delete. 🔍 Delete the remaining folders through the file manager (see Method 3).
- Reinstall the messenger: 📥 Download the latest version of Telegram from the official website (not from Google Play, as there may be an outdated version there). 🔑 Log in to your account and restore chats from the cloud (if backup was enabled).
After reinstalling, configure Telegram according to the instructions in Method 4 to avoid re-clogging the memory.
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Reinstall Telegram is the only way to completely remove hidden files like libtelegram.so and tdata, which take up to 1 GB and are not cleaned by standard methods.