How to Clean Up Your Internal Memory on Xiaomi: The Complete 2026 Guide

Why Xiaomi is running out of memory and how to fix it

Xiaomi’s internal memory is one of the most painful topics for owners. Even models with 128 GB and 256 GB in a year or two of use begin to issue warnings about space shortages. The reason is not always in your files: MIUI actively caches data, applications create temporary files, and updates take gigabytes “under the hood.” For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ after a year of use, up to 30% of memory can take up garbage from system processes and undeleted updates.

To make matters worse, Xiaomi defaults to hiding some of the service files from the user, and you can see it in the 64GB Occupied settings, but the sum of all the folders in the file manager will show just 40GB. Where does the rest go? Most often, it's:

• 📁 Application cache (including Google system services and MIUI)
• 🔄 Residual files after deleting programs (especially games)
• 📥 Hidden update folders (.OTA,.MIUI)
• 🎥 Duplicate media files created by the gallery and messengers

In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways to clean up memory, from basic to radical, including hidden MIUI features that are not mentioned in the official instructions. Importantly, some methods require root or computer rights, but most solutions are available without additional tools.

Method 1: Cleaning up cache and debris through built-in MIUI tools

To start with, the standard MIUI features are available on all models from Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which require no third-party apps and even work on locked downloaders.

The first step is to clean the app cache, and it's done like this.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Select the app (start with the heaviest ones – Facebook, Telegram, Google Play Services).
4. Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – it will delete your account settings!).

For mass cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Memory (or Storage in newer versions of MIUI).
2. Slip on Clean in the section "Junk files".
3. Confirm the removal of temporary files, cache and thumbnails.

Clear the app cache |Delete downloads (Download folder)|Remove image thumbnails |Clear call and message log-->

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete files from the folder Android/data It can break the application, and to clean this folder, use only system tools or special utilities like this. SD Maid (requires root).

Once a week.|Once a month|Only when memory ends|Never clean.-->

Method 2: Delete hidden update files and backups

One of the main memory black holes on Xiaomi is the folders with updates and backups, which the system saves “just in case”, but rarely deletes automatically. For example, after updating MIUI via OTA, a file size of 2-4 GB with the.zip extension can remain in memory.

How to find and delete these files:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Enable the display of hidden files in Windows/macOS Explorer.
3. Go to the root folder of internal memory and find: 📂 folder.OTA — Here are stored downloaded updates. 📂 folder MIUI — backup. 📂 folder Download/rom — hand-stitch.

.zip

.bin

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Settings → About the phone

⚠️ Note: If you delete the current firmware file from.OTA, The system may suggest that you download it again the next time you update it. This is not critical, but it will waste traffic. MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Compare it to the file name in the folder.

Method 3: Optimize media files and duplicates

Photos and videos are the main memory eaters. At Xiaomi, the problem is compounded by the system automatically creating thumbnails (.thumbnail), and messengers storing copies of the sent media, for example, WhatsApp can duplicate every photo in WhatsApp/Media and DCIM/Camera folders.

How to find and remove duplicates:

• 🔍 Use the built-in Gallery tool → Albums. → Duplicates (available on MIUI 12 and newer).
• 📊 Install Files by Google – it can find duplicates and large files.
• 🖼️ For advanced users: Duplicate Files Fixer (requires root to scan system folders).

Tips for optimizing media:

• 📸 Set up Google Photos to automatically compress your photo (Settings) → Make room).
• 🎥 In camera settings (Settings) → Camera. → Video resolution: select Full HD instead 4K, If you are not making professional videos.
• 📂 Transfer old photos to Google Drive or physical drive (use an adapter) OTG).

💡

If you take screenshots often, turn them off automatically in Settings → Additional → Screenshots → Save screenshots. This will save up to 500 MB per month when you use them actively.

Method 4: Transfer applications to a memory card (with reservations)

Many users are trying to solve the memory problem by migrating applications to microSD, but this works with serious limitations on Xiaomi:

• ✅ It works only for a part of the applications (most games and system utilities cannot be moved over).
• ⚠️ Applications may be slowed down after the transfer (especially if the class memory card is used). UHS-I U1 lower).
• ❌ On the new versions MIUI (13+) Application portability feature is often disabled due to Google policy.

How to transfer applications (if the function is available):

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app and tap the Warehouse.
3. If the option to Change is available, select the Memory Card.
4. Confirm the transfer and wait until it is completed (may take a few minutes).

Alternatively, use the memory card as an internal storage (Adoptable Storage):

1. Insert a UHS-I U3 class microSD or higher.
2. When a notification appears, select Use as internal memory.
3. ⚠️ Warning: After that, the card will not be retrieved without formatting, and it will be encrypted and not readable on other devices.

💡

Moving applications to a memory card is a temporary solution, and the best option is to use microSD only for media files (photos, videos, music), and store applications in internal memory.

Method 5: Radical measures - reset to factory settings

If all previous methods failed and there was less than 10 percent of memory left, you'd have to resort to the extreme of completely resetting, and that would delete all data, including:

• 📱 Installed applications and their data.
• 📇 Contacts, messages, call logs (if not synced with Google).
• 📷 Photos and videos (unless transferred to a map or PC).
• 🎮 Game saving (if not linked to an account).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup copy: 📱 Application data: Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Account. → Backup. 📷 Media files: copy folders DCIM, Pictures, Download on PC. 📞 Contact: Export to the VCF via Google Contacts.
2. Reset: Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select Erase All Data. Enter a password (if set) and confirm.

After the reboot, restore the data from the backup (but not all at once – it will fill up the memory again!).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Poco) F5, Redmi K60) After the reset, you may need to re-assign your Mi Account to unlock.Make sure you remember your login and password!

Additional tips for advanced users

If you’re ready to dive deeper into Xiaomi’s settings, here are a few non-obvious tricks:

1. Disconnect logs and diagnostics:

The MIUI system maintains detailed logs that can take up to 1 GB to disable them:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 taps according to the MIUI version in the phone settings).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Turn off Error Log and USB Debugging (if not used).

2. Cleaning Dalvik cache (requires recovery):

Dalvik cache is an optimized version of the applications that the system creates, and cleaning it can free up 500 MB-1 GB:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power to Enter Recovery.
3. Choose Advanced → Wipe Dalvik Cache.
4. Reset the device.

3.Use of ADB for deep cleaning:

With Android Debug Bridge, you can uninstall system applications and clear hidden partitions. Example of commands to remove unnecessary packets:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.mi.browser


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer

⚠️ Warning: Removing system applications can cause the phone to run unstable.Before experimenting, backup with adb backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi memory cleanup