How to Clean Up Xiaomi Phone’s Internal Memory Completely: From Cache to System Garbage

Xiaomi’s internal memory is clogged faster than it seems. Even if you regularly delete photos and apps, the system continues to eat gigabytes of invisible garbage: cache, logs, remnants of deleted programs and duplicate files, as a result, the phone starts to slow down, apps fly out, and the notification “Memory is full” appears at the most inopportune moment.

The problem is compounded by the features of MIUI firmware, which aggressively caches data to speed up work, but rarely cleans it automatically. In this article, we will discuss 7 working ways to free memory on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO – from basic to advanced, including hidden settings and third-party tools. All methods tested on MIUI 14/15 and are relevant for models from 2020 to 2026.

1. Analysis of occupied space: what exactly is the memory?

Before you clean it, you need to figure out which files are eating up space. MIUI has a built-in memory analyzer, but it often hides system data. Here's how to get the whole picture:

Open Settings → About Phone → Memory. Here you will see a diagram of the distribution of memory by category: Applications, Multimedia, Files and System. Click on each category to see the details:

• 📱 Applications: sorting by size will show which programs take up the most space (often messengers, games and social networks are to blame).
• 📷 Multimedia: here are hidden duplicate photos, failed photos and cache of the gallery.
• 📄 Files: temporary documents, downloads and APK-files that you have long forgotten.
• ⚙️ System: the most insidious section - this includes cache MIUI, Error logs and update residues.

If the onboard analyzer says, "The system is 20+GB," that's a signal that you need to clean it up deep, and in the next section, we'll talk about how to reduce that volume.

2. Cleaning the cache of applications and systems

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications to speed things up, and over time, it accumulates and takes up gigabytes. In MIUI, cache is divided into two types:

1. Cache of user applications (can be deleted without consequences).
2. System cache (requires caution, as cleaning it can reset some settings).

To clear the cache of individual applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Telegram or Facebook).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning of cache of all applications:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Click Deep Clean and select the App Cache.
3. Confirm the action. This will free up 1 to 5 GB (depending on the number of programs installed).

Important: Cleaning the Google Play Services cache or MIUI System can cause temporary disruptions to Google services or design themes.

Delete the messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber)

Clear the cache of social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)

Delete the cache of cards (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps)

Clear the cache of system applications (MIUI Gallery, Security)-->

3. Removal of duplicate photos, videos and documents

One of the main causes of memory loss is duplicate files, which occur when:

• 📲 Transferring data from another device.
• 🔄 Automatic backup (e.g. Google Photos or Mi Cloud).
• 📷 Shooting in mode HDR or using filters (some Xiaomi models retain both options).

MIUI has a built-in tool for finding duplicates:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Go to the Albums section → Utilities → Duplicates.
3. Select files to delete and click Delete.

If the built-in tool isn’t enough, use third-party apps:

💡

Before removing duplicates, back up important files in Google Photos or on your computer. Some applications may mistakenly mark duplicate files with similar names but different content.

4. Cleanup of downloads and temporary files

The download folder is the real trash of the smartphone.

• 📄 APK-Files of installed (and long-deleted) applications.
• 🎵 Music and video downloaded from messengers.
• 📂 Archives (ZIP, RAR), which you have unpacked and forgotten.
• 📊 Exported documents (PDF, Excel) from office applications.

To clear the Downloads folder:

1. Open the Files (or Explorer) application.
2. Go to the Inner Memory → Downloads.
3. Sort files by Change Date or Size.
4. Remove anything that is older than 3 months or takes more than 50MB.

Pay special attention to files with extensions:

• .apk – Application installers (can be removed after installation).
• .tmp – Temporary files (usually securely deleted)
• .log – system error logs (you can delete them, but they will appear again).

5.Storage optimization through MIUI Security

MIUI Security is a powerful memory cleaner that many users underestimate.

• 🧹 Remove Remnants of Remote Applications.
• 🗑️ Cleaning the Recycle Bin and Temporary Files.
• 🔍 Find large and rarely used files.

How to use MIUI Security to clean up:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the Cleanup or Deep Cleanup section.
3. Click Scan and wait for the analysis to be completed.
4. Select categories to clean: Application residues (most useful item), Recycle bin (files deleted less than 30 days ago), large files (video, archives, installers).

Confirm the cleanup.

💡

The application residue feature in MIUI Security finds files that have been left behind after uninstallation of programs, such as cache, settings, or even entire folders of data, and their removal is completely safe and frees up to 1-3 GB.

If MIUI Security doesn’t find anything to clean, but the memory is still busy, move to the next section, where we’ll take apart the hidden system files.

6. Manual removal of system debris (for advanced)

MIUI system files take up the lion's share of internal memory, but they cannot be deleted by standard means.

• 📦 Remains of updates (/cache and /data/ota_package).
• 📜 Logs of error (/data/log and /data/anr).
• 🎨 Cash to the decorating items (/data/system/theme).
• 🔄 Backup copies of settings (/data/data/com.miui.backup).

The removal of the root rights will be required or ADB-If you don't have root, use the second method:

Method 1: Through ADB (without root)

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands: adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Clean up the MIUI Cleaner rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files rm -rf /cache/* # Clean up the update cache

Method 2: Through TWRP (requires an unlocked bootloader)

1. Install custom recovery TWRP.
2. Go to Recovery Mode (Switch Off) → Hold the Power. + Vol+).
3. Select Advanced → File Manager.
4. Delete folders: /cache /data/log /data/local/tmp

⚠️ Note: Delete system files without rooting or through ADB It can lead to disruptions in work. MIUI. Don't delete the folders. /system, /vendor or files with the.odex extension - this will lead to a device blink!

7. Transfer data to a memory card or cloud

If the internal memory is full but you don't want to delete files, transfer them to microSD or cloud storage. There are restrictions on porting applications in MIUI, but multimedia and documents can be moved without problems.

Transfer to memory card:

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Select a category (for example, Photos and Videos).
3. Press Move to Move to SD-Card (if the option is active).

How to reset:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Delete all data.
3. Confirm the action (you will need to enter a pattern lock or password).

Once reset, the phone will look like new, but all data will be lost.