Cache on Xiaomi smartphones are temporary files that help applications and the system run faster. But over time, they accumulate, take up precious space in memory and can even slow down the device. If your Redmi, POCO or Mi started to slow down, warm up or give out errors like “Not enough memory”, it’s time to clear the cache. In this article, we will examine all the ways from manually cleaning individual applications to deep cleaning system files through recovery mode.
It is important to understand: cache comes in three types: 1 App cache – temporary data of games and programs (for example, uploaded pictures in Instagram or levels in games); 2 Dalvik cache – optimized files to speed up Android (relevant to older versions of MIUI); 3 System cache – files of updates, logs and service information that MIUI creates automatically.
We will show you how to clean each of them without risking data.
1. Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings
The easiest and safest way is to remove the cache for specific programs.This won't delete your accounts or save, but will free up space and can solve the problems with hanging.
How to do this:
Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Select the app you want (such as YouTube or Telegram).
Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
For complete cleanup (including login data), select Clear all data, but remember: this will reset the program settings to factory.
- 📱 What apps are the first to clean? Social media (Facebook, TikTok), instant messengers, games and browsers — they accumulate the most garbage.
- ⚠️ Do not cache system applications like com.android.phone or com.miui.home unnecessarily, this can cause crashes.
- 🔄 After cleaning, the application can load longer at the first run – this is normal, since it recovers the cache again.
2. Automatic cleaning of the cache through "Security"
Xiaomi has built a tool for automatic garbage cleaning into MIUI, the Security app (or Global Firmware Security), which analyzes the system and suggests removing unnecessary files, including cache.
Instructions:
Open the Security app (shield icon).
Go to the Cleanup or Boost tab.
Press Deep Clean and wait for analysis.
Select the application cache and other unnecessary files (for example, residual files or APK-file).
Press Clear.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in the Important Data section – these may be backups or system logs critical to work MIUI.
The advantage of this method is: Quickly - analysis takes less than a minute; Safely - the application does not touch important system files; In addition, you can clean other types of garbage (for example, duplicate photos).
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If files with the name com.xiaomi.market or com.miui.weather2 appear in the cleaning list, they can be safely deleted - this is the cache of the Mi App Store and Weather system applications.
3. Cleaning Dalvik cache (for power users)
Dalvik cache is an optimized file that Android creates to speed up applications. On newer versions of MIUI (based on Android 10+), it clears automatically, but on older firmware (Android 8-9), manual cleaning can help with lags.
How to Clean Dalvik Cache: Method 1 (via TWRP):
Turn off the phone.
Press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery Mode (TWRP).
Choose Advanced → Wipe Dalvik Cache.
Confirm the swipe and restart the device.
Method 2 (via ADB):
Connect your phone to a PC with installed ADB-driver.
Enter the command:
adb shell pm trim-caches 1GThis will clear the cache of all apps that take up more than 1 GB.
⚠️ Attention: Cleaning Dalvik cache through TWRP Reset application optimization, and after the restart, the phone may run slower 5-10 minutes until the system recovers the files.
| Cache type | Cleaning method | Risks. | When to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Through settings or "Security" | No. | Every 1-2 weeks |
| Dalvik cache | TWRP or ADB | Temporary system slowdown | With strong lags on old firmware |
| System cache | TWRP or factory reset | Loss of unsaved data | In critical MIUI errors |
4. Complete cleaning of system cache via TWRP
If the phone is slowing down, it is producing errors like "UI system stopped" or not updating, cleaning the system cache can help. This is a more radical method than deleting the app cache, but it does not affect user data (photos, contacts, etc.).
Step-by-step:
Make sure that the phone has a custom TWRP recovery installed (standard Mi Recovery is not suitable!).
Turn off the device.
Press Volume Up + Power to enter TWRP.
Select Wipe → Advanced Wipe.
Check Cache (don’t touch Data or System!).
Swipe for confirmation and wait for completion.
Reboot the phone.
Make a backup copy of important data|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Make sure it's installed TWRP|Know the combination of buttons for entering the recaveri-->
After cleaning the system cache, the first MIUI launch can take up to 5-7 minutes - this is normal, since the system recovers the necessary files. If the phone has been getting stuck on the Xiaomi logo for longer than 10 minutes, try restarting it manually.
5.Cache cleaning through the engineering menu (for advanced)
Xiaomi has a hidden engineering menu through which to manage the cache at a low level, a method suitable for power users, as the wrong actions can lead to failures.
How to open the engineering menu:
Open the Phone app.
Enter the code: ##4636###.
Select Battery Information (yes, that’s weird, but the menu is universal).
Go to the Usage statistics tab or Storage (depending on the MIUI version).
Here you can see detailed statistics of cache usage and manually clean it for individual processes.
What to do if the engineering menu is not opened?
Warning: In the engineering menu, you can accidentally change critical settings (such as network settings or energy saving).
6. Alternative methods: applications for cleaning the cache
If you don't want to go through the settings, you can use third-party utilities, but be careful: many Google Play cleaners collect data or display intrusive ads. We only recommend trusted apps:
- 🧹 SD Maid is a deep cleaning of cache, duplicates and residual files. There is a feature CorpseFinder to find garbage after deleted applications.
- 🚀 CCleaner is a simple interface, clears the cache and manages autoload.
- 🔍 Files by Google is the official Google app that finds and deletes unnecessary files, including cache.
How to use SD Maid:
Install the app from Google Play.
Run the scan.
Go to the Corpses (residual files) and System (system garbage) tabs.
Select files to delete and confirm the action.
⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Clean Master) aggressively clear cache and can delete the desired files, which will lead to malfunctions. MIUI. Use only the proven utilities from the list above.
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The cache cleaner side is often promised to “speed up the phone 200%,” but the real performance gains after cleaning the cache rarely exceed 10-15%.
Frequent Cache Cleaning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many Xiaomi users experience problems after cache cleaning, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:
- 🔄 Clearing the cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui) can cause the interface to crash. MIUI. Solution: Restart your phone – the system will restore the cache automatically.
- 📉 Delete Dalvik cache on new firmware (Android) 10+) It is useless, because it is controlled by the system. Solution: Use this method only on older versions (Android) 8-9).
- 🔋 Cleaning the cache with low battery power can cause the phone to turn off during the process and damage files.Solution: Charge the phone at least 50% before cleaning.
If after cleaning the cache, the phone began to work worse:
Check if you have deleted any important apps (e.g. Google Play Services).
Reboot the device – often this solves lag problems after cleaning.
If errors persist, try resetting to factory settings (but this will delete all data!).