How to completely clean up RAM on Xiaomi: 7 proven ways

Your Xiaomi has started to slow down, apps spontaneously close, and animations twitch? The reason most often lies in overloaded RAM. Even the flagship models of Redmi, POCO or Mi face this problem over time due to the peculiarities of MIUI operation and background processes. Unlike cleaning the cache or internal storage, working with RAM requires a spot approach - the wrong actions can not only not help, but also worsen performance.

In this article, we’ll look at 7 ways to free RAM from basic to advanced, including hidden MIUI settings, development teams, and even hardware tricks. You’ll learn why the standard “clean up memory” in the multitasking menu works ineffectively, how to disable unnecessary system processes without root rights, and what to do if the phone freezes during the cleaning phase due to critical memory shortage (the “System UI is not responding”). All methods are tested on current versions of MIUI 14/15 and adapted for models from Redmi Note 12 to 14 Ultra.

1.Why Xiaomi’s standard RAM cleaning doesn’t work

Many users are used to clicking the Clean button on the multitasking menu (swiping up late), but this method only removes visible applications, leaving background processes intact. The fact is that MIUI aggressively caches data into RAM to speed up the re-run of programs is part of the optimization of Memory Fusion.

According to Xiaomi’s tests, up to 30% of RAM can be occupied by system services that do not appear in the list of active applications.

• 🔄 miui.analytics – collection of usage statistics (only disabled via ADB)
• 📡 com.xiaomi.midrop – background file transfer service over Wi-Fi Direct
• 🛡️ SecurityCenter – antivirus and security monitoring (consumes up to 150 MB of RAM)
• 🎵 MusicFX – Sound Effects Processor (active even when the music is off)

In addition, MIUI 14+ introduced Intelligent Memory Optimization, which artificially loads RAM 70-80% for “optimal performance.” This is a marketing ploy — in fact, free memory is not wasted, but used for caching.

⚠️ Note: If after cleaning the RAM through the multitasking menu, the memory is again filled for 10-15 Seconds are normal behavior. MIUI. The system specifically holds frequently used applications in memory for quick access.

2 Manual closing of background processes (without root)

To spot-clean RAM without using third-party utilities, use the Developer's hidden menu, which allows you to close even those processes that are not displayed in the standard interface.

Algorithm of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on this item.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
3. Find the option "Background Process Limit" and set the value "No Background Processes" (temporary solution!).
4. Next, select Do Not Save Actions – this will disable the caching of application activities.
5. Restart your phone to apply the changes.

For emergency cleaning without rebooting:

adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS

This command will close all system dialogues and free up to 200-400 MB of RAM, but only works when connected to a PC via ADB.

Enable the developer mode

Set the limit of background processes on "0"

Disable saving actions

Reset the device

Check free memory in Task Manager-->

3. Optimization of application autoloading

Many apps automatically start when you turn on your phone or connect to the Internet, taking up precious megabytes of RAM. MIUI has a built-in tool to manage autoboot, but it's hidden in the depth of settings.

How to turn off autoboot:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select AutoRun.
3. In the list, mark the applications that you can disable (for example, games, instant messengers that you do not use daily).
4. System applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Browser) require ADB:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.video


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser

Pay special attention to these “gluttonous” services:

⚠️ Warning: Disabling Google Play Services will crash most apps, including YouTube, Gmail and banking. Instead, limit its activity in battery settings (Battery Optimization) → All applications → Google Play Services → Limit background activity).

Social networks (Facebook, Instagram)

Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG)

System Services (MIUI)

Messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)

Other-->

4.Use of hidden MIUI codes for diagnosis

Xiaomi hides from users several engineering menus that allow you to get detailed information about the use of RAM and even forcefully free memory, these codes work on most devices, but may differ for models on Qualcomm and MediaTek.

The main diagnostic codes:

• 📱 ##4636## - Test menu (Usage statistics tab shows detailed RAM distribution).
• 🔍 ##225## - Calendar and synchronization information (helps to find processes that block memory).
• 🔄 ##7780## - Resetting (does not delete data, but clears the cache of system applications).
• 🚨 ##36446337## - RAM test (indicates errors and fragmentation).

For forced cleaning of RAM:

1. Enter the code ##4636## and go to the Usage statistics tab.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Clear memory cache.
3. Confirm the action – the system will cover all background processes, except critical ones.

This method is more effective than standard cleaning, as it removes even hidden caches of system applications. However, after using it, some functions (for example, quickly start the camera with a double press of the power button) can run slower until the next reboot.

5. Cleaning RAM through ADB (advanced method)

If standard methods don’t work, and the phone is constantly giving the error “System UI is not responding” due to memory shortage, you will have to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a connection to the computer, but allows you to accurately control which processes are closed.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Turn on the phone debugging over USB in the developer settings.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and enter a command to check the connection: adb devices
4. Get a list of all running processes: adb shell ps -A | grep -E 'u0_a|system'
5. Forced shut down unnecessary processes by their PID (identifier). For example, to close Facebook: adb shell kill [PID] Where [PID] is the process number from the previous list.

For mass cleaning of all non-systemic processes, use:

adb shell am kill-all

This command mimics the behavior of the Clear Everything button in the multitasking menu, but works at a lower level, removing even hidden background tasks.

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If the adb shell am kill-all command starts to slow down even more, it's a sign that the problem isn't with RAM, but with fragmentation of internal memory, in which case only a complete reset or replacement of firmware will help.

Hardware methods: reset and reset

When the software is exhausted and RAM is still full of unknown processes, radical measures remain, guaranteed to clear the memory, but with side effects.

Method 1: Forced resetting

Press the power button and increase the volume on 10-15 So, the second it turns off and starts to reboot, and it resets all the time data into RAM, including the dead system processes. Redmi/POCO battery-free.

Method 2: Resetting cache through Recovery

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button + volume increase to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data – it’s a complete reset!).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

Method 3: Complete reset (last resort)

If nothing helps, the phone will give you errors like "Unfortunately, System". UI has stopped, you have to make Wipe Data in Recovery, which will delete all the data, but it's guaranteed to return the device to working condition. SIM and SD-map!

⚠️ Note: On devices with dynamic memory (RAM Expansion (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) cache reset via Recovery may disable this feature. After the procedure, check the settings in Settings → Additionally. → Expand memory and turn it back on.

7. Prevention: how to prevent filling RAM

Regular memory cleaning is about treating symptoms, not causes, so that the problem doesn't come back, follow these rules:

• 📵 Turn off automatic app updates in Google Play. background updates eat up to 500MB of RAM.
• 🔌 Use "Easy Mode" (Settings) → Special opportunities → Light mode. It limits background activity.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone once in a while. 2-3 It resets the accumulated system memory leaks.
• 🚫 Remove or freeze unnecessary system applications ADB Titanium Backup (requires root).
• 📊 Monitor RAM Consumption with Developer Options → Memory (Use schedule for the last 3 hours).

For models with 4GB of RAM or less (such as the Redmi 9A or POCO M3), it is recommended to disable Windows Animation and Switches in developer settings.

If you are using Xiaomi with virtual memory (RAM Expansion), check its settings:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Expand memory.
2. Make sure the feature is enabled and uses 3-5GB of internal memory (optimal balance).
3. If the phone is slowing down when it activates, turn it off. UFS 2.1-based virtual memory is slower than physical RAM.

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On devices with 6GB of RAM or less, RAM Expansion often does more harm than good. Turn it off if you notice delays in multitasking.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up RAM on Xiaomi