Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the challenge of evaluating the available resources of the device. RAM and internal storage are two key parameters that determine the speed of the system and the ability to install new applications. When the phone starts to run slower or issues warnings about space shortages, the first thing to do is to conduct a diagnosis.
The interface of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS hides a lot of useful tools, but access to them is not always obvious to the beginner. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to get detailed information about the state of the drive and RAM. You will learn not only to look at the numbers, but also to interpret them correctly to optimize the work of the gadget.
There are several methods of checking, from standard settings to hidden engineering menus, and we will look at each of them so that you can choose the most convenient option, and understanding what system memory is doing will help you avoid sudden freezes and loss of important data.
Difference Between RAM and Internal Memory
Many users confuse these concepts, even though they are responsible for completely different processes: RAM is a temporary storage where the system holds applications running right now. The more free RAM, the faster programs are switched and the fewer lags when multitasking.
Internal memory (ROM) is a permanent storage for your files, photos, videos and the installed applications themselves, and even after you turn off your phone, the data is stored here, and it is the occupancy of this partition that most often causes the message "Memory is full."
It is important to understand that cleaning the cache in the browser will not make room for new photos, and removing heavy games will not accelerate the switch between windows if the problem is a shortage of RAM.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to delete system files from the root folders of internal memory, even if they take up a lot of space. MIUI.
Modern smartphones use fast types of drives, such as UFS 3.1, but their resource is also not infinite. Constant recording and deleting data affect the speed of work in the long run. So controlling free space is not just a way to free up gigabytes, but also care about the health of the device.
Checking through standard system settings
The easiest and safest way to find out how much memory is to use an embedded menu, which requires no third-party software to install, and provides basic but sufficient information for most users, and it calculates the amount of storage it has and shows how much is free.
For storage data, go to Settings → About Phone. Here you will see the total capacity and free space. For more detailed analysis, click on Storage (or Memory in older versions of firmware). The system will offer a breakdown by category: applications, images, video and system files.
☑️ Diagnostics of the repository
To view RAM status, the path is a little different. You have to open Settings → Advanced Settings → Memory. This shows you the RAM usage schedule of the last 3, 6 or 12 hours, you'll see how many megabytes or gigabytes are available right now, and you can also start cleaning with a single tap.
If the standard menu doesn't open or it's working with errors, try an alternative search path. Click on the magnifier icon at the top of the settings screen and type the word "memory." The system will suggest the desired partitions to go.
| Parameter | Where to look. | What shows |
|---|---|---|
| All places. | Settings → About the phone | Total storage capacity |
| Freely. | Settings → Storage | Available file space |
| Occupied with the system | Settings → Storage | Volume reserved for LA |
| RAM available | Settings → Advanced settings | Free RAM |
Use of the "Security" application
Every Xiaomi smartphone has a Security system app preinstalled, a powerful combines antivirus, cleaner and task manager, and is the most convenient tool for quickly assessing memory status.
Run the app and select Clean up, and the system scans the amount of junk files that can be deleted without damaging the data, and it often shows the percentage of internal memory that is filled, and if it's close to the red zone, the phone will prompt you to delete the extra.
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Use the Deep Clean feature in the Security app once a week to delete remnants of deleted applications and temporary files.
To work with RAM, the same app has a Speed (or rocket icon) section. Pressing a button triggers the process of closing background applications. However, beware: aggressive cleaning of RAM can cause frequently used applications to reboot at each launch, which will only increase battery consumption.
The Security app also has an Application Management section where you can see how much space each program takes up, which is useful for finding heavyweights that you haven't used in a long time, but they continue to take up gigabytes.
⚠️ Note: The "Acceleration" function in the Security application is not always effective on modern versions of Android, since the system itself knows how to competently manage background processes.
Regular use of built-in tools helps keep the device on track. Don't ignore security alerts, especially if they're about overflowing storage. Responding quickly will help avoid problems with system upgrades.
Hidden engineering menus and codes
For advanced users who need technical information, there are hidden menus that allow you to see not only the volume, but also the type of memory, the number of reboot cycles and other technical details. USSD-codes.
One of the most useful diagnostic codes is ##6484##. It opens the CIT (Customer Integration Test) menu, where you can choose Memory or Storage to check the drive's performance and see its actual volume, which sometimes differs from the stated volume due to formatting.
List of useful codes
Another important code is ##4636##. It opens the testing menu where you can find usage statistics, and although there's less information about the file system, component performance data can be useful in finding the causes of instability.
It's safe to use engineering menus if you don't change the radio settings, but if you don't know, you can knock the settings off by entering the screen or sensor calibration sections, you can just leave the menu by closing the app.
Analysis of occupied space by third-party utilities
The standard MIUI doesn't always show which file is taking up space, but instead, it's better to use specialized applications to visualize folder structure, and they build a memory card where the squares are the size of the files.
One of the best programs is Files by Google or DiskUsage, and after scanning, you'll see a graphic diagram, and often you find that you've forgotten downloads from messengers or cache cards that you didn't even know existed.
Third-party file managers, such as Total Commander or Solid Explorer, also have built-in analyzers that allow you to quickly find duplicate files and clear the basket, which the standard system can not touch for months.
When using third-party software, it is important to give only the necessary permissions, the analyzer application does not need access to your contacts or microphone, limit yourself to permission to access media files and storage.
How to effectively free up space for Xiaomi
Once you know that memory is full, it becomes a matter of cleaning. Simply deleting apps often fails, as the bulk of the weight is gained by media files and social media cache. Telegram and WhatsApp can take up tens of gigabytes of correspondence.
First, clear the Download folder. APK installation files, documents and images from the Internet that are no longer needed are often downloaded there. Also check the shopping cart in the gallery - deleted photos can be stored there for another 30 days, taking up space.
Use Cache Clear for heavy applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, select social network and click Clear Cache. This won’t delete your correspondence, but will remove temporary files that can inflate the size of the application.
⚠️ Note: When you clean up messenger data (Clear Data button, not Cache button), you may lose your correspondence history if you do not make a backup!
If internal memory is chronically lacking, consider using cloud services or a memory card (if the phone model supports MicroSD).Transferring photos and videos to the Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud cloud is the best way to save data forever.