How to check the memory of the Xiaomi phone: RAM and ROM

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones have impressive specs, but over time, users often notice a slowdown in the interface or the inability to install a new application. These are direct signs that the internal resources of the device are depleting. Memory check Xiaomi phone becomes a critical procedure for maintaining the performance of the gadget at a high level.

Many owners confuse the two main types of memory: operative memory (RAM) and permanent (ROM)/ROM). A mistake in understanding these terms often leads to wrong actions, such as trying to clear the app cache when the system partition is actually crowded. In this article, we will discuss all available diagnostic methods, hidden engineering codes and optimization methods that will help return your smartphone to its previous speed.

Before you start complex manipulations, it is important to understand the current state of the system. Standard MIUI tools provide basic information, but more tools will be needed for deep analysis. A competent approach to diagnosis will reveal not only space shortages, but also software errors that cause "leakage" of resources.

Differences between operational and permanent memory

A fundamental understanding of the architecture of a smartphone is essential for proper diagnosis. RAM is a temporary storage where the processor holds data from running applications. It is completely cleared when the device is turned off. It is the amount of RAM that determines how many applications can run simultaneously without rebooting.

By contrast, ROM is used to store the operating system, photos, videos, music and installed programs, and even after the battery is completely drained, the data in this section is stored, and when you talk about the lack of space to install games, it is ROM.

⚠️ Note: Overflowing the ROM partition with system files can lead to a cyclic reboot, while a shortage of ROM files can cause a backlog. RAM It only causes the closure of background applications.

The speed of MIUI depends on the type of memory installed. Modern flagships use UFS 3.1 or UFS 4.0, which provides lightning fast data writing and reading. Budget models can be equipped with a slower eMMC standard, which significantly affects the speed of launching heavy applications and copying files.

Standard Verification Methods through MIUI Settings

The easiest and safest way to know the state of storage is through the built-in shell tools. Go to Settings → About Phone. This shows general information, but for a detailed analysis, click on the Warehouse line (or "Memory" in older versions of MIUI), and the system will show a pie diagram of the space distribution.

In this menu, you'll see a breakdown by category: apps, images, videos, documents, etc. Analysis of (occupied space) allows you to quickly find "eaters" of space. Often it turns out that messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp take up tens of gigabytes of cache that the user did not even know about.

To check RAM, the standard menu contains less information. Usually only the total volume and free balance are displayed. However, if you activate the advanced settings, you can access more detailed reports. Click the MIUI version in the About Phone menu several times in a row to see hidden features, although the full RAM report is not provided there.

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Use the built-in cleaner in the Security app, which not only removes debris, but also shows which applications are most loading RAM in real time.

It is important to monitor these indicators regularly. If the "Other" partition occupies an abnormally large volume (more than 10-15 GB), this may indicate the presence of system error logs or residual files of remote applications, in which case it is recommended to back up and reset settings.

Using the CIT Engineering Menu for Diagnostics

The most accurate information about the technical condition of components, including memory, is provided by the CIT (Customer Information Test) engineering menu, accessed through a special code in the Phone application. Dial ##6484##. If the code does not work, try ##4636## to go to the test menu.

In the list that opens, select the memory option. Depending on the MIUI version and the processor model (Snapdragon or MediaTek), this item may be called "Memory", "Storage" or "eMMC Test." This displays the technical parameters: total capacity, block size, health status of the drive.

Special attention should be paid to the read and write test, if available in your firmware version. This process can take several minutes. The read speed should not be critically low (less than 50 MB/s for modern standards), and the number of errors (bad blocks) should be zero.

⚠️ Warning: Do not run the Write Test if there is important data on the phone that is not stored in the cloud. In rare cases, a test failure may cause data loss in the test section.

RAM and Process Analysis through ADB

For advanced users who want to get a comprehensive understanding of how RAM is distributed, the best tool is ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging, which allows them to see the processes that are hidden from the user’s eyes in the standard interface and understand why the phone “eats” RAM.

First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About the phone and press 7 times on the build number. Then in the advanced settings, turn on "Debugging over USB." Connect the phone to the computer and open the command line. Enter the command to output a list of processes sorted by memory consumption:

adb shell dumpsys meminfo | head -n 50

The team will display a table where Total PSS (Proportional Set Size) shows the actual amount of RAM occupied by each process, taking into account shared libraries. The total value of Total PSS will give an idea of how much memory is actually occupied and how much is available to the system. This is more accurate than the data in the settings, because it shows phantom processes and system services.

If you see a process called system_server Or a home that is too busy to remember. 1-1.5 GB to plain, that's a reason to think about resetting or reinstalling a problem app. ADB You can see the general status. ZRAM — Memory compression technology that Xiaomi is actively using.

Third-party applications for detailed diagnostics

When built-in tools are scarce, Google Play’s dedicated tools come to the rescue, with CPU-Z or AIDA64 being the leader in this field, providing structured hardware information without the need for root rights or a PC connection.

In the "Device" or "System" section of these applications, you can see the exact type of RAM (for example, LPDDR4X or LPDDR5), its frequency and number of channels. For persistent memory, you can specify the type of interface (UFS) and current wear and tear. This data is especially useful when buying a used device to make sure that the seller has not changed the characteristics.

Another useful feature of these programs is real-time monitoring, a widget on the desktop can show free RAM as a percentage, which helps to identify applications that have a "memory leak" - when after the program is closed, the amount of free RAM does not return to its original value.

Optimizing and cleaning memory

After the diagnosis, the inevitable issue is optimization. For RAM in MIUI, there is a function called "Memory Extension" that takes a portion of the ROM and uses it as a virtual RAM. You can find it in Settings → Additional settings → Expansion of memory. Enabling this option adds 2 to 5 GB to the RAM volume, but can slightly reduce the speed of the drive.

To clean up the permanent memory, it is not enough to simply delete the applications. You also need to (clean) their cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, select a heavy app (like TikTok or Instagram) and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with the Clean All button, which will reset the application to the factory settings.

⚠️ Attention: Clear all data removes logins, passwords and correspondence within the application, and only use it if you plan to log in again.

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Regularly cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks frees up more space than removing rarely used applications.

Also worth checking is the DCIM and MIUI folder in the file manager, often with WhatsApp status videos or screenshots that are no longer needed, and using Google Photos (Xiamo Cloud) with Free Space will automatically delete photos from the device that are already uploaded to the cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)