How to remove extra kilobytes from the screen of the Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where an intrusive notification of a storage shortage appears on the screen.This message can overlap important interface elements or simply annoy with the constant appearance. MIUI system and its latest version HyperOS use a complex file structure where temporary data can take up gigabytes of space, creating the illusion of crowding even on models with large storage capacity.

Removing these kilobytes and freeing up real memory is a solvable task, but one that requires a comprehensive approach. Simply removing photos rarely has a long-term effect, since junk files tend to accumulate again. In this article, we will examine not only standard cleaning methods, but also hidden functions available through engineering menus and file managers.

It's important to understand that memory notification is just the tip of the iceberg, that if you ignore overflowing, the device will start to run slower and the applications will fly out. The critical threshold is filling the system partition by more than 95%, which can lead to a cyclical reboot of the smartphone, so regular prevention is necessary for the stable operation of the gadget.

Use of the built-in "Security" application

The first and most obvious tool that is already installed in your Xiaomi is the system application "Security", which was developed by the company's engineers specifically for the maintenance of devices running MIUI. Starting scanning allows you to identify not only viruses, but also large cache files left after the application runs.

To get started, you need to open the app and select "Clean up"; the system automatically analyzes the contents of internal memory; the algorithm will suggest removing temporary files that do not affect the operation of programs, but take up space; often the amount of such garbage reaches several gigabytes, especially if you are actively using social networks or instant messengers.

However, you should be careful when using the Deep Clean feature, the system may suggest removing old screenshots, downloaded files from browsers or even rarely used applications.

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Periodically go to the "Memory" section inside the Security app and use the acceleration function, which closes the background processes and frees up RAM, which also affects performance.

• 🔍 Click on the "Cleaning" icon in the main menu of the application.
• 🗑️ Wait for the analysis to be completed and click the “Clean” button to remove safe debris.
• 📂 Go to the Deep Clean section for manual file selection.
• ✅ Check the “Big Files” and “Apps” tabs to find hidden data volumes.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use third-party memory cleanup applications (Clean Master and analogues) on a par with embedded ones. MIUI aggressively shut down the necessary services, which will lead to increased battery consumption.

Manually cleaning the cache of heavyweight applications

Social media and instant messengers are the main consumers of memory. Telegram, VK, WhatsApp and TikTok store a huge number of media files. Even if you viewed a photo or video once, a copy of it stays in the app's cache, taking up valuable megabytes and kilobytes, which together give gigabytes.

To remove this load, you need to go to the settings of a particular application. From the smartphone menu, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the desired program, such as Telegram, in the list. From the app menu, select Storage.

Here you'll see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear all data. The first button is secure, it will delete temporary files, but save your correspondence and logins. The second button will reset the application to "as after installation", deleting all accounts and settings. Use it only as a last resort, pre-backup.

The Android/data folder is worth noting, but the newer versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14) have limited access, but the built-in file manager can also find remnants of remote games or programs that continue to take up space.

• 📱 Open "Settings" and go to the "Applications" section".
• 📉 Sort the list by the size of the occupied space.
• 💾 Click on the leader app and select "Clear the cache".
• 🔄 Repeat the procedure for top-5 most severe programs.

Storage analysis through file manager

Xiaomi’s standard Explorer (or File Manager) has powerful tools to visualize occupied space, which allows you to see which file types take up the most space, and users often forget about downloaded movies, archives or APK installation files.

The Explorer interface has an Analyzer tab, which groups files into categories: images, videos, documents, applications. By clicking on a category, you can sort files by size, which allows you to quickly find the heavyweights that are lost in the back of the folders.

Special attention should be paid to the Download folder. Browsers by default save all downloaded files there. Many of them you no longer need. Also check the DCIM →.thumbnails folder. This hidden folder stores thumbnails of your photos. If you deleted thousands of photos, but the space did not vacate, most likely, this particular cache of thumbnails inflated.

Hiding Memory Notifications (Engineering Menu)

Sometimes users don't want to vacate space, but simply remove the annoying notification that hangs on the screen. Xiaomi has a hidden engineering menu that allows you to disable the storage check. This won't solve the space shortage problem, but it will remove visual noise.

To enter the menu, open the Phone app and dial ##6484##. The CIT menu will open. Be very careful. Find the item associated with Storage or Memory check and turn it off. However, newer versions of HyperOS may close the path.

An alternative is to disable notifications from a particular system application. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Find the Security or Scanner app and stop it from showing notifications. This will hide the warnings, but the system will continue to warn of critical space shortages in other ways.

• 📞 Open the dialer and enter the access code.
• ⚙️ On the menu. CIT Find the section responsible for memory testing.
• 🔕 Limit notification rights for system services in settings.
• 💾 Remember that it only hides the symptom, not cures the disease.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system memory notifications risks missing the moment when the memory is full, which can cause the phone to stop accepting calls or save new photos.

Cleaning the system partition "Other"

One of the most mysterious categories in Xiaomi's storage is the "Other" section, which users see that it takes up tens of gigabytes, but they can't figure out what's in it, and this section gets the update cache, offline maps, game data, temporary system files, and logs.

A safe way to reduce this partition is to clear the boot cache. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Memory. Click on the basket icon or the clean button. The system will prompt you to delete temporary update files. It's also worth checking the Downloads section in the settings where older versions of MIUI firmware may lie.

If the "Other" partition has swelled to unthinkable sizes (over 20-30 GB), often only a full reset helps. Before that, be sure to back up to the Mi Cloud cloud or your computer. Reset will return the phone to factory status and clear all system savings.

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The Other section is a storage of system debris and cache that is not classified as a photo or app, and cleaning it often requires resetting.

Use of cloud services and memory cards

Modern Xiaomi smartphones rarely feature a microSD card slot, so owners have to rely on internal memory and cloud technology.Mi Cloud service is integrated into the system and allows you to store photos, contacts and notes on the company's servers, freeing up space on the device.

Activate the "Gallery Cleanup" feature, which automatically deletes photos from your phone that have already been uploaded to the cloud, leaving thumbnails of them, and when you view the photo, it loads up in full quality, allowing you to store thousands of pictures without taking up a kilobyte of internal memory.

Also consider using third-party clouds like Google Photos or Yandex Drive. Set up automatic upload of media files. Once you confirm the download, delete the originals from the device. This is the most effective way to combat space shortage in the long run.

• ☁️ Enable Gallery Synchronization in Mi Account Settings.
• 🗑️ Use the “Free Place” feature in Google Photos.
• 📼 Transfer heavy video to an external hard drive via OTG.
• 🔄 Set up automatic cart cleanup in cloud services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)