How to remove garbage from your Xiaomi phone: 7 proven ways

Your Xiaomi is slowing down, apps are slowing down, and memory is running out? 90% of the time is due to accumulated system debris. App cache, residual files after updates, duplicate photos and temporary data fill up memory, slowing down even the powerful Redmi Note 12 or POCO F5 models. In this article, we will discuss how to properly clean your phone from unnecessary files without deleting important data.

Smartphone manufacturers often hide real cleaning tools behind complex menus, like MIUI, which has a built-in Cleanup utility, but it only removes surface debris, and we show you how to get to hidden folders, turn off background processes, and even reduce the size of system applications. Importantly, some methods require superuser rights, but the basic methods work without them.

Before you start, check the space in Settings → About Phone → Memory. If you're over 85% busy, it's time to act. Let's start with the safest and end with radical measures for advanced users.

1. Built-in cleaning utility MIUI

The easiest way is to use the standard Security app (the newer versions are Cleanup) pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12-14 shell.

• 🗑️ Application cache (temporary files)
• 📁 Residual files after uninstallation of programs
• 📷 Duplicate photos and screenshots
• 🎵 Unused. APK-file

How to start:

1. Open the Security app (shield icon)
2. Go to the Cleanup tab.
3. Click Scan and wait for analysis
4. Select file categories to delete and confirm the action

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After cleaning, restart your phone – this will help the system re-index files and speed up work by 10-15%.

Method limitations: The utility does not remove deep system cache or optimize autoboot.

2. Manual cleaning of the app cache

Many programs (especially social networks and instant messengers) accumulate gigabytes of cache, for example, TikTok can take up to 5 GB, and Telegram can take up to 3 GB only on temporary files. Manual cleaning is more effective than automatic, because it allows you to select specific applications.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. Select an app (such as Instagram)
3. Click Warehouse → Clear the cache
4. For a complete reset, click Clear Data (⚠️ This will remove all settings and inputs)

To speed up the process, use size sorting: in Application Management, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size. Start with the heaviest programs.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home – this can cause interface failures.

3. Removal of duplicates and unnecessary media files

Photos, screenshots and videos take up the lion's share of memory. Xiaomi has a built-in gallery with duplicate search, but it doesn't work perfectly.

• 📸 Google Photos – automatically finds blurred photos and take
• 🔍 Files by Google – analyzes unnecessary files and offers cleanup
• 🗃️ CCleaner – Shows large and old files

Algorithm of action:

1. Install Files by Google from Play Market
2. Start the analysis in the Cleanup section
3. Check the categories Duplicates, Blurred photos, Screenshots
4. Delete unnecessary files and clean the cart

For advanced users, the DCIM/.thumbnails folder stores thumbnails of all photos, and can be safely deleted, and they will be restored automatically the next time you view the gallery.

4. Cleaning system folders (for experienced users)

MIUI has hidden folders that are filled with debris after updates and system processes work, and can be manually cleaned through a root or ADB file manager.

Use the rootless access ADB-team:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/log/*




rm -rf /cache/*

⚠️ Note: Removing files from /data/dalvik-cache This will cause all applications to be recompiled the next time they run, which will temporarily slow down the phone. 10-30 minute).

5. Disabling unnecessary system applications

Xiaomi pre-installes dozens of apps that can't be removed by standard means. They take up space and run in the background, like Mi Video, Mi Music, Mi Browser or GetApps, and they can be disabled through ADB or root.

List of safe applications to disable (checked on MIUI 14):

• 🎵 com.miui.videoplayer - standard video player
• 🌐 com.android.browser - Mi Browser browser
• 📦 com.xiaomi.mipicks - theme and sticker store
• 📊 com.miui.analytics – statistics collection (disconnection speeds up the system)
• 🎮 com.xiaomi.glgm – turbo mode (if you don’t play)

Instructions via ADB:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times)
2. Open the command line and enter:

adb devices


adb shell




pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer

For mass shutdown, use the script:

Make sure that the USB debugging is enabled

Make a backup copy of important data

Check the list of disable packages for compatibility with your version of MIUI

Do not disable apps called "miui" or "android" without checking-->

⚠️ Warning: Disabling com.miui.securitycenter or com.android.settings will cause the phone’s core functions to fail.

6. reset partition cache (Wipe Cache Partition)

If the phone is slowing down even after cleaning, resetting the recovery partition cache will help, which deletes all temporary system files, including residues from old firmware. The method does not affect user data, but requires a reboot in Recovery Mode.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up before the Mi logo appears
3. In the recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion
5. Reboot your phone (Reboot → System)

The process takes 2-5 minutes. Once restarted, the system reassembles the cache, which can temporarily slow down (up to 10 minutes), which is especially effective after major MIUI updates, when the old version files remain.

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Resetting partition cache is the only way to remove debris after a failed "over the air" update (OTA).

7. Radical methods: reset to factory settings

If all the previous methods didn't work, the last option is hard reset, which will completely clean the phone, returning it to the "out of the box" state.

• 🐢 The phone has become unbearably slow.
• 📱 Memory is filled with unknown files
• 🔄 After the update, critical errors appeared.
• 🦠 Suspicion of viral infection

How to reset:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm
4. Wait until the end (10-20 minutes)

After reset, do not restore data from the backup created on the infected phone - this will return all problems back.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note) 10 Pro) reset via the settings menu may not clear the partition /data/media. Use the command via Fastboot: fastboot erase userdata

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi cleanup