Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their excellent value for money, but even powerful processors do not save when internal memory is full. Notifications of space shortage appear at the most inopportune moment, slowing down the operating system and making it impossible to install new updates. Cleaning the system becomes not just desirable, but vital procedure for stable operation of the gadget.
Users often find that the standard 64 or 128 gigabytes disappear in just a few months of active use, due to messengers that save gigabytes of media files, streaming cache and forgotten downloads. In this article, we will discuss how to delete unnecessary files from Xiaomi Android as efficiently as possible without damaging important data.
There are many ways to free up space, from built-in utilities to manual folder analysis. Some are safe for beginners, others require care not to remove the extra, and we'll look at each method in detail so you can choose the best option for your situation.
Use of the built-in Security application
The easiest and safest way to start cleaning is to use a pre-installed tool from the developers of the MIUI shell or HyperOS. The Security app is deeply integrated into the system and has access to hidden sections that ordinary users cannot reach through the standard interface.
Once the scan is started, the system will prompt you to remove what's called garbage. The analysis algorithms check browser cache, remnants of deleted applications, and temporary installer files. However, it's worth remembering that automatic cleaning isn't always perfect: it can miss large forgotten files in the download folder or duplicate photos.
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The built-in cleaner only removes temporary debris, but does not touch your personal files, making it safe for daily use.
For deep cleaning, go to the Cleanup section and carefully review the categories that occupy the most space, often there you can find heavy videos from messengers or old application install packages (.apk), which are no longer needed.
Manual cleaning through the conductor
File Manager provides more flexible tools for managing data, allowing the user to decide what to delete. Manual method is especially effective for finding large files that may have been lost in the depths of directories. Going to Files section, you will see sorting by type: images, videos, documents, music and archives.
Special attention should be paid to the Download folder, where browsers and messengers default to save all received files, which often accumulates instructions, promotional brochures and old versions of programs, and it is worth checking the DCIM folder, which may store unsuccessful frames or screenshots taken several years ago.
⚠️ Note: When manually cleaning through Explorer, be extremely careful with system folders. Delete files from Android directories or MIUI It can lead to app failures or loss of settings.
To effectively search for duplicates, you can use file size sorting, which allows you to see the largest objects right away, and if you find a 2GB video that you shot six months ago and you don't need it, removing it will instantly free up a lot of space.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
Memory analysis in settings
The Android Storage System Analyzer provides detailed statistics on what exactly memory is occupied. Unlike simple file deletion, this tool shows the allocation of space between applications, their data and system files. You can go there through Settings → About Phone → Storage.
Here you'll see a list of applications sorted by space, and often it turns out that the lion's share of memory is not occupied by the programs themselves, but by their data: cache, downloaded maps, offline tracks or saved music. By clicking on a particular application, you can choose the option "Clear Cache" or "Clear All Data."
It's important to distinguish between the two. Cache cleaning is safe and only deletes temporary files, speeding up the program. Data cleaning returns the application to state immediately after installation, removing logins, passwords and settings, so this method should be resorted to only as a last resort.
| Type of data | What's removed | Security | Impact on the account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Temporary files, thumbnails | Completely safe. | No. |
| Application data | Settings, logins, saves | It requires caution. | Exit from account |
| OBB files | Resources of heavy games | The game will stop working. | Losing progress |
Where is the Android folder stored?
Cleaning up garbage on social media
Messengers like Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber are the main devours of free space on modern smartphones. They automatically store every photo, video and voice message they receive, creating giant archives in a few months of active communication. Standard methods of cleaning the system often do not see this content as “junk”, considering it user data.
Inside the apps themselves, there are powerful memory management tools. For example, Telegram needs to go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Not only can you clear the cache with the Clear Cache button, but you can also set up automatic cleanup. Telegram autodelete is local and doesn't affect files on the server, so you can safely set a limit of 3 days or 1 week.
On WhatsApp, the situation is similar: go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The system will show a list of chats that occupy the most space, and will allow you to delete media files selectively, which is especially convenient because it allows you to save important text correspondence while removing heavy videos from shared groups.
- 📸 Remove automatically saved photos from the gallery, leaving them only inside the chat room.
- 🗑️ Set up autodelete media files older than 30 days in the settings of each messenger.
- 📹 Turn off auto-save videos to the gallery so they don’t duplicate in your phone’s memory.
⚠️ Before mass cleaning of messengers, make sure that important documents and photos are stored in the cloud or on the computer, as it will be impossible to restore the deleted cache.
Removal of duplicates and similar photos
Over time, the gallery accumulates a huge number of similar images: a series of photos of one object, screenshots of the interface or just unsuccessful frames. MIUI Gallery has a built-in algorithm for finding similar images, but for deeper cleaning, it is better to use specialized tools or Google Photos.
Google Photos (if installed and synced) has a “Free Space” feature that removes photos and videos that are already securely stored in the cloud from the device, allowing you to keep the originals in high quality online, leaving only previews on the phone or free up memory altogether. Third-party apps from Google Play that scan hash amounts of files can be used to search for duplicates locally.
Remember the Recycle Bin folder in the gallery. Deleted photos don't disappear immediately, but they move to this section, where they're stored for 30 days, and they keep occupying space. To get rid of them, you have to go to the Albums → Recycle Bin → Clean up.
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Use the serial shooting mode wisely: immediately after creating the series, delete the defect, without waiting for such series to take up gigabytes of memory.
Working with the “Other” folder and hidden files
Users often see the storage as a mysterious category called “Other,” which can take up tens of gigabytes, which includes files it cannot automatically identify, or data left over from remote applications, and can also hide card cache files (such as Yandex.Maps or 2GIS), offline music and navigation data.
To clean this section, you often need to connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable, file transfer mode (MTP) The folder structure is more clearly visible. Look for folders with names of remote games or applications that can weigh a lot, for example, after deleting heavy games, the folder with its resources (obb or data) sometimes stays in place.
If the Other has swelled to an obscene size and manual cleaning is not helping, you can try resetting the network settings or clearing the cache of the Media Server system process. However, a radical but effective method remains to back up important data and completely reset to factory settings.
- 📂 Check the Bluetooth folder – forgotten files from other devices often get there.
- 🗺️ Go to the offline map settings and delete maps of regions you no longer visit.
- 📱 Turn off the Extended Memory function (if you use virtual memory). RAM), Free up space for files, if possible in your model.