Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where the device’s memory is overflowing and there is a catastrophic shortage of space for new images or applications, often due to duplicate images that accumulate over years as a result of synchronization, sending over messengers or failures when copying files. Deleting identical photos is not just a matter of cleanup, but a necessity for the stable operation of the MIUI or HyperOS system.
The cleaning process may seem daunting if you plan to view thousands of images manually, but modern tools allow you to automate this task. In this article, we will detail proven methods for disposing of copies, ranging from built-in gallery functions to specialized utilities. Automatic scanning reveals up to 90% of take that can not be seen during a normal browsing of folders.
Before we start taking radical steps, it is important to understand the nature of duplicates, often the result of cloud services that store a copy of the original when you download it, or the way the clipboard works when you insert images into different dialogs. A competent approach to cleaning up memory will help speed up the interface and prevent errors when you store new data.
Manual check through the built-in Xiaomi Gallery
The safest, though time-consuming, way is to use the standard Gallery app, which is pre-installed on all the brand's devices. MIUI allows you to sort photos by date and album, making it easier to find visually identical shots. Open the app and go to sketch viewing mode to quickly scroll through the tape.
To effectively manually delete, select the image you want, click the "Select" button, and mark any copies you want to destroy, and the system will suggest moving them to the cart, where they will be deleted in 30 days, and the good thing about this is that you personally control the process and don't risk removing an important frame by algorithm error.
⚠️ Warning: Before mass deletion by hand, be sure to check the resolution and weight of the files. Sometimes visually identical photos can be of different quality, and it is important to keep the original in high resolution, not a compressed copy.
Using built-in tools takes time, but gives you complete control over the media library. If you value every megabyte, manually combing through the DCIM/Camera and Screenshots folders can reveal hidden duplicates that do not appear in the shared tape.
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Use the Gallery's "Recent" mode to quickly find photos taken or saved in the last hour - there are often a series of take-ups after camera failures.
Using the “Safety” app and cleaning up garbage
Xiaomi’s shell has a powerful system tool called Security that includes a memory cleanup feature.Although it’s primarily focused on cache and temporary files, the Cleanup section often features categories with similar images or large files that can be safely deleted.
Run the Security → Cleanup app and wait until the scan is finished. The system will analyze the contents of the storage and suggest removing junk files. Some firmware versions have a separate item called Big Files or Similar Photos, where data is aggregated for quick cleaning.
- 📱 Click on the Garbage icon in the Security app to run the scan.
- 🗑️ Select the category “Photos” or “Images” in the analysis results.
- ✅ Mark files for deletion and confirm the operation.
The system algorithms are constantly updated, and in new versions of HyperOS, the cleaning functionality is becoming more intelligent, but it is worth remembering that the system cleaner can be less aggressive than specialized software so as not to damage important user data.
Specialized applications for searching for duplicates
If built-in tools aren’t enough, third-party apps from the Google Play store, designed specifically to find and remove duplicates, are the leaders in this niche, such as Files by Google, Duplicate Files Fixer or Remo Duplicate Photos Remover, and use hash sums of files to pinpoint copies, even if file names differ.
The software works by comparing digital image prints, which allows you to find not only exact copies, but also slightly modified versions (for example, edited or cropped), and after scanning the application will ask you to choose which version to leave and which to remove.
When using third-party software, it is critical to give the application the necessary permissions to access media files, without which it will be impossible to search for duplicates, since the Android system blocks access to the file system for third-party programs for security purposes.
⚠️ Warning: Avoid installing questionable accelerators and cleaners with aggressive advertising, which can themselves be the source of junk files and intrusive notifications.
Why do the duplicates occur after the Android update?
Search and Delete through Explorer (File Manager)
For advanced users, the most effective method is to work with files directly through the built-in Explorer or a file manager like MIXplorer, which allows you to see the real structure of folders and find duplicates that are hidden from view in the standard gallery.
You'll need to sort files by size or date of change. Often duplicates are the same size in bytes. If you find suspiciously similar files in DCIM, Pictures or WhatsApp/Media folders, you can delete them directly.
The feature of working with a file manager on Xiaomi is that it has a built-in cleaning function: press and hold your finger on empty space or find a broomstick to run the analysis, and you can use the search extension.jpg or.png to sample all images.
- 📂 Open the “Conductor” or “Files” application».
- 🔍 Use the “By Size” sort to find groups of identical files.
- 🗑️ Select groups and delete extra copies.
This method requires care, since you work with the file system directly. An error in the name of a folder or a deleted file can lead to the loss of data that can not always be recovered from the recycle bin.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
Clearing the messenger cache (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)
A huge number of duplicate photos on Xiaomi phones are accumulated thanks to messengers. When you send or receive an image on WhatsApp or Telegram, it is often stored in both the chat and the general gallery of the device, creating redundant copies.
Inside the app settings, there are tools to manage storage. For example, on WhatsApp, go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management, where you will see a list of chats that take up the most space, and you can delete repetitive media files selectively.
Telegram is similar, but with the cloud nature of the messenger: You can clear the cache of media files in the data and memory settings → Memory use → Clear cache. This will delete local copies of the photo, freeing up space, but leave the originals available in the chat cloud.
Regular settings for autodelete media files in messengers will help prevent the accumulation of garbage in the future. Turn off the option “Save in the Gallery” in the settings of each messenger, so that photos do not duplicate in the system folder of images.
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Disabling auto-save media from instant messengers to the phone gallery is the most effective way to prevent 80% of duplicates from appearing in the future.
Comparison of cleaning methods and efficiency table
The choice of method depends on the amount of garbage accumulated and your willingness to spend time manually checking. Automatic tools work faster but can miss difficult cases, whereas manual brute force guarantees the result, but requires patience.
Below is a comparative table of methods that will help determine the best cleaning method for your case.
| Method | Speed of operation | Security | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Gallery | Low. | Tall. | Medium |
| Security Annex | Tall. | Tall. | Low/Mediocre |
| Third-party annexes | Very high. | Medium | Tall. |
| File manager | Medium | Medium | Tall. |
By combining these approaches, you can achieve the perfect result, for example, first using an automatic scanner to remove obvious copies, and then manually checking important albums.