Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the unpleasant situation of a gallery full of images that cannot be opened, which take up precious space in internal memory, but standard methods to remove them can not. The system can give errors when trying to view or delete, claiming that the file is damaged or the path to it is not found. This is a common problem associated with the peculiarities of the Android file system and image compression algorithms.
Ignoring such errors can slow down the device and crash the Gallery application. Broken thumbnails cause the processor to waste resources on processing them, which reduces the overall performance of the interface. In this article, we will discuss proven ways to safely clean the storage of garbage. You will learn how to use embedded system tools and third-party utilities to solve the problem.
It's important to understand that deleting these files requires care to avoid damaging important data. We'll look at methods from simply cleaning the cache to using the command line. Restoring free space is a key task for a smartphone to work smoothly. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid accidentally losing valuable images.
Diagnostics of the problem with broken images
Before deleting, you need to understand the nature of the corrupted files, often due to abrupt interruption of the save process, such as a battery drain or a system failure during shooting, a file is created, but the data is not fully written into it, which leads to a violation of the structure of the image header.
Another reason could be errors in USB data transmission or an unstable Internet connection when downloading from the cloud, in which case a blank file or a file with incorrect metadata remains on the disk, the system sees it, but can not decode the contents, which causes a freeze when scrolling the tape in the Gallery application.
You can use the built-in storage analyzer to diagnose it, and it will show you which file types are taking up the most space and if there are any anomalies among them. Note the Other section, which often hides the remnants of deleted applications or corrupted data.
⚠️ Warning: If your smartphone starts to warm up when you try to open a particular folder with a photo, stop trying immediately.This may indicate a cyclical read failure that is dangerous for the memory controller.
It’s also worth checking if the problem is a software bug of the MIUI shell itself or HyperOS. Sometimes the files are intact, but the image decoder can’t process them because of a conflict of codec versions, in which case updating the system or resetting the application settings can solve the problem without deleting the files.
Use of the built-in Gallery application
The easiest and safest way to remove damaged photos is to use the standard Gallery tool. Xiaomi has implemented mechanisms that tag files with read errors. Usually these images are displayed with a gray icon or simply do not open with a tap. First, open the app and go to the album All photos.
Try to highlight the problem image with a long press. If the system allows you to do this, a delete button will appear in the bottom menu. However, it often happens that highlighting is impossible. In this case, try to go to the album viewing mode and find the folder where the file is located. Sometimes deleting the entire source folder helps clear the thumbnail cache.
If normal deletion doesn't work, try the Memory Cleanup feature built into the Security app, which scans the device for duplicates and broken files, and automatically finds images that don't pass integrity checks and prompts them to be deleted, saving time and reducing the risk of user error.
☑️ Checking through the Gallery
It's important to note that once deleted, files are put in a 30 day cart, so to make room immediately, you need to clear the cart, and when you're in Deleted, click on the menu (three dots) and select Clear All. This is irreversible, so make sure that there are no important pictures among the deleted ones.
Delete through Explorer and manage files
When the Gallery fails, the File Manager system comes to the rescue, and it works directly with the file system, ignoring the gallery's graphical shell. Open the Explorer app (or Files) and go to Images, where files are sorted by folder, making it easier to find the source of the problem.
Find the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder where most images are stored. The damaged files can be 0 KB or a non-standard extension. In list mode (three-strip icon), you can see the size of each file. Files with zero size safely delete - these are guaranteed "broken" residues.
If the file is not deleted and an error message appears, try renaming it. Add to the name any character, such as " old." Sometimes this resets the lock of the file by the operating system. Once renaming, repeat the attempt to delete. If this does not help, the file can be occupied by the system process.
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Use size sorting in Explorer. Often damaged photos weigh 0 KB or anomalno light (less than 10 KB), allowing you to quickly filter them out from normal images.
For advanced users, hidden file mode is available. Enable it in Explorer settings. Sometimes damaged thumbnails are hidden in the.thumbnails folder. Cleaning this folder can speed up the Gallery, but the system will recreate it the next time the application is launched.
Cleaning through connection to a computer
Connecting your smartphone to your PC gives you deeper access to the file system. Your computer sees your phone as an external drive or media device (MTP). First, connect your smartphone with a cable and select File Transfer mode in the notification curtain. Open My Computer on your PC and find the device.
Go to Internal shared storage/DCIM. Here you will see all the folders with images. The computer may not display a preview of corrupted files, showing instead a standard image icon or white sheet. This is a good indicator for finding problem areas. Select such files and press Delete.
If Windows can't delete a file due to a read error, try using the command prompt. Open the CMD on behalf of the administrator. Enter the drive letter corresponding to the phone and go to the desired directory. Use the del /f command name file.jpg to force removal.
del /f /q "path/k/folder/name damaged file.jpg"This method is effective when the phone's file system blocks access, but the PC can bypass some restrictions. However, be careful: the command line has no basket, deletion is instantaneous. Always double-check the path before typing a command.
Application of third-party cleaning applications
If the built-in tools are powerless, you should turn to specialized software from Google Play. Applications like Files by Google, SD Maid or Clean Master have powerful algorithms for finding garbage, they scan memory for orphaned files and corrupted records.
SD Maid, for example, allows you to do "Corporoscopy" -- look for the remnants of deleted applications and broken databases. The garbage section often contains thumbnails that no longer match the originals. The app will safely remove them, freeing up space.
| Annex | Substantive function | Security | I need a Root. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files by Google | Search for duplicates and debris | Tall. | No. |
| SD Maid | Deep cleaning of the system | Tall. | No (with Root better) |
| Clean Master | Cleaning up cache and memory | Medium | No. |
| Total Commander | File management | Tall. | No. |
When using third-party software, read permission requests carefully. Some cleaners can be aggressive and delete files. Always back up important data before mass cleaning. The best result is a combination of manual control and automated tools.
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Third-party applications are effective for finding hidden debris, but require caution when granting permissions to the file system.
Radical methods and work with access rights
In extreme cases, when the file is not deleted, it may be necessary to download to Recovery mode or use it. ADB (Android Debug Bridge. These are techniques for advanced users. ADB allows you to manage files from a computer through debugging USB. For this, you need to include “Debugging for” USB» menu "For developers».
The adb shell rm /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/badfile.jpg command allows you to delete the file directly, bypassing interface constraints. If that doesn't help, the physical memory sector may have been damaged, in which case only a full reset (Wipe Data) helps.
⚠️ Note: Full reset will remove ALL data from your phone. Use this method only if the broken photos make the device unusable and nothing else helps.
Before reset, be sure to save contacts and important documents to the cloud. Once reset, the phone will return to factory state and the file system will be reformatted. This is guaranteed to remove all software errors and broken files.
What to do if the photo is restored after removal?
Preventing the appearance of damaged files
To keep the problem from coming back, keep an eye on your smartphone memory. Don't fill the internal storage to the point of failure, leave it. 10-15% It's necessary for the file system and the writing processes to function properly, and when memory is full, the risk of data corruption increases many times over.
Reboot your device regularly, which helps to reset temporary errors in the memory controller and clear RAM, and avoid installing applications from unknown sources that may request access to the gallery and disrupt the file structure.
Use high-quality memory cards if you store photos on them. Cheap microSD cards often fail, creating broken sectors. If your smartphone writes often about card damage, replace it with a model with a high-speed and reliability class from a proven brand.