How to Delete Temporary Files on Xiaomi: 5 Verified Ways

Xiaomi smartphones are slowing down over time due to the accumulation of temporary files, app cache and system debris. Even if you regularly delete unnecessary photos and videos, the device can slow down due to hidden files that take up precious space. Clearing temporary data not only frees up memory, but also speeds up the phone, prolongs the life of the drive and prevents crashes in applications.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to delete temporary files on Xiaomi, from built-in MIUI tools to hidden features and third-party utilities. You’ll learn how to safely clear the cache, delete residual files after uninstalling applications, and even restore the performance of the device without resetting to factory settings. And if you’re afraid of losing important data, we’ll show you how to do it without risk.

Why Temporary Files Are Accumulating on Xiaomi

Temporary files (or temp files) are created by the system and applications to speed up work, for example, browsers save cache pages to load them faster when you visit them again, and messengers store thumbnails of photos and videos. However, over time these files become useless, but are not deleted automatically.

• 📱 App cache – each installed software (especially social networks and games) creates temporary data for fast operation.
• 🗑️ Residual files – after deleting programs, their settings, log files and cache often remain.
• 🔄 System dumps — MIUI Sometimes saves debugging information after crashes (for example, files with the.dmp or.log extension).
• 📁 Downloads and garbage – Download folder and shopping cart often contain unnecessary files that users forget to delete.

On Xiaomi devices, temporary files can take up from 500 MB to 5-10 GB depending on the model and intensity of use. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ after a year of active use without cleaning, the cache can weigh up to 3-4 GB, and on budget models like the Poco M5 - up to 1-2 GB.

Method 1: Clearing the cache through MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including Redmi, Poco and Black Shark, and does not require the installation of additional programs.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to About Phone → Storage (or Memory on some firmware).
3. Click Clean in the “Junk” section – the system will scan the device for unnecessary files.
4. Select Categories to Remove: 🗃️ Application cache – temporary program data. 📂 Downloads – Files from the Download folder. 📑 Logs and dumps - system debugging files.

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This method only deletes secure temporary files without affecting personal data, but it does not clear the cache of individual applications – it needs to use a different method (see next section).

Method 2: Manually cleansing cache for individual applications

Some programs (like Telegram, Facebook, or TikTok) accumulate gigabytes of cache that is not deleted through a standard storage cleanup, and to make room, you need to manually clear the data for each application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select a program from a list (like Google Chrome or Instagram).
3. Press the storage (or memory)
4. Tap Clear Cache. If you want to delete all data (including settings and accounts), select Clear Data, but this will result in you leaving the application!

To speed up the process, you can sort applications by cache size:

1. In the Application Management section, click on three dots (⋮) top-right.
2. Select Sort by Size → By cache size.
3. Clear the cache for the most "heavy" programs.

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If after cleaning the cache, the application began to work slower, restart the phone - this will help the system to recollect temporary data.

Warning: Clearing data (not cache!) for some applications (e.g., banking or instant messengers) can lead to loss of chat history, saved passwords or settings. On Xiaomi models with MIUI 14 firmware and later, after cleaning the data of some system applications (e.g., com.miui.home), the location of icons on the desktop can be confused.

Method 3: Use of the Security Tool

The Security app (or Security) is Xiaomi's proprietary system optimization tool, which not only deletes temporary files, but also closes the background processes, saving battery life.

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Cleanup tab (or Boost on some versions).
3. Press Deep Clean – the system will scan the device for availability: 🗑️ Residual files after deleting applications. 📂 Empty folders and broken labels. 🔍 Cash miniatures (thumbnail cache).

Select files to delete and confirm the action.

Unlike standard storage cleanup, Security finds deeper system files, including:

• Google Play Services cache (can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• Temporary MIUI files (e.g., theme cache).
• System update logs (files with.apk.old extension)

Method 4: Delete temporary files through file manager

For power users, there is a method of manually cleaning through the built-in Files (or a third-party manager like FX File Explorer), which allows you to delete hidden temporary files that are not visible in the standard settings.

Here are the folders you can safely clean:

To open the hidden folders:

1. Open the files. → press three points (⋮) → Settings.
2. Turn on Showing hidden files.
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/ and manually delete unnecessary files.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete Android folders, MIUI Or the whole system, it will cause a system failure, and avoid files with extensions like.odex,.apk, or.so if you are not sure what they are.

Method 5: Third-party utilities for deep cleaning

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't work, you can use third-party software, which offers more flexible settings and finds garbage that MIUI misses.

• 🧹 CCleaner - removes cache, residual files and optimizes autoboot. Supports cleaning of Google Play Services and MIUI-data-specific.
• 🗑️ SD Maid finds duplicates, empty folders and system debris. Requires root rights to work properly.
• 🔍 Files by Google – lightweight manager from Google with the function of cleaning cache and recommendations for freeing up space.

Example of using CCleaner:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Run the analysis in the Cleanup section.
3. Select the categories to remove (we recommend to leave the ticks only on "Cash" and "Junk").
4. Press Clear.

⚠️ Note: Some utility (for example, SD Maids with root access can delete critical system files MIUI, This will lead to bootloop. Before using, back up through Settings. → System system → Backup.

How to Prevent Temporary Files from Accumulating in the Future

To avoid cleaning the cache every week, follow these tips:

• 🔄 Set up automatic cleaning: Open Security → Cleanup → Autoclean. Turn on the option and select a schedule (e.g. once every 3 days).
• 📵 Limit the background activity of applications: Go to Settings → Battery → Power saving mode: Add voracious programs (like Facebook or TikTok) to your restricted list.
• 🗃️ Transfer the cache to the memory card (if there is a slot): In Settings → Select Preferred Retention Place → This will reduce the load on the internal memory.

Xiaomi models with MIUI 13/14 have a Smart Cleanup feature that automatically removes unused cache when there is low free space.

1. Go to Settings. → Memory. → Settings (⚙️).
2. Activate Smart Cleanup and set a threshold (e.g., 1GB of free space).

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Regular cache cleaning (once every 1-2 weeks) increases the life of flash memory by 15-20%, as it reduces the number of data overwriting cycles.

Frequent errors in deleting temporary files

Many Xiaomi users make mistakes that lead to data loss or system failures.

• 🚫 Delete the entire Android folder will lead to the collapse of all installed applications.
• 🚫 Clear system application data (e.g. com.android.phone or com.miui.securitycenter) – the phone may lose network or stop loading.
• 🚫 Using root-access cleaners without backup – the risk of turning the device into a brick».
• 🚫 Delete files with the.apk extension manually are application installers, and their loss can disrupt the operation of programs.

If the phone is not working properly after cleaning:

1. Reset the device.
2. Check the space in the Settings → Memory.
3. If you have problems, try resetting your network settings (Settings). → SIM-maps and networks → Resetting the network).

Example: a Redmi Note 10 Pro user deleted the /data/dalvik-cache folder through the root conductor, after which the phone stopped turning on. Had to refashion the device via Fastboot. On Xiaomi models with Qualcomm chipsets (for example, Snapdragon 732G), deleting files from /data without root can cause a “System UI stopped” error, requiring a reset to factory settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions