How to completely remove all messages on Xiaomi Redmi: from manual cleaning to resetting settings

Why standard MIUI message deletion doesn’t always work

Xiaomi Redmi smartphone owners often find themselves in a situation where, after deleting SMS via the standard Messages app, they suddenly reappear, due to the peculiarities of MIUI cloud reservation and data caching. Even after clicking “Delete all”, some of the correspondence can remain in the device’s memory or synchronize with the Mi Account.

Another common problem is storage fragmentation: when individual messages are deleted frequently, the system creates "holes" in the database, which over time slows down the messenger, especially on models with eMMC memory (for example, Redmi 9A/9C), where performance is already limited. In this article, we will discuss all ways to completely clean messages, including hidden MIUI settings and radical methods like factory reset.

Before you start cleaning, check:

• 📱 Model of your Redmi (sets may be different for Redmi Note 10 Pro and Redmi) A1)
• 🔄 Version MIUI (In Settings → The phone)
• ☁️ Sync status with Mi Cloud (turn it off in advance if you want to permanently delete messages)

Method 1: Mass removal through the standard Messages app

The simplest method, which works on all versions of MIUI 12 to 15, is suitable if you need to quickly clear correspondence without additional manipulation. Importantly, this method does not delete messages from Mi Cloud backups if sync was enabled earlier.

Instructions:

1. Open the Messages app (an envelope icon).
2. Tap it on. ⋮ (three dots in the upper right corner) → Select Settings.
3. Go to the Supplementary → Clearing of messages.
4. Check all the dialogs or select individual contacts.
5. Click Delete and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: If messages continue to appear after deleting, check the Archive folder in the Messages app. MIUI It's automatically moved there. SMS over 6 months old to clean up the archives:

1. In the Messages app, swipe left to the Archive tab.
2. Press Control. → highlight → Delete.

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If the Message Clear button is missing, update the Messages app via the Google Play Store or MIUI App Store. On some firmware, this feature is hidden in the Settings → Storage menu.

Method 2: Remove from the phone’s “Settings” (without root)

This method is suitable for deep cleaning, when standard deletion does not help.It resets the cache and data of the Messages application, which is guaranteed to delete everything. SMS/MMS, But saves the settings of the Mi Account, and the advantage of the method is that it does not require superuser rights).

Step-by-step:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search bar, enter “Messages” and select the system application (green envelope icon).
• 🗑️ Press Warehouse. → Clear the data and confirm.
• 🔄 Go back to the main settings menu and select Memory. → Clean, then run a deep cleaning.

⚠️ Warning: After cleaning the data, the Messages app will reset to the factory settings:

• Configure subscriptions to SMS-mailing (banks, services).
• Restore the blacklist for spam.
• Activate automatic archiving if it has been enabled.

Method 3: Using ADB for forced removal (for advanced)

If previous methods have failed, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level device management tool that is suitable for Redmi with an unlocked bootloader or USB debugging enabled, with the advantage of allowing you to delete messages even if the Messages app is blocked or damaged.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock Developer Mode).

Commands to execute (enter Command Prompt or Terminal):

adb devices

(checking device connection)

adb shell pm clear com.android.mms

(complete data cleanup of the Messages app)

adb shell rm -rf /data/data/com.android.mms/*

(Forced removal of all SMS/MMS files)

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause data loss or damage to system files. Do not follow commands unless you are sure of their purpose. -rf /data/* completely erase all user data on the device, including photos and applications.

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (radical method)

If the messages contain sensitive information and you want to be guaranteed to delete them, hard reset is the most reliable option, and this method erases all the data on the phone, including:

• 📱 SMS/MMS call history.
• 📸 Photos, videos and music (if not saved) SD-map).
• 🎮 Installed applications and their data.
• 🔑 Settings for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and accounts.

How to perform the reset:

1. Back up important data via Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
3. Select Resetting → Erase all data.
4. Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
5. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-15 minutes).

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Factory resets are the only way to guarantee that messages are deleted if they have been encrypted or protected by system rights.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro) may require re-assigning your Mi Account to unlock the device after reset, and if you forget your account details, the phone will become a brick (cannot be used:

• Make sure you remember the username/password from Mi Account.
• Untie your phone from your account if you plan to sell the device.
• Extract. SIM-card and memory card if they contain important data.

Method 5: Delete via file manager (for rooted devices)

If your Xiaomi Redmi has root rights, you can manually delete SMS database files. This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires working with system folders.

Instructions:

• 📂 Install a root-enabled file manager (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
• 🔍 Cross the path: /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/.
• 🗑️ Delete files: mmssms.db - the main database SMS/MMS. mmssms.db-journal – a temporary transaction file.
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Deleting system files without root rights can lead to:

• 🚨 Errors in the messenger (the application will be permanently closed).
• 📵 Loss of ability to send SMS file recovery.
• 🔧 Need to flash the data if the database is damaged.

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Before deleting database files, back them up by copying them to another folder (e.g. /sdcard/Backup/) to recover messages if you make an error.

How to prevent the reappearance of deleted messages

Often, users are faced with the fact that after cleaning the message returns, this is due to automatic synchronization with Mi Cloud or recovery from backup.

Steps for reliable removal:

• ☁️ Turn off sync. SMS In Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud. Select Synchronization. → Messages and deactivate the slider.
• 🔄 Delete backups: In Mi Cloud, find the Backups section. Delete any copies containing SMS (They are marked with the date of creation).

Clear the Google Drive cache (if you use it):

1. Open Settings → Applications → Google Drive → Storage.
2. Press Clear cache.

Important: