How to Increase the Memory on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete 2026 Guide

Why Xiaomi is running out of memory and what to do about it

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones — from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra — sooner or later face the same problem: memory ends at the wrong moment. High-resolution photos, messenger cache, app updates and MIUI system files devour gigabytes at an alarming rate. Even if you bought a model with 256 GB of internal memory, after a year or two you may find that only 5-10 GB is free.

The reasons for memory shortage on Xiaomi fall into two categories: objective (hardware limitations) and subjective (inefficient use). The first is the lack of a microSD slot in some models (for example, in the POCO F5 Pro or Xiaomi 13T), the second is the accumulation of unnecessary files, duplicate photos and junk data from applications. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to increase memory on Xiaomi in 2026, including hidden MIUI functions that are not known by all users.

It is important to understand that there are two ways to increase memory: to free up existing memory (by removing unnecessary memory) or to expand physically (by adding a memory card or cloud storage), we will consider both options, and we will also give recommendations on how to optimize the system so that memory is spent more efficiently.

1. Cleaning the system: remove garbage and cache without harming the phone

The first and most obvious step is to get rid of unnecessary files, which Xiaomi has built-in tools for, but many users neglect or use inefficiently, starting with basic cleaning:

• 🧹 Cleaning the application cache: go to Settings → Annexes → App management, select any application (such as Telegram or TikTok) and click "Clear Cache." For bulk cleaning, use Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files: in the same section "Storage" select the category "Other files" - here often accumulate temporary data, logs and remnants of remote applications.
• 📁 Optimization of photos and videos: MIUI It has a built-in media compression tool. → Settings → Free up space and select files for compression (quality is almost not lost!).

Pay special attention to apps that actively use cache: Google Chrome, YouTube, Instagram and instant messengers. For example, WhatsApp cache can take several gigabytes if you often receive media files. To automate the process, turn on Autoclean in the storage settings - the system will delete unnecessary files once a week.

⚠️ Note: Do not manually clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.miui.home or com.android.systemui) through ADB It's not a good idea. It's a bad idea. MIUI!

2. Data transfer to memory card: nuances for different Xiaomi models

If your Xiaomi supports microSD cards (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or POCO X5 Pro), this is one of the easiest ways to expand memory.

• 📱 Check the maximum volume: most modern Xiaomi supports cards up to 1TB, but budget models (e.g. Redmi). A2) Can be limited to 512 GB.
• 🔄 Formatting: the card is better formatted as internal storage (via Settings) → Warehouse → Map. SD), But remember, it can't be retrieved without losing data.
• ⚡ Read/write speed: to record video in 4K or running games from a card need a class UHS-I U3 or A2. Cheap class cards C10 They'll slow down the system.

To transfer applications to a memory card, follow the following steps:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Spotify or Netflix).
3. Click "Storage" → "Change" → select a memory card.

Note that not all applications support microSD portability, such as the Google Play Store or MIUI system utilities remain in internal memory, and the transfer may slow down the application if the memory card is slow.

3.Using cloud storage: Mi Cloud vs Google Drive vs Yandex Disk

If physical memory expansion is not possible (e.g., Xiaomi 13 Ultra does not have a microSD slot), cloud services come to the rescue. Xiaomi offers its own solution, Mi Cloud, but it has limitations:

To automatically upload photos and videos to the cloud:

1. Open the gallery → Settings → Backup.
2. Choose Mi Cloud or Google Photos.
3. Configure the settings: quality (Original or High), download over Wi-Fi or mobile network.

An important nuance: if you use Google Photos in High Quality mode, photos and videos will not be counted in the 15GB limit (free and unlimited), but from June 2021 this rule applies only to new downloads from Pixel devices and some Samsung models.

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To save space, turn on Google Photos function “Free space” – it will delete from the phone files that are already uploaded to the cloud, leaving only thumbnails.

4. MIUI Optimization: Hidden Functions to Save Memory

MIUI has a few little-known features that help save memory without compromising performance.

• 🔄 Light Mode: Go to Settings → Special facilities → Light mode. It's a simplified version of the interface that consumes less resources and less memory.
• 📦 Optimization of applications: in Settings → Battery and productivity → Select "Optimize" to manage applications, and the system will determine which applications can be "sleeped" or restricted in the background.
• 🗃️ System compression: c Settings → About the phone, press 7 times on "Version" MIUI", To activate the developer mode. Then to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers, enable the option to compress data MIUI.

Another effective way is to disable unnecessary system applications, and many pre-installed programs (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps) can be deactivated without root rights:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an unneeded app (such as Mi Browser).
3. Click "Disable" (not "Delete"!).

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable system services called com.android. or com.miui. – this can lead to unstable operation of the phone. XDA Developers for your model.

Disable unnecessary system applications|Activate light mode|Enable data compression MIUI|Optimize background processes|Clean the cache of system utilities-->

5 Manual File Management: What Can Be Deleted Without Risk

Even after cleaning the cache and transferring the data to the memory card, the system still has files that can be safely deleted.

• 🎵 Downloads: Download folder often contains outdated APK-Check it through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager).
• 📸 Duplicate photos: Use apps like Files by Google or CCleaner to find and remove repetitive photos.
• 🎮 Games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile can weigh 10+ GB. Remove the game cache through Settings → Annexes → [Name of the game] → Warehouse → Clear the data.
• 📂 folder DCIM/.thumbnails: Here you can easily delete photos and videos (they are regenerated automatically).

Use for deep cleaning ADB-commands (required to include debugging by USB):

adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.miui.gallery #Cleaning gallery


adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.android.providers.media #Disposal of the media base

These commands will reset the cache of the galleries and media files, but they won't delete the photos or videos themselves. Once done, reboot the phone.

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Regular manual file cleaning can free up to 5-15 GB of memory, especially if you actively use instant messengers and social networks.

6. Radical methods: reset to factory settings and firmware

If all the previous methods failed, there are radical measures left: resetting to factory settings will return the phone to its original state, deleting all user data. This is an extreme method, but it is guaranteed to free up memory.

• 🔐 Make a backup copy through Settings → The phone. → Backup.
• 📱 Save it. IMEI (Type *#06# and take a picture of the screen).
• 🔄 Make sure the phone has enough charge (50%+).

To perform the discharge:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select "Erase all data."
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

If you're willing to go a step further, consider custom software firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) that often takes up less space than MIUI and lacks pre-installed software, but requires unlocking the bootloader and is only suitable for advanced users.

⚠️ Note: Firmware unofficial software will void the warranty and may cause the phone to break. 4PDA or XDA Developers.

7.Alternative solutions: external drives and USB-OTG

If your Xiaomi doesn’t support microSD, there’s a port USB-C, External use can be made SSD-drive-drive OTG. This is true for models like Xiaomi. 12S Ultra or Black Shark 5 Pro where you need a lot of space for games or videos.

To connect an external drive:

1. Buy it. OTG-adapter (e.g. Baseus) USB-C to USB 3.0).
2. Connect a flash drive or SSD (formatted in exFAT or NTFS).
3. In the file manager (Mi File Manager), select an external drive and transfer files to it.

Advantages of this method:

• 💾 Ability to connect drives up to 2 TB.
• ⚡ Read/write speed is higher than microSD (up to 500 MB/s for microSD). SSD).
• 🔄 Easy to transfer data between devices.

Disadvantages: the drive takes up a USB-C port, which can interfere with charging. The solution is to use a hub with multiple ports.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi