Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face a situation where apps start to fly out of the background, games slow down, and the system issues warnings about memory shortages. The reason is trivial — lack of RAM. But what if you can’t buy a new phone, and the current one is still quite workable? Fortunately, there are several ways to increase the amount of RAM — from software tricks to hardware modifications.
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of expanding RAM on Xiaomi devices, including official functions (for example, virtual RAM), system optimization, as well as more radical solutions for advanced users. It is important to understand that not all methods are equally effective: some give performance gains of 10-15%, others up to 50%.
1. Virtual RAM: How to enable and configure on Xiaomi
The easiest and safest way to increase RAM is to activate the virtual RAM (RAM Expansion) function, which uses a portion of the internal storage (UFS/EMMC) as additional RAM. On most modern Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 12.5), this option is available by default.
How does it work? It allocates between 1GB and 8GB (depending on the model) of internal memory to the app cache. It doesn't replace physical RAM, but it allows you to keep more tasks in the background. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 8GB of RAM, you can add another 3GB of virtual memory, which will improve multitasking by 20-30%.
- 📱 Supported models: Xiaomi 12/13/14 series, Redmi Note 11/12/13, Poco F4/F5, Black Shark 5/6 newer.
- ⚡ Productivity gains: up to +30% multitasking but does not affect FPS play.
- ⚠️ Cons: reduces the life of the internal drive (especially on cheap models with eMMC).
To enable virtual RAM:
- Go to Settings → About the phone → All the characteristics.
- Tap 5-7 times on the item RAM (on some firmware - version MIUI).
- In the menu that opens, select the RAM Extension and set the desired volume (we recommend 2-3 GB).
- Reset the device.
⚠️ Note: On devices with eMMC 5.1 (e.g., Redmi) 9A POCO M3) frequent use of virtual RAM It can speed up memory wear. Check the type of drive in the app. AIDA64 (storage).
System Optimization: How to Free RAM Without Root
Before you go to radical methods, try to optimize your current memory usage, and many users don't realize that MIUI is defaulting on dozens of unnecessary processes, and here's what you can do without superuser rights:
- 🧹 Turn off auto-start applications: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Autorun. Turn off autorun for instant messengers, games, and underutilized programs (except system ones).
- 🔄 Limit background activity: In the same menu (Application Management), select Background Restriction and set Strict for unnecessary apps.
- 📴 Use the "Lite" versions of the apps: Replace Facebook with Facebook Lite, Messenger with Messenger Lite. 2-3 less RAM.
- 🔧 Activate Performance Mode: In Settings → Special opportunities → Select Performance Mode Games or Balance.