Have you noticed that your Xiaomi has started to slow down, apps are spontaneously shutting down, and multitasking has turned into anguish? The reason most often lies in a lack of RAM. Unlike flagship models with 12-16 GB of RAM, budget and mid-budget smartphones Redmi or POCO often come with only 4-6 GB of memory, which is catastrophically small for modern games and applications.
In this article, we will look at all the ways to increase RAM on Xiaomi smartphones, from official MIUI features to hidden settings and hardware solutions. It is important to understand that you can not physically add memory to your phone (it is not a PC), but you can effectively expand it software or optimize use. We tested each method on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO X5 Pro and Mi 11 Lite models, the results are shown in the comparative table below.
1. Virtual memory (RAM Expansion) – the official way from Xiaomi
Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi has added a virtual memory feature that allows you to “borrow” up to 8 GB from an embedded drive (ROM) and use them as RAM. This is not magic – the system creates a swap file, but in everyday tasks the difference is noticeable: applications are less likely to reboot, and background processes work more stable.
How to turn on:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → The phone. → All settings (or settings) → Additionally. → Memory on new versions MIUI).
- 🔧 Find the item “RAM Extension” (or Memory Extension in global firmware).
- ⚡ Select the amount of virtual memory: 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB or 8 GB (maximum depends on the model).
- 🔄 Restart your phone – the changes will take effect.
Backup your data (the function takes up space from the ROM)
Charge your phone at least 50%
Close all background applications
Check the free space in the drive (requires at least 10% of the selected amount of virtual memory)-->
⚠️ Attention: Virtual memory is not a substitute for physical RAM, it only smooths out peak loads. FPS It will be minimal, but multitasking will improve, and also note that the paging file fragments over time, which can lead to a slowdown of the system after 3-6 months of active use.
System Optimization: How to Free RAM Without Root
Before you build up your memory, you should make the most of your existing memory. MIUI is known for its voracious interface, but some processes can be turned off without losing functionality.
List of actions to release RAM:
- 🚫 Turn off the animation. MIUI: Go to Settings. → About the phone, tap 5 times on the version MIUI, then to the developer → Select window/transition animation scale without animation.
- 🧹 Clear the cache of system applications: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Filter (systemic) → Clear the cache.
- 🔕 Stop Auto-Run Unnecessary Applications: Settings → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start.
- 📴 Turn off secondary services MIUI: Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi-account → Synchronization (disable unnecessary items).
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To see the actual use of RAM, install the DevCheck app from Google Play. The Memory section displays detailed statistics on processes, including hidden system services.
⚠️ Note: Do not use Google Play memory boosters (such as Clean Master or Google Play). DU These applications not only do not help, but also increase the load on the system, constantly scanning the memory in the background. MIUI already has a built-in optimizer - it is enough to periodically click Clean in the multitasking menu (swipe up with retention).
3. Using microSD as RAM: myth or reality?
On the Internet, instructions are often found to “turn” a memory card into an RAM card using applications like ROEHSOFT RAM-EXPANDER or Swapfile, which in practice does not work on modern Xiaomi smartphones for three reasons:
- Android 10+ blocks swap partitions on removable media for security reasons.
- Even the UHS-I microSD is 10 to 50 times faster than the built-in UFS 2.2/3.1 memory used by Xiaomi.
- MIUI ignores manual swappiness settings (the kernel parameter responsible for using swap).
The only option that could theoretically work is to force swap mounting on an internal drive via ADB, but this requires:
- 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
- 🛠️ Root-right (Magisk).
- 💻 Knowledge of Linux commands (example below).
SWAP commands via ADB (power users only!)
⚠️ Warning: Even if you can activate swap on your internal drive, your system performance will drop by 15 to 30 percent due to constant read/write operations in internal memory.
4. firmware update: hidden memory improvements
Xiaomi regularly optimizes the Android kernel and memory management mechanisms in new versions of MIUI. For example, MIUI 14 (based on Android 13) introduced a dynamic RAM allocator that allocates resources between applications more intelligently than in MIUI 12.
Comparison of the MIUI Memory Management Versions:
| MIUI version | Basic Android | Max: Virtual Memory | Background optimization | Support for 64-bit applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12.5 | Android 10/11 | 3GB | Medium | Partial |
| MIUI 13 | Android 12 | 5GB | Good. | Complete. |
| MIUI 14 | Android 13 | 8GB | Great. | Complete. + AVIF-compression |
| HyperOS (2026) | Android 14 | 8 GB + dynamic distribution | AI-optimization | Full + Improved Dalvik |
How to update the firmware without losing data:
- Make a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup.
- Check the available updates: Settings → About Phone → System Update.
- If the update is not available, download the full firmware package for your model from en.miui.com.
- Install through System Update → Three-point → Select a firmware file.
MIUI 12.5 or older
MIUI 13
MIUI 14
HyperOS
I don't know.-->
⚠️ Note: If your phone doesn’t support official updates (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro after 2023), don’t install custom firmware to increase RAM.This can lead to loss of warranty and unstable performance (e.g., accidental reboots in LineageOS).
5 Hardware Solutions: When Software Methods Don't Help
If you have exhausted all the software methods, there are two options:
- Buying a new phone with a lot of RAM (for example, POCO F5 Pro with 12 GB or Xiaomi 13T Pro with 16 GB).
- Replacement of the motherboard with a version with a large amount of memory (relevant for flagships such as Mi 11 Ultra, where there are modifications with 8/12/16 GB of RAM).
The cost of replacing fees in service centers:
| Model | Cost of payment (8→12 GB) | Cost of work | Totally. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi K50 Pro | 12 000–15 000 ₽ | 3 000–5 000 ₽ | 15 000–20 000 ₽ |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | 18 000–22 000 ₽ | 4 000–6 000 ₽ | 22 000–28 000 ₽ |
| POCO F4 GT | 10 000–13 000 ₽ | 2 500–4 000 ₽ | 12 500–17 000 ₽ |
⚠️ Warning: Replacing a fee will void the warranty and be fraught with problems:
- 🔋 Serial number mismatch can block Mi Account activation.
- 📡 Could be a chasm. IMEI, What will make your phone unsuitable for calls.
- 🔧 Poor installation leads to overheating or failure of components.
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The replacement fee is justified only for flagship models older than 2 years, when the price difference between the modifications with 8 GB and 12 GB of RAM exceeds 30 000 ₽.
6. Alternative Methods: What Really Works
If none of the above methods are suitable, consider these options:
A. Use of cloud memory
Services like Microsoft SwiftKey or Google Files allow you to “unload” RAM by transferring some data to the cloud, for example, in Google Photos you can enable the option to Free up space, which deletes local copies of photos after uploading to the cloud.
B. Lightweight alternatives to applications
- 📱 Instead of Facebook, use Facebook Lite or Hermit Lite Apps.
- 🎵 Instead of Spotify, YouTube Music is available on the web (via YouTube) PWA).
- 📷 Instead of Instagram – Instander (mod with backgrounds turned off).
B. Performance mode in games
In Settings → Special features → Game mode activate:
- 🎮 Optimization for games (disables background processes).
- 🔋 Extreme performance mode (increases clock frequency) CPU/GPU).
- ⚡ Disabling notifications (prevents lags from pop-ups).
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In games like PUBG Mobile or Free Fire, set the graphical settings to Balanced or HD (but not HDR/Ultra) – this will reduce the load on RAM without critical loss of quality.