Many users of the popular budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 7 face a lack of free resources when working with modern applications. The device, released in 2019, was originally equipped with 2, 3 or 4 gigabytes of physical RAM, which is often not enough for current versions of MIUI and heavy programs. When the system begins to forcefully close background tasks and the interface hangs, there is an urgent need to expand the available amount of RAM. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to increase RAM on the phone Xiaomi redmi 7 software methods without resorting to complex soldering chips.
It is worth noting that physically add a new memory card inside the case is impossible without professional equipment and soldering skills. BGA-But the modern mobile ecosystem allows you to use internal flash memory to create what's called a paging file or a virtual paging file. RAM. This helps the system allocate resources more efficiently and keep more running applications active. We'll look at both built-in shell features and advanced methods for obtaining superuser rights.
Before you start modifying system files, it is important to understand the risks: any interference with the structure of memory partitions can lead to data loss or unstable operation of the gadget. It is recommended to make a full backup of important photos and contacts before starting any operations. Next, we will move to secure optimization methods that do not require deep technical knowledge.
Analysis of the current memory situation on Redmi 7
The first step in solving the problem of a slow smartphone should be a detailed diagnosis, the user needs to know exactly how much resources the system is available at the moment and what processes consume them most. To do this, the MIUI shell provides built-in monitoring that shows the load in real time, without understanding the current situation, any actions to “increase” may be useless.
Note that the amount claimed by the manufacturer is often different from the amount available to the user. Some RAM is reserved for the GPU and Android system services. On Redmi 7 with 3 GB on board, the user is actually available about 2.1-2.3 GB. This is critically small for modern instant messengers and browsers with heavy tabs.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t trust apps in the Play Market that promise “instant doubling of memory” with one click without root rights.
You can use the standard menu or third-party utilities to get accurate information. It is important to distinguish between internal storage (ROM) and RAM (RAM) types. You can not confuse them, because the methods of working with them are radically different. Below is a table showing the typical distribution of resources on different versions of the Redmi 7.
| Model Redmi 7 | Physical volume of RAM | Available to the user | Type of memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/16 GB | 2GB | ~1.4 GB | LPDDR3 |
| 3/32 GB | 3GB | ~2.1 GB | LPDDR3 |
| 4/64 GB | 4GB | ~2.8 GB | LPDDR3 |
Understanding these numbers helps us understand the limits of the device. The Snapdragon 632 processor installed in Redmi 7 is able to process data faster than a narrow neck of 2 gigabytes of RAM can miss, which is why optimization is becoming a key factor in extending the life of a smartphone.
Using built-in MIUI features to optimize
You should always start with the standard tools provided by the developer, and there are a few hidden and explicit settings in the MIUI shell that allow you to reallocate process priorities, which will not increase the physical volume, but will force the system to spend more economically on existing megabytes, and users often ignore these settings, relying only on automatic cleaning.
The first thing you need to do is activate the developer menu, which is a hidden section that contains critical memory management options. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI seven times. Once the notification "You're a developer" appears, you can move to advanced system settings.
We're interested in background-related items in the developer menu, which can limit the number of applications running simultaneously or, conversely, prevent the system from killing important processes. However, be careful: improper settings can lead to accelerated battery discharge. It is recommended to experiment with the limit of background processes by setting the value "No more than 3-4 processes".
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Use the "Memory Extension" feature in the About Phone menu if your version of MIUI supports it, and it automatically reserves some of the internal memory for RAM.
You should also pay attention to the Game Turbo or Accelerate, which is where you add an app to this mode, prioritizes resources for it, temporarily suspending unnecessary services, and is an effective way to run a heavy game or a navigation device on Redmi 7 without lags.
Method of creating a swap file without a root
One of the most effective ways to increase RAM on a Xiaomi redmi 7 phone without getting full superuser rights is to use special swiper applications. They create a virtual partition on internal flash memory that the system perceives as an addition to the main RAM. This method works at the kernel level, emulating the operation of a swap file in Linux.
This method will require applications like SWAP No Root or peers available in official stores or trusted sources, and will require a large file that is filled with data that does not fit into physical memory. The read and write speed of the internal memory of eMMC 5.1 in Redmi 7 is quite suitable for using this method with acceptable performance.
- 📲 Download the application to create SWAP-source-partition.
- ⚙️ Give the application the necessary permissions to access the file system.
- 💾 Select the size of the file you create (no more is recommended). 1-2 GB).
- ▶️ Click the Start or Create button to activate the process.
It’s important to understand that using internal memory as RAM increases the wear and tear of the drive. Constantly writing and overwriting data can shorten the life of flash memory. However, for an older device that is scheduled to be used for another year or two, this trade-off is often justified.
⚠️ Note: When creating a paging file, make sure that the internal drive is free 3-4 GB of space: Storage overflow will lead to critical system errors and inability to load.
Once the swap file is activated, restart the device and check for changes to the developer menu or through third-party monitoring.You should see an increase in available volume or change in memory usage characteristics.If the phone has started to work unstable, the paging file can be easily deleted through the same application.
☑️ Checking before creating Swap
Advanced methods with Root rights and core
For users willing to take the risk of obtaining Root rights, the options are much broader: Administrator privileges allow changes to kernel system files, including memory management configurations. On Redmi 7, this is usually done through unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk or SuperSU.
One popular tool is the SWAP Manager module, or using applications like KSWAP, which allows you to create a full swap partition that is initialized immediately when you boot the system, long before you start user applications, which provides more stable operation than the methods without root.
In addition, root access allows you to edit the build.prop file. In this text configuration file, you can write parameters that make the system more aggressively hold applications in memory or, conversely, more actively unload them. ro.config.low_ram can switch the interface to resource saving mode.
Risks of obtaining Root rights
Also worth mentioning is the installation of custom Kernels optimized for memory. Enthusiasts often modify the source code of the Android kernel for Redmi 7, improving the task scheduler algorithms. However, third-party kernel firmware is a procedure for power users and requires an unlocked bootloader.
Cleaning and optimizing occupied space
Even after the virtual memory is increased, the system can become cluttered, and RAM is closely related to the performance of the internal drive, and if the storage is filled with debris, cache and remnants of remote programs, the system runs slower, creating the illusion of a lack of RAM.
Regularly cleaning the app cache is a must, especially for social networks and instant messengers, which can inflate their cache to several gigabytes. Go to Settings → Applications, select heavy programs and click Clear cache. Don't confuse it with data cleanup, as it will delete your logins and correspondence.
- 🗑️ Remove unused apps that hang in the background.
- 📸 Transfer photos and videos to a memory card or cloud.
- 🚫 Turn off automatic application updates via mobile network.
- 🔄 Reset your Google Ads and Services settings if you don’t need them.
Another important aspect is removing heavy widgets and live wallpapers, which consume a significant portion of RAM for graphic rendering, and replacing the dynamic background with a static black image will not only save battery life. AMOLED-screens (although in Redmi 7) IPS, the savings will be only on RAM and processor, but also free up resources.
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Freeing up space on the internal drive directly affects the speed of the paging file and the overall responsiveness of the system.