Why is the Redmi Note 7 slowing down and can it be fixed?
Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 often face slowdowns when multitasking: applications close by themselves, games slow down, and the system gives a notification “Not enough memory.” The reason is trivial – the smartphone was released with 3/4 GB of RAM (depending on the modification), and even after upgrades to MIUI 14, this is sometimes not enough for modern tasks.
But the good news is that you can't physically increase RAM on the Redmi Note 7 (memory is sold on the motherboard), but there are software methods that mimic expansion or optimize the use of existing resources. In this article, we'll look at 5 working ways, from secure tweaks to radical solutions for advanced users, and we'll also uncover myths that are walking around forums and only harm your device.
Before you start, check the current RAM load: open Settings → About Phone → Memory Status. If less than 20% is free, it’s time to act.
Method 1: Virtual memory (RAM Expansion) via MIUI settings
With MIUI 12.5+, Xiaomi has added RAM Extension, which uses a portion of the internal memory (ROM) as a virtual RAM. This is not a real upgrade, but it helps to keep 10-15% more background processes.
How to turn on:
- Go to Settings → Additional → Expand memory.
- Select the amount of virtual RAM: 1 GB, 2 GB or 3 GB (maximum depends on the free space in the ROM).
- Reboot the phone.
⚠️ Attention: Virtual memory is slower than physical memory, so performance gains will only be noticeable when you have a low load (for example, switching between messengers.
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If after activation of the function the phone began to warm up stronger, reduce the volume of virtual RAM to 1 GB or turn it off altogether.
Comparison of virtual RAM volumes
| The volume of virtual RAM | Minimum ROM requirements | Increased multitasking | Impact on speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | 5 GB of free space | +1-2 background applications | Minor. |
| 2GB | 10 GB of free space | +2-3 background applications | Noticeable braking during loading |
| 3GB | 15 GB of free space | +3-4 background applications | Heat, lags, heavy. |
Experiments of users with Redmi Note 7 show that the optimal balance is 1 GB of virtual RAM. Large values eat up the battery charge and accelerate the wear of flash memory.
Method 2: Optimization of background processes (without root)
Often the problem is not the amount of RAM, but how the system manages it. By default, MIUI aggressively closes the background applications, but some of them (for example, messengers) can be fixed in memory.
Instructions:
- 🔄 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
- 📌 Select the desired application (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) → Battery → No restrictions.
- 🔒 Return to the app menu → Additionally. → Turn on the memory.
It is also useful to disable auto-run of unnecessary services:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Autorun.
- Turn off autoload for underutilized apps (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, games).
Disable auto-run of unnecessary applications |
Put messengers in your memory |
Limit background activity of social networks |
Enable performance mode in Settings → Battery-->
⚠️ Do not store more than 3-4 applications in memory – this will lead to the opposite effect: the system will begin to kill critical processes (for example, phone calls).
Every day.|
Once a week |
Only when it's slowing down.|
Never clean.-->
Method 3: Using a swap file with root rights
For advanced users who are ready to root, there's a method of creating a swap partition, which is the equivalent of virtual memory on a PC. ROM or SD-Cards as an additional RAM, but with serious reservations.
What you need:
- 📱 Unlocked bootloader and root rights (instructions for Redmi Note 7: see below).
- 💾 Swap File Creator App or App or ROEHSOFT RAM-EXPANDER.
- 🔋 Battery charge of at least 50% (energy-consuming process).
Step-by-step:
- Install one of the apps to create swap from Google Play.
- Choose the source: internal memory (faster) or SD-Slower but safer for the system).
- Specify the size of the swap file: from 512 MB to 1 GB (more - the risk of overheating).
- Press Create Swap File and wait until it is completed.
- Activate swap via terminal with command: su swapon /sdcard/swapfile.swp
Critical: swap on SD-grade-up A1/U1 This will cause lag and fast wear on the drive, and only use high-speed cards (e.g. SanDisk Extreme).
What happens if you stop creating a swap file?
⚠️ Warning: Continuous use of swap reduces the life of flash memory Redmi Note 7 on 15–20%. We recommend turning it on only for resource-intensive tasks (for example, video editing in CapCut), and then disable the swapoff command. /sdcard/swapfile.swp.
Method 4: Firmware custom core with RAM optimization
If you're ready for experimentation, custom cores (like Perseus Kernel or FrancoKernel) offer fine-tuning of memory management.
- 🔧 Modify the parameters LMK (Low Memory Killer – an algorithm that kills processes when there is a lack of RAM.
- ⚡ Optimize the task planner for better multitasking.
- 📉 Reduce memory consumption by system services MIUI.
How to sew a custom core:
- Unlock the bootloader and get a root (see instructions below).
- Download the right kernel for Redmi Note 7 (check compatibility on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forum).
- You can use TWRP or OrangeFox Recovery.
- Configure the settings using Kernel Adiutor or EX Kernel Manager.
Example of optimal settings for Perseus Kernel:
Reduced aggressiveness of LMK
echo "18432,23552,28672,35840,51200,83712" > /sys/module/lowmemorykiller/parameters/minfree
Swappiness optimization (0–100, where 0 is the minimum swap usage)
echo "10" > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness⚠️ Warning: Incompatible core can lead to bootloop.Before firmware, backup through TWRP and check the reviews for a specific kernel version for your model (Redmi Note 7 is known as lavender in custom firmware).
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Castomic kernels can increase productivity by up to 20 percent, but require deep knowledge and regular updates. This method is not recommended for beginners.
Method 5: Alternatives – When Increasing RAM Will Not Help
If all methods have been tried, and the Redmi Note 7 is still slowing down, it may not be the RAM that is the problem.
- 🔄 Reset to factory settings: Delete junk files and reset RAM settings to default. Do this every 6-12 months.
- 📱 Lightweight firmware: For example, Pixel Experience or LineageOS without unnecessary services MIUI.
- 🛒 Upgrade to the new smartphone: Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 6-8 GB of RAM will solve the problem radically.
Before buying a new phone, check how much RAM you really need:
| Type of use | Minimum RAM | Recommended RAM |
|---|---|---|
| Social media, phone calls, photos | 3GB | 4GB |
| Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact) | 4GB | 6-8 GB |
| Video editing, multitasking | 6GB | 8-12 GB |
If your Redmi Note 7 is used for gaming or professional tasks, increasing RAM with software methods will only have a temporary effect.
How to get a root rights on Redmi Note 7 (Step-by-step)
Most RAM extension methods require root access, and the process of unlocking the bootloader and getting the root takes ~30 minutes, but it is not warranty (if it is still valid).
What needs to be done:
- Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires a binding Mi Account and wait 7-14 days).
- Install Custom Recovery (TWRP) via fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
- Sweak Magisk to get a root: In TWRP: Install → Select Magisk.zip → Swipe to confirm
⚠️ Warning: After unlocking the bootloader, all data will be reset (fastboot) -w). Also, some banking applications (for example, Sberbank Online) may stop working – MagiskHide or alternative methods of camouflaging the root will be required.
How to bypass the blocking of banking applications with root?
Myths about increasing RAM: what not to do
Forums and YouTube are full of "advice" that not only doesn't work, but also damages the phone.-3 myth:
- "RAM Cleaning Manually Speeds Up Phone" Actually: Forced Cleaning (Settings → Applications → Clean Memory) shuts down all processes, including system ones. After that, they restart, which wastes more resources than it saves. Android itself optimizes RAM - don't interfere with it.
- Programs like RAM Booster or Clean Master only create the illusion of acceleration, killing background tasks. In reality, they increase the wear of flash memory and can conflict with MIUI.
- "You can physically replace the RAM chip" On the Redmi Note 7, the memory is soldered to the motherboard. Any attempt to replace it will cause the device to fail. The only "physical" upgrade is to buy a new phone.
If you see the advice to "format your phone to ext4 to increase RAM" is a scam. Formatting doesn't add memory, it just erases data.