How to increase RAM on Xiaomi Mi9: the complete guide

The Xiaomi Mi9, released in 2019, is still the flagship device with a powerful Snapdragon 855 processor, however, modern mobile application requirements often put it in an awkward position. Users notice that games fly out and background apps stop working when you switch between them. These are classic symptoms of a lack of RAM (RAM), which in basic versions of the device can be as little as 6 GB.

Many owners immediately wonder: can you physically add a memory chip or software to expand the available space? Unfortunately, you can not hardwarely change the configuration of the Mi9, since the memory chips are soldered on the motherboard. However, there are a number of software methods that allow you to optimize the use of available resources and even create the illusion of expanded memory with built-in storage.

In this guide, we’ll look at all the legal and safe ways to help your smartphone run faster.We won’t use questionable accelerator apps that only harm the system, but focus on built-in Android features and advanced developer settings.

Technical limitations and capabilities of Xiaomi Mi9

Before you start setting up, you need to understand the architecture of your device. Xiaomi Mi9 is based on the platform Qualcomm, which has strict restrictions on access to low-level system processes. Unlike a PC where you can simply insert an additional RAM bar, in smartphones, the amount of physical memory is fixed in the factory.

There is a common misconception that third-party apps from the Play Market can unfreeze hidden memory reserves, in fact, such programs only force the processes that Android will immediately start again, putting additional strain on the processor, and real optimization is possible only through cache management and background services.

⚠️ Attention: Use of applications promising to increase RAM 2GB of root rights can lead to a cyclical bootloop and loss of warranty.

It’s also important to consider the state of the embedded drive: If you plan to use virtual memory technology (which we’ll discuss below), your flash memory speed directly affects your performance, and a disk that is over 90% full will run slower, which will negate all optimization efforts.

Virtual Memory: Myths and Reality on Android

The concept of virtual memory is not new to the computer world, where it is called a swap file. In the Android world, this technology has long been unavailable to ordinary users, but modern shells, including the use of a new type of memory, are not new. MIUI And HyperOS, they're starting to implement these features, and the idea is to use a piece of permanent memory (ROM) temporary (RAM).

When physical RAM becomes scarce, the system moves inactive data to a reserved area on the disk, freeing up fast RAM for current tasks. However, this method has a significant nuance: the read and write speed of the built-in UFS 2.1 or UFS 3.0 drive in the Mi9 is well below the speed of real LPDDR4X RAM.

As a result, activating virtual memory can lead to micro-latency (lags) when switching between heavy applications, and the system spends time writing and reading data from the disk, which feels like a brief interface hangover.

Should you turn this on? If you use your phone for simple tasks (social media, instant messengers), expanding memory can help keep more tabs open. For gamers, this can be a double-edged sword: textures will load longer, but the chance of a game crashing due to a lack of RAM will decrease.

Setup of Developer Mode for RAM Management

The most effective way to influence resource allocation without third-party software is through the developer menu, and there are hidden parameters that allow you to forcefully limit the number of background processes. By default, Android decides how many apps to keep in memory, but we can take that control into our own hands.

To activate the hidden menu, go to Settings → About Phone and find the MIUI Version. Click on it 7 times in a row until the notification “You became a developer” appears. Then a new section Additional (or Advanced Settings) will appear in the settings menu, where you need to select For Developers.

Inside this section, we're interested in the Applications block, and find the Background Process Limit setting, and you can select a constraint, like "No More than 2 Processes," which will cause the system to aggressively unload everything you're not using right now, freeing up resources for active play or application.

There's also a Do Not Save Activities option on this menu, which if you turn it on, the system will destroy the application as soon as you fold it, a radical method that guarantees maximum free RAM, but makes multitasking impossible, with each application running from scratch.

Optimizing MIUI and Background Services

MIUI is known for its aggressive energy saving policy, which often works against the user by unloading the desired applications. However, setting autostart and permissions correctly can help the system run more stable. Go to the Security app (green zipper icon) and select Permissions.

Go to the AutoRun menu. Leave only messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and system services on. All gaming launchers, stores and social networks should be turned off so that they do not take up precious memory immediately after turning on the phone.

Another important aspect is animation. In the same developer menu, find the parameters: Window animation scale, transition animation scale, and animation duration. Set all three values in 0.5x or even Off. This will not increase the physical volume of RAM, but will speed up the rendering of the interface, making the work with the phone subjectively faster and more responsive.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling animations completely can make the interface twitchy. 0.5x To maintain the smoothness of the visual experience.

Use of Game Turbo and Game Profiles

For Xiaomi Mi9 owners who use the device for gaming, Game Turbo is a critical tool.This built-in module optimizes the allocation of memory specifically for gameplay. It temporarily limits the background activity of other applications, giving priority to the game.

To activate maximum performance, add your games to the Safety → Game Turbo app. Inside the Game Turbo settings, turn on Acceleration or Performance mode. In this mode, the system will try to free up as much RAM as possible before starting the game.

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Enable the option “Disable notifications during play” in Game Turbo settings. This will not only remove pop-ups, but also prevent heavy messaging processes from waking up, keeping RAM clean.

It's also worth checking the settings of specific applications. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, select a heavy game or social network, click Battery and select No Limits. Paradoxically, this allows the system to better manage the memory for this application without constantly trying to "sleep" it and start again, which only consumes resources.

Memory card and Swap files: advanced level

Since the Xiaomi Mi9 does not support microSD card installation, the only option to expand storage is to use USB-OTG drives, but this is inconvenient for permanent wear. However, there is a method of creating a swap file in internal memory that requires root rights.

If your smartphone is unlocked (root rights are obtained), you can use applications like SWAP No Root (which works without a root in some modes) or KSWAP. They create a special file that the system perceives as additional RAM, the size of such a file can reach 2-4 GB.

Example of commands for creating a swap file (for power users with ADB only)


adb shell




su




dd if=/dev/zero of=/data/swapfile bs=1M count=2048




mkswap /data/swapfile




swapon /data/swapfile

There are risks to using these methods: Constantly writing and overwriting data in one place can wear out the memory cells of the phone faster, and when you update the firmware or reset the settings, this file will be deleted and you will have to repeat the procedure.

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Creating a swap file increases the amount of available memory, but reduces the overall system speed due to the low speed of writing to flash memory compared to RAM.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions