What is the memory on Xiaomi: how to check and free up space

Your Xiaomi is constantly showing a notification “Memory is almost full” even though you haven’t installed new apps in a long time? or the phone has started to slow down for no apparent reason? The problem lies in hidden files, app cache and system processes that stealth away gigabytes of memory. In this article, we will discuss how to know exactly what memory is occupied on Xiaomi, what tools are in the system, and how to free up space without losing important data.

Smartphone makers (including Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO) often optimize MIUIs for limited memory, but even that doesn’t save them from accumulating garbage, like messaging apps like Telegram or WhatsApp that can store gigabytes of media in hidden folders, and games that can caches data to speed up loading, and we’ll show you how to find these memory eaters and remove them safely.

1. Built-in memory analyzer in MIUI

The easiest way to test your memory is to use the built-in Storage tool in your settings, which visualizes the allocation of memory by category (applications, media, documents, etc.) and shows which files take up the most space.

To open the analyzer:

Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
Click on the chart at the top of the screen.
Wait for the scan to be completed (it may take 10 to 30 seconds).

The system will automatically sort files by size and prompt you to clear the data.

📱 Applications – here are displayed the most “heavy” programs (most often games, social networks, instant messengers).
📁 Other files – cache, temporary files and remnants of deleted applications fall here.
🎵 Multimedia – Photos, Videos and Audio, including downloads from the Internet.

MIUI can hide some system files from the user, so the real amount of occupied memory sometimes exceeds the analyzer by 5-15%.

📊 How often do you check your busy memory on your smartphone?

Once a week.

Only when the place ends.

Never.

Constantly monitored.

2. Hidden folders and files: where to look for "invisible" garbage

MIUI by default hides some system folders that can take up gigabytes of memory.

🗃️ /Android/data/ — here data of applications (cache of games, downloads from instant messengers) are stored).
🔍 /MIUI/ — folder with themes, wallpaper and system backups.
📂 /DCIM/.thumbnails — Photo and video miniatures that are not deleted when cleaning the gallery.

To see the hidden files:

Connect your phone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
Check the folders /Android/obb/ (game cache) and /Download/ (forgotten downloads).

Caution: Deleting files from /Android/data/ or /Android/obb/ folders can cause app crashes, and it’s best to migrate them to the PC or cloud first.

What happens if you delete the Android/obb folder?

Moving or deleting files from /Android/obb/ will cause games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) to stop running and require re-uploading data (sometimes up to 10GB!).

3. Memory analysis via ADB: for advanced users

If the built-in MIUI tools don't show the full picture, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a debugging tool that gives you access to system data, which is suitable for users who are ready to work with the command line.

Instructions:

Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB Tools and execute the command:

adb shell df -h

The command will display a table with the distribution of memory by partition (for example, /data, /system). To see a detailed list of files sorted by size, use:

adb shell du -ah /sdcard/ | sort -rh | head -n 20

This team will show the top-20 Largest files and folders in internal memory.

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If the adb shell command doesn’t work, check if the drivers are installed for your Xiaomi model on your PC. Some devices (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12) require additional debugging resolution settings in MIUI.

4. Applications for memory analysis: top-3 utility

If you're uncomfortable with ADB or an embedded analyzer, use third-party apps that offer more detailed statistics and cleaning tools.

Annex	Features	Reference
Files by Google	It shows junk files, duplicates and big media, and it has a cache cleaner function.	Google Play
SD Maid	Looks for remnants of remote applications, empty folders, temporary files, supports root access.	Google Play
DiskUsage	Visualizes busy memory in the form of an interactive map, helps you quickly find large files.	Google Play

Example of Files by Google:

🔍 Open the application and go to the Cleanup tab.
🗑️ Click Free Space – the utility will automatically find unnecessary files (cache, duplicates, old screenshots).
📊 In the Analysis tab, you can see the distribution of memory by category.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, SD Maids require root rights to work properly, without which they will only show a fraction of the files. 13T or Redmi K60) Getting root can lead to loss of warranty.

5. Clearing cache and unnecessary data

One of the biggest memory eaters is the application cache, which is a temporary file that is created to speed up programs, but over time accumulates and takes up gigabytes.

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Select an app (like YouTube or TikTok) and click Clear Cache.
For mass cleaning, use Settings → Storage → Clean.

Method 2: Recovery Mode (for deep cleaning)

🔄 Turn off the phone, then press the power button. + Volume up to enter Recovery.
🧹 Select Wipe Cache Partition (not to be confused with Wipe Data – it’s a factory reset!).
🔁 Reset the device.

Critical information: Clearing the cache through Recovery only removes the system cache, but does not affect user data. However, on some models (for example, the POCO X5 Pro), this method can reset network settings.

Backup of important data

Close all background applications

Check the battery power (minimum 30%)

Do not interrupt the cleaning process

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6.How to prevent memory filling in the future

To prevent memory from running out too quickly on Xiaomi, follow these guidelines:

📸 Set up auto-clean in the gallery: Mi Gallery has a feature to remove screenshots older than 30 days.
🎮 Limit the cache of games: in the settings of Google Play Games, you can turn off automatic download updates.
☁️ Use cloud storage: Mi Cloud, Google Photos or Yandex Drive to automatically upload photos and videos.
📥 Check Downloads: Check Download folder regularly for unnecessary files.

It is also useful to disable the automatic saving of media files in messengers:

On WhatsApp: Settings → Storage → Autoupload media (turn off for mobile data).
In Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Autoload Media (select Never).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with hybrid memory (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+ 5G) Part of the internal storage can be reserved for virtual storage. RAM. This is normal – the system uses it to speed up work, but in the memory analyzer, this partition can be displayed as “busy».

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Regular cache cleaning and monitoring downloads can save up to 30% of memory without deleting important files.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi

Why does MIUI show that the memory is full, but I haven't downloaded anything?

This may be due to: Hidden MIUI updates (the system downloads them in the background); application cache (for example, Facebook or Instagram can take up to 1-2 GB); residual files after deleting programs (folder /Android/data/). Check the Settings section → Storage → Other files – there is often hidden the main garbage.

Can I transfer applications to a memory card?

On most modern Xiaomi (for example, Redmi Note 12 or X-rays) POCO X5) portability SD-The card is blocked due to the restrictions of Android 10+. However, you can: Transfer media files (photos, videos, music) manually. Use the memory card as internal storage (formatting into Settings). → Warehouse → Memory card, but it will delete all data from it!. Please note: once formatted, the card cannot be retrieved without losing data.

How do I know how much memory system files take up?

System files MIUI borrow 8 before 15 GB (depending on the model) can be seen: ADB-Command: Adb shell df -h /system. In applications like DiskUsage (will show the section) /system Normally, the user cannot delete or modify these files without root rights.

Why does the memory reset quickly after cleaning?

This is due to: Background processes (e.g. Mi Video or Mi Browser caching content); Auto Updates (applications and MIUI are updated automatically); Hidden backups (MIUI creates backups of themes and settings in /MIUI/backup/). Solution: disable auto updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update and regularly clean the /MIUI/backup/ folder.

Can I increase my memory on Xiaomi?

Physically not, but you can: Use a memory card (up to 1 TB on supported models). SSD-storage OTG-adapter (e.g. Samsung) T7 Optimize your current memory (remove duplicates, compress photos, transfer files to the cloud) on some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra is available for extension function RAM It's internal memory, but it doesn't increase storage.