RAM is a critical resource for Xiaomi Redmi performance, and when it's not enough, the smartphone slows down, apps shut down spontaneously, and games or multitasking become impossible. But how do you check how much memory is available right now? And what if there's a catastrophic shortage of it?
In this article, you will find 5 proven ways – from standard MIUI tools to hidden features and third-party utilities. We will also discuss why Redmi can show less memory than stated in the specifications, and how to free RAM without rebooting. All instructions are relevant for the Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/11, POCO X3/X4/X5 and other devices based on MIUI 12-14.
Important: the amount of RAM available depends not only on the running applications, but also on the firmware version, MIUI background and even the processor temperature. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 8 GB of RAM, the system can reserve up to 1-1.5 GB for background processes, leaving the user with ~6.5 GB.
1. Verify through Xiaomi’s “Settings” (the fastest way)
The standard method, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones without installing additional apps, is suitable for MIUI 12, 13, 14 and earlier versions (but the location of menu items may differ).
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon on the desktop).
- 🔍 Scroll down and select About Phone (or About Device on some firmware).
- 📊 Tapping on Memory or RAM (depending on the model).
- 📈 The screen will display a schedule of RAM use by application and system processes.
Here you'll see:
- 🔹 Total RAM (for example, 6 GB or 8 GB).
- 🔹 Memory used (in megabytes or gigabytes).
- 🔹 Free memory – this parameter is critical for performance.
- 🔹 List of applications that consume the most resources (can be closed directly from here).
Close unnecessary applications manually|Disable Autostart for Background Programs|Reboot your smartphone|Check for viruses (some miners load RAM)-->
Note that on some MIUI firmware, the graph may display inaccurate data due to Linux kernel caching. For example, after a game is closed, the memory is not immediately released, but remains in a state of “ready” for quick re-start. This is normal and does not require intervention.
2.Using "Security" and "Optimization" in MIUI
MIUI has a built-in memory monitoring and cleaning tool called Security (or Global Firmware Security) that not only shows the current RAM load, but also allows you to release it in one tap.
How to open it:
- 🛡️ Launch the Security app (shield icon on the desktop).
- 🔍 Go to the Optimization tab (or Speed boost).
- 📊 At the top of the screen you will see a circular indicator of RAM loading with percentage.
- 🧹 Click Clean to close the background processes.
| Parameter | What does it mean? | Normal value. |
|---|---|---|
| Free memory | RAM not occupied by processes | 15-20% of the total volume |
| Memory used | Active applications + system processes | Up to 80% (above – lags are possible) |
| Cashed memory | Data for quick access (not critical) | 10-30% of the total volume |
| Background processes | Applications in wait (messengers, services) | 5–15 processes |
⚠️ Warning: Don’t clear your memory too often! MIUI Optimized to keep frequently used applications in RAM. Constant forced cleaning, on the contrary, will increase battery consumption, as the system will have to reload data.
Once a day.|Only when it's slowing down.|Never.|Using a car cleaner.-->
3. Hidden menu "Equipment Test" (Engineer Mode)
For advanced users, there is a way to check RAM through an engineering menu, which shows the actual state of memory, including the blocks that are backed up by the system that are not displayed in the standard settings.
Instructions:
- 📞 Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
- 🔧 In the menu that opens, select Phone Information (or Usage Statistics).
- 📊 Scroll down to the Memory block - here will be detailed statistics on RAM.
On this menu you will see:
- 🔹 MemTotal – total amount of RAM (in kilobytes).
- 🔹 MemFree – Fully Free Memory.
- 🔹 Buffers and Cached – cached data (can be released if necessary).
- 🔹 SwapTotal – the size of the paging file (if used).
What to do if the engineering menu is not opened?
Important: The data in the engineering menu is updated in real time, but may differ from the readings in Settings due to different counting methods. For example, MemFree does not take into account cached memory, which the system can quickly release.
Third-party applications for monitoring RAM
If standard MIUI tools aren't enough, you can use specialized utilities that offer advanced statistics, download schedules, and even automatic cleaning.
Top.-3 Applications for Xiaomi Redmi:
- 📊 CPU Monitor – shows the load of RAM, CPU and battery in real time with the ability to write logs.
- 🔍 DevCheck – displays detailed information about the iron, including the type and frequency of RAM (for example, LPDDR4X 1866 MHz).
- 🛠️ Greenify – not only monitors memory, but also “freezes” background processes, saving resources.
Example of data from DevCheck for Redmi Note 11 Pro+:
RAM:
Type: LPDDR4X
Volume: 8GB (7.8GB available)
Frequency: 2133 MHz
Download: 62% (4.8GB used, 3.0GB free)💡
If you've got a little bit more braking after you've installed the monitoring app, you can remove it. Some of the utilities are using a lot of resources themselves, creating a paradox: you're trying to free up RAM, but you're spending it checking.
⚠️ Note: Avoid apps like this RAM Booster or Memory Cleaner, which promise to "speed up your smartphone by 300%" They often contain ads, collect data and can impair performance by forcibly shutting down system processes.
5. Verification through ADB (for power users)
If you want the most accurate data, you can connect Redmi to your computer and use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which will show all the memory, including the blocks and cache of the kernel.
Step-by-step:
- 🖥️ Install. ADB-PC drivers.
- 📱 On your smartphone, activate Developer Mode (7 taps by Build Number in About Phone) and turn on Debugging by USB.
- 🔌 Connect Redmi to your computer and type in the command line: adb shell dumpsys meminfo
- 📄 In the conclusion, find the lines MemTotal, MemFree and SwapFree.
Example output for Redmi 10 with 4 GB of RAM:
MemTotal: 3824364 kB
MemFree: 812460 kB
Buffers: 123456 kB
Cached: 1024892 kB
SwapTotal: 1048572 kB
SwapFree: 987654 kBTranscript:
- MemTotal is the total amount of RAM (here ~3.8 GB of 4 GB, as part is reserved for the GPU).
- MemFree is a free memory (~812 MB).
- Cached is cached data (~1 GB) that can be released if needed.
- Swap - swap file (used if RAM runs out).
💡
ADB shows the real state of memory, including hidden system processes. If MemFree is consistently below 10% of MemTotal, the smartphone needs optimization or upgrade.
6.Why does Xiaomi show less RAM than claimed?
Many Redmi users are faced with the fact that the settings display, for example, 7.5 GB instead of 8 GB. This is not marriage or deception – this is how the Android architecture works.
Main reasons:
- 🖥️ Reservations for GPU: Video processor uses part of RAM (on Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ it ~500-700 MB).
- 🤖 Systemic processes: MIUI loads Google’s kernel, drivers and services at launch (up to 1-1.5 GB).
- 📱 Marketing GB vs. Binary GiB: 8 GB = 7.45 GiB (manufacturers round up in the big way).
- 🔒 Protected areas: Some models reserve some memory for TEE (Trusted Execution Environment – a safe zone for payments and biometrics.
| Model Redmi | Claimed RAM | Available to the user | Reason for the difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10 Pro | 6GB | 5.2–5.5 GB | GPU + System Processes |
| Redmi 11 Prime | 4GB | 3.4–3.6 GB | GiB marketing |
| POCO X4 Pro | 8GB | 7.0-7.3 GB | Reserve for multitasking |
| Redmi K50 | 12GB | 10.5-11 GB | Video memory + TEE |
⚠️ Note: If the difference between the declared and available RAM exceeds 10-15%, this may indicate that the RAM is not available:
- 🔹 Unofficial firmware (castomy software may reserve memory incorrectly).
- 🔹 Virus or miner (some malware “steals” RAM for hidden computing).
- 🔹 Hardware defect (rarely, but possible problems with soldering of memory chips).
7.How to Free RAM Without Rebooting
If you have less than 10% of free memory, your smartphone will start to hang. Here are 5 working ways to free up RAM without restarting:
- 🧹 Manual cleaning: Open Recent apps (swipe up late). Close all unnecessary apps swipe up. Click on the Close everything icon (cross or basket).
- ⚙️ Disable Autostart: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select an app (like Facebook) and turn off AutoRun.
- 📱 Performance mode: In Settings → Additionally. → Select Game or Balance mode to limit background activity of unnecessary processes.
- 🔄 Reset the interface: Activate Developer Mode and turn on Do Not Stay Activated. This forcibly closes all processes when you lock the screen.
Clearing the cache
- In Settings → Memory → Cleanup Press Clean Cache.
- This won’t free up a lot of RAM, but it will speed up system applications.
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If the smartphone brakes even after cleaning the RAM, check the temperature of the processor. When overheated (above 60 ° C), MIUI artificially limits performance, which creates a “hang” effect.