What folders can be removed on Xiaomi without risk to the system: full analysis + safe cleaning methods

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones sooner or later face a shortage of internal memory - especially on budget models with 32/64 GB of storage. System folders, app cache and junk files take up gigabytes of space, but not all of them can be deleted without consequences. A cleanup error can lead to MIUI failures, loss of functionality or even "bricking" the device.

In this article, we will discuss in detail which folders on Xiaomi can be removed safely and which cannot be touched categorically – with an explanation of why. You will learn how to distinguish system files from unnecessary garbage, what tools to use for cleaning (including hidden functions). MIUI), And what if, after you delete the folder, the smartphone starts to glittle. MIUI 12 to MIUI 14 and for devices based on HyperOS.

Why Xiaomi is running out of memory and what to do about it

Xiaomi smartphones are known for their aggressive caching policy: the system saves temporary files to speed up applications, but often does not clean them automatically. For example, the /data/dalvik-cache folder can take up to 1-2 GB, and the Google Play Services cache even more, while the user can only access ~70-80% of the declared amount of memory (the rest is reserved for the system).

The main memory eaters on Xiaomi:

• 📁 Application cache – temporary files that should be deleted automatically but often remain (folders) /data/data/*/cache).
• 🎥 Mini-videos and previews — MIUI Creates thumbnails for each video and photo (folder) DCIM/.thumbnails).
• 📱 Logs and dumps – debugging files that accumulate after crashes (/data/anr, /data/tombstones).
• 🔄 Remnants of Remote Applications – Folders in /data/data/ from long-uninstalled programs.

First, check what exactly takes up space: go to Settings → About Phone → Memory. If the System or Other partition takes more than 10-15 GB, it’s time to clean. But before deleting the folders, make sure to back up through Settings → Additional → Backup or Mi Cloud.

What folders on Xiaomi can be deleted without risk

The list of safe folders to delete depends on the version MIUI, But there are universal directories that you can clean on any device, and the rule is, don't delete folders in the root directory, /system or /vendor) — This will cause a system failure. /data and /sdcard (memory).

Here's what you can delete:

• 🧹 DCIM/.thumbnails — Photo and video miniatures (restore automatically).
• 🗑️ Download – downloads from the browser (if files are not needed).
• 📂 MIUI/ExtraSoundRec — recording of the sound from the lock screen (if not used).
• 🎵 MIUI/Music/ — Music player cache (don't touch the Ringtones folder!).
• 📱 Android/data/*/cache — cache of games and applications (cleared without consequences).
• 📊 Android/obb/ — Game files (delete if the game is deleted or not needed).

Use the built-in file manager (MI File Manager) or third-party applications like Files by Google to delete, and don’t use rm-rf commands via ADB, which can erase critical data.

Which folders cannot be deleted (and why)

Some directories on Xiaomi look like garbage, but are actually critical to the system, and deleting them can lead to endless downloads, loss of IMEI, camera failure, or complete device failure.

It is especially dangerous to delete files with extensions.odex,.apk in /system or.prop in /data/property. These files are responsible for the configuration of the system and hardware settings.

⚠️ Warning: If you see a folder called persist, don't touch it. It stores unique device data, including IMEI The deletion will result in loss of network and the need to restore through EDL-regime.

How to Clean App Cache Without Manually Deleting Folders

Hand-cleaning folders isn't always the best solution. MIUI offers built-in tools for safe garbage removal:

1. Clean through Settings: Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, select the program and click “Clear Cache.” For mass cleaning, use Settings → Memory → Clean.
2. Deep Clean: MIUI 13/14 has Settings → Memory → Deep Cleanup, which removes unnecessary files, including the remnants of uninstalled applications.
3. Hidden Cache Reset Command: Enter ##4636## in the dialer, select Battery Statistics and click Clear Statistics. This will reset the cache of system processes.

To clean up automatically, install SD Maid (require root rights to work properly) or CCleaner, which can find duplicate files, empty folders, and remnants of deleted programs.

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If the app is slower after cleaning the cache, that's OK, and the system will restore the files it needs the next time it starts.

What to do if Xiaomi stopped working after deleting folders

If you have deleted a critical folder and your smartphone is stuck on the logo, does not turn on or is constantly rebooted, act on the algorithm:

1. Hard Reset: Press the Power button + Volume up 10-15 seconds until the Recovery menu appears. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data. This will delete all user data, but restore the functionality.
2. Recovery via Mi Flash: If the reset didn’t help, run the device through the Mi Flash Tool in EDL mode. Download the firmware for your model on the official Xiaomi website.
3. /data partition check: If the phone is turned on but is glitchy, connect it to your PC and check the integrity of /data/data/ and /data/app/ folders via ADB: adb shell ls /data/data// The absence of key folders (e.g. com.android.providers.settings) indicates data corruption.

⚠️ Note: If the folders are missing after deleting IMEI If the network is down, don't try to restore it through the engineering menu (#4636###) this may block the modem.

Xiaomi Hidden Folders: What Can Be Deleted and What Can't

MIUI has hidden system folders that don't appear in the standard file manager, so to see them, turn on the hidden files in the MI File Manager settings or use Root Explorer (root rights required).

• 🔍.estrongs – Temporary File Manager Files ES Explorer (can be removed).
• 🔍.Face – face recognition data (delete if you don’t use Face Unlock).
• 🔍.miad - cache of advertising SDK Xiaomi (Secure to Remove).
• 🔍.userdata - DO NOT TOUCH! This is where the user settings are stored.
• 🔍.OTA — Update files over the air (can be deleted if the update is installed).

To remove hidden folders without root, use the ADB command:

adb shell rm -r /sdcard/.folder

Replace the folder with the directory name (e.g.,.miad).

Optimizing memory on Xiaomi: alternatives to deleting folders

Deleting folders isn't the only way to free up space, but here are safer and more effective methods:

• 🔄 Transfer of applications to SD-map: B MIUI This does not work for all programs, but you can transfer games and messengers through Settings. → Annexes → Transfer to SD.
• ☁️ Cloud Storage: Activate Mi Cloud (Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Cloud) and enable automatic photo/video downloads, which will free up to 5-10 GB.
• 🗃️ Data compression: Use archivers like ZArchiver to pack rarely used files into your files. ZIP/RAR.
• 🎬 Video optimization: Google Files can compress video without loss of quality (up to 40% space savings).

If you’re constantly running out of memory, consider buying a smartphone with a large drive (like the Redmi Note 13 Pro).+ 512GB) or use OTG-supportive USB-C.

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Regularly cleaning the cache through Settings → Memory → Clean allows you to free up 1-3 GB of space without risk to the system. This is the safest method for beginners.

FAQ: Frequent questions about deleting folders on Xiaomi