What folders can be removed from the Android phone to clean up the memory of Xiaomi

With overcrowded storage facing almost every Xiaomi smartphone owner after a year or two of active operation, the system is overgrown with temporary files, app cache and residual data from remote programs, inevitably leading to reduced performance and annoying notifications of space shortages. Users often look for radical solutions, wondering which folders can be removed from the Android phone to clean up Xiaomi’s memory to free up gigabytes without disrupting the operating system.

In this article, we will conduct a detailed investigation of the MIUI file system and analyze the structure of the directories that occupy the most space, you will learn what lies behind mysterious names like MIUI, Android/data and com.android.vending, and understand which ones are safe for manual removal and which ones are strictly forbidden to touch. We will not use third-party cleaners, which often only mask the problem, but will understand the roots of memory filling so that you can independently and safely manage your device.

Remember that manual file deletion requires carefulness and understanding of directory structure. Mistakes can lead to loss of personal data, resetting app settings or even cyclical smartphone reboot. Therefore, before starting any manipulations, we strongly advise you to back up important photos and documents, and carefully study each section of our guide.

Structure of Android file system on Xiaomi

The file system of the Xiaomi smartphone is based on the Linux architecture and has a clear hierarchical structure, which is important to understand before you start cleaning. The root directory, often referred to as / or Internal Storage in file managers, contains system partitions that are restricted by the superuser's rights, and a user partition where your data is stored. /sdcard (or /storage/emulated/0) There is a lot of garbage that we will be removing.

The main space is occupied by folders created by installed applications. Each application, whether it is a social network, a navigator or a game, creates its own directory, where it stores cache, uploaded images, databases and logs of work. Over time, these folders can grow to gigabytes, especially if the application is actively using multimedia. The key feature of the Android system is that deleting the application folder does not always delete the application itself, but guarantees to reset it and clean up local data.

Special attention should be paid to the MIUI system folder, which is unique to the device manufacturer, which stores themes, screenshots, voice recorders and shell data, and inside this directory are subfolders, cleaning which can be both safe and fatal to the user experience, and understanding the purpose of each branch in this structure is the key to successful and safe optimization.

MIUI folder analysis: what can you touch

The MIUI directory at the root of the internal storage is the heart of user data on Xiaomi smartphones. It stores everything you've created or downloaded with system applications. The first candidate for verification is the MIUI/Gallery/cloud/cache subfolder. It accumulates thumbnails and previews of photos from the cloud. If you're not syncing with the Xiaomi cloud, this folder can be safely cleaned by freeing hundreds of megabytes. However, if sync is active, files can be re-loaded.

A large place is often occupied by a folder. MIUI/sound_recorder, And if you haven't cleaned this directory in a long time, there may be gigabytes of forgotten lectures, interviews, or just noise. MIUI/screen_recorder — It's the default place where all your screen recordings are saved, and it's safe for the system to delete files from those folders, but you'll lose the records themselves, so check their contents first.

Pay special attention to the folder MIUI/Gallery/cloud/cache and MIUI/Gallery/cloud/backup. These can store copies of deleted photos if you have the Recycle Bin or cloud redundancy enabled. Clearing the gallery cache will speed up the application, but will not delete the original photos if they are saved in the main album. Important: do not delete the entire MIUI folder itself - this will lead to a reset of all theme settings, calls and system preferences.

To clean up more deeply, you can use the built-in tool. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup. The system will analyze the contents of the MIUI folder itself and suggest removing duplicates and large files. This is the safest way to interact with system directories, since Xiaomi algorithms know which files are critical for the shell to work.

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Use the Deep Clean feature in the standard Security app once a week – it automatically finds large files in the MIUI folder that you may have forgotten to delete.

Cleaning the system cache and Android folder

The Android directory is one of the most voluminous and important. It has two key subfolders: data and obb. The Android/obb folder contains additional files for games (textures, music, levels). If you delete a file from this folder, the corresponding game will stop running or require re-uploading data. It only makes sense to delete the content of the obb for games that you have already deleted from the device, but their tails are left.

The Android/data folder contains cache and data of working applications. It stores temporary files of Telegram, WhatsApp, browsers and other programs. It is possible to manually clean this folder, but it requires caution. For example, deleting the com.whatsapp folder will reset WhatsApp settings, and you will have to revert to the WhatsApp settings, although correspondence (if there is a backup in Google Drive) will be saved. The cache in this folder can be deleted, but it is better to do it through the settings of a particular application.

The system cache, which is often mentioned in the context of cleaning, is not available for direct removal through the root-rights file manager on modern versions of Android. However, you can clear the cache of system services. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All applications → Find Google Play Services or Media Storage → Memory → Clear Cache. This is a secure operation that deletes temporary indexing and service files.

It's worth noting that once you update your operating system or update your apps, your Android/data folder can grow back, and that's normal behavior, and that once a month, you can keep your device on track, and don't be afraid to delete the folders that contain the names of the remote apps, because you don't need them anymore.

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The Android/obb folder contains heavy game files, and the Android/data folder contains the app cache.

Garbage from messengers and social networks

Memory consumption leaders on any Xiaomi smartphone are invariably messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber and VK create huge amounts of data. Telegram, for example, all uploaded photos, videos and files are saved by default to the Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files/Telegram folder. Inside you will find subfolders Telegram Video, Telegram Images and Telegram Documents. Manual deletion of files from here instantly frees up space, but files will disappear from chats (if cloud storage is not enabled).

WhatsApp is more aggressive, creating multiple folders of media files. Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media (on new Androids) or WhatsApp/Media (on old ones) contains everything from statuses to documents sent. WhatsApp Images/Sent is a special place, where you store copies of all the images you've ever sent to someone, and deleting them is safe and often frees up several gigabytes, since the originals are already in the hands of the interlocutors.

Social networks like VK and Instagram also cache the feeds you've watched. com.vk.iphone or com.instagram.android folders on Android/data can swell to incredible sizes. Cleaning those folders through the file manager is like reinstalling the app with your account saved: you'll have to re-enter your username and password, and reload your feed. This is an effective way to shake up an app if it starts to run slowly.

To automate the process, the apps themselves have settings. On Telegram, go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use → Cache Clear. On WhatsApp: Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. These built-in tools work better than manually deleting through a file manager because they take into account the structure of the application database.

Hidden folders and remnants of remote applications

Often, users are unaware that a significant portion of the memory is occupied by hidden folders whose names begin with a dot (for example,.cache,.thumbnails). To see them, you need to turn on the file manager (for example, "Conductor" from Xiaomi or MiXplorer) to display hidden files in the settings. The.thumbnails folder in the root or in the DCIM folder stores thumbnails for the gallery. Cleaning it will speed up the gallery, but the next time the system opens the albums, the system will again create these files, spending the processor time.

When you delete applications, you often have orphan folders with their names on your system, such as when you delete a game and the folder with its name is left in the root or in Android/obb. You can and should delete these directories, and you should check the root of the internal storage for folders with brand names you haven't used for a long time (for example, folders from old browsers, launchers or utilities).

Another important thing to note is the Tencent folder, which is created by Chinese versions of apps (QQ, WeChat, and sometimes leftovers from them), which can weigh a lot. If you don't use Chinese services, this folder can be deleted completely. Also,.apk files are often buried at the root, which are installation packages that are left after updating applications.

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Turn on file manager sorting by size so you can see the heaviest folders right away, regardless of their name, which speeds up your search for memory eaters.

Safe folder removal table

To organize knowledge and avoid errors, use the following table, which contains a list of the most common folders and a recommendation for cleaning them.

When working with a spreadsheet, remember the main rule: if you are not sure about the purpose of the folder and it is not on the safe list, you should leave it alone. System files weigh a little compared to the media cache, and the risk of damage to the system is not worth the saved 100 megabytes.

Alternative cleaning and prevention methods

Manual folder removal is a radical measure. For daily maintenance of Xiaomi's smartphone, it is better to use preventive methods. First, set up automatic cache cleaning in the Security app. Go to the cleaner settings and set the frequency. Second, transfer the photos and videos to your computer or to the cloud (Google Photo, Yandex.Disk), and then delete them from the device using the Free Space function.

Another effective method is to use the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) function for advanced users, and with the command line on a PC, you can delete the cache of system applications that are not available through the interface.

adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999

Memory overflow prevention also involves using apps correctly: disable auto-save media files in messengers. Telegram does this in Settings → Data and memory → Save to the gallery (switch off). This will prevent duplicate photos: they will be in the chat, but will not take up space in the phone gallery and in hidden folders of the system.

To sum up, memory cleaning on Xiaomi is a balance between manual control and the use of automated system tools. Knowing which folders you can delete from your Android phone to clean up your memory, you can keep your device running at a high level without having to buy a new smartphone.