Where does memory disappear on Xiaomi Redmi 7: system traps and cleaning methods

Xiaomi Redmi 7 with its modest 32 or 64 GB of internal memory often becomes a headache for users: it seems that nothing was installed, and the place went somewhere. And the problem is not always in your actions – it can be the fault of system processes MIUI, hidden updates, and even errors in the firmware. In this article, we will analyze 8 real reasons why memory on Redmi 7 melts like snow in the spring, and give specific solutions for each of them.

Redmi 7 (codenamed onc) uses a class A1 eMMC memory that degrades over time with frequent overwriting, meaning that the longer you use your phone, the less real space you have left due to fragmentation and wear on cells. But don't be quick to blame the iron: 90% of the time it's the software. Next, a detailed review of the instructions for MIUI 10-14 (including global and Chinese versions).

1. App cache: why it eats gigabytes

The most obvious but often overlooked reason is the app cache: on Redmi 7, it can take up to 5–8 GB, with some programs (like Facebook or TikTok) cacheing data more aggressively than others, the problem is that MIUI doesn’t automatically clear the cache by default, and manually clearing through settings doesn’t completely delete it.

How to check:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
• 🗑️ Surprisingly, even system applications like Mi Video or Music can have a cache of 500-800 MB.

How to clean properly:

1. For individual applications: go to the program card → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. For mass cleaning: Use Settings → Memory → Cleanup (but this will only remove some of the trash).
3. Radical method: via Settings → Additional → Security → Cleanup (here you can remove up to 2-3 GB of hidden cache).

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If the cache returns quickly after cleaning, turn off background activity for greedy applications in Settings → Battery → Application Selection (Limit background activity mode).

2. MIUI system updates: hidden downloads

Xiaomi likes updates - sometimes too much. Even if you've disabled auto-update, the system can secretly download packages in the background. 7 they borrow from 1,5 before 3 GB and stored in a folder /cache or /data/ota_package. You can’t delete them through a standard file manager.

How to find and delete:

• 🔧 Use a Root Explorer (such as Solid Explorer) or connect your phone to your PC via a mobile phone. ADB.
• 📁 Paths to files: /data/ota_package/ /cache/
• ⚠️ Do not delete files manually unless you are sure – better use the command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.updater (this will disable the system update app).

Attention: if you manually delete update files, Updater may freeze the next time you run. To avoid this, after cleaning, restart your phone to Recovery (press Power + Volume Up) and select Wipe Cache Partition.

3.Duplicates of photos and videos: how MIUI Gallery steals the place

The Gallery app in MIUI has a nasty feature: it creates hidden duplicates of media files. For example, when editing a photo, the original is saved, and the modified version is created as a new file. The same thing happens with thumbnails (.thumbnails folder) and backups (MIUI/Backup folder).

Where to look for garbage:

How to clean:

1. Use Files by Google or SD Maid to find duplicates.
2. Manually check the folders. DCIM Pictures and Pictures for files with the same name but different extensions (e.g, IMG_1234.jpg and IMG_1234_edit.jpg).
3. Turn off automatic backup in Gallery: Settings → Backup.

4. Invisible applications: preinstalled software and its consequences

Even after the "complete" cleaning, Redmi 7 still has up to 20 to 30 pre-installed applications that cannot be removed by standard methods.

• 🎵 Mi Music (weighs) ~150MB, but caches songs in the background).
• 📺 Mi Video (downloads preview videos from the Internet).
• 🛒 GetApps and Mi Pay (update automatically, taking up to 300MB).
• 🤖 Cleaner (the cleaning application itself takes 200 MB and creates log files).

How to get rid of it:

1. Disable via ADB: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.player
2. Use App Inspector (from Xiaomi EU) to see hidden processes.
3. For radical cleanup, swipe through custom Recovery (like TWRP) and remove system APKs through it.

Note: Removing system applications can cause MIUI errors, especially if you use features like Second Space or Dual Apps. Before experimenting, back up through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

5 Log files and dumps: why they take up gigabytes

MIUI maintains detailed logs of all system events, errors, and even user actions. These files are stored in /data/log, /data/anr, and /data/tombstones. On Redmi 7 with worn-out memory, logs can grow to 1-2 GB, especially if the phone often overheats or crashes applications.

How to clean:

• 🛠️ Through Recovery: Choose Wipe → Advanced Wipe → Dalvik/ART Cache + Cache.
• 📱 Through Termux (root rights required): su rm -rf /data/log/* rm -rf /data/anr/* rm -rf /data/tombstones/*
• 🔄 Reboot your phone after cleaning it – it will reset temporary files.

If logs reappear, check the phone for overheating (use AIDA64) or file system errors (via fsck in TWRP). On Redmi 7, a common reason is the wear and tear of the eMMC drive, which begins to "crumble" after 2-3 years of heavy use.

6.Cloud Services: How Mi Cloud and Google Photos Are Stealing Space

Many users are unaware that Mi Cloud and Google Photos can sync files in the background, even if you did not give permission to do so.

• 📱 Contact and SMS (~50–100 MB).
• 📷 Photo in original resolution (can eat a few gigabytes).
• 🎵 Recordings and notes (~200-500 MB).

How to turn it off:

1. For Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Sync (disable everything except contacts if needed).
2. For Google Photos: Open the app → Settings → Backup and Sync.
3. Check the Pictures/CloudSync folder, and you may have copied files.

Note: If you used Mi Cloud for backup, deleting files from the cloud won’t free up space on your phone. you need to manually delete them from the MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder.

7. Memory fragmentation: why 32GB turns into 20

Redmi 7 with eMMC 5.1 eventually gets fragmented, with files broken down into smaller pieces and the system spending extra space on storing them, especially if you frequently delete and record large files (such as videos or games), leaving 32 GB available for 20 to 25 GB, with the rest reserved by the system.

How to fight:

• 🔄 Regularly (every 2-3 months) perform a full reset via Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 📁 Use it. SD-class A1/U1 To store media files (but don’t transfer apps to it – it will slow down your phone).
• 🛠️ Scroll through a custom core with support f2fs (For example, Perseus, if you are ready for experiments.

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The fragmentation on eMMCs is irreversible, and the only radical way to get performance back is to completely flash your phone over Fastboot.

8 Viruses and Miners: Hidden Threats

Yes, even Xiaomi can get viruses, especially if you've been installing APKs from unverified sources.

• 🕵️‍♂️ Miners (use the resources of the phone to mine cryptocurrency, create files in the /data/local/tmp).
• 📱 Adware (downloads banner ads to cache, inflating it to 1-2 GB).
• 🔄 Trojans (may download other harmful ones) APK download).

How to check:

1. Install Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light and scan the system.
2. Check the list of running processes through AIDA64 (look for suspicious names like com.android.system.update).
3. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Use – if an application consumes >10% in the background, this is a reason to be wary.

If you find a virus, delete it and make sure to reset the phone to factory settings, and some miners are embedded in system files and not deleted in the standard ways.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Redmi 7