Little memory in the Xiaomi phone: what to do to make room

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face memory problems — especially on budget models with 32 or 64 GB of built-in storage. The system starts to slow down, apps don’t update, and photos and videos stop saving. But even if your Redmi or POCO issues a notification “Memory is full”, do not rush to buy a new phone: in 90% of cases, the problem can be solved without radical measures.

In this article, we will analyze practical ways to free up memory - from basic (cache and garbage removal) to advanced (transfer applications to the Internet). SD-We will pay special attention to hidden memory eaters, which most users do not even know about: duplicate photos, messenger cache and system logs. MIUI. You will also learn what actions can harm your phone and how to avoid losing important data.

Why Xiaomi’s memory is running out fast

The main reason is inefficient storage allocation in MIUI firmware, and even if you don't install new applications, the system keeps accumulating temporary files.

• 📸 Duplicate Photos – Gallery app automatically creates copies when editing, and Google Photos can sync the same photos in multiple resolutions.
• 💬 Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store all media files (even those you didn’t open) in a folder /storage/emulated/0/Telegram.
• 🗑️ System garbage – error logs (.log), memory dumps (.dmp) and temporary update files (/cache).
• 🎮 Cash games like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile can take up to 10GB for additional textures and updates.

Another common problem is the "different" storage in the memory settings, which is encrypted application data that you can't access without root permissions, for example, MIUI reserves up to 5 GB for system needs, and Facebook and TikTok store cache in a protected area.

How to check what takes up memory on Xiaomi

Before you can vacate space, you need to understand which files and applications are eating up the storage.

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Memory (or Settings → Memory in newer versions of MIUI).
2. Wait for the analysis – the system will show the distribution by categories: “Applications”, “Images”, “Video”, “Audio” and “Other”.
3. Click on any category to see a detailed report, for example, under the "Applications" section, programs will be sorted by location.

For a deeper analysis, use third-party utilities:

• 🔍 Files by Google – shows junk files (cache, duplicates, large folders).
• 📊 DiskUsage – visualizes occupied space in the form of a diagram.
• 🛠️ SD Maid (requires root) – finds hidden system files and clears the cache of all applications.

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If you see a 10+GB System category in the Memory section, do not try to manually clean it – this can cause MIUI to fail. Better reset the cache through Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset → Clear the cache

Top.-5 How to Free Your Memory Without Deleting Files

If you don’t want to lose photos or apps, start with these methods:

1. Cleaning the app cache

Cache speeds up programs, but it grows to giant sizes over time, for example, YouTube can accumulate up to 1 GB of cache per month.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management

Select an app (such as Chrome or Instagram)

Click "Clear Cache" (not to be confused with "Clear Data!")

Repeat for all "heavy" programs-->

2. Transfer of applications to SD-map

Not all Xiaomi models support this feature, but if your phone is equipped with a microSD slot, try:

1. Insert a memory card (class 10 or UHS-I is recommended).
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Select a program (such as Spotify) and click "Move to" SD-map".

Restrictions: System applications and games with anticheat (for example, Call of Duty Mobile) can not be transferred.

3. Optimization of photos and videos

Google Photos can automatically compress media files without loss of quality.

• 📱 Open Google Photos → Settings → Make room.
• 🖼️ Select “High Quality” (unlimited storage) or “Original” (if you have space in Google Drive).
• ☁️ After downloading to the cloud, the originals can be removed from the phone.

4. Removal of duplicates and unnecessary files

Use the built-in MIUI utility:

1. Open Files → Cleanup.
2. Select "Duplicates of Files" or "Large Files".
3. View the list and remove unnecessary (for example, screenshots or downloads from messengers).

5. Disabling automatic download in messengers

Telegram and WhatsApp are downloading all media files by default to fix this:

• 📥 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media → Choose "Never".
• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Autoboot media → disconnect for mobile data.

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Regular cache cleaning and disabling autoloads in instant messengers can free up to 5-7 GB of memory without deleting important files.

What to do if your memory is critically small (less than 500 MB)

When less than 1GB of space is left, MIUI starts to slow down and some applications (like the Camera) fail to work.

1. Removal of unused applications

Programs such as Mi Video, Mi Music or pre-installed games (Mi Pay, Mi Credit) can be removed without consequences:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size and remove anything you don't use.
3. For system applications, click "Disable" (they will disappear from the menu, but remain in memory).

2. Cleaning up the Download folder

The /storage/emulated/0/Download folder often contains gigabytes of unnecessary files: APK, PDF, archives. Open it through Explorer and delete everything but important documents.

3. Resetting the system cache

If the phone began to slow down, and the memory is clogged with unknown, reset the cache:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Cache Partition (control - volume buttons, choice - power button).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse Wipe Cache Partition with Wipe Data – the second option will completely reset the phone to factory settings!

4. Use of cloud storage

Move your photos, videos and documents to the cloud:

Radical methods: when nothing helps

If after all the manipulations of the free space is still less than 1 GB, there are two options:

1. Reset to factory settings

This will delete all data, including apps, photos and settings.

• ☁️ Backup your Mi Cloud or Google Drive.
• 📱 Save your contacts in Google Account (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization).
• 🔐 Write down your Wi-Fi passwords (use them) QR-codes).

For discharge:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
2. Select "Settings Reset."
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

Installation of custom firmware

Firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience takes up less space than MIUI and does not contain pre-installed debris, but this method is only suitable for advanced users:

• 🔓 Requires unlocking Bootloader (risk of blocking the phone!).
• 🛠️ Need root rights and custom Recovery (for example, TWRP).
• ⚠️ The phone guarantee will burn.

⚠️ Note: Install custom firmware on Xiaomi model with MediaTek processor (for example, Redmi) 9A or POCO C31) It's fraught with "brick" before you run the firmware, check the compatibility on the forum. 4PDA.

How to Prevent Memory Filling in the Future

To avoid recurring problems, follow these rules:

• 📅 Weekly Cleanup: Delete cache and temporary files via Files by Google or built-in utility MIUI.
• 🚫 Download control: Turn off autoload in messengers and social networks.
• 🔄 Cloud Backup: Set up Automatic Photo Uploads in Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• 🛒 Caution with APK: Do not install applications from unknown sources – they may contain hidden miners or ad modules.
• 📱 Memory monitoring: Use the widget MIUI To track the free space on the main screen.

If you shoot 4K video frequently or play heavy games, consider buying a phone with a large storage capacity (128GB or more) or an external OTG drive (such as SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive).

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi