Lacking memory on Xiaomi phone: a complete guide to vacating space

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones sooner or later face the problem of lack of internal memory. Even if you bought a model with 128 GB or 256 GB, the system is not available. MIUI And apps are slowly eating away at the space, leaving you with notifications like "Memory is full" or "Not enough room to update." In this article, we'll look at all the ways you can free up memory on Redmi, POCO Mi – from basic to advanced, including hidden functions MIUI Technical details that are not written in the standard instructions.

Xiaomi's firmware is actively caches data, duplicates files for backups, and creates service folders that are not visible to the user through a standard Explorer. MIUI/Backup It can weigh a few gigabytes, and the cache of Google Play Services can take up to a few gigabytes. 1–2 GB for no apparent reason, and we'll show you how to find and remove this junk without breaking the system, and we'll also teach you how to migrate applications to the Internet. SD-The map (yes, it is possible even on new models!) and optimize the work MIUI save space.

Importantly, if your phone is making an error when you try to install an app or update your firmware, it's not always a memory problem, sometimes partitioning (especially on older eMMC models) or file system errors, and we'll look at these cases separately and give you diagnostic instructions.

1.Diagnosis: Why memory ends so quickly

Before you can clear a memory, you need to understand what's taking up it. MIUI There's a built-in analyzer, but it often hides some of the data:

Open the Settings. → The phone. → Memory (or Settings) → Storage on new versions. Here you'll see a graph of the memory distribution by category: "Applications", "Multimedia", "Files" and "System:

• 📱 System Files (Android, MIUI): It usually takes 10-15 GB, but on budget models (for example, Redmi). 9A) It can inflate up to 20 GB due to duplication of firmware.
• 🎵 Multimedia: photo in DCIM, Video in Movies, downloads from messengers (WhatsApp/Media, Telegram/Telegram Images).
• 🗑️ Cash and garbage: folders Android/data (game-cash), Android/obb (Additional application files), temporary files MIUI into /data/local/tmp.
• 🔄 Duplicates and residual files: After deleting applications, their folders often remain in the folders of the application. Android/data or Android/obb.

To see the full picture, use third-party analyzers, such as Files by Google or SD Maid, they'll show:

• 📂 Folders weighing more than 500MB (often forgotten downloads or backups).
• 🔍 Duplication files (especially relevant for photos and music).
• 🧹 Messenger cache (Telegram can store up to 5 GB of media files!).

Attention, if the system section is more occupied 20 GB, and the phone gives out errors when updating - this is a sign of damage to the partition /system. In this case, only a complete reset or flashing through Fastboot will help.

2. Clearing cache and temporary files

The fastest way to free up 1-5 GB is to delete the app cache and system temporary files. MIUI This can be done in several ways:

Method 1: Clearing the cache of all applications

Go to Settings. → Annexes → App management. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Clear all apps cache." That will delete:

• 📱 Google Play Services cache (can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• 🎮 Cash of games (Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact.).
• 🌐 Cache of browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser).

Method 2: Manually cleansing the cache of individual applications

Some apps (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) can accumulate cache up to 500MB-1GB to clear it:

1. Go to Settings → Apps.
2. Choose an app (such as Instagram).
3. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».
4. If there is a “Space Management” button (for example, in Telegram), click it and delete unnecessary media files.

Method 3: Delete temporary files MIUI

MIUI Create temporary files in folders /data/local/tmp and /cache. To remove them:

• 📲 Use a file manager with root rights (such as Root Explorer) or command via a root ADB:

adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*


adb shell rm -rf /cache/*

Without root rights, these folders are not available, but they can be cleared through Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. Select “Wipe Cache Partition” (Manage volume buttons).

Clear the cache of all applications in the settings

Check the cache of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)

Delete temporary files via Recovery

Clear the browser cache (Chrome, Mi Browser)-->

Attention! Don't confuse "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data"; the second action will delete all the app settings (such as Instagram logins or game progress).

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and duplicates

Many Xiaomi users are unaware that their phone has dozens of pre-installed apps that cannot be removed in the standard way, and duplicate photos, videos and documents accumulate over time.

Removal of embedded applications MIUI

Xiaomi installs a variety of services that cannot be removed without root rights, but can be disabled:

• 🚫 Mi Video, Mi Music, Mi Browser – if you don’t use them.
• 📦 GetApps (branded store Xiaomi), Mi Pay, Mi Credit.
• 🎮 Games (Games Center), Mi Community (Xiaomi Forum).

To disable:

1. Go to Settings → Applications.
2. Select an unneeded app (such as Mi Video).
3. Click “Disable” (if the button is inactive, the application is critical to the system).

Search and removal of duplicates

Photos and videos are often duplicated when:

• 📸 Transfers from other devices (e.g. via ShareMe or Bluetooth).
• 🔄 Backup in Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• 📱 Use of multiple galleries (Google Photos) + standard gallery).

To find duplicates, use:

• 📱 Files by Google (Section Cleaning» → «Duplicate files»).
• 🖥️ Duplicate Files Fixer (on PC, if you need to clean large volumes).

Removal of residual files after uninstallation

When you delete an app through the Play Market, its folders are in Android/data and Android/obb They're often left behind:

1. Open a file manager (such as Mi File Manager).
2. Go to Internal Memory → Android → Data and Android → Obb.
3. Delete folders with the names of remote applications (for example, com.tencent.ig for PUBG Mobile).

💡

If you can't find the file Android/data, enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings.

4. Data transfer to SD-map

If internal memory is catastrophically lacking and you do not want to delete anything - transfer files to the computer. SD-But Xiaomi has some nuances:

Transfer of applications to SD-map

On new models of Xiaomi (C) MIUI 12+) portability SD limited, but there are workarounds:

• 📱 Standard method (not working on all models):

1. Go to Settings → Applications.
2. Select the application → «Warehouse» → «Change» → «SD-map».

• 🛠️ With help. ADB (if the standard method does not work):

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

This command will force the system to install applications on SD Attention: After that, some applications may not work stable!

Transfer of multimedia and documents

Photos, videos and documents can be easily transferred to the SD-map:

• 📸 For photo and video:

1. Open the gallery.
2. Select the files → «More» → «Move it» → choose SD-map.

• 📄 For documents:

Use Mi File Manager or Total Commander to manually transfer folders (Download, Documents) to a memory card.

Use of cloud storage

If SD-No card, upload files to the cloud:

Attention, if you're moving apps to SD-Class 4 or Class 6 cards, they can brake. You need a Class 10 card to work properly. UHS-I.

5. Optimization MIUI: Hidden settings to save space

MIUI It has hidden features that help save memory, but you have to turn them on manually:

Disabling MIUI backup

Xiaomi automatically creates backups in a folder MIUI/Backup, It can weigh a few gigabytes:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Turn off Local Backup.
3. Remove old copies in Mi File Manager → Internal memory. → MIUI → Backup.

Cache Limitation for Individual Applications

Some apps (like YouTube or Netflix) cache videos for offline viewing, to limit this:

• 📺 For YouTube:

1. Open YouTube. → «Settings» → «Background and downloads» → «Quality of loading».
2. Choose "Low" (saves space but degrades quality).

Disabling automatic download in messengers

Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber download all media files by default.

• 📱 Telegram:

1. Open "Settings» → «Data and memory» → «Autoboot media».
2. Turn off the download for Mobile Data and Wi-Fi (or leave only for select chats).

Use of the "Light" mode function in MIUI

V MIUI 12+ There's a hidden mode called "Ultra Battery Saver," which not only saves charge, but also limits the background activity of applications, reducing memory consumption:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select “Ultra Low Consumption Mode”.
3. Click “Enable” and select apps that can run in the background.

💡

Disabling backup MIUI Limiting the cache of messengers can free up to 3-5 GB of memory without deleting important files.

Radical measures: resetting, firmware and memory replacement

If all previous methods have failed and memory is still running out, you will have to resort to radical measures. 4X, Redmi Note 5) with 16-32 GB of memory, where even after cleaning there is less than 1 GB of free space.

Reset to factory settings

A full reset will delete all the data, but it will return the phone to its original state.

• 🔄 Make a backup copy of contacts, photos and documents.
• 📱 Remember your account logins and passwords (especially your Mi Account).

To reset:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”.
3. Confirm the action.

Fastboot flashing through Fastboot

If the memory is still running out quickly after the reset, the file system may be damaged, in which case the clean firmware via Fastboot will help:

• 🖥️ Download the official firmware for your model from en.miui.com.
• 🛠️ Use the Mi Flash Tool to run the firmware in Clear All mode (deletes all data, including garbage in system partitions).

Replace internal memory (for power users only)

On some models (Redmi Note 8 Pro, POCO X3) You can physically replace a memory chip with a larger memory chip:

• 🔧 Soldering station and experience with microelectronics.
• 💰 Memory chip of the same model (e.g. eMMC 5.1) 128GB instead 64GB).
• ⚠️ The risk of losing your warranty and getting your phone out of order.

Attention, models with UFS-memory (Xiaomi) 11/12/13 Replacement of memory is almost impossible due to the integration of the chip into the motherboard.

7.Prevention: How to avoid memory shortages in the future

To avoid recurring problems, follow these rules:

• 📱 Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks).
• 📸 Set up auto-removal in messengers (for example, Telegram can enable cleaning media older than 3 days).
• 🔄 Use cloud storage for photos and videos (but watch out for rates!).
• 🛡️ Turn off automatic app updates in the Play Market (renew manually when there is free space).
• 📦 Delete. APK-files after installing applications (they remain in the Download folder).

Also avoid:

• ❌ Mods and patches for games (they often weigh in on the 1–2 GB and stored in Android/obb).
• ❌ Save offline maps in Google Maps or Yandex.Navigator (they can take up to 5 GB).
• ❌ Use of Live Wallpapers and Animations in MIUI (They consume additional memory).

💡

Regular cleaning of cache and disabling autoload media in messengers reduces memory consumption by 30-50% per month.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi