Have you noticed that WhatsApp on your Xiaomi has started slowing down, slowing down media files or taking up gigabytes of memory? Maybe it's time to clean up. But what exactly is under this term and how to properly conduct the procedure so that you don't lose important data?
In this article, we will explore what is the cleaning of WhatsApp on Xiaomi, what kinds of garbage accumulate in the messenger, and how to safely remove them. You will learn how to clean the cache from deleting backups, why MIUI sometimes creates duplicate files, and what tools will help automate the process, and how to avoid the typical mistakes that cause users to lose correspondence or photos.
Spoiler: just clicking "Clear Cache" in your phone settings is not enough. You need to understand which data can be deleted without consequences, and which is better to save. Let's sort it out in order.
What is WhatsApp Cleanup and Why You Need It on Xiaomi
WhatsApp cleaning is the removal of temporary and unnecessary files that the messenger accumulates in the process of work. On Xiaomi smartphones, this problem is especially relevant due to two factors:
- 📱 Features MIUI: Firmware often duplicates media files from chat rooms to the gallery, creating extra copies.
- 🗑️ Aggressive cache: WhatsApp stores temporary data for fast download, but over time it grows to hundreds of megabytes.
- 🔄 Automatic backups: They take up space even if you haven’t used the feature in a long time.
According to research, the average WhatsApp user is accumulating 1 to 5GB of unnecessary files per year - and that's without taking backups into account! on Xiaomi with limited memory (like Redmi 9A or Poco M3), this can lead to:
- ⚠️ Slowing down the messenger (hanging when sending messages).
- ⚠️ Media download errors ("Failure to download file").
- ⚠️ Rapid battery discharge due to background activity.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing cache through Android settings (Settings) → Annexes → WhatsApp → Memory only deletes temporary files. This doesn't affect correspondence, photos or backups - they need to be cleaned separately!
Another trap that Xiaomi has is that it can save thumbs from WhatsApp in the DCIM/.thumbnails folder, which weighs little individually, but can be thousands of them, and they take up space in the gallery.
What data is stored in WhatsApp on Xiaomi and what can be deleted
Before you start cleaning, it is important to understand what types of files the messenger stores and which ones are safe to delete. Below is a table with a breakdown of each type of data:
| Type of data | Where it's stored | Can I remove it? | Effects of removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | /data/data/com.whatsapp/cache | Yes. | The messenger will load the media longer when first opened |
| Media files (photos, videos, voice) | WhatsApp/Media | Partially. | Chat files will disappear, but correspondence will remain |
| Backup copies | WhatsApp/Databases | Yes (except for the last one) | It will be impossible to restore old versions of the correspondence. |
| Logs and temporary files | WhatsApp/Logs | Yes. | None (used for debugging) |
| Correspondence database | WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db | No. | Loss of all correspondence |
Xiaomi is especially interested in the WhatsApp/Media/.Statuses folder, which stores the statuses you viewed and they are NOT automatically deleted, and can accumulate up to 500-700MB of garbage in a year.
Another hidden memory eater is the nomedia files, which WhatsApp creates to hide media from the gallery, but sometimes they are left blank or duplicated, and you can safely delete them manually.
What happens if you delete the msgstore.db file?
Step-by-step: how to clean WhatsApp on Xiaomi
Now, let's get to the practice. Below is a proven cleaning algorithm that works for all Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra). Follow the instructions in order to avoid missing important steps.
1. Clear cache through Android settings
The easiest way to delete temporary files is:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find WhatsApp in the list and tap it.
- Choose Memory. → Clear the cache.
This method is safe, but only removes a fraction of the garbage (usually 100-300MB).
2. manual removal of media files
For deep cleaning, you will need a file manager (for example, the built-in MI File Manager):
- Go to the internal drive → WhatsApp → Media.
- Open the folders: 📁 WhatsApp Images - a photo from chat rooms; 🎥 WhatsApp Video - Video files; 🔊 WhatsApp Audio – Voice Messages; 📄.Statuses - viewed statuses.
Delete unnecessary files (you can sort by date).
⚠️ Warning: Don't delete the entire WhatsApp folder! This will cause the messenger to crash. Also, don't touch files with the.db extension -- these are databases.
Make a backup copy of correspondence|Check the free space on the phone|Close WhatsApp in the background|Disable autoload media in the settings of the messenger-->
3. Cleaning backup copies
WhatsApp backs up once a day (if enabled). You can delete old copies:
- Go to WhatsApp/Databases.
- Delete all files except the latest (it has a date of today).
- For complete cleaning, also remove the Backups folder (if any).
This will free up 500 MB to several gigabytes.
4.Using the built-in MIUI tools
Xiaomi has a “Cleanup” feature that automatically detects garbage:
- Open the Security (or Security) app.
- Select Cleanup. → Deep cleaning.
- Check WhatsApp and start the process.
Disadvantage: The tool does not always see files in the folder WhatsApp/Media.
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Before cleaning, turn off autoload media on WhatsApp: Settings → Storage and Data → Media Autoupload. This will prevent the re-accumulation of garbage.
How to Clean WhatsApp on Xiaomi Without Losing Data
Many users are afraid to clear the messenger for fear of losing correspondence. To avoid this, follow these rules:
- 🔄 Create a backup before cleaning: Open WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup. Click Create a copy (preferably in Google Drive).
Do not delete files manually
msgstore.db-crypt14
Use specialized applications
Files by Google
SD Maid
If you accidentally delete important files, try recovering them with DiskDigger or Recuva (on PC), but the odds depend on how long it has been since you deleted them.
⚠️ Note: Do not clean WhatsApp through antivirus like “Bullet Cleanup” features (such as Avast or 360 Security).They often delete critical files, which leads to messaging failures.
For Xiaomi models with MIUI 12+, there is another lifehack: turn on the File Compression feature in Settings → Additional → Special Features → File Compression. This will reduce the weight of WhatsApp media without loss of quality.
Top.-5 Applications for automatic cleaning of WhatsApp on Xiaomi
If you're too lazy to manually clean your messenger, you can use third-party utilities, and we tested popular apps and picked the best ones.
| Annex | Functions | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files by Google | Garbage analysis, duplicate cleaning, file management | Free, simple interface. | Does not delete WhatsApp backups |
| SD Maid | Deep cache cleaning, search for "dead" files | Finds hidden WhatsApp files | Paid version for full functionality |
| Cleaner for WhatsApp | Clearing statuses, duplicate media, cache | Specialized in WhatsApp | Advertising in the free version |
| CCleaner | Cache cleanup, storage analysis | Deletes temporary system files | Can delete the necessary data |
| MIUI Cleaner | Built-in cleaner for Xiaomi | Integration with the system | It works poorly with WhatsApp |
For Xiaomi, we recommend Files by Google (for media) + SD Maid (for deep cleaning). But remember: no app will replace manually checking the WhatsApp/Databases folder.
If you use WhatsApp Business, be careful: some cleaners delete product catalog data. Before cleaning, export through Settings → Business Tools → Export catalog.
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The safest way is a combination of manual cleaning (for critical data) and automatic cleaning (for cache and garbage).
Frequent errors when cleaning WhatsApp on Xiaomi and how to avoid them
Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes that lead to data loss or messaging.
- 🚫 Delete the entire WhatsApp folder → The messenger will stop working, you will need to reinstall.
- 🚫 Cleaning the cache while WhatsApp is running → This can cause damage to the database.
- 🚫 The use of hard reset (hard reset) → Delete everything, including backup copies.
- 🚫 Delete nomedia files → This will result in WhatsApp media appearing in the gallery again.