How to check memory on Xiaomi phone: all ways + hidden nuances

Have you bought a Xiaomi smartphone and want to know how much space is left on the internal drive? Or have you noticed that the phone has become braking and suspect that overcrowded memory is to blame? In this article, we will examine all possible ways to check memory on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard MIUI tools to hidden functions and third-party utilities.

It's important to understand that memory on Xiaomi is divided into two types: internal memory (ROM) is the place to install applications and store files, and operational memory (RAM) is the place to multitask. We'll focus on internal memory, because it's the memory that's missing most often causes problems. If you need to know the amount of RAM, this is a separate topic — we'll touch on that too, but briefly.

This article is relevant for all Xiaomi MIUI 12-14 models (including HyperOS) released after 2018. If you have an older firmware version, some menu items may differ, we will warn you about this separately.

Method 1: Memory check through basic MIUI settings

The easiest and fastest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Mi 11/12/13 and newer models.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone (on some models – About Device).
3. Put it on the storage (or memory) item.

The screen will display a diagram with the distribution of memory by categories: System, Applications, Photos and Video, Audio, Other Files, etc. Here you will see the total memory (for example, 128 GB) and free space (for example, 45 GB).

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If the chart doesn’t update, try restarting your phone – sometimes MIUI caches data and shows outdated information.

In the same section, you can clear the cache to free up space: click Clean in the Garbage section. However, be careful - not all files in this category are safe to delete. For example, the cache of some applications (for example, Google Maps) when deleted will cause the program to re-download data, which will attract additional traffic.

Method 2: Detailed analysis through Optimization

MIUI has a hidden tool called Optimization (formerly Security) that provides more information about memory usage, which is useful if you need to not only find out the amount of space available, but also identify voracious applications.

To open this section:

1. Launch the Optimization application (shield icon with a tick).
2. Go to the Warehouse (or Memory) tab.
3. Wait for the scan to be completed (usually 10–30 seconds).

Here you'll see:

• 📊 General statistics on memory (similar to the first method, but with more accurate figures).
• 📱 List of applications sorted by place taken (from more to less).
• 🗑️ Cleaning recommendations — MIUI automatically finds unnecessary files (e.g. duplicate photos or old ones) APK).
• 🔍 Deep Cleanup section – here you can delete residual files after uninstallation of programs.

Remove the cache of unnecessary applications|Check the section "Large files"|Clean up downloads|Remove duplicate photos-->

Note that in this section, MIUI sometimes shows phantom files, such as data from long-deleted applications, if memory is not free after cleaning, try restarting your phone or using third-party utilities (we will discuss them below).

Method 3: Using the MIUI file manager

Xiaomi's integrated file manager is another memory analysis tool, and it's convenient because it allows you not only to look at statistics, but also to directly manage files, move them to a memory card, archive them or delete them.

How to use:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon with a magnifying glass).
2. In the bottom panel, select the Category tab.
3. Click on Warehouse at the top of the screen.

You'll see a pie chart on the screen, which will show you how to distribute memory by file type, and the main advantage of this method is that you can go straight to cleaning, for example, if you see a video partition taking up too much space, you can tap it and delete the unnecessary videos.

Once a week | Once a month | Only when the phone starts to brake | Never clean-->

The file manager also has a useful function called Memory Analysis (available in the menu). ⋮ → It scans the device and suggests the best options for vacating space, for example, it can find the best way to do this:

• 📁 Folders with temporary files (for example, Download or DCIM/.thumbnails).
• 🎵 Unclaimed audio files (voice recordings, old podcasts).
• 📄 Documents that have not been opened in a long time (PDF, Word, Excel).

The MIUI file manager does not show system files or hidden folders (e.g. /data or /system) and will require root rights or special applications to view them.

Method 4: Verification through the Engineering Menu (for advanced users)

If you want the most accurate memory information, including partition /system and recovery cache, you can use the engineering menu, which is suitable for advanced users, because it requires you to enter special commands.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information.
4. Scroll down to the Warehouse section.

Here you will find detailed technical information including:

• 📱 Total internal memory (e.g, 128GB).
• 💾 Section size /data (where user files are stored).
• 🔧 System partition size /system.
• 🔄 Cache volume (/cache).

The engineering menu shows the actual physical storage capacity, not the amount available to the user. For example, if the specs are 128 GB, you will see ~119-122 GB here, the rest is occupied by firmware and service partitions.

Be careful: changing the settings in the engineering menu can cause your phone to malfunction. Do not edit the settings if you are not sure of their purpose!

Method 5: Third-party applications for memory analysis

If built-in MIUI tools aren't enough, you can install third-party utilities, which often provide more detailed analysis and additional features, such as cleaning duplicates or optimizing cache.

Top.-3 apps:

Before installing third-party apps, check their ratings and reviews — some memory cleanup utilities may collect user data or display annoying ads. For example, Clean Master and similar “optimizers” are often accused of aggressive information collection.

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Third-party applications are useful for deep cleaning, but do not replace built-in MIUI tools. Standard tools are sufficient for regular memory monitoring.

Frequent memory problems on Xiaomi and their solutions

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where memory on Xiaomi “disappears” for no apparent reason.

Problem 1: Memory is full, but files are scarce

If the phone shows that the memory is almost out, but you don’t see the large files, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🗑️ Application cache – some programs (such as Facebook or Telegram) can take up gigabytes of cache.
• 📦 Residual files after deleting applications (folder) /data/data).
• 🔄 File system errors – for example, after incorrect extraction SD-map.

Decision:

1. Clean the cache manually through Settings → Apps → [Select App] → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. Use SD Maid to search for junk files.
3. Perform a phone reboot – sometimes MIUI miscalculates the free space.

Problem 2: Memory is not released after deleting files

This is a common situation where you delete files, but the amount of space you have doesn't change.

• 🔄 The files got into the basket (in MIUI basket is switched on by default).
• 📁 Files are busy with the process (e.g., video is edited in CapCut).
• 🔧 Partition mounting error (solved by rebooting).

Decision:

1. Check the basket in the File Manager and clean it.
2. Close any applications that may have blocked files.
3. If nothing helps, reset the cache through Recovery (see instructions below).

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To turn off the basket in MIUI, Open the files. → ⋮ → Settings → Recycle Bin and deactivate the option Use the Cart.

Problem 3: Not visible SD-map

If you insert a memory card, but the phone does not recognize it:

• 🔌 Check if the card is inserted correctly (on some Xiaomi models, the slot is combined with a tray for the game). SIM).
• 📱 Reboot the phone.
• 🔧 Format the map through Settings → Warehouse → SD-map → Format (all data will be deleted!).

If the card is still undetectable, try inserting it into another phone or computer. It may be damaged.

How to Free Your Memory on Xiaomi: Express Methods

If your memory is running out and you don’t have time to clean it up long, use these quick ways:

• 📸 Move photos and videos to the cloud: Use Google Photos (free 15GB) or Mi Cloud (5GB). Enable automatic download: Settings → Google → Backup.
• 🎵 Delete downloads and music cache: Open Files → Download and remove unnecessary. Spotify/Yandex Music Clear Cache: Settings → Warehouse.
• 📱 Clear the cache of messengers: Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Clear the cache: ⋮ → Settings → Warehouse.
• 🎮 Remove heavy games: Games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile take 5-10 GB. → Apps, not just from the home screen.

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Clearing messenger cache (especially Telegram) can free up to 1-3 GB of memory if you actively share media files.

If you need to free up space as quickly as possible, use the memory cleanup function in MIUI:

1. Open Optimization. → Warehouse.
2. Click Clean in the Garbage Files section.
3. Confirm removal.

This method removes temporary files, cache and residual data, but does not touch personal photos or documents.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Xiaomi