Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the unpleasant situation when standard memory cleaning methods stop working. It would seem that you deleted unnecessary files, cleaned the basket, but the storage occupancy indicator remains red, and the system insists on freeing up space. It is not just a visual glitch, but a real failure in the file system or logic of the MIUI operating system, which requires careful analysis.
The problem can be both a trivial overflow of system partitions and a conflict of processes that block the deletion of temporary data. When you try to clear the cache, and it either does not decrease or takes up gigabytes again after a few minutes, it is a signal that the standard algorithm of the Standard Security Application is not coping with the task, in which case you need to understand the deep mechanisms of Android on the shell of MIUI.
Below we will discuss in detail why this situation arises, what hidden processes prevent memory release and how to forcibly remove garbage that has “entered” in your smartphone. We will look at methods from simple cleaning of the app cache to radical measures such as resetting or using the device. ADB-team.
Mechanism of operation of the cache in the MIUI shell
To understand why the cache is not deleted, you need to understand what it is in the context of Xiaomi. Cache are temporary files that applications create to speed up their work. For example, Instagram saves thumbnails of photos, and the browser saves copies of pages. In MIUI, the system application Security, which has deep access rights, is responsible for cleaning this data.
However, the system cache and the application cache are different entities. If you clean the app cache and the memory is not freed, perhaps the problem lies in the system partition /data/cache or /data/dalvik-cache. These areas are protected from direct editing by ordinary users without root rights. This is where the tails from remote programs or residues from a firmware update often accumulate.
Another reason is aggressive MIUI optimization, which can label certain files as “necessary for fast downloading” while ignoring commands to delete them, especially for multimedia messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which create their own databases that are not always properly processed by a standard cleaner.
⚠️ Warning: Attempts to remove files from system folders through root-enabled file managers without an accurate understanding of their purpose can lead to a “bootloop” (cyclic reboot) of a smartphone.
Technical details of the Dalvik Cache
The main causes of failure in cleaning
There are several specific scenarios where cleaning becomes impossible or ineffective. The first and most common is a background-based process that immediately recreates deleted files. For example, if you clean your browser cache while it's open, the system can instantly record new temporary data.
The second reason is file system errors: If a memory partition has logical damage or "broken" sectors, the command to write or delete may simply be ignored by the memory controller, in which case the memory indicator shows one thing, and the actual state of the files is different, often after incorrect retrieval of the memory card or abrupt power outage.
The third reason is the bloated cache of Google Play Services or MIUI System, which takes precedence over user actions, and if you try to clear their cache through settings, the button may be inactive or the amount of freed memory will be zero, as the system blocks the action for stability.
- 🔄 Background synchronization: While data is downloaded from the cloud, the cache is constantly replenished.
- 📱 Application-specific errors: A failure in the application code does not free up occupied resources.
- 🔒 Access Rights Restrictions: Lack of root rights prevents access to system logs.
- 📉 Partition Overflow: Critical space shortage prevents the system from creating a temporary file for deletion operation.
Basic cleaning methods through settings
Let's start with the standard tools that should work first. The standard way to clean up is the settings menu. You need to go to Settings → Memory or use the Security → Cleanup app. Here the system will suggest removing "garbage," but often that's not enough.
To clean it up more deeply, you need to do a point. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find a "heavy" application (like TikTok or YouTube). Click on it and select Memory. Here you will see two buttons: "Clear cache" and "Clear everything." One deletes temporary files, the second resets the application to "just installed".
If the cleaning button is inactive or not working, try forcefully stopping the application before cleaning. Press Stop, wait for confirmation, and then press Clear cache. This will unlock files that have been held by the active process.
☑️ The algorithm of regular cleaning
Importantly, newer versions of MIUI 13/14/15 and HyperOS have changed their memory algorithms, and now more often, the system offers "Advanced Cleanup," which requires network connectivity and big data analysis on servers. If this process freezes, the cache will not be deleted, so you'd better turn off the Internet and try cleaning locally.
Use of Recovery Mode (Recovery Mode)
If the software methods inside the system do not help, you need to use Recovery Mode. This is a special boot mode that allows you to perform maintenance of the system without starting the main OS. Here you can safely clear the system cache, which is not available from the settings menu.
To enter Recovery mode on most Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, you need to turn off the device, then press the Volume+ button and the Power button simultaneously. Hold them until the Mi logo or Main Menu appears. Navigation is done with volume buttons, and the power button selects.
Select Wipe data from the menu. Be very careful: you need Wipe Cache. Don't confuse it with Wipe All Data, which will completely delete your personal files and reset your phone to factory settings. Once you select Wipe Cache, confirm the action and wait for the process to end.
| Action. | Risk of data loss | Efficiency | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning in the Security Appendix | No. | Low. | Low. |
| Cleaning the app cache | No (logs only) | Medium | Low. |
| Wipe Cache at Recovery | No. | Tall. | Medium |
| Wipe All Data (Reset) | Total loss. | Maximum | Tall. |
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Recovery mode is the safest way to clear your system cache without losing personal photos and contacts, unlike a full reset.
Radical measures: resetting and reflashing
When the cache is not deleted by any means, and even the Recovery mode does not help (which is extremely rare in logical errors), there is the option of a complete reset. This is an extreme measure, but it is guaranteed to solve the problem if the cause is not a physical failure of the memory chip.
Before you run Hard Reset, make sure to back up. Reset will delete everything: contacts, photos, apps and settings, and it can also be done through the Recovery menu, selecting the Wipe All Data option, or through the Advanced Settings menu → Recover and Reset.
In some cases, the problem is software-based at the firmware file system level, and only a complete flashing of the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool helps. This requires downloading the firmware image (Fastboot ROM) and transferring the smartphone to Fastboot mode (clamping Volume and Power when the phone is turned off).
⚠️ Warning: Flashing through Mi Flash with the "Clean all" option will completely destroy the data on the device. Make sure the battery is at least 60% charged so that the phone does not turn off at a critical moment.
If even after flashing the memory behaves strangely (for example, shows 64 GB instead of real 128 GB or prevents you from writing files), this may indicate a degradation of flash memory, in which case the software methods are powerless, and you need to replace the memory module in the service center.
Prevention and optimization of storage
To prevent the problem of "unremovable" cache from returning, you need to monitor the state of memory. Do not allow the storage to be filled "to the end". Android and MIUI need free space (at least 10-15% of the total) for the correct operation of the mechanisms for writing and deleting files.
Use cloud services to store media files. Set up automatic uploading photos to Google Photos or Yandex.Disk and then delete local copies will significantly relieve internal memory. It is also useful to regularly check the Download and Bluetooth folder, where forgotten files often accumulate.
For advanced users, disk analysis tools such as DiskUsage or Files by Google are recommended, which visualize memory by allowing you to find hidden files that a standard Explorer can not see. Often, it turns out that the place is occupied by debugging logs or remnants of old updates.
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Turn off auto-save Stories on WhatsApp and Telegram, a feature that quietly clogs up hundreds of megabytes of media files that are often not even viewed by the user.
Regularly restarting your smartphone (at least once a week) also helps the system to defragment itself and clear temporary buffers that could “hang” in RAM or permanent memory.