Why Xiaomi Redmi 9A is slowing down: reasons and how to fix it

Your Xiaomi Redmi 9A has started to slow down when opening apps, hangings even appear in the settings menu, and animations work with jerks? This is a common problem for budget smartphones after 1-2 years of use. Unlike flagships with a margin of performance, the Redmi 9A originally equipped with a modest MediaTek Helio G25 processor, 2-3 GB of RAM and only 32 GB of internal storage (of which the user is available ~22 GB).

In this article, we will look at 7 key causes of brakes, from cache clogging to hardware malfunctions, and give step-by-step instructions for diagnosing and fixing problems. Importantly, many solutions do not require factory resets or data loss. Let's start with the most obvious: vacant checks.

1. Lack of free memory: the main enemy of budget smartphones

The first thing to check is how much space is left on the internal drive. Redmi 9A critically slows down if less than 10% of the total volume is free (that is, ~3 GB for the 32-gigabyte version). The reason is that Android uses some of the memory for cache and temporary files. When space is scarce, the system begins to kill background processes, which causes applications to constantly reboot.

How to check:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → The phone. → Memory.
• 📊 Look at the usage schedule. If the "System" or "Other" segment is occupied >50% is a warning sign.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the App Storage section – here you can see which programs take up the most space.

Decisions:

• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary apps, especially games and social media (e.g. TikTok or Facebook can weigh 500 or more)+ MB).
• 📁 Move photos and videos to the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) or to a memory card (if installed).
• 🧹 Clear the cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Select the application] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

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If you have a memory card installed but the apps don't migrate to it, that's a limitation of Android. Use the card only for media files (photos, videos, music).

⚠️ Note: Do not clean the cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui) manually through ADB Or Root access. It can cause interface failures.

2. RAM overload: why applications are constantly restarting

The Redmi 9A comes with 2 or 3GB of RAM, and even budget smartphones in 2026 have a minimum of 4GB. At that volume, Android is forced to aggressively close the background processes to free up memory for an active application, resulting in:

• 🔄 Applications (such as WhatsApp or VK) are rebooted when they are returned to them.
• 🐢 Interface animations twitch.
• 📱 Phone "thinks" for 2-5 seconds when opening the menu.

How to diagnose:

1. Install the Developer Assistant app (available on Google Play).
2. Open the Memory tab.
3. If free <300-400 MB in normal use, this is a critical value.

Decisions:

More about each method:

• 🎯 Turn off animations: Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on Version) MIUI In Settings → About the phone, then in Settings → Additionally. → For developers, set all three animation options on the Off. or 0.5x.
• 🔄 Limit background processes: In the same developer menu, find Process Limitation and select Process Maximum 2.
• 📱 "Light" versions: Replace Facebook with Facebook Lite, Instagram with Instagram Lite (official versions from Meta).

3.Outdated firmware or MIUI errors

Xiaomi regularly releases updates for the Redmi 9A, but many users ignore them. Meanwhile, MIUI updates include performance optimizations, memory leak fixes and patches for the Helio G25 processor. For example, MIUI version 12.5.3 fixed critical lags when working with Google Play Services.

How to check the relevance of the firmware:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If you have an update, install it. Importantly, connect to Wi-Fi and charge your phone at least 50 percent.
3. After the update, reboot.

If there is no update, the phone will slow down:

• 🔧 Try to clear the system update application data (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Updating the system → Warehouse → Clear the data).
• 📡 Switch to another network (from Wi-Fi to mobile internet or vice versa) and check for updates again.
• 🔄 If nothing helps, try manually installing the firmware through MIUI bootloader (instruction below).

⚠️ Note: Do not install firmware for other models (for example, for Redmi). 9C), Even if they look similar, it will lead to a "brick" of the device.

Background and Autoboot: Who Steals Resources?

Many apps (especially Chinese ones) abuse auto-start and background activity, such as Mi Video, Mi Browser, or Clean Master, which can wake up the CPU every 10 to 15 minutes, even if you're not using them.

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption.
• 🐢 Slowdown due to constant CPU load.
• 📡 Unexpected consumption of mobile traffic.

How to find and disable "gluttonous" applications:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Use.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select CPU Use.
3. Sort the list by descending. Applications consuming >5% CPU in the background are candidates for shutdown.

The most challenging applications for Redmi 9A:

• 🎬 Mi Video, Mi Browser – Xiaomi services that cannot be removed without Root.
• 🛡️ Clean Master, DU Battery Saver – Optimizers that slow down the system.
• 📊 Facebook, TikTok – social networks with aggressive background consumption.

How to turn off autostart:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the problem application → Autostart → Disable the slider.
3. For a complete shutdown, also disable Background Activity and Notifications Display.

Disable auto-run of unnecessary applications

Ban background activity for social networks

Delete the "optimizers" (Clean Master, DU Speed Booster)

Limit synchronization for mail and cloud-->

5.Overheating: Why the Redmi 9A "dumbs" when heated

The MediaTek Helio G25 in the Redmi 9A is 12nm process, which is very outdated by modern standards. When heated above 45-50°C, the processor automatically reduces the frequency (thermal throttling) to avoid damage.

• 🐢 A sharp drop in productivity (FPS in games falls 2-3 times).
• 🔋 Quick battery discharge.
• 📱 Self-reboots.

Causes of overheating:

How to lower the temperature:

• 🧊 Use Game Turbo (Xiaomi's built-in utility) to limit FPS play.
• 🔋 Charge your phone in the off state or in the aircraft mode.
• 📵 Turn it off. NFC, Bluetooth and GPS, unless they are used.

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If the phone is heated even in a simple (for example, when watching YouTube), most likely, the battery or the thermal paste under the processor is faulty, in which case only the service center will help.

6. Viruses and malware: hidden performance “snatchers”

Redmi 9A is often bought for children or elderly relatives who may accidentally install malware. Android viruses are usually disguised as:

• 🎮 "The game is called Free Fire (Free Fire, PUBG Mobile).
• 💰 Apps for “making money” (Money Clicker, Cash Magnet).
• 📺 Pirate versions of KinoHD, Zetflix.

Signs of infection:

• 📱 Unknown icons appear on the desktop.
• 🔋 Battery goes down in 2-3 hours without active use.
• 📡 Mobile traffic consumption exceeds 1-2 GB per day.
• 🚫 Google Play Protect (Google Play Protect) is a warning.

How to check and clean:

1. Install Malwarebytes (free version) from Google Play.
2. Run a full scan.
3. Remove any threats you find.
4. Go to Settings → Apps and manually check the list for suspicious programs (for example, with names in Chinese).

⚠️ Warning: Some viruses block antivirus installation. If Malwarebytes is not installed, download.apk from the official website to your PC and transfer it to your phone.

7 Hardware malfunctions: when software methods do not help

If you've tried all the tips above, but the Redmi 9A is still slowing down, the problem could be the hardware.

• 🔋 Worn-out battery: After 300–500 charging cycles, capacity drops by 30–40%, leading to sudden shutdowns and brakes.
• 💾 Damaged flash memory: "Broken" sectors on the drive cause freezes when reading / writing data.
• 📡 Faulty module Wi-Fi/Bluetooth: Constant connection attempts drain the processor.
• 🔌 Oxidized contacts: Moisture intrusion or corrosion on the motherboard.

How to diagnose:

If you suspect a hardware problem:

1. Make a backup of the data (Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset).
2. Reset your phone to factory settings (Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Reset settings).
3. If you have brakes, go to the service center. Average cost of diagnosis: 500-1000 ₽.

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Before visiting the service center, check if the warranty period (usually 12 months from the date of purchase) has expired. If the warranty is valid, repairs can be free.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 9A brakes