Android 10 on Xiaomi: how much space takes firmware and how to free up memory

Have you purchased a Xiaomi smartphone with Android 10 preinstalled, or are you planning to upgrade to this version, but you are worried that the system will not have enough space? This problem is familiar to many owners of devices with limited internal memory – it is especially relevant for low-end models of Redmi and the rest of the world. POCO, In this article, we will look at how much Android 10 weighs on different Xiaomi smartphones, what the amount of space is occupied depends on, and how to minimize memory loss after the update.

Note that the figures can vary depending on the firmware modification (global, Chinese, custom), the presence of pre-installed applications (bloatware) and even the region of sale, MIUI The 11 Android 10-based Xiaomi Mi 9 takes up less space in Europe than the same version for India, due to the different set of Google services and localized apps. We have collected up-to-date data on popular models and added practical tips on how to free up to 3-5 GB of memory after updating without losing functionality.

How much space does a clean Android 10 take without MIUI?

Before talking about Xiaomi firmware, it is important to understand how much the basic version of Android 10 from Google (the so-called “software”) takes. AOSP — This will help separate the weight of the operating system from the attachments. MIUI and Xiaomi services.

According to official Google documentation, the minimum requirements for Android 10 (API 29) as follows:

• 📦 System section (/system): ~1.2–1.5 GB (depending on the processor architecture — arm64 or x86).
• 🗃️ User data (/data): ~500–800 MB (cache, settings, temporary files).
• 🔄 Section of the reconstruction section (/recovery): ~100–150 MB.

However, these figures do not include:

• 📱 Shell MIUI (weight ~1.5–2.5 GB).
• 🤖 Google services (GMS — ~300-500 MB).
• 🎮 Pre-installed applications (bloatware – up to 1-3 GB).

So, pure Android 10 takes up no more than 2-2.5 GB, but in reality on Xiaomi smartphones this figure increases 2-3 times due to additional components.

Android 10 volume + MIUI on popular Xiaomi models

To give an accurate answer, we analyzed user data and official firmware for key Xiaomi devices. Below is a table with the real amount of memory occupied by Android. 10 + MIUI (including system applications and cache) after first download, numbers given for global firmware versions (EEA/Global) Google-based.

As you can see from the table, Android 10 + MIUI It's 6.5 to 9.2 GB, depending on the model:

• 📉 Budget devices (Redmi) 9A, Redmi 8) have a more "light" firmware due to the reduced functionality and the lack of some services.
• 📈 Flagships (Mi 9, Mi 10) weigh more because of additional drivers for the camera, processor and supported features (e.g., the camera and the processor, 5G 90 Hz).
• 🔄 Update with Android 9 It can increase the amount of work done by 1–1.5 GB due to the remnants of old files in the section /data.

⚠️ Note: If you upgrade to Android 10 The vacancy has been reduced by more than 3 GB compared to Android 9, check the folder /data/app duplicative APK-This is a common error when you're in OTA-Updates on Xiaomi devices.

Why is Android 10 more space than Android 9?

Many users notice that after upgrading to Android 10, the free space on the smartphone becomes less than it was on Android 9 Pie.

1. Separating system and user data in Android 10 Google tightens rules for working with the section /system, It made it read-only, which made it safer, but it required more space for the code to be used: 🔒 Dynamic Partitions – Flexible partitioning of memory. 📂 APEX-Files – new modules for updating components without flashing.
2. New functions MIUI 11/12. Shell MIUI Android-based 10 received: 🎨 Dark subject. 2.0 wallpaper-tune. 📊 Real-time performance monitor. 🔋 Optimized battery management (Xiaomi algorithms take up) ~200 MB).
3. Google’s updated services: Google Play Services and Google Play Store take up 30-40% more space on Android 10: 🛡️ Enhanced protection against malware. 📍 Improved geolocation (com.google.android.gms files increased from 150 to 250 MB).

In addition, Xiaomi added to the firmware:

• 📺 Mi Video app with support HDR10+ (weight ~120 MB).
• 🎵 Mi Music with Spotify and Yandex Music integration (~150 MB).

How to free up space after upgrading to Android 10?

If you have a critically small amount of free space left on your Xiaomi after installing Android 10, use these methods. They will help you get back 2-5 GB without root rights and loss of functionality.

1. Removal of unnecessary system applications

Many pre-installed programs (bloatware) can be disabled or deleted without consequences.

List of applications that can be removed without harming the system:

• 📺 Mi Video — ~120 MB if you don’t use the built-in player.

For complete removal (required) ADB):

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer

Replace com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer with the package of the desired application (a list of packages can be found in the App Inspector from Google Play).

2. Clearing cache and system application data

Some of the Google services and MIUI They accumulate gigabytes of cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select apps with large cache (e.g. Google Play Services, Mi Gallery).
4. Click on Clear Cache and Clear Data (caution – this will reset the app settings!).

Top.-5 "memory-eaters on Android 10:

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of Android System WebView and Google Services Framework applications, this can lead to errors in the system. Also avoid cleaning the Settings data (com.android.settings), otherwise all smartphone settings will reset.

3. Transfer of applications to a memory card

If your Xiaomi supports microSD, you can transfer some applications to an external drive:

1. Insert a memory card (UHS-I U3 class is recommended for speed).
2. Go to Settings → Applications.
3. Select the application → Storage → Change → SD card.

Limitations:

• ❌ Not all applications support portability (especially system applications).
• ❌ Widgets will stop working if the application is SD.
• ❌ Application speed may decrease.

💡

Before transferring applications to SD format the card as internal memory in the storage settings, which will allow you to install new programs immediately on the card, but will make it tied to this smartphone (will not be read on other devices).

4.Use of the "Lite Mode" function

V MIUI 11/12 Android 10 There is a hidden function Lite Mode, which reduces the weight of the system due to the:

• 🖼️ Simplified animation and transitions.
• 📴 Background process shutdowns.
• 🗑️ Automatic cleaning of the cache once a week.

How to turn on:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Scroll down and find the Easy Mode.
3. Activate the switch and restart the smartphone.

💡

Lite Mode saves up to 800MB of memory and increases battery life by 10-15%, but disables some visuals MIUI (For example, smooth transitions between windows).

How to check how much space Android 10 takes up on your Xiaomi?

To know exactly how much memory is used, use built-in tools or third-party applications. We recommend three methods:

Method 1: Built-in statistics MIUI

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Memory.
2. Click on the memory usage schedule.
3. In the "System" section, the exact volume occupied by Android 10 will be indicated. + MIUI.

Display example:

System: 8.2GB Applications: 4.5GB Media Files: 12.3GB Cash: 1.8GB

Method 2: DiskUsage (Folder Analysis)

DiskUsage from Google Play shows detailed memory distribution across folders, including hidden system partitions:

• 📁 /system — firmware (4–6 GB).
• 📁 /vendor — driver and kernel (1–1.5 GB).
• 📁 /data/app — user-apps.
• 📁 /data/data — data.

Method 3: ADB-Teams for Advanced Users

If you need the most accurate data, connect your smartphone to your PC and do:

adb shell df -h

This command will list all the sections with their size and free space, for example:

/dev/block/mmcblk0p51  8.0G   7.2G   800M  90% /system


/dev/block/mmcblk0p52  1.5G   1.1G   400M  73% /vendor




/dev/block/mmcblk0p53  50G    45G    5.0G  90% /data

⚠️ Attention: If section /data fuller 95%, The smartphone can start to slow down or automatically delete the cache of critical applications (such as WhatsApp or Telegram). 1–2 GB.

What to do if there is no memory after the update?

The situation when you install Android 10 on Xiaomi is less than 5 GB of free space, unfortunately, not uncommon.

1. Reset to factory settings (with data saved)

V MIUI 11/12 There is a soft reset feature that clears cache and unnecessary files, but saves:

• 📸 Photos and videos.
• 📞 Contacts and communications.
• 🎮 Installed applications (but their data is deleted!).

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Resetting (save media files).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

This method frees up 1.5-3 GB by removing:

• Residual files of old updates (/cache).
• Duplicate APK-file /data/app.
• System applications cache.

2. Delete update files (.zip)

After OTA-folder /data/ota_package It's a firmware-weight archive. 1.5–2.5 GB can be safely removed:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Solid Explorer).
2. Cross the path. /data/ota_package (You may need to display hidden folders).
3. Delete files with the.zip extension (for example, miui_HMNote8ProGlobal_V11.0.2.0.QGGMIXM_...).

3. Disabling Automatic Updates

If the memory is critically low, turn off automatic download updates:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
3. Turn off Automatic Download via mobile network and Automatic Download via Wi-Fi.

4.Using cloud storage

Move your media files to the cloud to make room:

• 📁 Google Photos – unlimited storage for compressed photos (quality "High").

💡

If less than 10% of the total storage is free after all the manipulations (for example, 3 GB of 32 GB), the smartphone will work slowly, in which case you should consider buying a memory card or switching to a model with a large storage capacity (for example, from 64 GB to 128 GB).

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory on Android 10 Xiaomi