Xiaomi Redmi 7A, released in 2019, is still a popular device due to its reliability and availability. However, owners of budget models often face a lack of free space, as the standard amount of internal memory is only 16 or 32 gigabytes. When the drive is overflowing, the system starts to run slower, applications fly out, and new photos simply do not save.
To make matters worse, the MIUI-enclosed Android operating system has become increasingly overgrown with temporary files and cache, and it may seem like it hasn’t installed anything, but the space is disappearing, a normal operation process that requires periodic intervention to keep the gadget running at a high performance.
In this article, we'll look at all the effective ways to free up space, from standard system tools to radical methods. Memory cleaning is not just about removing photos, it's about optimizing your device, and you'll learn which folders you can delete without fear and which you can't touch.
Analysis of vault occupancy
Before you start deleting files, you need to understand what takes up precious gigabytes. Often it turns out that half the space is not occupied by system files, but by the messenger cache or forgotten videos in the gallery.
Go to the Settings menu and find Storage (or Memory) and the system will scan and give you a color diagram of the data distribution. Here you will see a breakdown by category: applications, images, video, audio and system files. Click on any category, you can see a list of the "heaviest" items.
- 📱 Apps often take up more space than they seem, especially social media.
- 📸 Gallery can hide deleted photos in cart that still take up space.
- 💬 Messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram are creating huge archives of media files.
Note the "Other" section, which the system puts files that it cannot automatically identify, often deleted program residues or temporary update files, and if the "Other" partition is larger than 5GB, manual file manager checks are required.
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The MIUI shell preloads a powerful system application called Security, which contains a Cleanup tool that automatically scans the device for temporary files, ad debris and residual data, and running this feature is the fastest way to get a few hundred megabytes of free space.
Once the scan is complete, the app will suggest removing the debris found, but don't blindly trust the automation. Click on the Settings or Review button inside the cleaning app to manually check the contents. Sometimes the system flags as trash important files you've recently created.
☑️ Proper cleaning through the Security app
Special attention should be paid to the Deep Clean feature, which allows you to find duplicate photos that are not used. APK-Installation files and empty folders. Duplicates are often created when you fail to save or copy them incorrectly. By deleting them, you make room without losing unique information.
⚠️ Note: Deep Clean may suggest removing.apk files. Make sure these are installers of already running applications, not the distributions you need.
Cleaning the cache and application data
The most voracious elements in a smartphone are social networks and instant messengers. Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram store every picture and video viewed in local memory. Over time, this cache can grow to several gigabytes, although in the application itself this data is not necessary for work.
To clear the cache of a particular application, go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Select the desired program from the list and click on Memory. There you will see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear all data. The first one is secure and deletes only temporary files. The second one will reset the application to the state immediately after installation, deleting logins and correspondence.
| Type of cleaning | What's removed | Impact on the account | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Temporary files, thumbnails | It doesn't. | Safe to do, do regularly |
| Clearing the data | Correspondence, settings, logins | Re-entry required | Only if you need to reset the app. |
| Deletion of the annex | All program files | Full exit. | If the program is not used |
For instant messengers, it is better to use built-in cleaning tools. For example, on Telegram you can go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory use and set automatic deletion of the cache after 3 days. This will prevent memory overflow in the future.