How to completely delete messages on Xiaomi Redmi: SMS, messengers and hidden data

Messages on Xiaomi Redmi smartphone are not only SMS messages from the operator, but also the history of correspondence on WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and other messengers. Their accumulation takes place in memory, slows down the device and can become a threat to privacy. However, a simple click on “Delete” does not always guarantee complete erasure of data: many files remain in the cache or backups.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to delete messages on Redmi, from standard MIUI functions to hidden settings and third-party tools, especially the irrevocable deletion (so that data can not be restored), as well as the nuances of working with different versions of firmware (MIUI 14, MIUI 15 and HyperOS), if you sell a phone or transfer it to another person, these methods will help to avoid leaking personal information.

Warning: some actions (for example, resetting to factory settings) will lead to the loss of all data on the device.

1. Delete SMS and MMS through the standard application "Messages"

The easiest way to get rid of unnecessary SMS is to use the built-in Messages app (green envelope icon) preinstalled on all Xiaomi Redmi smartphones and supports both plain text and multimedia messaging (MMS).

To delete a separate message or entire correspondence:

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Find the chat you want in the list (for example, from a bank or operator).
3. Press and hold your finger on the message (or chat) to make sure the checkboxes appear.
4. Check boxes for any messages you want to erase.
5. In the upper panel, tap on the basket icon (🗑️) and confirm the action.

For mass removal, go to the app menu (three dots in the upper right corner) and select Delete old messages. Here you can set the filter by date (for example, delete everything older than 30 days) or by type (SMS only or MMS only).

Check for important messages (confirmation codes, passwords)

Create a backup (via Settings → Google → Backup)

Make sure there are no unread messages with important information in the chat rooms

Disable automatic sync with the cloud (unless you need to save history)

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An important nuance: messages deleted through the application can remain in backups of Google or MI Cloud for up to 60 days, and to erase them permanently, you need to clean up the cloud storage (for this, see the section on secure removal).

2. Clearing the history of correspondence in messengers

Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) store data separately from system SMS. Each of them has its own deletion mechanisms, and often they do not sync with the MIUI settings.

Let’s look at the process on the example of popular applications:

• 📱 WhatsApp: Open the chat → three-point → More. → Clear the chat (deletes messages but saves media files) or Delete the chat (erases everything). → Account. → Delete my account.
• 💬 Telegram: In chat, swipe left and select Delete (for yourself) or Clear History (for both participants if synchronization is enabled.
• 📞 Viber: Click the chat in the list → Delete → Choose Delete for me or Delete for all (if the message has been sent recently).

Telegram has a cache clearing feature (Settings → Data and memory) that deletes downloaded media files but does not affect text messages, and WhatsApp can enable Autodelete Media (Settings → Storage → Storage Management) so that files are erased after 30/90 days.

⚠️ Note: On WhatsApp, deleted messages remain in backups on Google Drive until the next backup. To erase them forever, you need to manually remove the backup in the cloud through the web version of Google Drive.

3. irrevocable deletion: how to erase messages without the possibility of recovery

If you are selling a phone or transferring it to another person, the usual deletion is not enough. Data can be recovered using special programs (for example, Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver).

Method 1: Encryption + Resetting

1. Go to Settings → About phone → Factory settings → Reset settings.
2. Before reset, turn on encryption: Settings → Security → Encryption of the phone (required) PIN-code).
3. Once encrypted, reset. This will make it difficult to recover the data.

Method 2: Rewriting memory

Once you delete your messages, fill your phone's memory with junk files (like large videos) and then delete them. This will overwrite the memory sectors where the old data was stored. Repeat the process 2-3 times for reliability.

Method 3: Use of third-party applications

Applications like Secure Eraser or Shreddit (available on Google Play) allow you to “wipe” files to military-grade standards (for example, the DoD 5220.22-M algorithm), which overwrite data with random characters several times.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with MIUI 15 and HyperOS can be hidden from encryption. To find it, search for the settings for "encryption".

4. Delete Messages via MI Cloud and Google Account

Many Xiaomi Redmi users sync messages with cloud services: MI Cloud (from Xiaomi) and Google Account. Even if you erase SMS on your phone, copies of them can remain in the cloud.

How to delete messages from MI Cloud:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → MI Cloud
2. Select your account and tap Sync.
3. Turn off the slider opposite the Message.
4. Return to the main MI Cloud menu and select Data Management → Messages → Delete.

How to Clean Up Google Backups:

1. Go to Google Drive from your PC or phone.
2. In the menu on the left, select Backups.
3. Find your Redmi backup (by model name) and remove it.
4. In the phone settings, turn off automatic backup: Settings → Google → Backup → Data Backup.

If you use Google Messages (app for the application) SMS Google says that your message history can be stored in your Google Account even after you delete it from your phone:

1. Open the web version of Google Messages.
2. Select unnecessary messages and click Delete.
3. Clear the cart (messages are stored there for 30 days).

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Before selling your phone, untie all accounts (MI Cloud, Google, Samsung if you have any) in the settings. This will prevent the new owner from accessing your cloud data.

5 Hidden Messages: Where else your data may be stored

In addition to the obvious places (messages, messengers), correspondence and media from chats can be stored in less visible parts of the system.

• 📁 Download folder: Many messengers (such as Telegram) save downloaded files to the default /Storage/emulated/0/Download or /Telegram.
• 🖼️ Gallery: Photos and videos from chat rooms are often duplicated in the Gallery → Albums. → Screenshots or Downloads.
• 🔍 App cache: Message residues can stay in messenger cache. Clear it through Settings → Annexes → [Name of messenger] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📋 Buffer: Text from messages can be stored in the history of the clipboard (for example, in the MIUI Clipboard. Cleared through Settings. → Additionally. → buffer.
• 🔒 Secure folders: If you have used the Private folder function in MIUI, Check the contents (Gallery) → Private folder).

How to find hidden files:

Use a file manager (such as embedded Files or Solid Explorer) and enable the display of hidden folders:

1. Open the file manager.
2. Select three points → Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Check the folders: /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/ (SMS database) /sdcard/Android/data/[name packet messenger]/ (messenger cache)

⚠️ Attention: Delete files from folders /data/data/ It requires root rights. Without them, you risk damaging system data. For ordinary users, cleaning the cache through the settings is enough.

6. Automatic Message Deletion: Set up the Rules

To avoid manually clearing emails, set up automatic deletion of old or unnecessary messages, which is especially useful for SMS from banks, services and operators that accumulate over time.

In the annex “Messages”:

1. Open Messages → Three Points → Settings.
2. Select Message Management → Auto-removal.
3. Set the rules: 🗓️ Delete messages older [30/60/90 days]. 📌 Exclude important chats (e.g. from the bank). 🚫 Remove spam automatically.

On WhatsApp:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Storage Management.
2. Enable Auto-Remove Media and select a time limit (30 or 90 days).
3. For text messages, use the Chat Cleanup function (available in beta).

On Telegram:

Secret chats are automatically deleted by timer (1 second to 1 week) for regular chats:

1. Open the chat → the name of the interlocutor → Clear the story.
2. Select also for [name] if you want to erase messages from both participants.
3. To clean up automatically, use @AutoDeleteBot.

How to recover from the local WhatsApp backup:

1. Remove and reinstall WhatsApp.
2. When you first start, the application will offer to restore the history from the backup.
3. Confirm the recovery (the backup file should be called msgstore.db.crypt14).

⚠️ Note: Restore from backup will replace current messages with those in the backup.All correspondence added after the copy is created will be lost.

FAQ: Frequent questions about deleting messages on Xiaomi Redmi