Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where the system notifies about the lack of free space, one of the main reasons for memory overflow is a popular messenger that accumulates gigabytes of temporary files in the background, which over time leads to slowdown of the device and the inability to install new applications.
The MIUI or HyperOS shell freeup procedure has its own features that differ from standard Android. Proper cleaning allows not only to return precious megabytes, but also to speed up the operation of the application itself. In this guide, we will discuss all effective ways to delete temporary data, from embedded tools to manual file management.
Many users are afraid to delete files from the cache for fear of losing correspondence or important documents. This is a misconception, since temporary files do not contain a message history. Below we will describe in detail the safe methods that are guaranteed to keep your chats intact, but will rid your phone of digital garbage.
What is Telegram Cache and Why Does It Take So Much Space?
Cache is a region of RAM or permanent memory where an application stores temporary data to speed up its work. In the case of messengers, these are uploaded photos, video thumbnails, voice messages and file previews. When you open a channel or group, the application does not download content from the network again, but takes it from local storage, which saves traffic and time.
The problem is that Telegramβs self-cleaning mechanism often doesnβt work properly or is set to store data βforever.β If youβre in multiple groups and channels, the cache can grow to 5-10 GB or more. On Xiaomi smartphones with a small amount of internal memory, this becomes a critical factor.
- π Media files: Photos and images you viewed in chats are saved in cache for quick re-view.
- π₯ Video preview: Even if you havenβt opened the video in its entirety, its previews and buffered snippets take up space.
- π΅ Voice messages: listened to "circles" and audio recordings are also cached by the system.
It is important to understand the difference between cache and important data. Deleting cache will not affect your correspondence, contacts or account settings, since they are stored on the server. However, if you delete the application itself without first uploading important files, access to them through the messenger will be lost until you again download them from the cloud.
How does Telegram use cache for encryption?
Clearing the cache through the built-in Telegram settings
The safest and most appropriate way to free up space on Redmi is to use the regular functionality of the messenger itself. The developers have provided a convenient memory management tool that allows you to flexibly adjust storage settings, which ensures that you do not delete anything unnecessary and do not disrupt the work of system files.
You have to open the app and go to the settings section, and the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of Telegram, but the logic remains the same, and you have to find the data and memory point of the device.
Inside the memory management section, you'll see detailed statistics on how much space images, videos, files and other content take up, and there's a quick-clean feature available, and by pressing the appropriate button, you'll instantly free up space that temporary files used to occupy.
βοΈ Cleaning algorithm through settings
You should pay special attention to setting up automatic cleaning. In the same menu, you can set a period after which old files will be deleted automatically. For example, you can set a condition: "Delete media files if they did not open for 3 days," which automates the process and eliminates the need to do it manually in the future.
β οΈ Before mass cleaning, make sure that important files (documents, working photos) are saved in the Downloads folder or sent to Favorites, unless they are duplicated in the cloud.
Delete temporary files via Xiaomi settings (MIUI/HyperOS)
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have powerful built-in tools to optimize the system. Xiaomi smartphones allow you to manage the cache of applications at the system level, which is sometimes more effective than cleaning the application itself.
To use this method, go to the main settings of your smartphone, find the Apps section or All apps, find Telegram in the list of installed programs, and if it is difficult to find, you can search the names of the apps at the top of the screen.
Once you enter the app menu, select Memory or Storage, and you will see the two main buttons: Clear and Delete. We are interested in the Clear (or Clear cache) button, and clicking on it will only delete temporary files without affecting your logins and correspondence.
| Action. | What's removed | Whether data are retained | The risk of chat loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Temporary files, media | Yeah (account, settings) | No. |
| Clear it all up. | Cash + entry data | No (re-entry required) | No (if there's access) |
| Deletion of the annex | Completely. | No. | Yeah (no backup) |
Using Xiaomi system tools is especially effective after major app updates, when old temporary files may conflict with new versions of code. Regularly checking this section helps keep the system clean.
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If the βClear Cacheβ button is gray and inactive, it means that there are few temporary files accumulated or they have already been deleted by the system earlier.
Manual cleaning through the Explorer on Redmi
For advanced users who want to have full control of their Xiaomi content, manual cleaning through a file manager is available. A standard MIUI Explorer or third-party counterparts like Total Commander allow you to look into hidden folders of the system, a method that requires caution, but gives you maximum results.
In newer versions of Android, access to the Android/data folder may be limited. Accessing it may require special permissions to the file manager. Open the explorer and go to the device's root folder, then sequentially open Android -> data -> org.telegram.messenger.
Inside the files folder are cached media subfolders, and you can find cache, video, image folders, and when you delete the contents of those folders, you manually free up space, and be careful not to delete the folder structure or configuration files, just the contents of the cache.
- π Cache folder: Here are stored thumbnails and temporary interface data.
- π Video folder: It contains cached video files that you have viewed.
- π Image folder: storage for all images encountered in chat rooms.
The good thing about manually is that you can selectively delete only heavy videos, leaving, for example, a cache of images, but after that cleaning, the application can run a little slower on the first run until it caches again.
Auto Removal Setup and Load Limitation
To keep the memory overflow problem from returning to Redmi, you need to configure your autoload settings correctly. By default, Telegram is set to download all media files over Wi-Fi and the mobile network, which quickly clogs up storage, and changing these settings is the key to long-term cleanliness.
Go back to the messenger settings, Data and Memory. Find Media Autoboot. You can set your behavior for private chats, groups and channels separately, and you can turn off autoloading videos and files, leaving only photos, or you can completely disable automatic downloading when using mobile data.
Also in this section is the important Auto Delete feature: Set sliders to "3 days" or "1 week" position, which means that the application will delete files that you did not open during the specified period, this is the most effective way to maintain order without user involvement.
β οΈ Warning: Disabling autoloading videos over the mobile network can cause videos to not play until you connect to Wi-Fi or manually tap on them.
Donβt forget to check the settings for different types of networks. Often users forget that settings for Wi-Fi and mobile network (LTE/5G) are separate, and optimizing both profiles will save not only space, but also traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to clear Telegram cache on Xiaomi?
Where do the photos go after cleaning the cache?
Why does the cache grow quickly again after cleaning?
Can I manually delete the Telegram folder through the Explorer?
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Regularly setting up autodelete media files eliminates the need to manually clean your smartphone memory every few weeks.