Telegram messenger is deservedly considered one of the most popular applications on Android, but its “appetite” for free space in memory often becomes an unpleasant surprise for smartphone owners. Over time, accumulated files, videos and images can take up tens of gigabytes, which leads to a slowdown and lack of space for installing new programs or updating the MIUI system. This problem is especially acute for users of budget models, where the amount of internal memory is limited.
Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices face the need to clean up accumulated garbage regularly, as the proprietary shell MIUI and HyperOS are quite aggressively managing resources. Fortunately, the developers have provided built-in tools to safely delete temporary files without affecting your personal correspondence. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of freeing up space, from standard application settings to deep cleaning through the file manager.
Before you start taking action, it’s important to understand the difference between app data and cached files. Cache is a temporary file that speeds up the loading of frequently visited channels and media browsing, but can be deleted without consequences.
Features of data storage in Telegram on MIUI
Telegram’s file storage architecture on MIUI shell devices has its own nuances, different from stock Android. The app creates many temporary copies for fast scrolling, preloading videos and displaying preview images. These files are stored in hidden system folders, access to which can be limited to new versions of Android for security reasons.
The main challenge for users is that the standard storage analyzer does not always correctly display the actual size of the garbage, considering it as part of the application. Media files that are automatically downloaded from the channels are often duplicated in the gallery, occupying double volume. Understanding the structure of the folders allows you to more effectively manage free space without removing excess.
Also, Telegram uses its own database to index messages, which also grows over time, and cleaning up the database without losing any correspondence history requires care. Android/data closed to third-party file managers, so the built-in tools of the messenger become a priority tool.
- 📱 Cache includes image previews, video thumbnails, and temporary download files.
- 💾 Message database can be large when using channels.
- 🔄 Automatic downloading of media files is the main source of memory growth.
⚠️ Note: When cleaning through your Android settings (Applications section), you can accidentally delete all data, including secret chats that are not stored on the server.
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Enable the “Auto-Delete Media” function in the Telegram settings so that the app itself deletes old files, freeing up space in the future.
Clearing the cache through the settings of the Telegram
The safest and most effective way to free up space is to use the messenger's built-in functionality, which is guaranteed to keep your correspondence, stickers and important documents intact by deleting only temporary files. First, open the app and go to the main menu by clicking on three bars in the upper left corner or swiping from right to left.
Then select Settings, then go to Data and Memory, where you will see detailed storage usage statistics. Click on Memory Use, where the system will prompt you to clear the cache. You can also set up automatic cleanup by setting a media retention period, such as 3 days or 1 week.
Once confirmed, the app will recalculate the amount of workload, and you will see how many megabytes or gigabytes have been released, a process that takes between seconds and a couple of minutes depending on the amount of garbage it has accumulated, and it's important to note that once the images and videos in the chat rooms are cleaned, they'll be re-downloaded, which will require an internet connection.
☑️ Cleaning algorithm through the application
In the same menu, you can selectively delete the cache for specific file types, for example, if you don't care about downloads. GIF-You can delete animations or music files separately, and this allows you to manage the space more flexibly, saving, for example, important photos from work chats, but removing entertainment content.
Delete temporary files through the file manager
For a deeper cleanup, you can use a standard MIUI Explorer or a third-party file manager. However, starting with Android 11 and up, access to system folders is limited. If you have an older version of the system or have access to the file system, you can find the Telegram folder at the root of internal memory or by going Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files.
Inside the Telegram folder, you're interested in the Telegram Images, Telegram Video and Telegram Audio subfolders. This is where all the uploaded media files are stored. By deleting the contents of these folders, you make room, but remember that files can also be deleted from the cloud chat if the sync is real-time, although this usually only applies to local copies.
Using third-party cleanup snails like Clean Master or Xiaomi’s built-in Cleaner can also be effective, scanning the device for residual files, but beware: aggressive algorithms sometimes remove excess files like card cache or other important applications.
| File type | Location (example) | Security of removal | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash images. | App settings / Folder Images | Safe. | Photos will be re-uploaded |
| Video files | Video folder | Safe (copies) | Videos will be re-uploaded |
| Database | Data system folder | Dangerous. | Loss of correspondence |
| Stickers. | Sticker folder | Safe. | Stickers are back up. |
Auto Removal Setup and Load Limitation
To keep the memory overflow problem from returning, you need to configure the boot settings correctly. In the Data and Memory section, find the Media Autoboot block, where you can turn off downloading photos and videos over the mobile network and Wi-Fi for all chats or select dialogs.
It is recommended to set a limit on autoload only for selected contacts or completely disable it for channels that you rarely visit, this will prevent automatic downloading of heavy video content in the background, and the “Save to the Gallery” feature is also useful - it is better to turn it off so that duplicate photos do not occupy space in the memory of the phone.
In the storage settings, you can set a timer for autodelete. Telegram will offer options: 3 days, 1 week, 1 month. Choose the optimal time for you. Files that you did not open during this period will be automatically deleted from the cache, making room for new data without your participation.
- 🚫 Turn off autoloading videos on mobile networks to save traffic and space.
- ⏳ Set a cache autodelete timer for 1 week for optimal balance.
- 📵 Avoid saving to the gallery to avoid duplicate files.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoload does not delete files already downloaded.You need to manually clean the cache once, and then the new settings will prevent the rapid accumulation of garbage.
The Secret Function of Hidden Cache
Using Telegram Premium to manage memory
Telegram Premium offers enhanced capabilities not only for communication but also for file management. While the cache clearing function is not directly charged, subscribers get access to faster downloads and larger file downloads, which indirectly affects storage strategy.
Premium account users can switch between data streams faster, making manual cleaning less painful because remote previews are re-downloaded instantly, and the enhanced privacy settings limit the number of people who can send you heavy files, reducing the risk of spam filling your memory accidentally.
It’s worth noting that the paid version doesn’t give you an automatic “smart cleaning” tool that decides what to delete and what to leave, so even with a subscription, manual control through data and memory settings remains the main method of servicing the application on Xiaomi smartphones.
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Telegram Premium does not contain unique tools for cleaning cache, all memory management functions are available for free in the basic version of the application.
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation when the cache grows again quickly after cleaning or the clean button is inactive, this may be due to the fact that the file is currently actively downloading or updating the application, in such cases, it is recommended to completely close the application through the menu of running tasks and start it again.
Another common problem on MIUI is aggressive power saving work, which can block the process of cleaning background files.If the cleanup is interrupted, try adding Telegram to the battery exception list or allowing auto-start. Also make sure there is at least 500MB of free space on the drive for temporary operations.
In rare cases, reinstalling the app helps, before you do so, make sure you remember your phone number and have access to it. SIM-If you reinstall all cloud chats will be saved, but secret chats will be lost forever unless exported.