Xiaomi’s mobile devices are famous for their optimization, but even they are not immune to the accumulation of junk files. One of the main “eaters” of internal memory is often the popular messenger Viber. Over time, the application acquires a huge number of temporary files that slow down its work and take up precious gigabytes.
Owners of Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where messages stop coming and media files do not load.This is a sure sign that cache memory is full and requires immediate intervention.
In this article, we will discuss all available methods for deleting temporary data in detail, and you will learn how to safely conduct a procedure through standard settings of the MIUI or HyperOS system, without losing important contacts and correspondence history.
Why Viber cache grows and slows down the smartphone
Cache is a buffer area where Viber stores thumbnails of images, audio messages and temporary data for fast download. When using the messenger, this volume can reach tens of gigabytes, which is critical for low-end models with a small drive.
The main problem is that the app doesn't always manage these files correctly.Old thumbnails can persist for years, creating a "dead load."The Xiaomi shell Android system tries to control this process, but often requires manual user intervention.
Cache overflows not only cause space shortages, they cause messages to be out of sync, profiles to be loaded, and even sudden program crashes, and regular cleaning is a necessary prevention for the messenger to work smoothly.
⚠️ Cache removal does not affect your correspondence history and contacts, but can temporarily slow down the loading of old photos when you first open the chat after cleaning.
Preparation for cleaning: important nuances
Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to make sure your data is safe, and while cleaning the cache is a safe operation, it never hurts to be safe, especially if you have important business correspondence on Viber.
Make sure your Xiaomi device is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Once cleaned, the messenger will need to re-download contact avatars and message previews, which can consume mobile traffic.
☑️ Checking before cleaning
It is also worth checking whether the process of updating the application itself through Google Play is currently underway, and interruption of system processes during cleaning can lead to errors in the operation of the operating system.
Method 1: Standard cleaning through Android settings
The most reliable and secure way to free up space is to use the built-in tools of the system. This method is guaranteed to delete only temporary files without touching your personal information. MIUI.
To start, open the main settings menu for your smartphone. Find the section responsible for managing applications. In modern versions of Xiaomi firmware, it is usually called "Apps" or "All Apps".
In the list that opens, look for Viber. Click on the gear icon or just tap the name to enter the control menu. Here we are interested in the item "Memory" or "Storage", which displays the detail of the occupied space.
You'll see two basic buttons on the screen: Clear and Delete. We need the first one. You click on it and you start the process of deleting temporary files. The system will request confirmation — you can safely agree.
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Use the Cache Clear feature regularly, about once a month, to prevent critical proliferation of junk files and keep the system running fast.
Method 2: Using the built-in Security application
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have powerful built-in optimization tools. The Security app (a green lightning icon) can find and delete the cache of not only system services, but also third-party programs like Viber.
Run the Security app and select Cleanup. The system will scan and show the amount of garbage, but for selective cleaning, you'd better go to Memory or Application Management inside the same tool.
You can sort apps by space, and you can go to Viber and select the deep cleaning option, which is often more effective than the standard one, because Xiaomi's algorithms find hidden temporary files.
| Cleaning method | Security of data | Efficiency | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Settings. | Tall. | Medium | Low. |
| Security Annex | Tall. | Tall. | Low. |
| Third-party utilities | Medium | Tall. | Medium |
| Reinstallation | Low (needs backup) | Maximum | Tall. |
Cleaning through file manager and internal settings
Sometimes standard methods don't work because some of the debris is hidden in the back of the file system, and you can use a built-in File Explorer or similar manager.
Go to the root folder of the device and find the directory Android/data/com.viber.voip. This is where the basic data of the application is stored. Be extremely careful: delete only the contents of the folders cache or temp, if they are present.
And you also have to look at the Viber folder at the root of the internal memory, and it's often the file you've got that you don't need anymore, and manually deleting it will free up the most space, but you need to sort it manually.
Risks of manual cleaning
Alternatively, the internal settings of Viber itself. Go to "More" → "Settings" → "Memory" and here the messenger will prompt you to clear the cache or delete old media files older than 30 days.
What to do if the cache is cleared, but the place is not vacated
There are situations when the amount of memory occupied does not change much after cleaning, which may indicate that the problem is not in the cache, but in the database of messages or “hungry” synchronization processes.
In that case, try to force the app to stop. Go to the app settings, select Viber, and click the Stop button. Then repeat the cache cleanup procedure.
If that didn't work, you might need a more radical step: clean up your data. Warning: this step will delete all your history of your device, so back up your Viber account settings first.
Prevention: How to prevent memory overflow
To prevent the problem from returning too quickly, set up automatic media file saving. In Viber settings, turn off auto-save photos and videos to the phone gallery. This will prevent duplicate files.
Use the "Do Not Save to Gallery" function for specific chats if they are crowded with media, this can be done in the settings of individual correspondence, so that the files will be available in the messenger, but will not take up space in the shared memory.
Check the large file list in Xiaomi’s storage regularly, and the system can tell you which apps take up the most space, and it can help you avoid critical disk filling.
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Disabling auto-save media in the gallery is the most effective way to prevent the quick filling of the memory of the smartphone with garbage from messengers.