Xiaomi smartphone owners know that instant messengers eventually start to take up a huge amount of space. Telegram is the leader in this regard, since it stores all received media files in the memory of the device by default, which leads to the fact that after a few months of active communication, free space ends, and the system begins to work slower.
But don't panic too early. There are built-in tools on the MIUI or HyperOS shell to manage application data that are more efficient than standard tools. Telegram's main feature is that it stores a copy of all messages on its servers, so deleting local files won't lead to loss of correspondence. You can safely remove gigabytes of accumulated "garbage" while remaining in contact with the interlocutors.
In this article, we will not only look at standard cleaning methods, but also advanced settings that will help you forget about the memory problem forever. We will look at working with the file manager, hidden folders and specific features available on Xiaomi devices.
Why Telegram is taking up so much space on Xiaomi
The main reason for the growth of the messenger lies in the aggressive policy of caching. Unlike some competitors, Telegram seeks to make access to media files instantaneous by storing every open picture, video or voice message in internal storage. On Xiaomi smartphones, this process is often exacerbated by the fact that the system does not always correctly mark these files as temporary.
In addition, the messenger creates many duplicates. For example, if you send a video or save it to Favorites, a copy of the file can be written to another part of memory. Over time, the folder structure becomes confusing, and standard cleaning through the phone's settings may not affect deeply hidden directories.
It’s important to understand the difference between cache and custom files. cache is the temporary data needed to make the app run quickly. Files are something you downloaded or saved on purpose. On Android, these categories are often mixed, but for efficient cleaning, Xiaomi offers flexible separation tools.
- 📱 Autoboot: By default enabled for all chat types, resulting in instant memory filling.
- 🖼️ Media cache: Image previews and video thumbnails can account for up to 40% of the total app volume.
- 📂 Folder Structure: Files can be duplicated in Android system directories and in the Telegram user folder.
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Use the Memory Use feature inside Telegram itself for more accurate analytics than the standard Xiaomi analyzer.
Basic cleaning through application settings
The safest and fastest way to free up space is to use the built-in cleaning tool, which requires no third-party software installation and is fully integrated into the messenger interface. First, open the app and go to the settings menu.
You need to find the data and storage section, and the path may vary slightly depending on the version of Telegram, but the logic remains the same. Here you will see detailed statistics of the location being shared by different types of content.
☑️ Basic cleaning algorithm
Once you click the clean button, the system will suggest you specify the settings, so you can choose whether you want to delete music, videos, or just images. Notice the Save Media slider, which allows you to set a time interval for storing files.
⚠️ Warning: If you delete the cache, but do not set up auto-delete, in a week the messenger will again "eat" a few gigabytes.
This method is ideal for regular maintenance. It doesn't affect your personal photos and videos that you might have saved to the gallery explicitly, but it deletes all temporary copies downloaded for viewing in chat rooms. On Xiaomi devices, this operation is instantaneous thanks to file system optimization.
Using Xiaomi’s built-in storage analyzer
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have a powerful built-in Cleanup tool that can find large files and duplicates that are often left behind by instant messengers. Run the Security app on your smartphone's home screen.
Select "Clean up." The system will scan and suggest removing the garbage. However, for a deeper analysis, click on the folder icon or go to Files, where you can sort the content by size and find folders associated with Telegram.
| Type of data | Where to look in MIUI | Can be removed |
|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Cleanup → Garbage | Yes, it's safe. |
| APK files | Files → APK | Yes, if it's installed. |
| Telegram video | Video → Telegram folder | Just a little extra. |
| Audio recordings | Audio → Telegram | At your discretion. |
Often, users don't notice that the Downloads or Document folder has hundreds of files automatically saved from the channels, and Xiaomi's Analyzer lets you select them in groups and delete them with a single touch, which is especially useful for cleaning up old video files you've already viewed.
Remember that after cleaning through the system menu Xiaomi, the Telegram files will remain visible (as a preview), but when you try to open them will need to re-upload from the Internet.
Manual deletion of files through a conductor
For those who like full control, there is a manual method available, which requires care, since you work directly with the Android file system. Open the standard Explorer (or Mi File Manager).
You need to go to the root folder of the device. The path to messenger data in modern versions of Android (11 and above) has changed due to security limitations. Now the basic data is on the path of Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files.
/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files/TelegramInside this directory are the Telegram Audio, Telegram Video, Telegram Images folders, and by deleting the contents of these folders, you free up space, but be careful not to delete the files folder itself or the system files inside it, otherwise the application may stop running.
What to do if your Android/data folder is empty?
It’s also worth checking the Telegram root folder (if it’s at the root of the drive), which could have saved heavy documents in older versions of the app or manually uploading files, and it’s safe to delete those files if you don’t plan on using them already.
- 🔍 Search for duplicates: Manually check the Downloads folder, often files from Telegram are duplicated there.
- 🗑️ Cache folder: Inside the application folder there is a cache subfolder, its contents can be deleted without fear.
- 📁 Structure: Do not change folder names, otherwise the messenger will create new ones, and the space will not be vacant.
Set up auto-removal and prevent overflow
The best cleaning is the one that doesn't need to be done. Telegram lets you set up automatic cache deletion, which will save you from having to manually clean your memory every couple of weeks, go to the app's settings and find "Data and memory."
In the Storage section, set the "Save Media" switch to the "3 days" or "1 week" position, which means that the app will automatically delete any files you did not open during the selected period. Your correspondence will remain intact, just pictures and videos will be re-uploaded if necessary.
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The optimal auto-removal setting for most users is 1 week, which is a balance between download speed and space saving.
It is also recommended to disable autoload media for group chats and channels. In the “Media Autoboot” section, uncheck the “Through the Mobile Network” and “Through Wi-Fi” boxes for channels, which will prevent memory from clogging with content that you may not even read.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoload does not delete files already downloaded. First, clean the cache, and then change the settings so that they will take effect for new content.
On Xiaomi smartphones, it's also helpful to check battery settings.Make sure there's no "Savings Hard" limitation for Telegram if you want background cleaning and synchronization to work properly, though aggressively limiting background activity is even helpful to save space.