How to increase RAM on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: real ways and myths

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 with its 3/4/6 GB of RAM is still a popular budget smartphone, but over time, even the most optimized applications begin to “slow down.” If your device becomes slower to respond to commands, often reboots background processes or gives a notification “Not enough memory” – the problem is not always in the software. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to increase RAM on the Redmi Note 9, from official MIUI functions to radical hardware modifications.

It's important to understand that physically increasing RAM on smartphones is not a trivial task. Unlike a PC where you can just add a RAM bar, in the Redmi Note 9, the memory chip is soldered to the motherboard. However, there are workarounds: virtual RAM, system optimization and even kernel reflashing, we analyzed each method, identified their pros/cons and collected unique data on compatibility with specific versions of MIUI (including global and Chinese firmware).

1. Virtual RAM: How to get a smartphone to use internal memory as RAM

The most affordable way to increase RAM is to activate RAM Expansion (or Dynamic RAM Extension in Russian-language MIUI), which reserves part of the internal drive (up to 3 GB) for the cache buffer the system uses as additional RAM, which in practice gives a 15-25% increase in multitasking, but does not affect performance in games.

How to turn on virtual RAM on Redmi Note 9:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Additionally. → Memory extension (the path may differ depending on the version) MIUI).
• ⚙️ Select the virtual volume RAM: 1 GB, 2 GB or 3 GB (maximum depends on free storage space on the drive).
• 🔄 Restart the device to apply changes.

⚠️ Attention: Virtual RAM It's not physical. It's slower. UFS 2.1 instead LPDDR4X) It doesn't help with resource-intensive tasks like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, but it does improve background multitasking, like the browser will stop reloading tabs when you return.

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If after activating the virtual RAM smartphone began to warm up stronger, reduce its volume to 1 GB. Excessive expansion can overload the memory controller.

2. System optimization: how to free RAM without root rights

Before you resort to radical measures, check whether unnecessary processes are eating away at memory. Redmi Note 9 with MIUI 12+ has built-in tools to clean up RAM:

• 🧹 Quick Cleanup: Swipe down the notification bar and click on the Clean Up icon.This will close the background apps, but won't delete the cache.
• 🔍 Deep Cleanup: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Clean and select “Deep Cleaning».
• ⚡ Performance mode: c Settings → Battery and productivity → Performance mode select High Performance (increases CPU clock speed but reduces battery life).

For advanced users, it is useful to turn off autoloading of unnecessary applications. You can do this through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Autorun. Turn off autoload for messengers, games and services that you rarely use. For example, Facebook and Instagram in the background can take up to 500-700 MB of RAM.

Disable auto-run of unnecessary applications |

Clean the cache manually through settings |

Activate high performance mode |

Remove widgets from the desktop |

Disable animation in the developer (if enabled)-->

⚠️ Note: Do not use "boosters" RAM» from Google Play, for example, RAM Booster or Clean Master: These applications often contain adware and do not produce real performance gains. MIUI It already has built-in memory management mechanisms that work more efficiently.

3. Root access and modification of the core: a risky but effective way

If virtual RAM and optimization didn't work, you can go further, get root rights and change the kernel settings.

• 🔧 Increase the swappiness size (the parameter responsible for using the paging file).
• 📈 Optimize the task scheduler for better RAM allocation.
• 🚀 Install a custom core with support for zRAM (data compression in RAM).

First, unlock the bootloader and install custom recovery (e.g. TWRP). Instructions for Redmi Note 9 (merlin):

1. Activate OEM Unlock in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times on the line, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC, install the Mi Unlock Tool, and unlock the bootloader (the wait can take up to 7 days).
3. Install TWRP via fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
4. In TWRP, you can use Magisk to obtain root rights.

Once root is obtained, you can edit the kernel settings, such as increasing swappiness to 100 (default 60) to make more use of the paging file, either through the Kernel Adiutor app or manually by editing the /sys/module/lowmemorykiller/parameters/minfree file.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect modification of the kernel can lead to bootloop (cyclical reboot) or overheating of the processor. TWRP And make sure that the kernel version is compatible with your firmware. For example, the Perseus kernel is optimized for the kernel. MIUI 13, but may conflict with older versions.

Hardware upgrade: can the RAM chip be physically replaced?

Technically, replacing the RAM chip with the Redmi Note 9 is possible, but it is extremely difficult and expensive. Unlike flagships (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro, where the RAM and the drive are separated), the Redmi Note 9 uses eMMC 5.1 + LPDDR4X in one chip (the model KMKJ2000VM-B314 from Samsung or H9HQ53AECMMDAR from SK Hynix).

The process includes:

1. Complete dismantling of the smartphone with the brazing of plumes and battery.
2. Heating the motherboard to 250-300°C to remove the old chip (risk of damage to neighboring components).
3. Installation of a new chip with the help of BGA-station-flashing EEPROM.

⚠️ Note: Most service centers refuse to work because of the high risk of damage to the Mediatek Helio processor G85. Even with a successful chip replacement, flashing may be required IMEI The cost of upgrades often exceeds the market price of the Redmi Note 9 itself (about 10,000-15,000). ₽ on the secondary market in 2026).

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Hardware replacement of RAM with Redmi Note 9 is not economically feasible, it is better to consider buying a new smartphone with a large amount of RAM (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro + with 8 GB).

5. Alternative solutions: when increasing RAM will not help

Sometimes the problem is not a lack of RAM, but rather unoptimized software or hardware limitations. For example, the Redmi Note 9 on the Helio G85 processor has a weak GPU (Mali-G52 MC2), which does not pull modern games even with an excess of RAM.

What to do if the optimization does not help:

• 🎮 For gamers: reduce the graphics settings in games (resolution, shadows, effects). GFX Tools for forced reduction FPS up to 30-40 fps.
• 📱 For multitasking: Use lightweight alternatives to apps (like Hermit Lite Apps instead of full-fledged versions of social media).
• 🔄 For stability: roll back to an older version MIUI (For example, from 14th to 13th), if the update brought the lags.

If your smartphone is used for heavy applications (like Photoshop Express or CapCut), consider buying a device with 6–8GB of RAM. For example, the POCO X5 Pro or Redmi Note 13 Pro+ offer the best price-performance ratio in 2026.

6 Myths about increasing RAM: what not to do

There are many "advice" on the Internet to increase RAM, which are not only useless, but also dangerous.

• ❌ «SD-card RAM»: Android doesn’t have a mechanism for using microSD as RAM (unlike Windows with ReadyBoost), but it’s going to slow down the apps.
• ❌ «Cleaning RAM Every 10 Minutes: Frequently cleaning memory through boosters or manually impairs performance as Android is optimized to caching frequently used data.
• ❌ «Custom-based firmware MIUI High RAM: No firmware can physically increase the volume RAM. Maximum: Better to manage your memory.
• ❌ «Shutdown MIUI Optimization: This setting (available via adb) disables Xiaomi’s background services, but may result in system instability.

Another popular myth is “increased RAM through engineering mode.” There are options on the engineering menu (#4636##) to test memory, but they don’t allow it to expand, and any changes to this menu without understanding the consequences can lead to loss of IMEI or modem disruption.

FAQ: Frequent questions about RAM on Redmi Note 9