Effectively clearing the cache on Redmi: manual methods and settings

Smartphones of the Redmi i Xiaomi line are known for their accessibility and functionality, but over time, users often experience slowdowns in the interface. One of the main reasons for decreased performance is the internal memory overflowing with accumulated garbage. We are not talking about your personal photos, but about hidden temporary files that are created applications during the course of their work.

Clearing the cache on Android, especially in the shell MIUI, can be done in several ways: from using built-in utilities to deep manual cleaning through the developer menu. Understanding the difference between an app's cache and its data is critical to avoid accidentally deleting your game saves or social media logins. In this article, we will look in detail at how to safely free up space and restore your device to its former speed.

What is cache and why it needs to be cleared

Cache is a memory area designed to store temporary data that is often used by the system or specific apps. When you open a website in a browser or launch a heavy game, the device downloads some information to RAM and to disk so that the next time you access the process, the process will be faster. This speeds up the work, but over time the files become outdated and take up gigabytes of usable space.

On devices Xiaomi the situation is aggravated by the peculiarities of the shell MIUI. System services and pre-installed applications actively generate logs and time reports. If you do not carry out regular optimizationthe free space in the "Internal storage" section rapidly decreases, which leads to slowdowns and even failures when installing updates.

You should distinguish between the concepts of “clear cache” and “erase data”. The first operation is safe and deletes only temporary files, the second one resets the application to its factory state, deleting your settings and accounts. When manually cleaning your phone Redmi be extremely careful when selecting menu items.

Using the built-in "Security" application

The easiest and least risky way to clear garbage on smartphones Redmi is to use a standard application that is already installed on the system. It's called Security and has an icon in the form of a green shield. This tool is designed specifically for the ecosystem MIUI and takes into account the specifics of the operation of system processes.

To start the procedure, you need to open the application and select the item Cleaning. The system will automatically scan the device for unused files, remnants of uninstalled apps and cache. However, the automatic mode does not always remove everything that can be removed. For deeper work, you will need to go to the advanced settings of the scanner.

• 🧹 Click the "Clean" button to remove the found garbage.
• 📂 Select the "Deep cleaning" section to analyze large files and duplicates.
• 📱 In the "Applications" section, you can manually select the cache of specific apps.
• ⚙️ Use the "Acceleration" function to clear RAM.

It is important to note that the built-in cleaner sometimes suggests deleting files that you may want to keep (for example, thumbnail images from instant messengers). Always check the list of files before confirming the deletion, especially if you use a smartphone to work with documents.

Manually clearing the cache of individual applications

If a particular app does not work correctly or takes up an abnormally large amount of space, it is advisable to clear its cache manually through the system settings. This method allows you to target problem areas without affecting the rest of the system. On Redmi the path to these settings may differ slightly depending on the version Android and MIUI.

Go to the menu Settings, then select the section Applications and press All applications. In the list that opens, find the desired app (for example, Instagram, YouTube or Telegram). Inside the application card you will see a button Storage or Memory. This is where data management tools are located.

⚠️ Attention: The "Clear All" or "Reset" button deletes not only the cache, but also all login data, settings and saved information within the application. Use it only if you want to completely reinstall the app without deleting the APK file.

For safe cleaning, click the button Clear cache. It is usually located next to the hard reset button and is smaller in size or marked with a broom icon. After performing this operation, the application will start a little slower the first time, since it will have to re-download the necessary resources from the network.

Particular attention should be paid to instant messengers, such as Viber or WhatsApp. Their cache can reach tens of gigabytes due to stored photos and videos. The storage settings of such applications often have a built-in memory management tool that allows you to delete media files for a certain period without affecting correspondence.

Clearing the system cache through the Recovery menu

The most effective way to remove system junk that is not visible to the user in normal mode is to use the Recoverymode. This method clears the partition /cachewhere temporary update system files and software installation logs are stored. This is especially true after a major firmware update MIUI.

To enter recovery mode, you must completely turn off your smartphone. Then hold down the power button and the volume up button (Volume Up) at the same time. Hold them until the logo Redmi or Miappears. After this, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume until the main Recovery menu appears.

Control buttons in Recovery:
Volume Up/Down - move through the menu
Power button - confirm selection

In the menu that appears on screen, navigation is carried out using the volume buttons. You need to find the item Wipe Cache Partition (Clear cache partition). Confirm the action with the power button. The process will take a few seconds, after which a success message will appear. Then select Reboot to reboot the system.

What to do if the menu is in Chinese?

If your device has a Chinese version of the firmware (CN ROM), the menu items will be in Chinese. The cache clearing item is usually the third one from the top. Focus on the hieroglyphs similar to “cleaning”, or find a photo menu for your model on the Internet before starting the procedure.

⚠️ Attention: In Recovery mode, do not select the “Wipe Data” or “Factory Reset” option unless you plan to completely reset the phone to factory settings with the loss of all personal files.

This method is completely safe for your personal data: photos, contacts and installed applications. Only temporary system files are deleted. However, if after updating the system the phone behaves unstable, such cleaning often solves the problem of freezes and overheating.

Managing the cache in developer mode

For advanced users who want to gain full control over memory processes, there is a menu for developers. In it you can not only clear the cache, but also limit background processes, which often cause it to grow. Activating this mode requires performing a simple sequence of actions.

Go to Settings → About phone. Find the line MIUI version (or Android version) and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row. A notification will appear indicating that you have become a developer. After this, in the main settings menu, in the section Additional, a new item will appear For developers.

Parameter	Description	Recommended value
Limit of background processes	Limits the number of applications running in the background	No more than 4 processes
Do not save actions	Destroys application activity immediately after exit	Disabled (for stability)
Log buffer size	Memory amount for system logs	Disabled or 64K

In this menu you can also find the option to force stop services, but this must be done with caution. The main use of this section is to set limits that prevent applications from growing uncontrollably in memory. Changing the settings takes effect immediately after selecting the item.

If you notice that the phone starts to work slower after changing the settings in this section, simply return the settings to the default values. You can reset the developer settings through the top menu of the same section or by completely resetting the phone.

Third-party utilities and their effectiveness

In the store Google Play there are thousands of applications that promise to magically speed up your smartphone. Popular solutions like CCleaner, Clean Master or Files by Google can really be useful, but their effectiveness on modern versions Android is often exaggerated. The system itself can manage memory quite well.

The main advantage of third-party utilities is a convenient interface and the ability to schedule cleaning. They can automatically delete the cache once a week or when the screen is unlocked. However, it is worth remembering that such apps themselves consume resources and can show intrusive advertising, trying to convince you that the system is in a critical state.

• 📉 Files by Google - a safe solution from Google itself, without unnecessary advertising.
• 🛠 SD Maid - a powerful tool for advanced users with the function of searching for "dead" applications.
• 🚫 Avoid "RAM boosters" which aggressively close background processes.

⚠️ Attention: Do not give dubious cleaner applications root access (Root) or access to special features if you are not sure of their reputation. This can lead to leakage of personal data.

The use of built-in tools MIUI in most cases is preferable, since they have deep access to system folders that are closed to third-party software. Third-party apps often see only the surface layer of data and cannot clear the system cache without special permissions.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Will my WhatsApp correspondence be deleted when clearing the cache?

No, if you click the "Clear cache" button in the application settings, your messages and media will remain in place. Only temporary files that speed up loading will be deleted. The correspondence will be deleted only if you select “Clear data” or “Reset”.

How often do you need to clear the cache on Redmi?

It is enough to carry out the procedure once every 1-2 months or when you notice a lack of free memory. Daily cleaning does not make sense, since the cache is created again immediately after launching applications, and this will only increase the load on the processor when loading data again.

Why does the phone run slower after clearing the cache?

This is normal in the first minutes after cleaning. Applications take time to re-download and save the necessary resources (pictures, scripts) into the cache. The operating speed will be restored after actively using the apps for 10-15 minutes.

Is it possible to delete the Android folder completely?

It is strictly not recommended to delete the entire folder Android manually through a file manager. Not only the cache is stored inside it, but also application data (obb files of games, settings). Deleting this folder will reset most installed apps and lose progress in games.