Smartphone owners Xiaomi, Redmi i POCO often face a situation where accumulated temporary information begins to slow down the system. Over time application cache grows to gigabyte sizes, taking up valuable space in internal storage. This is especially true for budget models with a small amount of memory, where every free megabyte is worth its weight in gold.
Users are looking for a way to clear the cache of all applications on Android xiaomi at once, so as not to waste hours manually deleting data in the settings of each messenger or game. Unfortunately, modern versions of the shell MIUI and the new HyperOS hid the “Clear all” button from the standard application management menu, making the task more complicated. However, there are proven methods to bypass these limitations and return the device to its former performance.
In this article we will look at all the available options: from built-in system utilities to using commands through a computer. You will learn what data can be deleted without fear of losing logins and passwords, and we will also look at the intricacies of working with system processes.
Why cache accumulates and does it affect speed
Cache are temporary files that applications save to speed up their work. For example, the browser stores images of visited sites, and instant messengers store received media files, so as not to re-download them from the network. Theoretically, this should speed up the launch of apps, but in practice, uncontrolled cache growth leads to the opposite effect.
When the volume of temporary files becomes too large, the smartphone's file system begins to work slower. This is especially noticeable on devices with memory type eMMC, which are more sensitive to storage fullness than modern ones UFS. The system spends more resources on indexing and searching for the necessary data among garbage.
In addition, a full cache can cause app failures. The application may attempt to access a corrupted temporary file and crash. Regular clearing the cache helps eliminate display errors, interface freezes and problems with loading content.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing the cache does not delete your personal data, logins, passwords or progress in games. However, clearing the application's "Data" (not to be confused with the cache) will completely reset the app to its factory state.
Should I be worried if after clearing the cache the cache starts to grow again? Absolutely not. This is normal operating system behavior Android. Applications will again create the necessary temporary files during use. The main goal is not to keep the cache empty, and not to allow it to grow critically.
Standard method through the “Security” application
The easiest and safest way to free up space is to use the built-in utility from the developers Xiaomi. It is available on all brand smartphones by default and does not require the installation of third-party software. This method is ideal for most users who want to quickly put things in order.
First, find on the desktop or in the “Tools” folder an application called Security (green shield icon). Launch it and wait until the automatic system scan finishes. After that, click on the button Cleaning, which is usually displayed in a large circle indicating the amount of garbage.
The system will offer to delete unnecessary files, but there is a nuance here. Standard cleaning often removes only obvious junk, ignoring the deep cache of heavy applications. To get to it, after the initial cleaning, scroll down the screen and find the section Deep cleaning.
- 🧹 Click on the "Trash" icon to see a list of files that can be safely deleted.
- 📱 Select the "Applications" category to see the cache of specific apps.
- 🗑️ Tick the required items and click the delete button at the bottom of the screen.
This method is good because the system itself determines which files are unnecessary. However, it does not always clear the cache of absolutely all installed apps at once; some may remain untouched. In this case, manual control or the use of alternative methods described below will be required.
If the “Clear All” button in the cache section is grayed out, try first clearing the cache of the Security application itself through the phone settings. This often solves the problem of the utility freezing.
Manual cleaning through system settings
If automatic tools fail to cope with the task, you can resort to manual storage management. This method is more labor-intensive, but gives complete control over what exactly is deleted. It is necessary when a particular application takes up an abnormally large amount of space.
Go to Settings your smartphone and find the section Applications. Next, select item All applications. You will see a complete list of installed apps. For convenience, you can sort them by size by clicking on the three dots in the corner of the screen and selecting the appropriate option.
Select the leading application in memory consumption. Inside the app card, find the section Memory or Storage. There you will see two buttons: “Clear cache” and “Clear everything”. Press only the first button. The second will delete your accounts and settings.
| Cleaning type | What is being deleted | Security | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning cache | Temporary files, thumbnails | Completely safe | Regularly |
| Data clearing | Logins, settings, databases | Requires caution | Only in case of failures |
| Removing updates | Application system patches | Safe, will return the old version | In case of errors after updating |
Repeating this procedure for each of a hundred applications is tedious. Therefore, this method is best used specifically for the most “heavy” apps, such as Telegram, Instagram or TikTokthat tend to accumulate gigabytes of video cache.
☑️ Check before manual cleaning
Using developer mode and statistics
For advanced users, there is a way to access hidden memory management menus. In new versions MIUI i HyperOS some functions have been moved or hidden, but they can be activated through the developer menu.
First you need to activate developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly click 7 times on the item MIUI version or OS version. After the message “You have become a developer” appears, return to the main settings menu.
B section Additional settings a new item will appear For developers. Inside, find the section related to monitoring or memory. In some firmware versions there is an item Running services or Memory statisticsthat allows you to see the consumption of RAM and storage in real time.
Although there is no “clear all” button, this section helps identify applications that are not working correctly in the background and are clogging up memory. Forcibly stopping such processes through this menu often causes them to reset some of the temporary data.
⚠️ Attention: Do not disable or change the settings in the developer menu if you are not sure of their purpose. This may lead to unstable operation of the system or resetting the phone.
Also in this section you can find the item Background process limit. Setting a limit (for example, no more than 2-3 processes) will not clear the cache directly, but will prevent it from quickly accumulating in the future, since applications will not be able to keep as much temporary data in RAM.
How to reset developer settings?
If you accidentally changed something unnecessary, at the very top of the developer menu there is a “Reset settings” button. It will return all settings to their original state without deleting your personal files.
Cleaning via computer and ADB (for advanced)
The most radical and effective method that allows you to clear the cache of all applications on Android xiaomi at once with one command is to use the toolkit ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method requires a computer and a USB cable, but gives results that are not available through the phone interface.
First, connect your smartphone to the PC in USB debugging mode. Make sure that the drivers Xiaomi and platform ADBare installed on your computer. Open a command line or terminal in the folder with the utility.
Enter the following command to clear the cache of all user applications:
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command forces the system to trim the cache of all applications to a minimum. The number at the end indicates the target amount of free space that needs to be freed (in bytes). Specifying a large number will force the system to delete all available cache.
- 💻 Connect the phone to the computer with a cable.
- 🔌 Allow USB debugging in the pop-up window on the smartphone screen.
- ⌨️ Enter the command in the terminal and click Enter.
After executing the command, you will see a report of how much space has been freed. This method even works with system applications whose cache is usually not accessible for deletion. This is an excellent solution for general cleaning before selling your phone or after a major system update.
The ADB trim-caches command is the only way to clear the system cache without obtaining root access. It works at the Android kernel level and ignores the limitations of the MIUI shell.
Automating cleaning using scripts
If you have to perform cleaning regularly, manually entering commands each time is inconvenient. It is possible to automate this process using simple scripts or third-party utilities that work through ADB.
One of the popular methods is to create a BAT file on your computer. You can write the cleaning command to a text file with the extension .bat and run it by double-clicking when the phone is connected. This will save time and eliminate the risk of a typo in the command.
There are also client applications for PC, such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools. They provide a graphical interface to control the smartphone. Such apps often have a “Cleaner” tab, where you can select the types of data to be deleted with checkboxes and perform cleaning in one click.
The use of scripts is especially useful for administrators or enthusiasts who maintain many devices. However, for the average user, it is enough to remember the main command pm trim-cachesin order to quickly put things in order, if necessary.
⚠️ Attention: The interfaces of apps and commands may differ slightly depending on the version of Android (11, 12, 13, 14) and the shell version. Always check the compatibility of the tools with your model.
Frequent questions and problems when clearing
Why does the cache immediately fill up again after clearing?
This is normal behavior. Applications create cache dynamically as they run. If you open YouTube or social networks immediately after cleaning, they will start downloading thumbnails and data again. Cleaning is needed not so that the cache is always empty, but to clear the accumulated “garbage”.
Is it possible to delete the cache of system applications without root access?
Through standard settings - no, the button will be inactive. However, the ADB command pm trim-caches allows you to clear the cache of even system processes without the need to root the device, which is a big advantage of the method.
Is it safe to use third-party apps like Clean Master?
Modern versions of Android have built-in memory management mechanisms. Third-party “cleaners” often work in the background, consuming resources and displaying advertisements. The built-in “Security” application from Xiaomi is quite enough for most tasks.
What to do if the phone starts to slow down after cleaning?
In the first minutes after mass clearing the cache, the phone may work a little slower, since applications need to re-create the necessary temporary files. This is a temporary phenomenon, performance will be restored after 5-10 minutes of active use.
How to clear the cache of a specific application if it does not open?
Go to Settings → Applications, find the problematic app in the list and click Clear cache. If this doesn't help, try Clear everything, but remember that this will reset the application settings.