Smartphones of the Redmi 6Aseries, released several years ago, still remain popular due to their reliability and affordability. However, owners often face the problem of lack of free space, since the built-in storage has limited capacity. When the storage is full, the device starts to slow down, applications crash, and there is simply nowhere to download new files.
Fortunately, the operating system Android in the shell MIUI provides many built-in tools for managing files. You don't have to be a technician to get a quality cleaning done. In this article, we will look at effective methods that will help restore your gadget's performance and free up gigabytes of space.
It is worth noting that regular maintenance significantly extends the life of the device. If you ignore memory overflow, the system may begin to make critical errors or stop loading altogether. Therefore, it is important to know where digital waste accumulates and how to safely get rid of it.
Analysis of storage capacity
Before deleting files, you need to understand what exactly takes up the most space. Owners Xiaomi can use the built-in analyzer, which will show detailed statistics by category. This will help you avoid accidentally deleting important documents, thinking that they weigh little.
First, open the Security app or go to your phone settings. There you will find the “Memory” section, where the graph will show the distribution of data. The system will automatically sort the space of elements: applications, images, videos, documents and system files.
Pay attentionthat the volume occupied by the system cannot be reduced without deep intervention, but user content often bloats unnoticed. For example, messengers can store received photos and videos for years, even if you have already viewed them and forgotten them.
⚠️ Attention: When analyzing, be careful with the “Other” section. Both temporary files and game cache data may be hidden there, the deletion of which will lead to loss of progress.
Sometimes users are surprised to discover that the folder with downloads from the browser weighs several gigabytes. Old APK installation files that are no longer needed after installing apps are also often left lying around as dead weight. Removing them is the safest way to quickly get free space.
Using the built-in MIUI cleaner
The shell MIUI is famous for its optimization tools, and one of the main ones is the standard cleaner. It scans the device for temporary files, remnants of deleted applications, and advertising junk. It is recommended to run it regularly, at least once a week.
To use the function, find the “Cleaning” application on the desktop (the broom icon). After starting the scan, the system will offer to delete the found files. You can select specific categories or click the clear button all at once.
It is important to understand the difference between the cache and application data. Cache - these are temporary files that speed up the operation of apps; they can be deleted without fear. The data is your logins, game saves and settings; deleting them will reset the application to the “as after installation” state.
In the settings of the cleaner you can enable automatic operation. For example, the smartphone itself will offer to remove garbage when the free space drops below a certain threshold. This is a convenient function for those who do not like to manually monitor the state of the system.
Clearing cache and application data
The most voracious consumers of memory are usually social networks and instant messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber and Instagram save every viewed picture and video in cache. Over time, this folder can grow to incredible sizes, occupying 5-10 GB or more.
To clean it, go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Select the desired app (for example, YouTube) and click "Memory". There will be two buttons: “Clear cache” and “Clear all”. The first is safe, the second will remove your authorization.
Some applications, such as Telegramhave their own built-in cleaning tool. It is located in the settings of the messenger itself in the “Data and Memory” section. There you can set up automatic deletion of media files a week or a month after viewing.
Set up Telegram to automatically delete the media file cache after 3 days - this will save gigabytes of space without losing correspondence.
Don't forget about browsers. Browsing history, saved passwords and site caches also take up space. If you actively use Chrome or Yandex.Browser, periodically go into their settings and clear the history for “All time”.
Managing photos and video files
Multimedia content - main consumer of space on any modern smartphone. Cameras are getting better, and the weight of one photo or second of video is growing. On Redmi 6A with its modest amount of built-in memory, this becomes critical.
The first step is to check the "Trash" folder in the gallery. Deleted photos are often stored there for another 30 days, continuing to take up space. After emptying the trash, the space will be completely free. It is also worth looking at the “Screenshots” and “Favorites” folder.
An excellent solution is to use cloud storage. Services like Google Photos allow you to upload originals to the cloud, and leave only compressed copies on your phone or even delete local files. The Free Up Space feature in Google Photos does this automatically.
| File type | Average size | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Photo (JPEG) | 2-5 MB | Transfer to the cloud |
| Video (Full HD) | 100-200 MB/min | Delete after viewing |
| Selfie (camera) | 3-6 MB | Sort and clean |
| Screenshots | 0.5-2 MB | Delete immediately |
If you If you don't use the cloud, consider transferring your files to a computer or external hard drive. A regular archive of important memories will help keep your phone in good shape. Do not store movies on your phone that you watched a year ago.
Transferring applications to a memory card
The model Redmi 6A supports installation of memory cards microSD. This is the most effective way to expand storage without losing data. You can transfer photos, music, documents and even some applications there.
To transfer media files, just insert the card, go to Explorer, select the files and select “Move” → “SD card”. With applications it is more difficult: modern versions Android do not always allow you to transfer apps completely, but part of the data can often be moved.
In the storage settings, you can select a memory card as the default recording location for the camera. Then new photos and videos will be immediately saved to external storage without taking up internal memory. This is a critical setting for owners of budget smartphones.
☑️ Preparing a memory card
It is worth remembering that memory cards are slower than the built-in storage. It is not recommended to transfer heavy games or system applications to them, as this may cause the interface to slow down. Use external memory mainly for static files.
Deleting unused applications and games
We often install applications “one time” or just for fun, and then forget about them. They hang in the background, consume resources and take up precious megabytes. Review installed apps right now.
Go to Settings → Applications and sort the list by size. You may be surprised to find games you haven't played in six months that weigh 2-3 GB. Feel free to delete what you don’t use.
Also pay attention to the pre-installed applications from Google and Xiaomi. Some of them can be disabled if you don't use them (for example, Google Play Movies or Mi Pay in some regions). This will not remove them completely, but will stop updates and clear the cache.
⚠️ Attention: Do not remove system components with a robot icon or the name “System”, “Framework”, “Services”. This may cause the phone to become unstable or reboot cyclically.
There is a good practice for games: if you have completed a level or play rarely, you can delete the game and save your progress in the cloud (Google Play Games). When you want to return, you simply download the game again and restore the save.
Special features and hidden functions
There is a “Full Cleanup” mode, which is available through the engineering menu or special utilities, but the average user is better off limiting himself to standard tools. However, there is one more nuance - the “Downloads” folder. MIUI There is a “Full cleaning” mode, which is available through the engineering menu or special utilities, but the average user is better off limiting himself to standard tools. However, there is one more nuance - the “Downloads” folder.
Browsers and instant messengers often save all downloaded files there. Check the folder Download in the file manager. There may be old PDF documents, installers and pictures. Removing them is safe and effective.
You can also use the “Safe Mode” mode to search for problematic applications. If memory fills up on its own, an application with a memory leak may be to blame. In safe mode, third-party apps do not launch, which helps to identify the culprit.
What to do if the memory fills up on its own?
If after cleaning the space quickly runs out, check whether automatic media downloading is enabled in WhatsApp or Telegram. The cause may also be a malfunction of the Media Storage system process, which requires resetting the application settings.
In extreme cases, when nothing helps, you can perform a full reset to factory settings. This will return the phone to its out-of-the-box state. Before doing this, be sure to make a backup copy of all important data, as they will be destroyed.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to increase the memory on Redmi 6A programmatically?
You cannot physically increase the built-in memory, but you can effectively use a microSD card by assigning part of it to internal applications (Adoptable Storage function), although on new versions of MIUI this is often hidden or inaccessible without root access.
Is it safe to delete the Android folder?
No, you cannot delete the folder itself Android as it stores data from running applications. You can clear its contents (cache), but completely deleting the folder will reset the settings of all apps.
Why is the memory busy again after cleaning?
System processes and applications constantly create new temporary files. This is normal behavior. Also, some applications (like Spotify or Netflix) can cache music and videos for offline viewing, taking up space again.
How to clear the DNS cache on Android?
To do this, you need to go to settings, find “Reset network settings” or use the command in the terminal if you have root access. However, for regular memory cleaning, this is not required; standard clearing of the application cache is sufficient.
Regularly clearing the messenger cache and transferring photos to a memory card are the two most effective ways to free up space on Redmi 6A.