Owners of branded smartphones Xiaomi often face a situation where the internal storage suddenly becomes full, despite the absence of obvious reasons. The system MIUI, known for its extensive capabilities, tends to accumulate service files, duplicates and application cache, which slows down the device over time. If you notice a notification about low memory or your phone starts to work incorrectly, you need to take immediate action to free up space. Ignoring this problem may result in the inability to install updates or create new photos.
There are many methods, from using built-in utilities to manually cleaning system folders. In this article, we will analyze in detail the mechanisms that take up space in your gadget and offer a step-by-step algorithm of actions. You don't need to be an experienced user to perform these operations, but you will need to be careful not to delete important data. The right approach to organizing files will allow your Android smartphone work quickly and stably for a long time.
Using the built-in Cleaning application
The first and most obvious step is to use the standard tool that comes pre-installed in shell MIUI. Often called Security or Cleanup, this app scans your device for temporary files, uninstalled app remnants, and ad cache. You can launch it through the broom icon on the desktop or by going to the security settings. The algorithm of the utility is quite simple: it analyzes the file system and offers to delete what it considers unnecessary.
However, you should understand that automatic cleaning does not always remove everything possible. The system is reinsured so as not to erase important user data. After scanning, you will see a button to remove junk, but you can also go to the “Deep Cleaning” or “Storage Analysis” sections. This is where the largest files are stored that can be safely deleted manually. You should not rely on just one “Clean” button, as this gives only a superficial result.
Run a deep scan regularly once a week to prevent the accumulation of gigabytes of temporary files from browsers and instant messengers.
Particular attention should be paid to the section where large files are displayed. Often there are forgotten videos or installation packages .apkthat are no longer needed. Removing such objects instantly frees up a significant amount of memory. Remember that application cache can take up to several gigabytes, especially if you actively use social networks or streaming services.
⚠️ Attention: When using the “Deep Cleaning” function, carefully look at the checkmarks. Sometimes the system marks as garbage files that you want to save, for example, screenshots or downloaded documents.
Managing cache and application data
The most voracious consumers of memory are usually instant messengers, such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber, as well as social networks. These apps save every photo and video you view to internal memory for quick access. Over time, this collection of media files grows to enormous proportions. To solve the problem, it is not enough to simply delete the application - you need to clear its internal database or cache through the system settings.
Go to the menu Settings → Applications → All applications. Select the desired app from the list and click on “Memory”. Here you will see two main buttons: “Clear cache” and “Clear everything” (or “Memory management” inside messengers). The first option is safe and will only delete temporary files without affecting your correspondence. The second option may reset the application settings or delete downloaded files, so it should be used with caution.
In modern versions MIUI for some applications, the “Memory Management” function is available right inside the application settings menu. This allows you to delete media files older than a certain period, such as videos uploaded more than a month ago. This approach is the most reasonable, as it keeps correspondence up-to-date, but eliminates digital ballast. Regular checking of this section helps to maintain free space in acceptable condition.
| Data type | What is stored | Deletion security | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cache | Temporary files, thumbnails | Completely safe | Applications may take a little longer to load when first launched |
| Application data | Settings, logins, database | Dangerous (reset settings) | The application will return to the “as after installation” state |
| Media files | Photos, videos from chats | Safe (if any copies) | The correspondence history will remain, but the pictures will not be displayed |
⚠️ Attention: Clearing data from banking applications or crypto wallets may require re-logging in and setting up biometrics. Make sure you remember your passwords before performing this operation.
Storage analysis and removal of duplicates
The shell MIUI has a powerful built-in storage analyzer that visualizes used memory in the form of colored blocks. To get there, open the File Explorer app and select the Analysis tab, or go through your phone's settings to About Phone → Storage. This tool shows you how much space your images, videos, documents, and system files are taking up. This is a clear way to understand where exactly the problem is hidden.
Often users do not notice that they have dozens of identical photos or screenshots taken by accident. The built-in Cleanup tool has a special section for finding duplicates and similar images. The system uses comparison algorithms and offers to remove duplicate files, leaving only one copy of the best quality. This is one of the fastest ways to get back several gigabytes of free space without losing important information.
☑️ Checking for duplicates
You should also pay attention to the folder Download (Downloads). Browsers and instant messengers often save all downloaded files there, which the user forgets about after five minutes. PDF documents, game installers, presentations - all this can lie dead weight for months. Manually sorting this folder often brings unexpected results in the form of freeing up space. Do not forget to check the folder Bluetoothif you have previously received files using this protocol.
Transferring files to the cloud and to a memory card
If the internal memory of the device is physically limited, the best solution would be to transfer the media archive to external storage. Modern smartphones support working with cloud services, such as proprietary ones. Setting up automatic upload allows you to instantly free up space on your phone after a photo or video is successfully saved online. This creates the effect of endless memory for your gallery. Xiaomi support work with cloud services such as Google Photos, Yandex.Disk or branded Xiaomi Cloud. Setting up automatic upload allows you to instantly free up space on your phone after a photo or video is successfully saved online. This creates an endless memory effect for your gallery.
For users who prefer local storage, it is important to use microSD memory cards. Although many new models do not have a card slot, this feature remains in the budget and mid-range segment. You can transfer the entire folder with photos, music and documents to an external card through the file manager. To do this, select the files, click “Move” and select the path to the SD card. This action does not copy, but rather transfers data, freeing up the internal storage.
Nuances of working with an SD card
When transferring applications to a memory card, their operating speed may decrease if the card has a low speed class. For system applications, this function is often not available.
It is important to configure the camera to save new pictures directly to the memory card, if such an option is available in your model. Go to the camera settings and find the “Save to SD card” option. This will prevent the internal storage from filling up quickly in the future. However, remember that when you remove the card, these photos will become inaccessible, so do not use this method to store only copies of important frames.
⚠️ Attention: Cloud storage has free space limits. If you enable autoloading, keep an eye on the tariff so as not to encounter synchronization blocking due to lack of space in the cloud.
Cleaning system garbage and the MIUI folder
The specificity of the shell MIUI is such that it creates its own system folders for storing themes, fonts and logins. Folder MIUI at the root of the storage can grow due to the cache of themes and wallpapers. If you frequently change the design of your phone, old theme files may remain in the system. You can clear them through the Themes application by going to your profile and deleting downloaded but not active themes. It is also worth checking the folder MIUI/debug_logwhere error reports sometimes accumulate.
Another source of garbage is the folder .thumbnails inside the directory DCIM. Thumbnails of all your photos are stored here for quick display in the gallery. With a large number of photos, this folder can weigh hundreds of megabytes. It can be safely deleted - the system will create it again, but in a smaller size, since the old thumbnails for deleted photos will disappear. It is better to do this through the file manager with the “Show hidden files” option enabled.
Regularly cleaning the .thumbnails folder and the MIUI theme cache can free up from 500 MB to 2 GB of space, which is critical for devices with low memory.
Also check for folders from uninstalled applications. Sometimes, after uninstalling a game or app, a folder with its name remains in the root of the storage, containing a cache or save files. This data is no longer needed by the system and takes up space. Manual revision of the root directory every few months helps to maintain order in the file structure Android.
Resetting settings as a radical method
If none of the above methods helped free up enough space, the file system may be damaged or it has accumulated errors that are not visible to the average user. In this case, the last resort is a complete reset to factory settings. This operation will delete absolutely all data from the phone, returning it to the “as from the store” state. Before doing this, be sure to create a backup copy of all contacts, messages and files.
To perform a reset, go to Settings → About phone → Reset settings. Select "Erase all data". The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will reboot. You will get a clean system without unnecessary junk, duplicates and registry errors. This often solves not only the memory problem, but also many software glitches, slowdowns and overheating of the device.
⚠️ Attention: After resetting the settings, all applications will be deleted. You will have to sign in to your Google and Mi Accounts again and set up security. Make sure you remember all passwords.
Before resetting the settings, remove the SIM card and memory card so that you do not accidentally format them while wiping the internal storage.
Use this method only when other options have been exhausted. Although it takes time to set up the phone later, the result usually exceeds expectations: the device starts working as quickly as possible, and the available memory capacity corresponds to what the manufacturer claims. This is a “spring cleaning” for your digital home.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is there no space freed up after deleting files?
The files may have been moved to the trash. The Gallery and Explorer apps have a trash can where deleted items are kept for 30 days. Go to the trash and empty it completely so that space is actually freed up.
Is it possible to delete files from the Android folder?
Be extremely careful. The folder Android/data i Android/obb stores data of installed games and applications. Deleting the contents of these folders will reset game progress or cause apps to not work. Delete only those folders whose names correspond to already deleted applications.
How to disable auto-update of applications to save space?
Go to Google Play Store, click on the profile icon, select “Settings” → “Network settings” → “Auto-update applications” and select “Never” or “Only via Wi-Fi.” This will prevent downloading intermediate versions that take up space before installation.
What is “Other” in the storage and how to clear it?
The “Other” category usually includes system files, cache, application data and files that the system cannot classify. You can clear this only selectively by deleting the cache of specific applications, or by completely resetting the phone.