Modern smartphones are becoming a digital archive of our lives, and over time, the storage Xiaomi Redmi can become overfilled with unnecessary data. One of the common problems is the accumulation of thousands SMS messagess, which take up space and slow down the messenger. Users are often looking for a way to quickly clear their chat history, but the standard interface doesn't always offer an obvious "Delete All" button. In this article, we will look at detailed methods that will help you completely clear the message database on your device.
Deleting messages may be required not only to free up memory, but also before selling the gadget or for purposes privacy. It is important to understand that the removal procedure on different firmware versions MIUI or HyperOS may differ slightly visually, but the logic of the actions remains the same. We offer several options: from manual cleaning through the menu to using third-party software and engineering teams.
Before taking drastic measures, make sure that you do not have important verification codes or memorable SMS. The deletion process is irreversible unless you have cloud backup configured. Let's look at what tools are available to owners Redmi to manage incoming correspondence.
Standard cleaning through the Messages application
The most obvious and safest method is to use the built-in functionality of the application Messages. However, unlike some other shells, there is no single button to delete the entire database at once. You will have to use the multiple selection mode. Open the application and tap the menu icon or hold your finger on one of the conversations to activate the selection mode.
After activating the editing mode, a counter of selected items will appear at the top of the screen. Here you can tick all the dialogs that you want to destroy. Please note that selecting thousands of messages may take some time and require scrolling through the list. To speed up the process, some versions MIUI allow you to select a group of messages for a certain period.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting correspondence through the standard menu does not always clear the database cache instantly. If the space is not freed up right away, try restarting the device.
After all the necessary dialogs are selected, click on the trash can icon in the lower or upper corner of the screen. The system will ask for confirmation of the action, since recovering deleted SMS it is impossible without a backup. Confirm the operation, and the selected chains will be moved to the trash can or permanently deleted, depending on the settings of your firmware version.
If you have activated the “Trash” function in the message settings, do not forget to clear it too, otherwise the memory will not be completely freed. Go to the application settings and find the “Trash” item for final deletion.
Using the “Cleanup” function in the Security application
The company Xiaomi has integrated a powerful optimization tool directly into the system. The Security (Security) application has a built-in Cleaning module that scans the device for junk files, including old messages. This is one of the most effective ways to mass delete data without manually selecting each dialog.
Launch the application Security and select Cleaning. The system will analyze and offer to delete temporary files, cache and, importantly, “old messages”. The algorithm typically identifies messages older than 30 days or those containing attachments as candidates for deletion. You can select a category of messages and click the clear button.
- 📱 Launch the Security application from the main screen.
- 🧹 Click on the big green "Cleaning" button or the broom icon.
- 📄 Find the “Messages” or “SMS” section in the list of junk found.
- ✅ Click “Clear selected” to confirm deletion.
This method is convenient because it works at the system level and often ignores the limitations of the messenger interface. However, you should be careful: the algorithm may mark important notifications from banks as garbage if they arrived a long time ago. Always check the preview of the deleted data before the final click of the button.
Using third-party applications for batch deletion
If standard methods seem too slow or inconvenient to you, the store Google Play offers many utilities for managing SMS. Applications like SMS Backup & Restore or specialized “Cleaner” utilities allow you to select messages using checkboxes with the “Select All” function. This significantly speeds up the process on devices with a long history of correspondence.
When installing third-party software, be sure to check the permissions. To work with messages, the application will need access to SMS and contacts. Download only trusted apps with high ratings to avoid leaking personal data. Some utilities offer a “Smart Delete” function, which automatically deletes spam and promotional messages.
A feature of such apps is the ability to filter. You can configure the deletion of only those messages that contain certain keywords, or clear correspondence only from specific senders. This is useful if you want to remove spam but keep private conversations.
⚠️ Warning: Third-party applications may request excessive access rights. Carefully read the privacy policy before installing software for working with personal messages.
Why do some applications not see all SMS?
In new versions of Android (11 and higher), access to the message database is limited for security purposes. Third-party applications can only see those SMS that came after their installation, unless special rights are granted through ADB or developer settings.
Radical method: Factory reset
If your goal is to completely prepare the phone for sale or get rid of absolutely all data, including messages, contacts and photos, then the only guaranteed solution is Hard Reset. This method returns the device Xiaomi Redmi to its out-of-the-box state. All user data will be permanently deleted.
To perform a reset through the menu, go to Settings → About phone → Reset settings. Select "Delete all data". The system will warn you about the consequences and ask you to enter your screen or account unlock password Mi Account. After confirmation, the phone will reboot and begin the formatting process.
| Option | Standard deletion | Hard Reset |
|---|---|---|
| Safety of contacts | Saved | Deleted completely |
| Safety of photos/videos | Saved | Deleted completely |
| SMS deletion | Selective or bulk | Full (database is reset) |
| Execution time | Depends on the number of messages | 5-10 minutes |
Use this method only as a last resort. Before starting the procedure, be sure to back up your important data in the cloud Google Drive or on your computer. After the reset, you will have to set up your phone again, sign in to your accounts and install applications.
Resetting to factory settings is the only way to guarantee the removal of messages that could be hidden or protected by system errors, but this entails the loss of all other data.
Advanced cleaning via computer and ADB
For technically For savvy users, there is a method for deleting messages via USB debugging using tools ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to send commands directly to the system database, bypassing the graphical interface. It is effective when the phone freezes when trying to delete a large number of SMS.
First you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the build number MIUI about 7 times until a notification about activating the mode appears. Then, in the advanced settings, enable “USB Debugging.”
Connect your phone to the computer with a cable and open a command prompt with administrator rights. Enter the command to test the connection:
adb devicesIf the device is listed, you can run the command to clear the message database. Be extremely careful, this command deletes everything without the possibility of undoing:
adb shell content delete --uri content://sms/⚠️ Warning: Using ADB commands requires precision. An error in syntax can result in the wrong data being deleted or the system malfunctioning. Do this only if you understand the commands.
This method works instantly, regardless of the number of messages - be it 100 or 100,000. After executing the command, the SMS database will be empty and the Messages application will show a blank screen. Rebooting the device after this is not necessary, but is advisable for correct index updating.
☑️ Preparing to work with ADB
Frequent questions and problems when deleting
During the cleaning process, users often encounter nuances that are not obvious at first glance. For example, messages may not be deleted due to a full trash bin or cloud synchronization. It is also important to distinguish between deleting from an application and physically erasing data from the memory chip.
Sometimes, after clearing, the memory counter does not change immediately. This is because the file system marks the space as free, but does not immediately recalculate the amount of used space. In such cases, a simple reboot of the smartphone helps. Redmi.
Is it possible to recover deleted messages on Xiaomi?
Without a previously created backup copy, recovery is almost impossible. You cannot recover deleted SMS using standard Android tools. There are paid apps for PCs that can restore data, but their effectiveness is low, especially if after deletion the phone was actively used and the data was overwritten.
Why is the “Delete all” button inactive?
In the standard Google Messages or MIUI Messages application, the button to delete all messages at once is often missing for security reasons, to avoid accidental data loss. You must first enter highlight mode (long press), select messages manually, or use the “Select All” function in the menu (three dots), if available in your version.
Are messages deleted from the SIM card?
Modern smartphones Xiaomi by default save messages in the internal memory, not on the SIM card, due to the limited volume of the latter. When you delete messages in the app, you erase data from your phone's memory. Messages on the SIM card (if there are any) are managed through a separate item in the settings of the “Messages” application → “SIM card settings”.
How to delete messages from a specific number?
Open a dialogue with the desired contact, click on the three dots in the corner of the screen and select “Delete”. If you need to delete only part of the correspondence, hold your finger on a specific message, select the rest with checkmarks and click Trash. This will not affect the rest of the conversations in the list.
Does the number of SMS messages affect the speed of the phone?
Yes, having tens of thousands of messages can slow down the Messages application and increase system backup time. The database becomes bulky and indexing takes up more CPU resources. Regular cleaning is recommended to maintain performance.