Owners of smartphones Xiaomi and Redmi often face an unpleasant situation when the device starts to work slower or refuses to install important application updates altogether. Lack of internal memory is one of the most common problems with modern gadgets, especially in the budget and mid-price segment, where storage capacity is limited. 64 or 128 gigabytes. The system MIUI, being a rather “heavy” shell, over time becomes overgrown with gigabytes of temporary files, messenger caches and system garbage.
Fortunately, there are many proven ways to free up precious space without losing important data and having to buy a new phone. Storage optimization includes both standard cleaning tools provided by the manufacturer, as well as more advanced methods that require care. In this article we will look at all the available options, from simple settings to formatting external media.
Before taking radical measures, you need to understand what exactly is taking up space on your Redmi. It often turns out that the lion's share of memory is occupied not by system files at all, but by forgotten videos in the gallery or the cache of social networks. The largest increase in free space comes from clearing the cache of Telegram and WhatsApp messengers, which can take up to 10-20 GB. Let's look at the algorithm of actions step by step.
Analysis of storage fullness and garbage removal
The first step should always be diagnostics. Don't blindly delete files and hope for luck. The shell MIUI has a powerful tool for analyzing disk space, which allows you to visually assess the distribution of data. Go to the menu Settings → About phone → Storageto see a detailed memory map.
The system itself will offer to remove obvious junk, but manual control is often more effective. Particular attention should be paid to folders with downloads and documents, which are often forgotten by users. Temporary files can accumulate for months if they are not periodically deleted.
- 🗑️ Open the standard “Security” application and select “Cleanup” for automatic removal system garbage.
- 📂 Manually check the folder
Download(Downloads), where installation APK files and old documents often remain. - 📸 Go through the “Trash” album in the Gallery, since deleted photos are often stored there for another 30 days, taking place.
After the initial cleaning, you may find that several gigabytes have been freed up, but this is still not enough. In this case, it’s worth moving on to more in-depth customization of the applications and system. Do not forget that deleting system applications without understanding their function can lead to unstable operation of the device.
Using an SD card and formatting as internal memory
Many models Xiaomi Redmi retain a slot for microSD memory cards, which is a great way to expand storage. However, simply inserting the card isn't enough—by default, it acts as portable storage for photos and music. To install applications on it and transfer system data, the card must be formatted as internal memory.
It is important to understand that after formatting the card will be encrypted and linked specifically to this smartphone. You won't be able to transfer it to another phone without losing data, so choose a high-quality and large-capacity drive. It is recommended to use cards with speed class UHS-I or higher so as not to slow down the system.
The formatting process irreversibly deletes all data from the card, so be sure to back up important files to your computer or the cloud before starting the procedure. After connecting the card, the system itself will offer options for use, but you can do this manually through the settings.
☑️ Preparing to format the card
⚠️ Attention: Using a slow SD card as internal memory can lead to interface freezes and long loading times for applications. If the card has been in use for a long time, before formatting it is better to completely clean it on the computer.
Setting up instant messengers and social networks
The main memory hogs in modern smartphones are instant messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber by default, they save all received media files to the internal memory of the device. Without proper configuration, these applications can grow to gigantic proportions, slowing down the work of everything. Redmi.
The situation is solved most elegantly thanks to the cloud-based nature of the messenger. You can configure automatic cache clearing so that the application does not take up space, but your chat history remains available. To do this, go to Telegram the situation is resolved most elegantly thanks to the cloud-based nature of the messenger. You can configure automatic cache clearing so that the application does not take up space, but your chat history remains available. To do this, go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage and set the auto-delete timer, for example, for 3 days or 1 week.
With WhatsApp things are more complicated, since it stores the history locally. Transferring media files to a memory card or the cloud, as well as disabling autosaving to the gallery, will help here. Regularly cleaning the database through the settings of the application itself also gives tangible results.
- 💬 In Telegram, enable the “Auto-delete media” function for all chats so that the cache does not grow endlessly.
- 📹 In WhatsApp, disable auto-saving of received videos to the phone gallery in the “Chat” settings.
- 🗑️ Use the built-in Manage Storage feature in WhatsApp to delete heavy files from specific conversations.
In Telegram, you can completely free up space by simply clicking "Clear cache" in the settings - your photos and videos will not be lost, but will be downloaded again from the cloud when viewed.
Clearing the application cache and deleting unused software
Each installed application creates its own temporary files to speed up work. Over time, this cache can take up hundreds of megabytes or even gigabytes, especially for browsers, YouTube and marketplaces. Clearing the cache is a safe operation that does not delete your logins and passwords, but returns free space.
It is also worth revising installed apps. Often there are games on your phone that you haven't played for six months, or applications that you stopped using. MIUI has a handy feature that shows when the application was last launched.
To access application memory management, go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Select the heavy application, tap "Storage" and then "Clear". If you do not need the application, it is better to select “Delete.”
| Data type | What is it | Can I delete | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cache | Temporary files for acceleration | Yes, safe | The application will take a little longer to load |
| Data | Settings and logins applications | Only if not needed | Reset the application to factory settings |
| Documents | Files created by you | At your discretion | Loss of important files |
What is Dalvik Cache?
Dalvik Cache is a special memory section where optimized versions of applications are stored for fast system loading. Its cleaning is rarely required, usually after updating the firmware, and takes a lot of time during the first boot.
Disabling system applications and Google services
Smartphones Xiaomi often come with a pre-installed set of applications that cannot be removed in the usual way. This is the so-called bloatware. Although you cannot completely remove them without superuser rights (Root), many of them can be disabled, which will prevent them from updating and taking up space in the list of applications.
In addition, services Google also take up a significant portion of memory. If you don't use Maps, YouTube, or Voice Search, you can limit them to background activity. However, this must be done carefully so as not to disrupt the operation of critical system components.
To disable, go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find the unnecessary service (for example, Google Movies or Mi Video, if you don’t use it) and click “Disable”. This action will hide the application and stop its processes.
⚠️ Attention: Do not disable system components named “System”, “Framework”, “Security” or “Google Play Services”. This can lead to a cyclic reboot of the phone or the inability to authorize the account.
Radical measures: Reset and flashing
If none of the above methods gave the desired result, and the memory fills up on its own, the system may have accumulated critical errors or file system fragmentation has reached its limit. In this case, the most effective solution is a full reset to factory settings.
This procedure will return your Redmi to the “as from the store” state. All user data will be deleted, therefore backup is a mandatory step. You can use Mi Cloud, Google Drive or local saving to your computer.
You can perform a reset through the settings menu: Settings → About phone → Reset settings → Erase all data. After the reboot, the phone will be clean, and you can configure it again, installing only truly necessary applications.
Factory Reset is the most effective way to combat the bloat of the “Other” system partition, which is often impossible to clear with regular ones means.
Is it safe to use cleaner applications from the Play Market?
Most popular cleaners (Clean Master, DU Battery, etc.) on modern versions of Android (10, 11, 12, 13, 14) have limited access to the system and cannot clean deeper than the built-in Xiaomi tool. Moreover, they themselves consume resources and display advertising. The built-in “Security” tool in MIUI is quite enough for daily care.
Why does the “Other” section take up so much space?
The “Other” section in the Android storage is a hodgepodge of application caches, offline maps, messenger data, temporary update files and system logs. Often, the bloat of this section indicates that some application (often Telegram or TikTok) is not managing its temporary files correctly.
Is it possible to increase the memory on Xiaomi using a USB flash drive?
Yes, if your smartphone supports USB OTG technology. You can connect a flash drive via an adapter and use it to store photos, videos and documents. However, it will not be possible to install applications on a regular USB flash drive, since their reading speed is lower than that of internal memory, and the system will not allow using them as a system partition.