Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, when connecting the device to a computer or using file managers, are often faced with a huge number of incomprehensible folders. One of the most noticeable and questionable is the directory named MiVideoGlobal. Users are frightened by its size, which can take up gigabytes of memory, and the constant activity of processes associated with this name.
In fact, MiVideoGlobal is the system cache of the standard video player pre-installed on the company's devices. Xiaomi Inc.. This folder is created automatically when you first launch the application and serves as storage for temporary files, video thumbnails, the streaming buffer, and metadata about the content viewed. Understanding its structure helps to properly manage free space on your drive.
Many users mistakenly believe that this is a virus or a hidden miner and try to immediately delete the directory. However deleting system folders without understanding their functions can lead to incorrect operation of multimedia software. In this article, we will analyze in detail the purpose of each file inside the directory, explain why it grows, and give safe recommendations for cleaning it.
Purpose and functions of the system directory
Directory MiVideoGlobal is part ecosystems MIUI and HyperOS. It is responsible for caching data to speed up the video player when accessing files again. When you open a heavy, high-definition video, the player reads some of the data in advance and saves it to temporary storage. This ensures smooth playback without jerks or buffering delays.
In addition, thumbnails for all video files found in the device memory are stored inside this folder. It is thanks to this data that the gallery and video player can quickly display video previews in the general list. Thumbnail caching significantly speeds up scrolling the list of files, but takes up disk space. The more videos you have, the larger this folder becomes.
Data about the last viewed frame, subtitle settings for online streams, and playback error logs can also be saved here. The system uses this data for analytics and improving user experience. It is important to understand that deleting the folder will not free up space foreveras it will be re-created the next time you launch the application, but will temporarily clear the cache.
⚠️ Attention: If you use third-party video players (for example, VLC or MX Player) and never open the stock Xiaomi player, the folder can still grow. This occurs due to background scanning processes for media files that are integrated into the system shell.
Some users notice that the folder begins to actively consume traffic. This is due to the function of online recommendations and loading covers for videos that the player considers popular. Disabling this function in the settings of the application itself helps reduce the network load and reduce the cache size.
Content analysis: what's inside the folder
Looking inside the directory /Android/data/com.miui.videoplayer/files/MiVideoGlobal/, you will see many subfolders with unclear names. The most common folders are cache, thumbnail and download. The folder cache stores temporary buffer files. If you watched an online video, this is where fragments of it are saved.
The directory thumbnail contains images in the format .jpg or .webp. These are the same thumbnails that you see in the list of files. It's safe to delete them, but the system will simply recreate them when you open the gallery again. The folder download may contain files that you saved from the player's online directories, if such a function was active.
The following is a table describing the main file types found in this structure:
| File type / Folder | Description content | Deletion security |
|---|---|---|
.temp |
Temporary streaming video buffering files | Safe |
thumbnail_* |
Cover thumbnails for local and online videos | Safe (recovered) |
log_* |
Error logs and player crash reports | Safe |
offline_* |
Files saved for offline viewing | Deleting will erase saved videos |
Files with the extension .datdeserve special attention. They may contain playlist configurations or search history. Before manual cleaning, it is recommended to copy important data if you do not want to lose your browsing history or settings.
Why does the folder weigh more than all the videos on the phone?
Sometimes the size of the MiVideoGlobal folder can exceed the total volume of all video files. This occurs due to cache bloat, where old temporary files are not automatically deleted and new ones are written on top of them, creating logical errors in the file system. This may also be a sign of a failure of the scanning process that has gone into a loop.
Is it possible to delete the MiVideoGlobal folder
The main question that worries users: is it safe to delete this directory? The answer is yes, deleting the MiVideoGlobal folder it will not harm the operating system Android and will not lead to the loss of personal photos or documents. This is just a user application cache, and not a critical system file, without which the phone will not start.
However, if you simply delete the folder through the file manager, the effect will be temporary. The next time you start the video player or reboot the device, the system will detect the absence of the cache and create the folder again. Soon it will start to fill up with junk files again. Therefore, simply deleting the root folder is not an effective method of dealing with low memory.
A more correct approach is cleaning through system settings. This allows you to reset an application's cache without affecting its core configuration files. This method ensures that you do not delete anything unnecessary that might be required for the interface to work correctly.
Deleting a folder manually through a file manager is a temporary solution. For long-term effect, use the standard cache clearing in application settings.
It is also worth noting that on some firmware versions, access rights to this folder may be limited. In such cases, the system simply will not allow you to delete files without obtaining extended rights (root), which is additional protection against accidental data damage.
Instructions for safely cleaning storage
To effectively free up space occupied MiVideoGlobal, it is best to use the built-in cleaning tools. This ensures that only temporary files are deleted and the player settings remain intact. Follow the step-by-step guide below.
First you need to go to the device settings. Find the section Applications (or All applications). In the list of installed apps, find Video (icon with a purple triangle or Mi logo). It is this application that generates the folder in question.
☑️ Checklist for clearing the video player cache
After entering the application menu, click on the item Memory (or Storage). You will see two buttons: "Clear cache" and "Clear all". Click on Clear cache. This operation will delete temporary files, thumbnails and buffer, but will keep your browsing history and settings. If you want to completely reset the application to its factory state, select "Clear all", but remember that this will also delete local playlists.
If the standard method did not help and the folder continues grow, you can try disabling auto-update of covers. To do this, open the "Video" application itself, go to My -> Settings and disable the items related to "Recommendations" and "Downloading covers over Wi-Fi".
⚠️ Attention: Before using the "Clear" function All" make sure that you have not saved any important video files inside the app itself for offline viewing. They will be permanently deleted.
Problems with cache growth and their solutions
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a folder MiVideoGlobal grows to tens of gigabytes, taking up the lion's share of memory. This phenomenon is often called a "cache storm". It may be caused by a failure in the process of indexing media files or an error in the code of a specific version of the shell MIUI.
In such cases, simply clearing the cache may not help, since the error is repeated cyclically. One solution is to stop the application completely before cleaning. Go to Settings -> Applications -> Video and press the button Stop. Only after this, clear the memory.
If the problem persists, try updating the Video application through the store GetApps or Google Play. Developers regularly release patches to fix memory leaks. As a last resort, you can temporarily remove application updates by returning it to the factory version built into the firmware.
It is also worth checking whether the auto-save function for downloaded videos is enabled. Some users download videos from the built-in browser or other sources, and they are saved to the video player directory by default, creating the illusion of a bloated cache.
Alternatives and disabling the system player
If the standard player from Xiaomi you don’t like it, it causes memory problems or simply not satisfied with the functionality, it can be replaced. On Android this is easy. You can install any third-party analogue, for example VLC for Android, MX Player or Nova Video Player.
After installing the alternative, the system may continue to offer to open the video through the old player. To change this, go to Settings -> Applications -> Default (or through the specific application menu). Select the item Video playback and specify a new player.
Is it possible to completely remove system video player? On devices without root access - no, just disable it. To do this, click Disablein the application menu. This will hide the icon from the menu and prevent the process from running, which will stop the creation of new files in the folder MiVideoGlobal. However, the folder itself will remain a dead weight until the next time it is turned on.
The use of third-party players often solves the problem of cache bloat, since they work more accurately with temporary files and allow you to flexibly configure the paths for saving them. In addition, they often support more audio and video codec formats out of the box.
Use the Files by Google app to automatically clean up junk files. It can find duplicate videos and bloated application caches, offering to safely delete them.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will my personal video be deleted along with the MiVideoGlobal folder?
No, your personal video files, shot on camera or downloaded from the Internet, are stored in separate folders (usually DCIM/Camera or Download). The folder MiVideoGlobal contains only a temporary cache and thumbnails. However, if you used the "Save for offline viewing" function within the application itself, these files may be located inside this directory and will be deleted.
Why does the folder appear again immediately after deletion?
This is normal behavior of the operating system Android. The owner application (Video) checks the presence of its working directory every time it starts. If the folder does not exist, it is created again. To stop this process, you do not need to delete the folder manually, but clear the cache through the settings or disable the application itself.
Is the file in this folder a virus?
The folder itself and its contents are not viruses. These are legitimate system files. However, in theory, malware can masquerade as system processes. If you notice strange activity (for example, pop-up ads when the screen is off), check your device with an antivirus, for example Dr.Web or Kaspersky.
How to block an application from accessing the Internet so that the cache does not grow?
You can limit background data transfer. Go to Settings -> Applications -> Video -> Data usage. Disable the "Background mode" and "Roaming" items. This will prevent downloading of covers and recommendations, but will not affect the playback of local files.
Can I move this folder to an SD card?
In modern versions of Android (from 11 and above) access to the file system is limited, and it is impossible to force the cache of a specific application to the SD card using standard means. Some file managers allow you to create a symbolic link, but this requires root access and can destabilize the system.