Because it’s binary, it’s harder to reverse-engineer than raw OpenCL C source. Some MACE-based applications use this to ship proprietary neural network operators without exposing the algorithm.
So, a mace-cl-compiled-program.bin file is a created by the MACE framework for an application on your device. It's an integral part of how the app efficiently uses your phone's GPU to run AI tasks quickly and reduce battery drain.
Deleting this file will not break the app or lose your personal data. However, the next time you open the associated app, you may notice:
: Tools like converter.py in the MACE toolkit automatically generate these binaries after tuning the kernels for a specific device. How the File is Generated and Used mace-cl-compiled-program.bin
Because Xiaomi developed MACE, many system applications (like the stock MIUI/HyperOS Camera app or gallery utilities) generate this file.
(Neural Processing Units / Digital Signal Processors, via Qualcomm Hexagon NN Direct or Android NNAPI)
While the mace_cl_compiled_program.bin is generally beneficial, it can sometimes be a source of confusion for developers and users. It's an integral part of how the app
Some users have reported seeing this file appear on their phone's storage, and even after deleting it, it reappears. This is expected behavior when an application that uses the MACE framework is running. The application's MACE engine will regenerate the binary to accelerate its operations. Deleting it will simply force the app to regenerate it, potentially slowing down its first launch after deletion. It is not harmful and can be safely left alone.
MACE can automatically tune GPU parameters for specific System-on-Chips (SoCs). These tuned parameters and kernels are then stored in this .bin file to ensure the best possible performance. Key Characteristics
The framework checks the file system for this file. If found, it skips compilation entirely, loading the pre-built binaries directly to the GPU and reducing startup times to milliseconds. Architecture and Mechanics of the Binary Cache How the File is Generated and Used Because
| Goal | Approach | |------|----------| | | Place it in the MACE model directory with the correct .pb or .mace model file. Load with mace::MaceEngine passing GPU device type. | | Inspect device compatibility | Use CL_DEVICE_NAME via OpenCL to get your device name, then check if it matches the binary’s target. | | Disassemble (advanced) | The binary is usually vendor-specific (e.g., Qualcomm’s Adreno CL binary format). Tools like qcom-cl-compiler or Mali offline compiler might read it, but rarely publicly documented. | | Delete safely | If you’re cleaning storage and don’t run MACE-based AI apps, deletion is safe. The app will recompile the OpenCL kernel if needed (at a performance cost). |
The file is a binary file generated by Xiaomi's MACE (Mobile AI Compute Engine) , a deep learning inference framework optimized for mobile devices. This specific file contains compiled OpenCL kernels , which are small programs that allow AI models to run efficiently on a device's GPU.
The content of this file is not human-readable text; it is a .
: A .bin file is a binary file, which contains data in a format that can be directly used by computers. This could be executable code, data for a program, or firmware for an embedded device.
: Mobile editing apps that feature smart object removal, automated color grading, or background isolation.