Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 full setup: from activation to finer parameters

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 remains one of the most popular budget smartphones even years after its release. Its balanced characteristics — a 48-MP camera, a Snapdragon 665 processor and a capacious 4000 mAh battery — make the device relevant for everyday tasks. However, out of the box, the smartphone does not work at full capacity: factory settings are often overloaded with unnecessary services, and MIUI hides useful functions behind several layers of menus.

This article will help not just activate the Redmi Note 8, but optimize it for your needs: from basic configuration after purchase to hidden features. MIUI, We're going to look at how to remove ads from the system, customize gestures, extend battery life, and even accelerate performance without root rights. We're going to focus on the unique problem of this model, which is overheating when charging and shooting video in the video. 4K, which is solved by adjusting camera settings and energy saving.

First Installing and Basic Setup

After removing the smartphone from the box, take your time to turn it on immediately. First check the equipment: the standard set should have a charger (18W), cable USB Type-C, paperclip for tray SIM-If you don't have a charger, you should be wary of having a used device sold to you.

For the first inclusion:

• 🔋 Connect the charger for 10-15 minutes (even if the battery is not completely discharged) and this will prevent a sudden shutdown during setup.
• 📱 Press the power button for 3-5 seconds until the Redmi logo appears.
• 🌐 Select a language (Russian), a region (Russia or Ukraine depending on firmware) and connect to Wi-Fi. Use 5 GHz networks – they are more stable for downloading updates.

At the stage of signing in to your Mi Account, you can skip authorization by clicking "Pay" at the bottom of the screen, but without an account, you will lose access to:

• 🔄 Cloud backup contacts and photos.
• 🔍 Functions to Find the device when lost.
• 📦 Updates to firmware through OTA (You have to install it manually).

⚠️ Warning: If you bought a smartphone with your hands, be sure to reset to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Previous owner could have linked the device to his Mi Account, which blocks some features.

MIUI optimization: remove ads and unnecessary applications

The MIUI's proprietary shell is known for its "added value" in the form of ads and pre-installed apps. On the Redmi Note 8, this is especially noticeable because of limited resources.

1. Turn off personalized ads: Settings → Privacy → Advertising → Disable Personalized Recommendations Also turn off Show Ads in Recommendations in the same menu.
2. Remove unnecessary apps: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Select unnecessary → Delete Without root rights, you can not remove system applications (for example, Mi Video or Mi Music), but they can be disabled.
3. Hide the Advertising in the Settings menu: Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in About Phone), then: Settings → Additional → For Developers → Disable “Show Ads in Settings”

For deep cleaning, use the ADB AppControl app (PC required), which allows you to remove system applications without root. Download it from XDA Developers and follow the instructions:

Enable debugging by USB in the developer settings | Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging | Download ADB Tools to your computer | Install Xiaomi drivers (if necessary)

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⚠️ Note: Removing system applications may cause the camera or mobile network to function unstable. Create a backup through Settings before deleting → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Customization of gestures and controls

The Redmi Note 8 supports both classic navigation buttons and MIUI gestures, which save space on the screen and speed up interaction.

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Choose MIUI Gestures (recommended) or Android Gestures (less intuitively).
3. In the section Additional gesture settings set up: 👆 Swipe up - return to the main screen. 👇 Swipe down – Opening the notification panel. 🔄 Swipe from the edge - going back.

For convenience, add a double touch to wake up:

Settings → Display → Screen Lock and Password → Double-touch to wake up

If gestures are unstable (such as random swipes back in games), calibrate the sensor:

Settings → About phone → All specs → Touch screen → Calibration

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To quickly open the camera from the locked screen, double-press the volume button. This feature is enabled in Settings → Screen Lock and Password → Quick camera start.

Extending battery life: energy saving and charging

The Redmi Note 8 has a 4,000mAh battery, but due to the optimization of MIUI, real life is often disappointing.

• 📶 Continuous network search (if the signal is weak).
• 🔍 Background activity of applications (especially social networks).
• 📸 Videotaping in the video 4K (heat up).

To extend autonomy:

1. Activate Power Saving Mode: Settings → Battery and Performance → Energy Saving Mode → Enable Select Balanced (recommended) or Super Energy Saving (restricts background processes).
2. Limit background activity: Settings → Apps → App management → Select an app → Limit background activity Especially with Facebook, Instagram and instant messengers.
3. Set up automatic mobile data shutdown: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data → Automatic Shutdown Set overnight shutdown (for example, 00:00 to 7:00).

⚠️ Note: Do not use fast charging 18W It's a constant, accelerating degradation of the battery, and it's optimal to charge the device to 80 percent and avoid overheating above 40.°C (checked in Settings) → The phone. → Battery status).

Camera setup: Hidden features and problem solving

The Redmi Note 8 is one of its key advantages: 48MP main module (Samsung GM1), 8MP ultra-wide-angle, 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensor. However, by default, the images are recycled, and 4K video warms the case.

Photo optimization:

• 📸 Enable Pro Mode in the camera app and install: ISO: 100–400 (for daytime pictures. Excerpt: 1/1000–1/2000 (White balance: Daylight (automatic is often wrong).
• 🔍 Turn off the AI camera (Camera settings) → AI camera – it artificially saturates colors.
• 🌃 For night shooting, use Night Mode with manual exposure of 2-3 seconds (fix your phone!).

Solving video problems:

• 🎥 When filming in 4K Is the phone warming up? 1080p 60fps Or use an external cooler.
• 🔊 No sound in the video? Check if the microphone is covered with a cover (it is located in the upper left corner).
• 📉 Video "brake"? Turn off stabilization (Camera settings) → Stabilization of video).

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For the best photos in Redmi Note 8, use the GCam app (Google Camera). Download version 7.3 or 7.4 with configured configuration for Samsung GM1 (see 4PDA forum).

Network and Communication: Accelerating the Internet and Solving Signal Problems

Redmi Note 8 supports duality SIM-maps (nanoSIM) + nanoSIM or nanoSIM + MicroSD, but users often face problems:

• 📶 Weak signal. 4G (especially in basements or on the outskirts of cities).
• ⚡ Slow mobile internet despite good signal.
• 🔄 Switching between spontaneously SIM-map.

How to improve communication:

1. Select the priority network manually: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [Choose. SIM] → Preferred type of network → 4G (recommended if 4G unstable, try it. 3G — Sometimes it works faster.
2. Turn off automatic network selection: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [Choose. SIM] → Choice of network → Manually select the operator manually (for example, MTS-RU supplant MTS).
3. Reset your network settings (if the internet is gone): Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings

To speed up the mobile internet:

• 🛡️ Turn off traffic savings in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Saving traffic.
• 🔗 Use it. DNS Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1): → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Setting up DNS → Manually.

⚠️ Note: If the phone does not catch the network after updating the firmware, go back to the previous version MIUI Instructions and firmware search on Xiaomi Firmware Updater.

Performance and cleaning: how to speed up your smartphone

Redmi Note 8 is slowing down due to:

• 🗑️ Full memory (especially if less than 10% of the space is left).
• 🧹 Application background activity (MIUI aggressively cache data).
• 🔄 Outdated firmware (relevant to devices on the MIUI 11 or lower).

Methods of acceleration:

1. Clear the cache: Settings → Storage → Cleanup → Cache applications Do this once every 1-2 weeks.
2. Turn off animation (developer mode required): Settings → Additional → For developers → Window/transition animation scale → Disable
3. Update the firmware: Settings → About Phone → Update the system Current version of MIUI for Redmi Note 8 – MIUI 14 (Android 10). If there are no updates, install them manually through Recovery.
4. Use lightweight apps: Replace heavy social networks with Lite versions (e.g. Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite).

If the smartphone is very warm and slow, check the processor boot:

Settings → About the phone → System status → CPU loading

Normal values: up to 30% in idle and up to 70% under load. If the load is higher, look for the "culprit" in Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Use.

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For radical acceleration, reset to factory settings and then set up "from scratch." This will remove all accumulated errors and unnecessary data. Don't forget to save photos and contacts first!

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions