How to Speed Up Xiaomi Redmi 8A: From Simple Tricks to Deep Optimization

The Xiaomi Redmi 8A, released in 2019, is still a popular budget smartphone thanks to its robust battery and a good “stuffing” for its time. However, over the years, even this hardy device begins to “brake”: applications open for a long time, animation twitches, and the system dangles when multitasking, due to the outdated Snapdragon 439 processor, limited 2-3 GB of RAM and a loaded MIUI firmware with background processes.

This article provides practical acceleration methods, from basic (cleaning cache, turning off animations) to advanced (resetting to factory settings, choosing alternative firmware). All recommendations are tested on Redmi 8A with current versions of MIUI 12-14 and adapted to the features of its hardware. No universal tips - only what really works for this model.

1.Diagnosis: Why your Redmi 8A is slowing down

Before optimizing, you need to understand the root of the problem. Redmi 8A has typical bottlenecks:

• 🔋 Lack of RAM (2-3 GB) – the system kills background applications, but this does not save you when multitasking.
• 🗃️ Overflowing vault (32/64 GB - less than 10% Free space leads to lags.
• 🔄 Outdated firmware - new versions MIUI Not optimized for the weak Snapdragon 439 processor.
• 📱 Background processes — MIUI actively uses synchronization services, analytics and advertising.

To identify your problem:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and check the relevance of the firmware.
2. Run Settings → Memory and see how much RAM and internal storage are free.
3. Install the CPU Monitor app (from Google Play) and check to boot the processor to plain.

A critical feature of Redmi 8A is that when the storage is more than 90% full, the system begins to aggressively compress the cache, which leads to constant hanging when you start applications. If this is the case, start with cleaning the memory (section 3).

2. Basic optimization: cleaning up cache and debris

The first thing you need to do is to make room and delete the data that you don't need, and on the Redmi 8A, this gives you up to 20 to 30 percent speed gains by reducing the load on storage and RAM.

Cleaning up the app cache

Cash speeds up the software, but eventually it turns into garbage to clean it up.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the “heavy” app (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Google Play Services).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

Delete unnecessary files

Use the built-in cleaning utility:

1. Open Security. → Cleanup.
2. Press Deep Clean and wait for analysis.
3. Delete junk files, app residues, and unnecessary APKs.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui) – this can cause interface failures. /system rootless.

Disabling the autoloading of applications

MIUI likes to run programs in the background, so to stop it:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Autorun.
2. Turn off autoplay for all unnecessary apps (especially for games and social networks).
3. In the same menu, select Permissions → Special Access → Battery Optimization and turn it on for all applications.

3. MIUI Optimization: Hidden Settings for Acceleration

MIUI contains many hidden features that can be used to speed up work, most of which do not require root rights.

Cancel animations

Animations make the interface look nicer, but they slow down the weak processor to turn them off.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the items: Window animation scale → Disable animation scale transition animation → Disable animation duration animation → No animation

💡

If the interface seems too sharp after disabling the animation, set the 0.5x value instead of completely disabling – this will smooth the transitions, but will not slow down.

Switching to a lightweight topic

MIUI allows you to use themes with simplified graphics to change the subject:

1. Open the Topics (the default app).
2. Choose the category Simple or Minimalism.
3. Apply a theme with minimal visual effects (such as Classic or Light).

💡

Replacing 3-4 heavy apps with lightweight versions can free up to 1 GB of RAM and speed up multitasking by 40%.

Limitation of background activity

Even after you turn off auto-start, some apps are still running in the background to stop it.

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
2. Select Limit Background Activity for Unnecessary Apps.
3. For critical programs (messengers, mail) leave No restrictions, but turn off Autosynchronization in their settings.

5. Deep Optimization: Reset and Firmware

If the basic methods didn't work, it's time to move on to radical measures: factory resets or installing an alternative firmware could bring the Redmi 8A back to "factory" speed.

Hard Reset (Hard Reset)

Reset removes all data, but it cleans the system of garbage and misaligned settings.

1. Create a backup of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Erase all data.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

What the dumping does:

• 🧹 Deletes all temporary files and cache.
• 🔄 Returns settings MIUI to default (without unnecessary background processes).
• 📉 Reduces the load on the processor by cleaning up unnecessary services.

Installation of custom firmware

The official MIUI gets too heavy for the Redmi 8A over time. Alternative firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) is better optimized.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• 🚀 Faster work by removing unnecessary Xiaomi services.
• 🔄 Regular security updates (as opposed to official security updates) MIUI old-model).
• 📱 Clean Android without ads and unnecessary apps.

How to determine:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account and wait 7 days).
2. Install custom TWRP recavators via fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
3. In TWRP, make a backup of the current firmware (Backup).
4. Sweep through the selected firmware (e.g. LineageOS 18.1 for Redmi 8A).
5. Install GApps (minimum package NikGapps).

⚠️ Warning: Inept firmware can turn your phone into a brick if you've never worked with fastboot or TWRP, It is better to contact an experienced user or service center, and also note that after unlocking the bootloader, all data will be reset, and the warranty (if it is still valid) will be lost.

6.Iron optimization: battery and temperature

Overheating and worn-out battery are common causes of brakes on the Redmi 8A. The Snapdragon 439 processor, when heated above 60°C, begins trottling (forced frequency reduction), which leads to lags.

How to reduce heat

• 🔋 Close the background applications – use Settings → Annexes → Executed and Stop Unnecessary Processes.
• 🌡️ Take off the case - Redmi 8A warms up due to poor ventilation, and the cover exacerbates the problem.
• 🔄 Turn off mobile data/Wi-Fi When simple – communication modules heat the processor.
• 🎮 Limit it. FPS In games, select 30 in the graphics settings FPS 60 FPS.

Checking battery status

Not only does the battery run out quickly, it causes sudden power outages when it's loaded, to check its condition:

1. Install the AccuBattery app from Google Play.
2. Charge your phone to 100% and check the battery health score.
3. If the value is below 70%, it is time to change the battery.

Critical Threshold for Redmi 8A: When the battery wears more than 30%, the phone starts to spontaneously reboot when you start heavy applications (such as games or cameras). ~1500–2000 ₽) restore stability.

7. Alternative methods: if nothing helps

If all of these things don't work, there are some other solutions that are more work-intensive, but can save even the very old Redmi 8A.

Use of a lightweight launcher

The standard MIUI launcher uses a lot of resources.

• 🏠 Nova Launcher (set up animations to 0.5x).
• 📱 Lawnchair (Lightweight version of Pixel Launcher).
• ⚡ Smart Launcher 5 (Automatically sorts applications).

Disabling one processor core

The Snapdragon 439 in the Redmi 8A has 8 cores, but 4 of them are weak (Cortex-A53), which can paradoxically speed up work by reducing heat and trottling.

1. Get root rights (via Magisk).
2. Install the Kernel Adiutor app.
3. Move to the CPU → Disable the cores and deactivate the cores 5-8 (or 1-4 if the former are more powerful).
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly shutting down cores can lead to unstable operation or inability to boot.Before experimenting, create a backup in the computer. TWRP.

Using the phone in safe mode

If the brakes are caused by a virus or application conflict, check your phone in Safe Mode:

1. Press the power button and hold your finger to turn off.
2. In the window that appears, select Safe Mode.
3. Check if the lags have disappeared. If so, there's a problem in one of the apps installed.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 8A acceleration