Xiaomi Redmi 8, which is powered by the Snapdragon 439 processor, is still popular due to its reliability and affordable price. However, over time, even the most stable operating systems, such as MIUI, start to run slower due to the accumulation of temporary files, the growth of the application database and the obsolescence of software components. Users often notice that the interface begins to slow down, and the launch of heavy applications takes longer than the first time when the gadget is turned on.
There are many ways to get your device back up to speed without having to flash it or call a service center. System optimization is a set of measures that includes both standard interface settings and deeper changes to the processor and RAM. In this article, we will look at proven methods that will help you significantly increase the interface response speed by 30-40% and make using your smartphone comfortable.
Before you start to take action, you need to understand the reason for the slowdown, most often it is not a hardware malfunction, but software conflicts or lack of free space on the internal drive, a competent approach to setup will prolong the life of your gadget and postpone the purchase of a new model.
Memory cleanup and storage management
The first and most obvious step is to free up the internal space. Android requires free space to create temporary files and allow virtual memory to function properly. If the storage occupancy indicator is on red, the system will force the process to slow down to avoid critical errors.
Use the built-in Security app, which is pre-installed in the MIUI shell. It allows you to quickly remove debris accumulated after browsers and instant messengers work. However, for a deeper cleaning, it is recommended to manually analyze folders with heavy files.
Remove unused apps that only take up space and can run background processes, and removing heavy games and programs you haven’t used in the past three months is a great habit to keep your system healthy.
You can use a built-in memory analyzer to monitor storage. Go to Settings → Memory and carefully study what takes up the most space. Often, it turns out that a significant portion of the volume is occupied by duplicate photos or cache of streaming services.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete system folders and files with the.apk extension unless you are sure of their origin. Deleting critical system components can lead to unstable operation or a cyclical restart of the device.
Setting up animation and interface
The visual part of the MIUI heavily relies on animations, which create smooth transitions but consume resources of the processor. On budget devices like Redmi 8, disabling or shortening animations gives the most noticeable increase in menu speed and switching between applications.
To access hidden settings, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version. After you have a message that you have become a developer, go back to the main settings menu.
In the advanced settings, find the section Additional → For developers. Here you are interested in three parameters: "Scale of window animation", "Scale of transition animation" and "Scale of transition duration of the animator." By default, they are set to 1x. Change them to 0.5x or completely disable (0x) if you want maximum interface sharpness.
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Setting a 0.5x value instead of completely disabling (0x) preserves the visual connection between actions, making the interface clearer, but at the same time significantly speeds up the work.
The changes take effect instantly. You'll notice that windows open faster and transitions between screens become almost instantaneous. It doesn't increase CPU performance, but it creates a sense of faster device by reducing the waiting time for visual effects to complete.
Optimization of RAM and Background Processes
The MIUI’s RAM Management (RAM) has its own peculiarities: The system aggressively unloads applications from memory, but sometimes background processes can still accumulate and load the processor. For Redmi 8 with its 2, 3 or 4 GB of RAM, it is critical to control the list of running services.
In the same Developer menu, you can find the Background Process Limit, which means that if you set a limit on, say, 2 or 3 processes, you can't allow the system to store more than that number of applications, which will free up resources for the program that's actively used.
- 🚀 Memory Expansion: In some versions MIUI Memory Extension is available, which uses a portion of internal memory as a virtual memory. RAM. Try to turn it on if available, but watch the speed of work.
- 🛑 Autostart: Go to the Security app → Permits → Autostart and disable startup for all applications except instant messengers, this will prevent unnecessary services from starting when the phone is turned on.
- 🔋 Energy saving: In the battery settings, select Performance or Balanced mode. Energy saving mode can artificially lower the CPU frequencies, causing lags.
It is also recommended to periodically clean memory through the built-in widget on the desktop. While Android can manage memory itself, on older versions of firmware, manual cleaning before starting a “heavy” task can help avoid friezes.
☑️ Checklist optimization RAM
Removing Advertising and Systemic Garbage
One of the reasons for the slowdown of the interface is advertising built into system applications. MIUI. Promotional modules (MSA — MIUI System Ads consume Internet traffic and CPU time to load and display banners. Disabling ads will not only remove visual noise, but also unload the system.
To turn off ads, go to Settings → Password and Security → Access to Personal Data. Find the msa app and turn off the access slider. The system will ask you to wait 10 seconds, then click "Cancel." A similar procedure should be done for Mi Credit, Mi Video and Music apps if you are not using them.
⚠️ Warning: After permissions are revoked, the ad may not disappear immediately. Full effect of the changes takes up to 24 hours, but often happens faster after the device is restarted.
In addition, you should disable personalized recommendations. In the Tools folder, open the Services and Feedback app, go to settings and turn off "Receive recommendations." This will prevent constant requests to Xiaomi servers for news feeds, which also saves resources.
System update and resetting
The software is constantly being improved. Xiaomi developers are releasing updates that often contain optimization bug fixes and security patches. If your Redmi 8 has an older version of MIUI installed, the update can solve performance issues.
Check for updates in Settings → About Phone. If the automatic update doesn’t offer a new version, you can try clicking on the MIUI version several times for manual search, however, if the device hasn’t received updates in several years, you can skip this step.
If the software methods don't work, the radical but effective way is to completely reset to factory settings, which will delete all your data, applications and settings, bringing your phone back out of the box. Be sure to back up important contacts and files before doing so.
How to make a complete reset (Hard Reset)?
Don't install all the apps at once, give the system an hour or two to initially index files and optimize databases, at which point the phone can warm and run slowly, which is normal.
Comparison of optimization methods
Not all methods are equally effective for each user. The choice of acceleration method depends on what causes the brakes in your particular case: memory shortage, overcrowded storage or software conflicts.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Low. | Minimum | No. |
| Cancel animations | Tall (visually) | Low. | No. |
| Deletion of applications | Medium | Low. | No. |
| Reset to factory | Maximum | Tall. | Yes (full) |
As you can see from the table, the safest methods only have a temporary or visual effect, and a radical solution often requires a comprehensive approach or extreme measures in the form of a reset.
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The combination of disabling animation, cleaning up autoload and removing ads gives the best result without losing personal data.