Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: why it takes gigabytes and how to reduce

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro sooner or later face a mysterious item “Other” in the “Storage” section of settings. It can take from 5 to 30 GB – and this despite the fact that you have long since deleted unnecessary photos, cleared the cache of applications and even transferred files to the memory card. Where does this “junk” come from, why does the system not show its contents and can you safely vacate space?

The problem isn’t unique to the Redmi Note 8 Pro — it’s common for all MIUI smartphones (especially 11-14 versions), but in this model, due to the specifics of the Helio G90T processor and the F2FS file system, “Other” often grows faster than on other devices. In this article, we’ll not only explain what exactly is hidden under this item, but also show 4 working ways to reduce its size — from standard MIUI tools to manual cleaning through ADB.

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What is the “Other” in the memory of a smartphone and why it grows

The “Other” item in the storage menu is a collection category for files that the system cannot classify as standard partitions (photos, videos, apps, etc.) and includes:

• 📁 Cache of system applications (MIUI, Google Services, Security, etc. that is not cleaned by standard means.
• 🔄 Error Logs and Dumps –.log,.dmp files created when crashes or diagnostics occur.
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications – Folders /data/app-lib or /data/dalvik-cache, Sometimes left behind after the installation.
• 🔐 Encrypted data (e.g. from Mi Account or Google Play Services).
• 📱 Update files – temporary folders with firmware (/cache or /data/ota_package).

On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the Other is often swelled because of:

1. Active use of Game Turbo - games is allocated an additional cache, which is not always properly cleaned.

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How to Check What’s in the Other’s Place

The MIUI system does not show the detailed composition of The Other, but there are workarounds:

Method 1: Through "Storage Analysis" (built-in tool)

Go to Settings → Storage → Storage Analysis. The system will scan the memory and show the distribution of files by category.

• 📂 «System data** – Logs and cache may be hidden here.
• 🔍 «Other files** – Application residues and temporary data.

Method 2: Using a file manager (manual inspection)

Use Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer (with root permissions) to check folders:

/data/log/


/data/tombstones/




/data/system/dropbox/




/cache/




/data/local/tmp/

In /data/tombstones/ folder, error dumps weighing 100-500 MB each are often found, and can be manually removed.

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Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools

Start with standard methods – they are safe and do not require root rights.

Step 1: Cleaning the cache of system applications

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Sort the list by size and select:

• 🎮 Game Turbo (if you use it)

In each application, click Clear Cache (not data!) This can free up 1-3GB.

Step 2: Delete Unnecessary Files through Cleanup

In Settings → Storage → Cleanup, select:

• 🗑️ «Garbage files” (including cache and temporary files).
• 📁 «Large files – check for old updates or logs.

Backup of important data

Check the vacant space (should be ≥10%)

Close all applications

Connect charging (in case of a long operation)-->

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Method 2: Manual cleaning through ADB (no root)

If standard methods don’t work, use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level cleaning tool.

Step 1: Preparation

1. Download ADB Tools for Windows/macOS/Linux.

2. Turn on your smartphone:

• 🔧 Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times to activate the developer mode).
• 🔌 Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.

Step 2: Cleaning commands

Connect your phone to your PC and execute it in the terminal (cmd or terminal):

adb shell


pm clear com.miui.securitycenter #Cleaning the cache "Security"




rm -rf /data/log/* # Deletion of logs (requires rights)




rm -rf /data/tombstones/* # Error dump removal




rm -rf /cache/* # Clearing the cache system

💡

If the rm command doesn’t work due to lack of rights, try su first (root needed) or use the adb shell pm trim-caches -a to clear the cache of all applications.

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Method 3: Resetting cache via Recovery Mode

If the Other takes up more than 10GB and doesn’t shrink, try resetting the cache through Restore Mode.This won’t delete your data, but will clear the system temporary files.

Instructions:

1. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.

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Method 4: Remove old MIUI updates

Xiaomi often leaves firmware files in memory even after installation, and they can weigh 1-2 GB each.

How to find and delete:

1. Open Mi File Manager and go to Internal Memory → MIUI.

2. Delete the folders:

• 📦 downloaded_rom — There are some downloaded firmware.
• 📦 ota_package — temporary update files.

3. Also check the /cache/ folder for files with the.zip extension.

💡

If you use Custom Recovery (e.g. TWRP), old firmware can be stored in /sdcard/TWRP/ – it can also be removed.

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Table: What can be safely removed and what can’t

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What NOT to do when cleaning the “Other”

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete folders /data/data/ or /system/ — This will lead to the collapse of the system and the need for reflashing.

Also avoid:

• 🚫 Deleting files with the.odex or.apk extension are system components.
• 🚫 Use programs like Clean Master – they often delete the data they need.
• 🚫 Formatting a section /data backup.

⚠️ Warning: If the Other grows fast again after cleaning, check your phone for viruses (for example, through Malwarebytes) – some malware masquerades as system files.

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FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” in the memory of the Redmi Note 8 Pro