Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are famous for their excellent price-performance ratio, but even powerful devices such as the Redmi 8 Pro eventually begin to suffer from a lack of free space. Especially annoying users with the mysterious category “Other” in storage, which can take up tens of gigabytes and is not amenable to standard cleaning. Owners of gadgets often face the fact that memory is filled for no apparent reason, and the system does not give a clear explanation exactly where free gigabytes went.
Dealing with this accumulated digital garbage is essential, as a crowded drive slows down the MIUI operating system and causes applications to be unstable. In this article, we will detail the safe and effective ways to free up space on your device, where hidden files are hiding, how to work with the messenger cache, and whether radical cleaning methods are worth resorting to.
The nature of the “Other” category on Redmi 8 Pro
The “Other” section of Android is not a bug, but a special container for all files that the operating system cannot uniquely classify, including temporary application files, remnants of deleted programs, error logs, streaming services cache and update data. On Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro, this category can grow especially actively due to the aggressive work of the background MIUI processes.
The main “eaters” of space are usually messengers such as Telegram or WhatsApp, which store all the media files viewed in hidden folders, and a significant share is occupied by the cache of browsers and streaming platforms that store videos for offline viewing, but do not display them in the gallery, the system considers this data to be system or unknown, so simply delete them through a standard Explorer will not work.
It's important to understand that cleaning up Other requires care, because it can also contain important data, such as downloaded maps of the navigator or draft documents. Blindly removing all content can lead to resetting application settings or loss of progress in games, so you need to audit before you start any manipulations and understand what exactly takes place.
⚠️ Note: Before deleting files from system folders, it is strongly recommended to back up important data on a cloud server or computer.
Analysis shows that up to 40 percent of the volume of the Other on older devices is fragmented data and tails from remote applications. The operating system does not always manage to properly redistribute the space that has vacated, creating the appearance of overcrowding, which is why periodic deep cleaning is a mandatory procedure to maintain the performance of the Redmi 8 Pro.
Standard cleaning tools in the MIUI shell
The first step for Xiaomi owners is to use built-in optimization tools. The MIUI shell features powerful system maintenance tools that users often ignore. The standard Security app is able to find and remove obvious debris, although it does not always cope with deep layers of cache.
To start the procedure, you need to go to the Settings menu → Memory or open the Security application → Cleanup. The system will scan and suggest removing temporary files, uninstall packet remnants and advertising debris. However, for more deep work, you should use the advanced functions inside the application.
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Use the built-in Cleaner daily to prevent large amounts of temporary files from accumulating.
Inside the cleaning tool is Deep Clean, which analyzes large files, duplicate photos and rarely used apps, and is safe for beginners because it only tags files that will not damage the system, but always check the list before final confirmation.
- 🗑️ Open the Security app on the home screen.
- 🗑️ Select the “Cleaning” item and wait for the analysis to be completed.
- 🗑️ Click on the Deep Clean icon for detailed scanning.
- 🗑️ Carefully examine the files proposed for deletion and confirm the operation.
If standard methods have not significantly reduced the volume of the Other, then the problem lies in the cache of specific applications or system indexing errors, in which case you will need more fine-tuning through the developer menu or third-party utilities.
Manual cleaning through application settings
The most effective way to combat the bloated “Other” section is to manually clean the cache of heavy applications. It is social networks and instant messengers that store gigabytes of images and videos that the system classifies as unclassified data. On Redmi 8 Pro, application memory is managed through a standard settings menu.
You need to go to Settings → Apps → All apps. In the list that opens, find the most resource-intensive programs, such as Instagram, TikTok, Telegram or YouTube. When you go to the application information, you will see the “Clean” or “Delete data” button.
☑️ Checking the application leaders on memory consumption
It is important to distinguish between Clear Cache and Clear All Data. The first option deletes temporary files, speeding up the application, but saves your logins and correspondence. The second option completely resets the application to the post-installing state, removing all accounts and settings, so you should use it with caution.
System applications like Gallery or Explorer also benefit from clearing the cache, as they create thumbnails and file indexes that can take up significant space over time.
⚠️ Warning: Clearing the app data will result in your account being logged out, so make sure to remember the password to re-authorize.
Using Developer Mode and Debugging over USB
For advanced users of Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro, it is possible to access hidden cleaning functions through developer mode. This method allows you to see which processes and services are taking place, and force them to stop to delete blocked files. Activating the developer mode requires several consecutive actions.
First, you need to turn on the hidden menu by going to Settings → About Phone and quickly clicking 7-10 times on the “MIUI Version”. After the notification “You became a developer” appears in the settings menu, a new section “Additional” → “For developers” will appear.
adb shell pm list packages -f | grep "appendix name"Inside the developer menu, you can find Process Statistics or use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to connect to your computer, and you can use the command line to remove the cache of system applications that are not available through the normal interface, but this method requires technical literacy, because a mistake in the command can lead to system instability.
How to safely use ADB for cleaning?
This is a good way to use it when standard methods are powerless and you know exactly which application is causing problems, for example, if the Media Server system service consumes excessive resources, rebooting it or clearing the data through ADB can solve the problem.
Analysis of storage using third-party snails
When MIUI's built-in tools don't give you the full picture, specialized analytics apps come to the rescue, and they visualize the structure of the memory by showing the exact size of each folder and file, which allows you to find hidden heavyweights. Redmi 8 Pro is a good fit for utilities like DiskUsage or Files by Google.
These applications build a memory card where the square size is proportional to the file size, so you can instantly detect forgotten downloads, application logs, or remnants of deleted games, and when you find an unnecessary file, you can delete it directly from the analyzer interface.
| Annex | Functional | Security | Russian |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiskUsage | Visual memory card | Tall. | There is. |
| Files by Google | Search for duplicates and debris | Tall. | There is. |
| SD Maid | Deep cleaning of the system | Medium (requires rights) | There is. |
| Clean Master | Basic cache cleanup | Average (much advertising) | There is. |
When using third-party software, it is important to only provide the necessary permissions. Some cleaners require excessive access rights, which can become a threat to privacy. Choose proven solutions from well-known developers such as Google or independent open source projects.
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Memory visualization helps you find hidden files that are not visible in a standard conductor.
Radical measures: resetting and formatting
If none of the softer methods helped to make room and the Other category continues to grow, the last option remains a full factory reset.This action completely clears the Redmi 8 Pro's internal memory, removing all user data, applications and, of course, all accumulated system debris.
Before performing this operation, it is critical to save all important photos, contacts and documents to an external medium or to the Mi Cloud. the reset process is irreversible, and it will be impossible to recover deleted files without professional equipment.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The system will request confirmation of the unlock password and password from your Mi Account. After the reboot, you will get a clean system where the Other section will occupy the minimum necessary volume.
⚠️ Warning: A full reset will delete all data from your phone. make sure you have an up-to-date backup before starting the procedure.
Once back to factory, it is recommended not to restore all applications from backup at once, but to install them again, and often it is when you restore old data and settings on the phone that all the “junk” that you tried to delete returns.
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To prevent the problem of overflowing the “Other” partition on the Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro from reoccurring, it is worth introducing a few useful habits: Regular maintenance of the device takes a few minutes a week, but saves hours of nerves in the future. First of all, set up automatic cache cleaning in popular applications.
For example, Telegram can set a cache size limit or autodelete downloaded files after a week, YouTube and Netflix should periodically check the list of downloaded videos for offline viewing and delete what you viewed.
- 📅 Check the download folder once a week and delete the unnecessary ones.
- 📅 Turn off auto-save media in the gallery of messengers.
- 📅 Use cloud storage to store photos and videos.
- 📅 Do not install applications from unknown sources.
Also watch for updates to the MIUI system. Xiaomi engineers are constantly optimizing the work of the file system, and new versions of the firmware may contain corrections for errors that lead to the proliferation of system folders. Maintaining the relevance of the software is the key to stable operation of the smartphone.