How to completely clean “Other files” on Xiaomi Redmi 8T: from cache to system garbage

Xiaomi Redmi 8T is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but over time, its memory begins to get clogged with mysterious "Other Files." These gray stripes in the "Storage" section can take anywhere from 5 to 15 GB, even though you haven't installed as many apps. What's the matter? Why does the system show that the memory is full, but doesn't tell you what exactly?

In fact, Other Files are a mixture of app cache, deleted program residues, temporary MIUI files, system logs, and even hidden folders from messengers. Xiaomi doesn't always correctly classify this data, so it falls into the Other category. The good news is that most of this garbage can be removed without root rights and without factory resetting. In this article, 6 proven cleanups, including hidden MIUI features and third-party tools.

1.What are the “Other Files” on Xiaomi Redmi 8T and Why Do They Take So Much Space

If you go to Settings → Memory, you'll see a graph with the memory allocation, often showing a huge 3 to 20 GB "Other Files" segment, which is not a system bug, but real data that MIUI can't categorize.

• 📁 Application cache – temporary files that programs create to speed up work (for example, thumbnails in a gallery, map data in Google Maps).
• 🗑️ Residual files – “tails” from remote applications (settings, databases, cache).
• 📜 Logs and dumps of the system – debugging files that are created when crashes or updates occur.
• 🔍 Hidden folders of messengers – Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber store media in separate directories that are not always visible to the user.
• 🛠️ Update files MIUI — downloaded but not installed firmware packages.
• 🎮 Game data – saves, texture packs, cache (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG It can take gigabytes).

On Redmi 8T, the problem is aggravated by the fact that the smartphone was produced with 64 GB of memory, of which about 50-55 GB is available to the user. If you do not clean the "Other files", after a year of using free space, less than 5 GB may remain - and the system will begin to brake.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files manually through Explorer unless you know their purpose. /data/dalvik-cache It contains optimized data for fast app downloads, and deleting it will lead to the smartphone being looped on the logo. MI.

2. Method 1: Clearing the cache of all applications (without root)

The easiest and safest method is to remove the cache of all installed programs. This will not affect your data (photos, messages, game saves), but will free up from 1 to 5 GB of memory.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Turn to the apps that take up the most space (for example, YouTube, Facebook, Google Play Services).
4. Inside each application, click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data!).

To speed up the process, you can use the function of mass cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Press Deep Clean and wait for analysis.
3. Check all the boxes and tap Clear.

Clear the Google Play Services cache (can take up to 1GB)

Delete the cache of the Gallery (miniatures and previews)

Clear Telegram/WhatsApp (cache of media files)

Pay attention to games (Genshin Impact caches up to 8GB, for example)-->

After cleaning, restart the smartphone - this will help the system correctly recalculate the occupied space.

Method 2: Removal of Residual Files of Remote Applications

When you delete an app through Settings or Google Play, MIUI doesn't always completely erase its data.

• 📂 Folders in /Android/data/ and /Android/obb/ (For example, com.tencent.ig PUBG).
• 🗃️ Settings files in /data/data/ (root-only).
• 🖼️ Cache of media files (for example, from TikTok or Instagram).

To remove these "tails":

1. Connect Redmi 8T to your computer via USB (in File Transfer mode).
2. Open the internal memory folder → Android → data.
3. Delete folders with names of remote applications (for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
4. Check the Android → obb folder – it stores additional game data (you can safely delete if the game is deleted).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders of existing applications! For example, if you play Brawl Stars, the folder com.supercell.brawlstars should remain.

If you are not sure what to delete, use Files by Google (available on the Play Market) which automatically finds unwanted residual files and prompts you to clean them.

Method 3: Cleaning the system’s logs and dumps (hidden method)

MIUI logs the system (logs) and creates crash dumps, which can take up to 2-3 GB, but are not displayed in the standard file manager, to delete them:

Method 1 (without root):

1. Install SD Maid (or 1Tap Cleaner) from the Play Market.
2. Run the analysis in the CorpseFinder section (search for residual files).
3. Delete the logs and dumps found (usually found in /data/tombstones or /data/anr folders).

Method 2 (with root):

Through any root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer) go to:


/data/tombstones - Delete all files (error dumps).




/data/anr – delete the trace files.




/data/log – clear the folder with the logs.

💡

If the smartphone is faster after cleaning the logs, then the system has previously spent resources on writing and processing these files.

5. Method 4: Delete MIUI update files

Xiaomi automatically downloads firmware updates in the background, even if you haven't confirmed the installation. /cache or /data/ota_package and can borrow up to 2 GB.

How to remove them:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If there is a downloaded update, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Service Pack.
3. For manual cleaning, connect your smartphone to your PC and delete files from the /cache folder (such as update.zip).

If the /cache folder is not visible, use the Total Commander app with the option “Show hidden files” enabled.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the folder /system — This will cause the smartphone to fail, and don't touch the files in the phone. /vendor or /boot.

6. Method 5: Cleaning Hidden Folders of Messengers and Social Networks

Apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and VK store media files (photos, videos, stickers) in separate folders that aren’t always visible in the gallery, which can take up to 10GB, especially if you’re in active chat rooms.

How to find and remove them:

• 📱 In the app itself: In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Clear the cache. On WhatsApp: Settings → Memory. → Memory management.
• 🖥️ Through computer: Telegram: folder Telegram/Telegram Images. WhatsApp: folder WhatsApp/Media (inside the WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp Video subfolder, etc.). VK: folder VKontakte or VK.

So that messengers do not clog up memory in the future:

• 🔄 In Telegram, turn off Autoload Media in the settings.
• 📥 On WhatsApp, limit downloading files only via Wi-Fi.
• 🗑️ Clean Download folder regularly – files from chats are often saved there.

💡

Even if you delete files through your computer, they may reappear the next time you open the messenger. To avoid this, clear the cache directly in the application settings.

7. Method 6: Reset the partition cache (without data loss)

If previous methods didn’t work, try resetting the /cache partition cache.This won’t delete your data, but will clear temporary system files that can take up to 1-2 GB.

Instructions:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
3. Use volume buttons to navigate and select Wipe Cache Partition.
4. Confirm the action of the power button.
5. After cleaning, select Reboot System Now.

This method is safe and doesn’t affect user data, but it can help if the smartphone starts to slow down or display occupied space incorrectly.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse Wipe Cache Partition with Wipe Data/Factory Reset! The second option will completely reset the smartphone to factory settings, deleting all your files.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About “Other Files” on Xiaomi Redmi 8T