“Other” in memory Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: what it is and how to clean without harm to the system

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the most popular smartphones of the brand, but even its owners face a problem: over time, the mysterious category “Other” appears in the “Storage” section, which takes up gigabytes of memory. Standard cleaning methods (through Settings → Storage) do not help. In this article, we will analyze what exactly hides under “Other”, why it grows and how to safely free up space without losing data and root rights.

It's important to understand that the "Other" is not a virus or a system bug. It's the backend files, the app cache, update residues, log files and temporary data that MIUI doesn't classify as standard categories (photos, videos, apps). On the Redmi Note 8 Pro with its 64/128GB of storage, this problem is particularly noticeable because of the way the firmware works. Next, proven ways to help regain control of the storage.

What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Memory and Why Does It Take So Much Space?

The MIUI category “Other” is the “junk bin” of the system, which includes:

• 📁 Application cache (including system) that was not deleted after uninstallation of programs.
• 🔄 Remains of updates (OTA-packets) that are downloaded but not always completely deleted after installation.
• 📜 Log files (.log,.tmp) that create applications and the application itself MIUI debug.
• 🗑️ Temporary files from browsers, messengers and social networks (for example, Facebook or Telegram).
• 🔒 Encrypted data of some applications (e.g. banking) that the system cannot classify.

On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the Other is often swelling for two reasons:

1. CPU architecture: The smartphone runs on the Mediatek Helio G90T, and some system processes create more temporary files than the Snapdragon.
2. Features of MIUI: firmware actively caches data to speed up work, but does not always clean them correctly.

In our tests, on the Redmi Note 8 Pro with MIUI 12.5 and later, the Other can take anywhere from 3 to 10 GB — even if you regularly clean the cache manually, and most of this volume can be freed up without root rights and resetting.

Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI storage (the safest method)

The first step is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which will not delete everything Other, but will help get rid of the cache of applications and temporary files:

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Slip on "Clean" in the "Junk Files" section.
3. Select “Deep Cleanup” (if available) and confirm the action.
4. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, sort by size and manually clear the cache from the most “heavy” programs (for example, YouTube, Facebook, Telegram).

This method will remove up to 1-2 GB of garbage, but will not affect system files.

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the battery charge (minimum 50%)|Connect to Wi-Fi|Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Remove update residues (OTA-packet)

Xiaomi regularly releases MIUI updates, but their installers (.zip files) are often left in memory. On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, they can take up to 1-1.5 GB in the Other category.

1. Open the File Manager (built-in or Mi File Manager).
2. Go to /sdcard/Download/rom/sdcard/MIUI/ota
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension (e.g, miui_HMNote8Pro_*.zip).
4. Also check the /sdcard/.OTA folder (it is hidden – turn on the display of hidden files in the file manager settings).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system or /data — This can cause a system failure (/sdcard).

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If you can't see the file.OTA, Turn on the display of hidden files: in Mi File Manager, click ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files.

Method 3: Cleaning the cache of system applications (without root)

Many MIUI system applications (e.g. Mi Video, Music, Browser) accumulate cache that is not cleaned by standard methods.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Tap on. ⋮ → Show all applications (or "System Processes»).
3. Find apps with large cache (e.g. com.miui.video, com.android.browser) and click Clear Cache.
4. For some apps (like Google Play Services), also click on Storage Management → Clear All Data (this will reset the app’s settings, but won’t delete important data).

List of “gluttonous” system applications on the Redmi Note 8 Pro:

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the data of the com.android.phone (Phone), com.android.settings (Settings) and com.miui.home (Luncher) applications – this can lead to interface failures.

Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced users)

If previous methods failed, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to delete unnecessary files, which requires connecting your smartphone to your PC, but does not need root rights.

Instructions:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it on PC.
2. On your smartphone, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB Debugging.
4. Connect the Redmi Note 8 Pro to your PC and in the command line (in the folder with adb.exe) execute: adb shell pm trim-caches 1G This command will clear the cache of all applications except system ones.
5. To delete log files, do: adb shell rm -rf /data/log/*

⚠️ Attention: Command rm -rf If you don't specify the right path, you can delete critical files.

Method 5: Resetting cache via Recovery (last resort)

If the Other takes more than 5GB and isn't cleared by other means, you can reset the cache via Recovery.This won't delete your data, but requires caution:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Power + Volume Up to Enter Recovery Mode.
3. Choose a language (e.g. English).
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Reboot the device (Reboot → System)

This method will clear dalvik-cache and temporary system files, but will not affect user data. However, after resetting the cache, the first launch of the smartphone can take 5-10 minutes.

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Recovery cache resetting is the most radical but effective way. Use it if other methods have failed, and The Other takes up more than 30% of memory.

How to Prevent the Re-Accumulation of the Other

To prevent the Other from growing again, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks) through Settings → Warehouse.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play (or limit it to Wi-Fi only).
• 📥 Use alternative browsers (such as Firefox or Brave) that manage your cache better.
• 🔍 Check the Download folder for unnecessary files (especially after downloading updates).
• 🛡️ Install a memory monitoring app (e.g. Files by Google or Google) SD Maid to track the growth of the Other».

It is also worth limiting the background activity of unnecessary applications:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Choose apps that shouldn’t work in the background (like games or rarely used programs).
3. Set a “Limit background activity” mode for them.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About The Other on Redmi Note 8 Pro