Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the mysterious situation where the internal memory of the device is filled with data that the system classifies as “Other”, especially relevant for the Redmi Note 8 Pro model, which, despite its popularity, has a limited amount of built-in storage in the basic versions.
This section is a collection of cached data, temporary files, system logs, remnants of remote programs and multimedia from messengers. Understanding the nature of these files is the first step to successful optimization. Unlike standard photo or video folders, the content of the Other category is hidden from direct access through a regular file manager without special rights or deep immersion in settings.
Cleaning this section requires a careful approach, as deleting system files can lead to unstable operating system. In this article, we will discuss safe and effective methods of freeing up space that will help return your Redmi Note 8 Pro performance and gigabytes of free memory.
The Nature of the Other Section in the MIUI Shell
The “Other” section of the Android file system running the MIUI shell is a kind of “black hole” for unused data, including archives of updates that the system did not automatically delete, cache of streaming services and browsers, and databases of messengers. Often users do not even suspect that the videos viewed on social networks occupy several gigabytes in this category.
System logs and error reports also accumulate over time, and if your device has experienced frequent crashes or crashes, these logs can be significant in size, and temporary files created when you install or update apps through Google Play or the GetApps built-in store are recorded here.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to delete files from system folders manually through third-party root-rights file managers unless you are sure of their purpose.
It's important to understand that some of the data in this section is necessary for applications to run quickly, like card cache or gallery thumbnails that speed up content loading, but when the amount of data becomes redundant, it starts to slow down the flash memory, reducing the overall performance of the smartphone.
Basic cleaning through standard Xiaomi tools
The first and safest step is to use a built-in optimization tool, and the MIUI shell has a Security app that can analyze the space you occupy, run it and select Cleanup, and the system will suggest removing the obvious debris, but to work with the Other section, you need to click on the Clean Up All button or go to deep analysis.
Inside the Security app, large files and duplicates are often hidden. While they may not formally be related to the Other, deleting them frees up space that the system can then redistribute. It's also worth checking the Applications section in the storage settings. Here you can see which program takes up the most space.
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Reboot your smartphone periodically. When you reboot, the system automatically deletes some temporary files and completes the suspended processes, which can reduce the volume of the Other partition.
For more detailed work, go to Settings → Memory. Here you will see a visualization of occupied space. Click on the category "Other" if the system allows for detail, or use the "Clear" button in the recommendations section. Sometimes it helps to clear the cache of all applications directly through the memory settings menu.
- 📱 Launch the Security app from the standard set.
- 🧹 Select the Cleanup tool and wait for the scan.
- 🗑️ Click “Clear” to delete temporary files.
- ⚙️ Go to "Settings» → «Annexes» → «All Apps" for manually checking heavy programs cache.
Working with the cache of messengers and social networks
The main culprits in the Other expansion are Telegram, WhatsApp, and Viber messengers, as well as social networks, which store every photo, video, and voice message viewed in memory of the device, and in a standard file manager, this data is often displayed as “Other” because it lies in hidden directories.
The most effective way to clean the cache inside the apps themselves is to go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use, where you can click Clear the cache and even set a limit on its size or autodelete period, and it won't delete your correspondence, it will stay on the server, but it will free up gigabytes on the phone.
WhatsApp has a similar situation: Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. You can see files that are larger than 5 MB and delete them selectively. Often users forget that the video files sent and received are duplicated and take up space in the system media section.
☑️ Checking messengers
Social networks like Instagram and TikTok aggressively cache the feed they've watched. It's rare to find a full cache clear button in their settings without reinstalling it. So for them, often the only effective way is to delete and re-install the app, which dumps all the accumulated digital junk.
Using Developer Mode to Reset Cache
If standard methods don't work, you can use a more advanced way through the developer menu, which allows you to force the cache of all applications at once, which often significantly reduces the size of the "Other" section. To activate the menu, you need to go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the MIUI version 7 times.
Once you have enabled the developer mode (the corresponding notification will appear), go back to the main settings menu and find the option “More” → “Developers”. Scroll down to the bottom of the “Apps” section. Here is the option “Reset all application settings” or “Delete all application data” (names may vary depending on the Android version).
⚠️ Note: Resetting all applications will remove authorizations, saves in games (if there is no cloud) and personal settings of programs. Use this method only if you are ready to reconfigure the software.
A more gentle option on the same menu is to search for the option “Do not turn off the screen” or control background processes, but it is the cache reset that gives the best result for cleaning the memory. After the procedure, the phone can run slower in the first 10-15 minutes until it recreates the necessary temporary files.
Analysis of storage by third-party utilities
When Xiaomi's built-in tools don't give you the full picture, specialized disk analysis snails come to the rescue, one of the most effective is Files by Google or DiskUsage, which visualizes the file system by showing which folders inflated the "Other" section.
DiskUsage maps memory as a rectangle map, and the larger the rectangle, the more space it takes up, and you can see that the.thumbnails folder or the Chrome browser cache takes up several gigabytes, and this allows you to pinpoint the culprits without touching the system files.
| Name of utility | Substantive function | I need a Root. | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files by Google | Search for duplicates and debris | No. | Tall. |
| DiskUsage | Memory visualization | No. | Tall. |
| SD Maid | Deep cleaning of the system | Preferably. | Medium |
| Clean Master | Automatic cleaning | No. | Low (lots of advertising) |
Using SD Maid in Corpse Finder mode allows you to find remnants of remote applications that are often hidden in the Other section, but some features may require special ADB permissions that are issued through your computer to work properly.
Radical methods: full reset and ADB
If nothing helps and the Other partition takes up a critical volume (e.g., more than 10-15 GB on a 64 GB model), there are two ways left: the first is a full factory reset, guaranteed to clear all partitions, including system errors of garbage accumulation.
The second method is to use USB debugging and a computer. By connecting the Redmi Note 8 Pro to a PC with an ADB installed (Android Debug Bridge), you can manually delete specific cache folders. The adb shell pm clear com.package.name command allows you to clear the cache of a particular application deeper than the phone interface does.
adb shell pm clear com.android.browser
adb shell pm clear com.google.android.youtubeThis method requires care, because entering the wrong command can disrupt system services. For example, cleaning the system launcher cache will reset the location of the icons on the desktop. Use this method only if you fully understand which application you are cleaning.
Should I use Root to clean up my memory?
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To prevent the problem from returning in a month, you need to change your smartphone usage habits, first of all, set up automatic cache cleaning in heavy applications. In Telegram, for example, you can set a cache limit of 200 MB - the application will delete old files, freeing up space.
Check the Downloads and Gallery folder regularly, at least once a week, often with screenshots you don't need anymore, or video files from messengers, and you should also turn off auto-save media from chat rooms to the gallery, leaving only the inside of the app to view.
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Regular prevention is more effective than dealing with the consequences: setting up autodelete cache in messengers solves 80% of problems with the Other section.
Do not install apps from unverified sources. Third-party programs often contain ad modules that generate a huge number of hidden files by clogging the Other section. Use only the official Google Play or the trusted GetApps store.