Cache Cleanup on Xiaomi Mi 8: A Complete User Guide

Why does the Xiaomi Mi 8 cache require regular cleaning?

The Xiaomi Mi 8, released in 2018, is still popular with users due to its balanced characteristics: Snapdragon 845 processor, 6 GB of RAM and AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2248×1080. However, even such “iron” eventually begins to slow down – and the fault of this is not always the wear of the battery or outdated firmware.

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications and a system to speed up re-operations. For example, when you open Instagram, the app saves thumbnails of photos so that the next run they show them faster. Over time, these files accumulate, taking up gigabytes of memory, and their fragmentation slows down the Mi 8. According to our tests, after a year of active use, the cache of applications can take up to 8-12 GB - and this is without taking into account the system time data!

But it's not that simple: cleaning up the cache isn't always helpful, for example, deleting the Google Maps cache will make the cards load longer the next time you open it, and cleaning up the cache of system services (e.g., com.android.systemui) can cause short-term interface lags, so it's important to understand which files can be deleted without consequences and which ones are better left behind.

Cache types on Xiaomi Mi 8: what can be cleaned and what can not

On the Mi 8 (as on other Xiaomi smartphones), the cache falls into three main categories, distinguished not only by the storage location, but also by the impact on performance:

• 📱 App cache – temporary files created by each application installed (e.g. Telegram stores downloaded stickers here, and YouTube stores video previews here) are securely cleaned manually or automatically.
• 🖥️ Dalvik-cache: files that speed up the Android virtual machine, and their cleaning is only useful when updating the firmware or crashing the system.
• 🗃️ Cash. MIUI — Thematic design, fonts and shell animations. Cleanup can reset user theme settings.

The safest to remove is the app cache, which does not remove logins, saved games or settings, but can temporarily slow down programs until they are re-caching. The system cache is not recommended for no good reason: it takes a lot of resources to recreate and can cause the Snapdragon 845 processor to overheat.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of individual applications through settings

If the Mi 8 is getting stuck while a particular app is running (like Facebook or TikTok), the first thing to do is clear its cache.This won't delete your data, but it can fix freeze or bug problems.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (such as WhatsApp).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. For complete cleanup (including login details), use Clear all data, but remember: this will delete accounts and settings!

Close the application through the multitasking menu

Check the free space on the device (should be ≥1 GB)

Disable Auto-Update Apps in Play Market

Backup of important data (for games, instant messengers)

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Once the cache is cleared, the Mi 8 can slow down a little when the app is first launched, which is normal. The system recreates temporary files. If the lags are not gone, try reinstalling the app or checking its compatibility with the MIUI version (you can find the current firmware in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version).

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If Instagram or VK load photos for a long time after cleaning the cache, connect to Wi-Fi - this will speed up re-caching.

Method 2: Mass cleaning the cache of all applications

Manually clearing the cache of each application individually takes a long time. Fortunately, MIUI has a built-in tool for mass deletion of temporary files, a method that is suitable if the Mi 8 has become slower to work as a whole, rather than in individual programs.

How to clean the cache of all applications:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Click Clear in the section "Cached data".
3. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Mass cleaning does not affect application data (saved games, chats in messengers), but can delete:

• 📸 Photos in the gallery (you will have to wait for the re-upload).
• 🎵 Offline cache of music in Spotify or Yandex Music.
• 🗺️ Downloaded maps in Google Maps or 2GIS.

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Mass cache cleaning does not replace full system optimization. If the Mi 8 continues to brake, check the CPU load in Settings → Battery → Battery Use.

Method 3: Using the Cleanup Mode in the Security App

Xiaomi Mi 8 comes pre-installed with Security, which includes a deep cleaning tool. Unlike standard settings, this method removes not only cache, but also unnecessary files from folders.thumbdata, log and other hidden directories.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the Cleaning tab (broom icon).
3. Press Deep Clean and wait for the scan.
4. Select the categories to delete (we recommend that you tick only on "Cash" and "Residual files").
5. Click Clean and confirm the action.

⚠️ Attention: The Security App's Acceleration feature closes the background processes, but does not clear the cache. Don't confuse these options - Deep Cleaning is the one you need to free up memory".

After the Security App procedure, it will show how much memory was released, usually 1-4 GB, depending on the time of the last cleanup, if the volume is less than 500 MB, then the cache on the Mi 8 was clean initially, and the brakes are due to other reasons (for example, fragmentation of internal memory or wear of the UFS 2.1 drive).

Method 4: Clearing the cache with Recovery Mode (for power users)

If the Mi 8 is severely inhibited or not turned on due to overcrowded cache, cleanup through Recovery Mode can help.This method removes Dalvik-cache and other system temporary files, but does not affect user data. Use it only if the standard methods did not help!

How to go to Recovery Mode and clear the cache:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up simultaneously and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (control – volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
4. After cleaning, restart the device (Reboot → Reboot to System).

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! second option will reset the Mi 8 to factory settings by deleting all your files, apps and accounts.

Cleaning the cache through Recovery Mode is useful after updating the firmware or if the phone began to spontaneously reboot. However, you should not abuse this method: frequent overwriting of Dalvik-cache reduces the memory life of UFS 2.1 (especially important for the Mi 8 with 64 GB of storage, where memory cells wear out faster).

Method 5: Automatically clean the cache with a scheduler

To avoid manually clearing the cache on the Mi 8, you can set up automatic cleaning via the Security App. This feature removes unnecessary files on a schedule (for example, once a week) when the phone is connected to charging and Wi-Fi.

How to turn on automatic cleaning:

1. Open the Security App → Cleanup.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Cleaning Settings.
3. Activate the Autoclean switch.
4. Set up a schedule (we recommend choosing Weekly and the time when the phone usually charges at night).

Automatic cleaning removes:

• 🗑️ Cache of applications not used for more than 3 days.
• 📁 Empty folders and corrupted files.
• 📊 System Logs and Temporary Update Files.

This method is suitable for those who do not want to monitor the state of memory manually, but it does not replace full optimization: if there are many games on the Mi 8 (for example, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile), their cache can take 2-3 GB and not be cleaned automatically, in which case you will have to manually delete it through the application settings.

What if cleaning the cache doesn’t help?

If the Xiaomi Mi 8 continues to slow down after all the manipulations, the problem may lie deeper.

If none of the methods worked, consider resetting to factory settings (but pre-back up via Settings → Additional → Backup). On the Mi 8 with 64GB of storage, it’s also worth checking the free space: when it runs out, the system starts to slow down due to lack of space for virtual memory (swap).

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Before resetting, check the battery status in AIDA64 (Battery section) if the capacity has dropped below 70%, after reset, the phone may run out faster due to file re-indexing.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning the cache on Xiaomi Mi 8