How to completely clean the memory on Xiaomi 8 Pro: from cache to factory settings

Xiaomi 8 Pro

MIUI

In this article, we will analyze all the ways to clean up memory on Xiaomi 8 Pro, from basic (cache removal) to radical (complete reset). MIUI, We also explain why standard tips like “transfer files to your data” are used to free up up to 10-15 GB of space without deleting personal data. SD-The map often doesn’t work on this device, and what to do instead.

Before you start, check how much memory is actually occupied. Go to Settings → Phone → Memory. If the graph shows that 90%+ is occupied, it is time to clean. If there is 20 to 30 GB free, but the phone is still slowing down, the problem may be memory fragmentation or background processes (this will be discussed in the last section).

1. Cleaning the application cache and system

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications for quick operation. Over time, they accumulate and can take up to 5-8 GB on the Xiaomi 8 Pro. Clearing the cache is safe: the applications will simply recreate it the next time they run.

How to clear the cache of individual applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as YouTube or Facebook).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Click Clean up garbage (MIUI will automatically find unnecessary files).
3. Check the boxes against the app cache and residual files.

⚠️ Note: Do not cache system applications like com.android.systemui or com.miui.home manually through Settings → All applications. This can cause interface failures. MIUI.

• 📱 What apps clog the most? Social networks (Facebook, Instagram), instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and streaming services (YouTube, TikTok).
• 🔄 How often do you clean the cache? Optimally, every 1-2 months. You don't have to, it slows down the applications.
• 🚫 What NOT to do: Do not click Clear Data instead of Clear Cache – this will delete all settings and accounts in the app!

2. Removal of duplicate photos and videos

The Xiaomi 8 Pro, with its dual camera (12 MP + 12 MP), creates duplicate images when shooting in HDR, laptop mode or using artificial intelligence. It also duplicates screenshots if you take them quickly in a row. These files can take up to 3-5 GB unobtrusively to the user.

How to find and remove duplicates:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Control → Duplicates.
3. MIUI will automatically find the photos and videos that are repeated. Choose the ones that are unnecessary and click Delete.

If the built-in feature does not find duplicates, use third-party applications:

• Files by Google (free of charge, analyzes both photos and documents).
• Duplicate Files Fixer (the paid version finds even similar, but not identical files).

⚠️ Before mass removal of duplicates, check if they are not RAW-files (with the.dng extension) are created by the professional camera mode, and they can be useful for editing.

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Before removing duplicates, enable the display of hidden files in any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager), sometimes in folders like.thumbnails or DCIM/.cache.

3. Transfer files to an external drive or cloud

There is no microSD slot on the Xiaomi 8 Pro, but there are two alternative ways to transfer files:

1. OTG-Driver: Connect the flash drive through the adapter USB-C → USB-A. MIUI It recognizes it as an external drive and you can transfer files through Mi File Manager.
2. Cloud storage: Google Drive, Mi Cloud or Yandex Disk with automatic upload of photos and videos.

How to set up automatic download in Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app.
2. Go to the settings → Backup and Synchronization.
3. Choose High Quality (unlimited storage) or Source Quality (Google Drive counter).
4. Turn on the option of downloading over Wi-Fi so as not to waste mobile traffic.

Xiaomi 8 Pro when transferring files to OTG-Sometimes, the Mi File Manager error occurs, and to avoid it, restart your phone before transferring it or use a third-party manager (for example, Solid Explorer).

• 📁 What files can I transfer? Photos, videos, music, documents. Don't transfer: application data (Android/data), system-file (/system).
• ☁️ How much space will you have? If you move 10GB of photos to the cloud, that's the same on your phone. But remember, the originals will stay until you manually delete them!
• ⚡ Transfer speed: Po USB OTG — Up to 40 MB/s, Wi-Fi to the cloud – depends on the speed of the Internet.

Disable Battery Optimization for File Manager|Check the free space on the external drive|Connect to stable Wi-Fi (for the cloud)|Backup of important files-->

4. Cleanup of downloads and temporary files

Download folder and temporary files (/cache, /temp) are real “vacuum collectors” on Xiaomi 8 Pro.

• APK-Files of installed (and deleted!) applications;
• Archives and documents downloaded from messengers;
• Error logs and system dumps (created when failures occur).

How to clean:

1. Open Mi File Manager.
2. Go to Categories → Downloads.
3. Sort files by date (Last) and delete unnecessary ones.
4. To delete temporary system files, use the command in ADB: adb shell pm trim-caches 256 (this will clear the cache of all user applications).

To find hidden temporary files:

1. Enable the display of hidden folders in Mi File Manager (three dots → Settings → Show hidden files).
2. Go to the root directory and delete the contents of the folders: /cache (system cache); /data/local/tmp (temporary files); /sdcard/Android/obb (game cache, you can delete if the games are not used).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in folders /data/data or /system manually, it will cause a failure. MIUI. To clean them, use only system tools or reset to factory settings.

5. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Even after the apps are removed, the Xiaomi 8 Pro still has their residual files in /data/data and /sdcard/Android/data folders, which can take up to 1-2 GB per remote application.

How to completely remove the application together with the data:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an unnecessary application → Delete.
3. Check the box to delete all application data (if available).

To remove residues manually:

1. Open Mi File Manager.
2. Go to sdcard/Android/data and delete the folder with the name of the application package (for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
3. To remove system residues, use ADB: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 title.package

How to reset:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.

If your phone freezes and does not respond to commands, use Recovery mode:

1. Turn off the Xiaomi 8 Pro.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (control – volume buttons, confirmation – power button).

⚠️ Note: After resetting on Xiaomi 8 Pro, there may be a “No” error OS "installed" when booting. That means the firmware is damaged.

7.Memory optimization after cleaning

Once the space is freed up on the Xiaomi 8 Pro, you need to prevent re-clogging.

• 📵 Limit background activity: Go to Settings → Battery → Manage the power consumption of applications and select Limit for unnecessary applications.
• 🔄 Set up automatic cleaning: In Settings → Memory. → Autoclean: Enable the option and select a schedule (e.g. once a week).
• 📥 Turn off autoload in instant messengers: In Telegram and WhatsApp, turn off the automatic download of media files in the storage settings.

For advanced users:

• Install Magisk and Universal GMS Doze to limit background activity of Google services.
• Use Greenify to freeze unnecessary apps (root required).

If after all the manipulations, the memory still runs out quickly, check the phone for viruses (for example, through Malwarebytes) or contact the service center - you may wear out flash memory (typical for devices of 2018 release).

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleanup