How to Clean Memory on Xiaomi Redmi 8A: The Complete Guide

Why Xiaomi 8A is running out of memory and how to fix it

Xiaomi Redmi 8A is a budget smartphone with 32 GB of internal memory, of which about 25 GB is available to the user. Even with such a modest volume, many people face a notification “Insufficient memory”, when there is less than 1 GB of free space. The reasons are: accumulation of app cache, duplicate photos, undeleted updates and “junk” files from messengers.

The situation is aggravating MIUI — Xiaomi's proprietary shell, which actively caches data to speed up work. For example, the Gallery app can take up to 500 MB only with a thumbnail cache, and Google Play Services can take up to 1 GB of temporary files. 8A Applications cannot be transferred to SD-Maps like old Android – only media files.

In this article, we’ll look at all the working ways to clean up memory, from manual garbage removal to radical reset to factory settings. Each method has been tested on Redmi 8A with MIUI 12.5 and Android 10, but it’s also suitable for other versions.

1.Cleaning App Cache Is A Quick Way To Free 1–3 GB

Cache is a temporary file that apps create to speed up work, and over time, it grows to hundreds of megabytes, for example, Facebook can accumulate up to 800 MB of cache, and Telegram can accumulate up to 1.5 GB when used actively.

To clear the cache of individual applications:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Select an app (such as YouTube or Chrome).
• 🧹 Click Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data – it will delete accounts!).
• 🔄 Repeat for all “heavy” applications (social networks, messengers, browsers).

For mass cleaning of the cache of all applications:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Click Clear Cache (blue button at the bottom).
3. Confirm the action – this will remove the cache of all applications except system ones.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing the cache of Google Play Services or Google Services may cause temporary disruptions to your Google account.

Cache of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber)

Social media cache (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)

Cache of browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser)

Cash Multimedia (YouTube, Spotify)

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2. manually delete unnecessary files and duplicates

Even if you clean the cache regularly, on Redmi. 8A accumulate “invisible” files: downloads from messengers, duplicate photos, old ones APK-System error files and logs can be found and deleted without special software.

Where to look for garbage:

• 📁 Memory of the device → Downloads -- all the files that you downloaded through your browser or messengers are here, often repetitive memes, documents, and other things. APK.
• 🖼️ Memory of the device → DCIM →.thumbnails is a folder with thumbnails that can be completely deleted (it will be restored automatically).
• 📦 Memory of the device → Android → Data is where the application data is stored. You don't want to manually delete it, but you can see which folders take up a lot of space.
• 🔧 Memory of the device → MIUI → debug_log — System error logs (you can delete all files inside).

To search for duplicate photos and videos, use the standard Gallery app:

1. Open the gallery → Albums → Duplicates.
2. Click Remove next to each group of duplicates.
3. Check the Screenshot folder – repetitive screenshots often accumulate here.

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To avoid manually searching for folders, use the Mi File Manager (preinstalled on Redmi 8A) file manager. It has a built-in memory analyzer: open the side menu → Memory Analysis → Garbage files.

3. Transfer of files to SD-map

On the Redmi. 8A Applications cannot be transferred to SD-Map (Adoptable Storage is disabled in the MIUI), But media files are easy, and that's going to free up 5 to 10 GB if you have a lot of photos, videos or music.

How to transfer files to SD-map:

1. Put it in. SD-card (up to 512 GB supported).
2. Open Mi File Manager → Categories → Images / Video / Audio.
3. Select the files → Press More. → Move it → SD-map.
4. Select your destination folder (for example, DCIM or Music).

The alternative is cloud storage. Xiaomi offers 5GB of free in the Mi Cloud, and Google Photos allows you to upload photos in “high quality” without limiting the volume (compression up to 16 MP).

* In Google Photos, unlimited storage is only available for high-quality photos (compressed to 16 MP).

SD-map

Google Photos/Google Drive

Mi Cloud

Yandex Disk / Mail.ru Cloud

I don't use anything.

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4. Systemic debris disposal through “Safety”

MIUI has a built-in deep cleaning tool called Security, which finds residual files after deleting applications, empty folders, and cache of system processes.

How to use:

1. Open Security. → Cleanup.
2. Press Deep Clean (at the bottom of the screen).
3. Wait for the analysis (may take 1-2 minutes).
4. Select all items (except for Journals, if you do not want to lose your call history) and click Clear.

What is removed by "Deep Cleaning":

• 🗑️ Residual files of remote applications (APK, data).
• 📁 Empty folders and temporary files.
• 🔄 Cache of system applications (Settings, Phone).
• 📊 Application usage statistics (does not affect the work).

⚠️ Warning: If your smartphone slows down after cleaning through Security, restart it. Sometimes the cleaning process is interrupted and the system continues to use deleted files as "ghost" data.

5. Disabling and removing unnecessary applications

Redmi 8A has a lot of Xiaomi and Google system apps that can’t be removed by standard means, but can be disabled or removed via ADB (for power users).

List of safe applications to disable (do not affect stability):

• 🎵 Mi Music - standard player (can be replaced by Spotify or VK Music).
• 📺 Mi Video - Video Player (alternative — VLC).
• 📰 Mi Browser – Browser (better to use Chrome or Firefox).
• 🛒 GetApps – Xiaomi’s branded store (you can turn off if you use Google Play).
• 📊 Analytics – statistics collection (shutdown will speed up work).

How to disable the application:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Mi Browser).
3. Click Disable (the button will become active if the application can be deactivated).
4. Confirm the action.

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a risky procedure to completely remove system applications, but if you are ready, follow the instructions:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.player (example for Mi Music)

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB It can lead to disruptions in work. MIUI. Before the procedure, create a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

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Disabling unnecessary applications frees up not only memory, but also RAM, which speeds up the Redmi 8A by 10-15%.

6. Resetting to factory settings is a last resort

If all previous methods failed and the Redmi 8A has less than 500MB of free space, you’ll have to do a Hard Reset, which will delete all data, including photos, contacts and apps, so back up first.

How to reset your settings:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset all settings.
3. Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the reboot (takes 5-10 minutes).

What will be removed:

• 📱 All installed applications and their data.
• 📞 Contacts, messages, call log (unless synced with Google or Mi Account).
• 🖼️ Photos, videos and music (unless transferred to the SD-map).
• 🔑 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Accounts settings.

After discharge:

1. Set your smartphone as new.
2. Restore the data from the backup (if you did).
3. Install only the necessary applications, avoiding “junk” utilities.

7.Memory optimization to prevent filling

To prevent the memory problem from recurring on the Redmi 8A, follow these simple rules:

• 📲 Remove unused apps once a month. Check in Settings → Annexes → Size and remove those that are larger than 100MB but not in use.
• 📸 Set up autodelete old photos in Google Photos: Settings → Storage management → Automatic removal.
• 🔄 Clean the messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp) manually every 2 weeks. on WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Management.
• 🚫 Turn off auto-update apps in Google Play: Settings → Auto-update of applications → Never.
• 📥 Download the files directly to SD-In Chrome: Settings → Downloads. → Download folder → SD-map.

It is also useful to disable automatic downloading of media in messengers:

• In Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Autoboot Media → Never.
• WhatsApp: Settings → Storage → Media autoload → Only via Wi-Fi.

- Duplicate photos.

- Blurred or dark pictures

- Old memes and screenshots.

Large files (>100 MB)

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FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleaning on Xiaomi 8A