How to Clean Memory on Xiaomi Redmi 8T: From Cache to Deep Optimization

Xiaomi Redmi 8T is a popular smartphone with a balance of price and performance, but even 64 or 128 GB of internal memory over time get clogged with unnecessary files. If your device starts to slow down, issue notifications about space shortages or spontaneously close applications, it’s time to clean up. In this article, we will discuss all the working methods, including hidden MIUI functions, which will help return the Redmi 8T to its original speed.

Redmi 8T features a hybrid firmware based on Android 9/10 with a MIUI 11/12 shell, where some of the debris accumulates in system folders that are not available by standard means. We will show you how to clean not only user data, but also system cache, duplicate photos, remnants of remote applications and even temporary messenger files that eat gigabytes. No universal “advice for all Androids” – only specific instructions for your model, taking into account its architecture and software version.

1. Memory Occupancy Analysis: What Takes Place on the Redmi 8T

Before you delete files at random, figure out what kind of data clogs the storage. 8T There is a built-in tool for this - Settings → The phone. → Memory. Here you'll see a diagram of how memory is categorized into applications, media, systems and cache, but standard analysis often hides details. DCIM/.thumbnails It may weigh a few gigabytes, but it will be in the "Other" section of the report".

For detailed scanning, use third-party utilities like Files by Google or SD Maid (available in the Play Market) to show:

📁 Large files (high-resolution video, archives, backups)
🗑️ Duplicate photos and documents (especially relevant after transferring data from other devices)
🧹 Residual files of remote applications (folders) /data/data/ and /obb/)
📱 Messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber store media files in hidden folders)

On Redmi 8T, pay special attention to the /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder - here you can store backups of the system that can weigh up to 5-7 GB. If you did not make a backup manually, these files can be safely deleted.

📊 How often do you clean your memory on your smartphone?

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the place ends.

Never clean.

2. Cleaning the application cache and system

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications to speed up work. On Redmi 8T, cache can take up to 3-10 GB, especially if you are actively using social networks, games or streaming services, and you can clean it in two ways: selectively for individual applications or globally for the entire system.

Method 1: Clearing the cache for individual applications

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Select an app (such as YouTube or Facebook).
Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) additionally clear the folder /storage/emulated/0/[Messenger Name]/Media/ - here are stored all uploaded photos and videos.

Method 2: Global cleaning of the system cache

🔧 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Cleaning (or Security) → Cleaning in MIUI 12).
🧹 Click Deep Cleanup and select Cash.
⚠️ Do not delete the application data – this will lead to resetting settings in games and social networks.

Clear the browser cache (Chrome, Mi Browser)

Delete temporary bootloader files (folder /Download/temp)

Clear the cache of Google Play Services

Remove thumbnails of images (folder) DCIM/.thumbnails)-->

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 8T s MIUI 11 and below cache cleaning through Settings → The storage may not work for system applications. In this case, use Recovery mode. + Volume up when the phone is off and select Wipe Cache Partition.

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Even after the application is removed, Redmi 8T still has its tails – folders with settings, cache and files in /data/data/ and /obb/. Standard MIUI tools do not remove them, so you will have to use third-party tools or manual cleaning.

How to completely remove the application and its data:

Remove the application through Settings → Apps.
Install SD Maid (requires root rights for complete cleanup) or Files by Google.
In SD Maid, select CorpseFinder, which is a tool for finding residual files.
Manually check the folders: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/[app package name] /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/[packet name]

On Redmi 8T, pay special attention to the pre-installed Mi Video, Mi Music and Mi Browser apps – they can not be deleted without root rights, but you can disable and clear their data:

📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
🔍 Find an unnecessary system application (e.g. Mi Pay).
🚫 Click Disable (this hides it from the menu and stops background processes).
🧹 Then press the Warehouse. → Clear the data.

How to remove system applications without root

You can use the root-rights to remove embedded applications (such as Mi Video) without root rights. ADB-Connect the phone to the PC, turn on the debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — press 7 once, then settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB) and execute the command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.videoplayer Replace com.mi.videoplayer with the desired application package. the list of packages can be obtained by the command adb shell pm list packages | grep mi.

4. Optimization of photos and videos

Media files are the main memory eater on the Redmi 8T. One minute of Full HD video weighs ~150 MB, and photos from the Redmi 8T (48 MP) camera weigh 10-15 MB each.

Ways to reduce the weight of media:

📸 Change the camera resolution: Go to the camera → Settings → Photo resolution and choose 12 MP instead of 48 MP (the difference is minimal, and space is saved 3-4 times).
🎥 Compress videos with Google Files or Video Compress (the app reduces the weight of videos by 40-60% with no visible loss of quality).
☁️ Move your photo to the cloud: Google Photos offers unlimited storage for compressed photos (up to 16 MP resolution). → Backup and synchronization.
🗑️ Remove duplicates: Use Duplicate Files Fixer to find identical photos and screenshots.

Redmi 8T has a hidden photo compression feature when exporting: open the Gallery, select a photo, click Share → Save to file and select Quality Average. This will reduce the weight of the image by 50-70%.

File type	Reference size	Size after optimization	Savings
Photo (48 MP)	12-15 MB	3-4 MB (when compressed to 12 MP)	~70%
Video (Full HD, 1 min)	150 MB	60–80 MB (after compression in Video Compress)	~50%
Screenshot.	1-2 MB	0.3–0.5 MB (when converted to JPEG)	~80%
Documents (PDF, DOCX)	5-50 MB	1–10 MB (after optimization in Smallpdf)	~80%

💡

If you shoot video often, turn on the camera option Settings → Video → Quality → HD (720p) instead of Full HD. The difference on the Redmi 8T screen (resolution 720×1600) will be invisible, and save space 2 times.

5. Transfer of data to memory card

Redmi 8T supports microSD cards up to 512GB, but by default, applications and files are saved to internal memory.

📁 Photos and videos: in the Gallery, select files → Move it → Memory map.
🎵 Music and podcasts: in Mi Music or Google Play Music, specify the way to save music SD.
📱 Appendices (partially): Settings → Annexes → Select an application → Warehouse → Change. → Memory map.

Important: Not all apps support porting to SD. For example, WhatsApp and Telegram can only be ported via root rights or through ADB:

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

This command will cause the system to install applications on the memory card by default, and you can return the settings back by commanding adb shell pm set-install-location 0.

⚠️ Attention: Class Memory Cards UHS-I (10 class) working for Redmi 8T faster than the cheap Class 4/6. If, after transferring the application to SD They're slowing down, and the problem is the speed of reading and writing the map. A1 SD Bench.

6.Reset to factory settings (last chance)

If you have less than 10 percent left of your free memory after all the manipulations, and your smartphone slows down, it's a radical method, but it removes all the data, including system debris that isn't manually cleaned. On the Redmi 8T, you can do a reset in two ways:

Method 1: Through settings

Make a backup copy of important data (contacts, photos, messages).
Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Erase all data.
Enter the password (if set) and confirm the reset.

Method 2: Recovery Mode (if the phone is not turned on or hovers)

Turn off Redmi 8T.
Press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (control – volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
After reset, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

After discharge:

🔄 Recover data from the backup (but don’t transfer old cache files!).
📱 Don’t install all apps at once – add them gradually, keeping an eye on the free space.
🔧 Turn off automatic download of media in instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp).

💡

The factory reset on the Redmi 8T removes even hidden system files that cannot be manually cleaned, the only way to get rid of the “garbage” after multiple MIUI updates.

7. Prevention: How to prevent memory clogging

To avoid clearing your memory on Redmi 8T every month, follow these simple rules:

📵 Limit background activity: in Settings → Battery → Power saving mode turn on the option for all applications.
🚫 Turn off auto-update apps: Play Market → Settings → Auto-update → Never.
🗑️ Set up automatic cleaning: in Safety → Cleanup → Settings enable Auto Cleanup and set a schedule (e.g. once a week).
☁️ Use cloud services for storing photos and documents (Google Drive, Yandex Drive, Mi Cloud).

Redmi 8T has a hidden Lite Mode feature that reduces the system's memory consumption.

Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
Select Lite Mode and activate it.
Reboot the phone.

In this mode, animations, background processes and unnecessary services are turned off, which saves up to 1-2 GB of memory.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleaning on Redmi 8T

Can I clean my memory without losing data?

Yes, if you use the methods in sections 2-5 (cleaning cache, removing duplicates, transferring to SD). Complete reset (section 6) will delete everything, so pre-decade backup.

Why is the memory filled again after cleaning the cache?

Cache is temporary files, and apps recreate them when used. To slow down clogging, turn off auto-update applications and limit background activity (see section 7).

How to clean the DCIM/.thumbnails folder?

This folder stores thumbnails of photos and videos, and you can manually delete it through any file manager (like Mi File Explorer), but it will be recreated. To reduce its size, clear the gallery of unnecessary media.

Can I remove system applications without root?

Partially, they can be disabled (see section 3), but completely removed without root rights. ADB or superuser rights.

How much memory should be left free for normal operation?

At least 10-15% of the total volume (e.g., 6-10 GB for the 64 GB version). If less than 5% is free, the phone will slow down and spontaneously close the applications.