How to completely clean the “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: from cache to system garbage

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is still a popular smartphone after a few years of use, but many users are faced with a mysterious “Other” partition in storage that takes up gigabytes of memory. This partition does not lend itself to standard cleaning through Settings, and its contents are often hidden from view. Unlike photos, videos or applications, “Other” consists of a cache of system processes, logs, temporary update files and remnants of remote programs.

The problem is compounded by the fact that MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) actively uses caching to speed up work, but does not always correctly delete unnecessary data. For example, after updating the system through OTA, /cache may still contain archives weighing up to 1-2 GB that the system does not clean automatically. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to free up space in the Others section – from safe methods to deep manual cleaning (including working with ADB for experienced users).

Important: Before you start cleaning, check the actual memory allocation through Settings → About Phone → Storage. If the Other partition takes up more than 10 GB, there is a high probability that the problem lies in corrupted MIUI update files or incorrectly deleted applications.

1. Standard cleaning through MIUI: what can be removed without risk

Start with the built-in MIUI tools that allow you to remove some of the garbage without manual intervention. Open Settings → Storage and tap on the Other section.

• 🗑️ App caches are temporary files that programs create to speed up work, and deletion is safe, but after cleaning some applications (such as YouTube or Instagram) can take longer to load when they first start.
• 📄 Downloads -- folder /Download, where files downloaded through a browser or messengers are stored. APK-file-file.
• 🔄 The updates leftovers are firmware archives that the system didn't remove after installation. In the Redmi Note 8 Pro, they can weigh up to 3GB.

Note that the Clean option on this menu only removes some of the debris. For example, the cache of system applications (such as com.miui.home or com.android.systemui) is not affected here.

If the “Other” section still takes up a lot of space after a standard cleaning, move on to the next method. Warning: do not use third-party “cleaners” from Google Play (for example, Clean Master or CCleaner) – they often delete useful data and can disrupt MIUI.

2. Manual folder cleaning: which files can be manually deleted

For deep cleaning, you will need a file manager with access to system folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer). Open the manager, turn on hidden files and go to the following directories:

⚠️ Note: Never delete files in folders /system, /vendor or /data/app — This will cause the system to crash and require firmware reflashing, and avoid deleting files with the.odex or.vdex extension, which are critical to work. MIUI.

Pay special attention to the folder /cache. There are often archives of firmware after OTA-For example, a file. miui_HMNote8ProGlobal_*.zip can weigh up to 2 GB: You can remove it safely, but only if the current firmware is stable. MIUI, Leave the last archive.

Delete log files from /data/log

Clear /cache folder from old update.zip

Check /sdcard/Android/obb for the remnants of remote games

Delete temporary files from /data/local/tmp-->

3. Cleaning the cache of system applications through ADB

If the standard methods did not help, and the "Other" section still takes 5+ GB, the problem may be in the cache of system applications, such as com.miui.home (launcher) or com.android.systemui (interface). MIUI) Over time, gigabytes of garbage are accumulated that are not removed through normal settings.

To clean up, you will need:

1. Enable USB debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times, then return to “Additional” → “For Developers”).
2. Connect the phone to the PC and install ADB-driver.
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep 'miui\|android' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs -n1 adb shell pm clear

This command clears the cache of all MIUI and Android system applications, which can take 5-10 minutes to process.

• 🔄 Restart your phone – some apps (like Gallery or Settings) may run slower on first startup.
• 📱 Check the “Other” section in the storage – it should decrease by 1-3 GB.

⚠️ Note: Do not use the adb shell pm clear command for third-party applications (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) and this will result in the deletion of all account data, including chats and media files.

💡

If after cleaning the ADB phone began to brake, follow the command adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job - this optimizes the operation of system applications.

4. Removal of duplicates and residues of remote applications

When you delete applications through Settings → MIUI applications often leave their data in /data/data or /sdcard/Android/data folders. These tails can take hundreds of megabytes to find them:

1. Install Files by Google from the Play Market.
2. Open the section “Cleaning up» → «Unused applications».
3. Click “Delete Remains” – the utility will show a list of folders from remote programs.

For advanced users, use ADB to see the complete list of remaining data:

adb shell ls /data/data/ | grep -v $(adb shell pm list packages | awk -F: '{print $2}' | tr -d '\r')

This command will output folders to /data/data that do not belong to the installed applications.

adb shell rm -rf /data/data/name folder

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders with names beginning with com.android. or com.xiaomi. these are system components. Also avoid com.google. folders if you use Google services (such as Gmail or YouTube).

5. Reset the partition cache (Wipe Cache Partition) via Recovery

If previous methods failed, try resetting the partition cache through the receivers, which does not affect user data, but clears the system cache that may be damaged.

1. Turn off the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
5. Restart your phone through Reboot → System.

After the cache is dumped:

• 🔄 The first download can take up to 5 minutes – this is normal.
• 📱 The “Other” section will be reduced by 500 MB-1.5 GB (depending on the degree of fragmentation of the cache).
• ⚙️ Some settings (such as wallpaper or screen brightness) may reset.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option (Factory Reset) will completely reset the phone to factory settings, removing all data.

6.Extreme measures: Fastboot flashing

If the Others partition takes up more than 15GB and all previous methods have not helped, there is a high probability that the problem lies in a corrupted file system or incorrectly installed MIUI updates.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ A computer with the Mi Flash Tool installed and ADB/Fastboot.
• 📱 Full firmware for Redmi Note 8 Pro (select Fastboot version, not Recovery!).
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (don’t use cheap Chinese cables – they can interrupt the process).

Step-by-step:

1. Download the firmware for your model (for example, begonia_global_images_*.tgz) and unpack it.
2. Turn off your phone and press the Power button + Volume down to log into the Fastboot.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
4. In the program, click Select, specify the path to the unpacked firmware, then select Clean All mode (this will delete all data!).
5. Press Flash and wait until it is completed (the process will take 5-10 minutes).

After flashing:

• 📱 The phone will be like new, all data will be deleted.
• 🔄 The “Other” section will be dropped to the factory 1-2 GB.
• ⚙️ Accounts and applications will need to be reconfigured.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom recaps (for example, TWRP), Before you run through Fastboot, be sure to return to the stock recavator. Otherwise, the phone may stop loading ("brick»).

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Fastboot flashing is the only way to get back a clean file system if the Other partition has grown to critical size (15+GB) and is not cleared by other methods.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning "Other" on Redmi Note 8 Pro