The problem of overflowing internal memory in Xiaomi smartphones, and in particular in the popular Redmi Note 8 T model, often takes users by surprise. You open the storage and you see a frightening inscription: memory is occupied by 95%, and the lion’s share is occupied by the mysterious “Other” section. This is not a system bug, but accumulated digital debris that requires immediate intervention for the stable operation of the device.
Many Android gadget owners face a situation where, after installing a pair of apps and downloading several photos, the free space disappears. The MIUI system installed on Redmi has its own features of counting files, which can take up gigabytes of temporary data and messenger cache. Ignoring this problem leads to a slowdown in the interface and the inability to install updates.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at how to free up space safely and efficiently, and learn how to find hidden files, clean app cache, and use built-in optimization tools to make your Redmi Note 8 T run fast again.
Reasons for the appearance of the “Other” section in the storage
The Others section is not some virus or system failure, but rather a hoard of files that the Android operating system cannot uniquely classify as photos, videos or music. This is primarily the cache of apps. Social networks and messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp save the images and videos viewed to hidden folders so that they can be uploaded faster when reopened.
Another reason for this partition is the remnants of remote programs, and when you delete an application in the standard way, some of its configuration files and temporary data often stays on the system, and this includes error logs that the MIUI system itself creates during its operation, and update files that were not automatically deleted after installing a new version of the firmware.
Special attention should be paid to the files of music track covers and gallery thumbnails. The system creates previews for thousands of photos, and these thumbnails can take up a significant amount. If you are actively using the navigator, offline maps can also be written in the Others section, since they are not standard media files.
⚠️ Warning: Don't try to delete files from system folders manually through root-righted file managers unless you're qualified.Removing critical system libraries can cause the smartphone to stop booting.
Why can't the system see these files?
Use of the built-in "Security" application
The easiest and safest way to start cleaning is to use the standard Xiaomi app, which is already preinstalled on your Redmi Note 8 T. It’s called “Security” and has a green icon with a shield. Inside this app is a powerful Cleanup tool that scans the device for temporary files, advertising debris and residual data.
To start the process, you need to open the application, select the "Clean" item and wait for the analysis to be completed. The system will suggest removing the debris found. However, you should be careful: sometimes the algorithm will flag important files as garbage, such as saved documents or a cache of cards that you plan to use offline, so before clicking the "Clean" button, you better click on "Files" or "Applications" for a detailed view.
Inside the cleaner, there's also Deep Clean, which allows you to find large files, duplicate photos, and rarely used apps. It's a great way to find heavyweights you might have forgotten to delete. The big file analysis feature is especially useful, as users often don't realize that a single forgotten movie or archive takes up several gigabytes.
☑️ Quick cleaning algorithm
Regular use of the built-in cleaner helps keep the system in good shape, and it is recommended to start this procedure at least once a week, especially if you are actively using the Internet and messengers, this will prevent critical memory filling and keep the MIUI interface running fast.
Clearing the messenger cache: Telegram and WhatsApp
The leaders in capturing space in the “Other” section are traditionally messengers. Telegram, for example, by default saves all the media files viewed in the memory of the device. If you are in a lot of channels and chats, the cache of this application can grow to 5-10 gigabytes or more, which for the Redmi Note 8 T with its storage capacity is a critical indicator.
To clear the Telegram cache without losing correspondence, you need to go to the settings of the app itself. The path looks like this: Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the "Clear Cache" button. It is important to understand the difference: cleaning the cache will not delete your messages or sent photos, it will only delete local copies of them from the phone, if necessary, they will again download from the Telegram cloud when you view.
WhatsApp is similar, but there's a nuance about backups. In WhatsApp settings, go to Data and Storage → Storage Management. Here you can see which chats take up the most space and clean them selectively. Often users store gigabytes of video from group chats that they no longer need, but continue to occupy space.
- 📱 In Telegram, set up autodelete the cache: select the period “3 days” or “1 week”, and the application will delete old media files by itself.
- 💬 On WhatsApp, turn off auto-save to the gallery so that media files don’t duplicate in the Camera system folder.
- 🗑️ Regularly check the Downloads folder in the file manager, where documents from instant messengers are often saved.
⚠️ Before clearing messenger data, make sure you have an up-to-date backup of important correspondence in the cloud (Google Drive or iCloud) so you don’t lose your communication history when reinstalling the application.
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Use the Archiving Chat feature in messengers for rarely used dialogs. This won’t make room instantly, but it will help structure data before deleting it.
Manual cleaning through the file manager
For more advanced users who want to gain full control of the file system, a manual cleaning method is suitable. The standard Explorer (or Mi File Manager) allows you to see the folder structure, Android/data or MIUI.
Download often stores APK installation files that are left over from the installation of the programs, and various documents that can be deleted. It is also worth checking the DCIM/.thumbnails folder (the folder can be hidden, you need to enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings), which is where you store thumbnails of your photos, and the size of this folder can reach several gigabytes.
Another place to check is the Tencent folder (if you have QQ or older versions of messengers installed) and browser folders. In browsers like Chrome or the standard Mi Browser, Download or Video folders can store automatically saved videos from news feeds.
| Folder/Directory | What does it contain? | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| Download | Uploaded files from the Internet | Yeah, unless you need files. |
| DCIM/.thumbnails | Photo miniatures | Yes, they will. |
| Android/obb | Cash hard games. | Only if the game is deleted. |
| MIUI/debug_log | Logs of system debugging | Yeah, it's system trash. |
When manually cleaning, it is important to be careful not to delete files whose purpose you do not know. If in doubt, it is better to skip the file or pre-copy it on your computer. Deleting system libraries can lead to incorrect operation of certain functions of the smartphone.
Reset application settings and factory reset
If standard methods fail and the Others section continues to grow at a mysterious rate, it may have been a software failure in the system, in which case you can try resetting the settings of specific applications that consume the most resources. This is done through the Settings menu. → Annexes → All applications.
Select a problem application (like Gallery or Explorer), click Memory and select Clear (or Reset) to return the application to a post-installation state by deleting all of its temporary files and settings, but saving your personal data (photos, documents) – a secure procedure that often solves the problem of bloated cache.
In the extreme case, when nothing works, the radical method remains – a full reset to factory settings (Factory Reset), which completely removes all data from the phone, including contacts, photos and apps, returning the Redmi Note 8 T to the state out of the box.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The process will take about 10-15 minutes. Once turned on, the phone will be clean and the Other section will be minimal in size. This is a guaranteed way to get rid of any software debris and file system errors.
⚠️ Warning: Full reset permanently deletes all data. Make sure the battery is charged at least as much as possible. 50-60%, to prevent the phone from turning off in the process, which could damage the system.
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A full reset is a last resort, always try cleaning the cache, removing messaging junk, and checking large files before deciding to format the device.
Prevention and useful tips for optimization
To prevent the memory overflow problem from returning too often, you should introduce a few useful habits: First, set up automatic sync of photos with the cloud (Google Photos or Mi Cloud) and turn on the Free Space feature, which removes images already uploaded to the cloud from the device.
Second, keep an eye out for system updates. Xiaomi regularly releases patches for MIUI, which often include file system bug fixes and on-board cleaner optimization. Updating to the current firmware version can solve the memory problem by itself.
It's also recommended that you check the list of installed apps periodically, and removing unused programs is the easiest way to free up space, and many apps continue to collect data and inflate their cache, even if you haven't used them for months.
- 🚀 Disable auto-update applications via the mobile network so as not to download unnecessary files in the background.
- 📂 Once a month, review the Download folder and delete old documents.
- ☁️ Use cloud storage to store photo and video archives, leaving only current files on your phone.
Compliance with these simple rules will allow your Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 T to work quickly and steadily for a long time.Memory is a valuable resource, and competent management of it is the key to comfortable use of the smartphone.