How to completely clean Xiaomi Redmi 8 from garbage: 7 working ways

Your Xiaomi Redmi 8 has become slow, overheat or issue notifications about memory shortages? 90% of the time lies in the accumulated system debris: remnants of remote applications, cache, duplicate files and fragmented data. Unlike flagship models, the budget Redmi 8 with its 4/64 GB of memory is especially sensitive to filled storage, already with 80% of the space occupied, the system begins to slow down.

In this article, you will find the latest cleaning methods for the Redmi 8 (including the Redmi 8A and Redmi 8A Dual versions), taking into account the features of its MIUI 12/13/14 firmware and hardware limitations. We will analyze both standard system tools and hidden functions that are not written about in the official guides. No universal tips like “remove unnecessary applications” – only specific actions with explanations of why they work.

Important: The methods are suitable for rootless devices. If your phone is already unlocked, there is a bonus section at the end of the article with advanced cleaning capabilities.

1. Diagnosis: what exactly is taking up memory on the Redmi 8

Before you start cleaning, you need to understand which files are clogging up memory. On Redmi 8 with its modest 64GB (of which the user can access ~50GB), even 5-10GB of garbage can critically affect performance. Here's how to check the memory allocation:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Storage.
2. Slip on the memory usage chart – the system will show details by categories: Applications, Images, Video, Audio, System Data and Other.
3. Pay attention to the item "Other" - here the main garbage is hidden: cache, logs, temporary files.

A typical picture for the Redmi 8 after a year of use:

Critical information for Redmi 8: if the System Data section is more than 5 GB occupied, this is a sign of memory fragmentation that cannot be eliminated by standard means.

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse "Memory Clearing" in settings with real space free. MIUI Often deletes only the application cache without affecting system debris and duplicates.

2. Clearing cache and temporary files without programs

Let's start with the safest and most efficient method, which is to remove cache. On Redmi 8, the cache can take up to 4-6 GB, and the system doesn't always clean it correctly when you reboot it. Here's how to do it manually:

Clearing the cache of all applications

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the upper right corner, press three dots. → "Size-based sorting".
• 🧹 For each app at the top of the list (usually Facebook, YouTube, MIUI Gallery) tap "Clear the cache".
• 🚫 Do not click “Clear Data” – this will delete all settings and accounts in the application!

Clearing the cache of system applications

System applications (e.g. MIUI Launcher, Security, Downloads) also accumulate cache, but they can't be deleted.

1. In the same Application Management menu, enable the display of system applications (three dots → “Show system”).
2. Sort by size and clear the cache for: com.miui.home (Launcher) com.android.providers.downloads (Downloads) com.miui.securitycenter (Security) com.miui.gallery (Gallery)

2.3 Delete temporary files via Storage

MIUI has a hidden function to clean temporary files:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Cleaning.
2. Tap on "Unnecessary Files" (may be called "Junk" depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Select all items except "Download" (there may be important files).
4. Press "Clear" and confirm.

3.2 Cleaning the Downloads folder

Redmi 8's Download folder often turns into a junkyard to get it in order:

1. Open Files (File Manager application)
2. Go to the Inner Memory → Download.
3. Sort files by date (⋮ → Sorting → By date) and delete anything older than 6 months.
4. Pay attention to files with extensions.apk (installation packages),.tmp (temporary files) and.log (logs).

Removal of screenshots and screen recordings

Redmi 8 automatically saves screenshots to the Pictures/Screenshots folder and screen recordings to Movies/ScreenRecords.

• 📸 Screenshots: Usually weighing in 1-3 MB, but there are hundreds of them piling up.
• 🎥 Screen recordings: even 30-second-degree video 50-100 MB.

Remove anything you don't need to work. Use the File Manager size filter to quickly search.

💡

To disable automatic screenshot saving in Redmi 8, go to Settings → Additional → Screenshots and turn off the Save to Gallery option. This will not vacate the space, but will prevent it from filling up further.

4. Cleaning up the residues of remote applications

When you delete an application on Redmi 8, the system often leaves behind tails: data folders, cache, and settings files, which can take up to 1-2 GB and don't show up in the standard file manager.

4.1 Search through File Manager

1. Open the File Manager → Go to the internal memory.
2. Enable the display of hidden files (⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files).
3. Look for folders with names of remote applications in: Android/data/ Android/obb/.cache/ (hidden folder)

Delete the folders completely (not just the contents!).

4.2.Use of ADB for deep cleaning

If you are ready to connect your phone to your computer, you can use ADB to remove the residues:

adb shell pm list packages -u

This command will show all the apps with the -u flag (uninstalled), which means deleted but left in the system, to remove them completely:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packet

Replace the name.packet with the real name from the list (e.g. com.facebook.katana).

⚠️ Attention: Do not remove through ADB System packages with the prefix com.miui or com.android – this can lead to the inoperability of the phone!

5. Optimization of system partitions (for advanced)

If standard methods didn’t work, and the memory on the Redmi 8 is still filled with “invisible” debris, the problem may be partition fragmentation, which is typical of Xiaomi’s budget devices with eMMC memory that degrades over time.

Remarking partitions through TWRP

This method requires an unlocked bootloader and a TWRP installed. It allows you to "compress" system partitions and free up to 1-3 GB of space:

1. Install TWRP for Redmi 8 (the version should match your model: olive for standard, olivelite for 8A).
2. Load to TWRP (clip Power + Volume Up).
3. Go to Wipe. → Advanced Wipe.
4. Select System, Data, Cache and swipe for formatting.
5. Install the firmware again (without this, the phone will not boot!).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Save all important data (photos, contacts, messages) to your computer or cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
3. Select “Clear Everything” (including internal memory).
4. After the reset, don't restore the data from the backup, it will return some of the garbage. Install only the necessary applications manually.

💡

Resetting to factory settings on Redmi 8 frees up an average of 3-7 GB of space, but only if you do not recover data from the backup.

7. Bonus: Extended cleaning for root phones

If your Redmi 8 has root rights, additional cleaning methods are available that remove system debris at the kernel level.

Removal of unnecessary system applications

With Root Explorer or Titanium Backup, you can remove pre-installed Xiaomi apps that cannot be removed by standard means:

• 🎵 com.miui.player (Music)
• 📺 com.miui.videoplayer (Videoplayer)
• 📖 com.xiaomi.scanner (Scanner)
• 💼 com.miui.analytics (Analytics – spying on the user)

Removing these applications will free up 200-500MB and reduce background system activity.

7.2. Cleaning up /data/log folder

This folder stores system logs that can take up to 1 GB to clear it:

su


rm -rf /data/log/*

Optimization of Dalvik-cache

Dalvik's cache can fragment and take up space to clean it up.

su


rm -r /data/dalvik-cache/*




reboot

After the reboot, the cache will recover in an optimized form.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in /system or /vendor without knowing exactly what they're doing, it could lead to a brick of the phone!

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up Redmi 8