How to clean your phone from garbage on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T: 7 proven ways

Why Redmi Note 8T is getting clogged with garbage and how to fix it

Even the most productive smartphone eventually begins to “brake”, and Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T with its 4 GB of RAM is no exception. The reason is often not in the “weak hardware”, and in the accumulated unnecessary files: cache of applications, remnants of remote programs, duplicate photos and system logs. According to research, the average user loses up to 30% of free space because of this “digital junk”.

Redmi Note 8T (codename willow) is a hybrid file system where user data and system files are often mixed, making it difficult to manually clean, but also opens up opportunities for deep optimization. For example, many people do not know that even after deleting an application through Settings → Applications, their residual files of up to 50-100 MB remain in memory. And the cache of some messengers (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) can inflate to several gigabytes.

In this article, we will discuss 7 cleanup methods, from basic to advanced, including hidden MIUI features and third-party tools. Importantly, not all methods are equally safe. For example, deleting files from the /data/log folder can cause sensors to crash, and cleaning Dalvik-cache without rebooting - to "drop out" applications, so every step we accompany with warnings and recommendations.

1. Built-in tools MIUI: what can be cleaned without risk

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T runs on the MIUI shell, which has several built-in cleaning utilities, and the main advantage of these is that they do not affect critical system files, unlike third-party cleaners.

• 🧹 Cleaning up garbage in “Safety”: go to Settings → Security → Cleanup: This is where the system automatically finds unnecessary files (cache, temporary data, APK-On average, one launch releases the remaining 1-3 GB.
• 📱 Removing the application cache: in Settings → Annexes → App management select any application and click "Clear cache" especially relevant for social networks and instant messengers.
• 🗑️ Basket MIUI: Many people forget that deleted files from a gallery or file manager end up in the trash (folder). MIUI/Recycle). Clean it manually once a month.

But embedded tools have limitations, like not removing:

• 📁 Duplicate photos (created during editing or backup).
• 🔄 Residual files after uninstallation of applications (folders in the /Android/data and /Android/obb).
• 📊 System logs (files with.log and.tmp extensions in the folder) /data).

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Before clearing the cache, close them through the Latest Apps menu (swipe up) and prevent crashes the next time you run.

⚠️ Note: Do not use the Deep Cleaning function in MIUI Security on the Redmi Note 8T It can delete files that are necessary for the camera to work (especially if you have custom firmware installed).

2. Manual cleaning: which folders can be manually removed

If the built-in tools didn't work, it's time to look into the file system, and any file manager with access to root folders (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer) will do. Importantly, not all folders can be deleted without consequences.

Pay special attention to /Android/obb. This is where additional game data (such as graphics packages for Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) is stored. If you haven't played in a long time, these files can be deleted and rebooted the next time you start the game.

Here's what you can't touch without a root license:

• 🚫 Folders. /system, /vendor, /boot — responsible for the work of Android.
• 🚫 Files in /data/dalvik-cache — Deleting will cause application failures.
• 🚫 Folders of current applications in /Android/data (For example, com.whatsapp or com.facebook.katana).

3.Cache and data clearing via ADB: for power users

If you’re willing to go beyond standard methods, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool that allows you to clear your cache and application data via the command line, which is especially useful for system applications (which can’t be removed in the usual way).

First, turn on the USB debugging:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version (you will be notified “You became a developer”).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in the device.

For example, to remove the Google Play Services cache (which often takes hundreds of megabytes), use the command:

adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms

And to clean the cache of all user applications at once:

adb shell pm trim-caches 1000000000

(where 1000,000,000 is size in bytes, approximately 1 GB)

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB Google services can be disrupted if you clear the system application data (e.g. com.google.android.gsf.

Install ADB on PC (for example, through Platform Tools)|Enable debugging on USB phone-on|Connect your phone to the original cable|Check the connection with the adb device command|Make a backup copy of important data-->

4 Third-party applications: which cleaners are safe for MIUI

There are hundreds of garbage cleaning apps on Google Play, but most of them are either useless or harmful. For the Redmi Note 8T, we tested 15 cleaners and selected the 3 safest and most effective ones:

• 🛡️ SD Maid (paid version): deletes residual files, cleans databases and finds duplicates. CorpseFinder is especially useful, which finds dead files from remote applications.
• 🧹 Files by Google: Google’s free tool with a Cleanup feature that analyzes unnecessary files (including large videos and unused apps).
• 📊 CCleaner: a classic cleaner, but for MIUI It is better to disable Autostart Optimization (it conflicts with Xiaomi’s energy saving settings).

Even these apps, however, have pitfalls: SD Maid, for example, can delete.nomedia files when deep-cleaned, causing the gallery to display hidden folders (such as those with WhatsApp backups), and CCleaner sometimes mistakenly flags the card cache files in Google Maps as trash, leading to them being re-uploaded.

Our advice: Before any cleaning service is launched:

1. Check out the list of files that he suggests you delete.
2. Check if there are any files with.db (database) or.xml (application settings) extensions.
3. Make a backup through Settings → System → Backup.

5. Autoboot Optimization: How to Stop Background Processes

One of the main RAM eaters on the Redmi Note 8T are apps that run automatically and run in the background. Even if you don't open them, they can:

• 📱 Update your data (e.g. Facebook or Instagram check your feed every 15 minutes).
• 📡 Send analytics (many games and apps collect data about your activity).
• 🔔 Show notifications (even if you turn off the sound, they take up resources).

To turn off autoboot:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like TikTok) and click AutoRun.
3. Turn off the Allow Auto Start option.

For more in-depth optimization, use the Battery and Performance section:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management
2. Select Energy Saving mode for unnecessary applications.
3. Enable Background Limitation for Social Media and Messengers.

These actions will not only free up RAM, but also prolong the battery life on the computer. 10-15%. Be careful, however: disable autoboot for Google Play Services or MIUI System may cause push notifications to malfunction.

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Disabling autoboot for 10-15 unnecessary apps can free up to 500MB of RAM on the Redmi Note 8T.

6.Reset to factory settings: when it really needs to

If all previous methods failed, the last resort is hard reset, which will delete all data, including:

• 📱 Installed applications and their settings.
• 📷 Photos, videos and music (if not on the screen) SD-map).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS Call logs (if not synced with Google).
• 🎮 Game saving (if not linked to an account).

On the Redmi Note 8T, the reset is performed in two ways:

Method 1: Through settings

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data.
3. Enter a pattern lock or password.
4. Confirm the action.

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

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the MI logo appears.
3. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (Change Volume Buttons).
4. Confirm the reset and restart the phone.

⚠️ Note: After resetting on Redmi Note 8T The face unlock function may stop working if it was set up before reset, and that's because the neural network that's responsible for recognition has been deleted.

Resetting is advisable in three cases:

1. The phone is very slow even after cleaning the garbage.
2. System errors (e.g., constant reboots) have appeared.
3. You are going to sell or transfer your phone.

7. Prevention: how to prevent the accumulation of garbage

The best way to deal with garbage is to keep it out of the way. Here are 5 rules to keep the Redmi Note 8T clean:

• 📲 Remove unused apps once a month, and even if you don't use them, they update and take up space.
• 📸 Clean the gallery of duplicates and bad shots. Use apps like Duplicate Files Fixer.
• 🗑️ Set up automatic cleaning in Settings → Security → Autocleaning (recommended interval 1 time per week).
• 🔄 Turn off automatic download of media in instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram). 2-3 GB per month.
• 📥 Use Google Drive (Mi Cloud) to store rarely used files.

Also note the MIUI updates. Newer versions often optimize memory, for example, MIUI 14 added a Smart Cleanup feature that automatically deletes unnecessary files when space is scarce, to check for updates:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If a new version is available, download and install it.

One final tip: avoid aggressively advertised cleaners (such as Clean Master or DU Speed Booster), who often become a source of debris by installing additional modules and displaying intrusive notifications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the Redmi Note 8T