How to completely clean Xiaomi Redmi 8: from garbage to factory settings

Xiaomi Redmi 8 is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but over time even it begins to “brake” due to accumulated debris, app cache and fragmented files. If your device is slower to work, often overheats or gives notifications about memory shortages, it’s time for a general cleaning. In this article, we will analyze all the ways of cleaning, from manually cleaning the cache to completely resetting to factory settings, and also tell you how to avoid losing important data.

It’s important to understand that cleaning your phone is not just about freeing up space, it’s also about optimizing your phone’s work, for example, removing your app cache can speed up the launch of programs, and cleaning up your Dalvik cache (specific for Android) can help you get rid of broken temporary files. We tested all methods on Redmi 8 with firmware MIUI 11 and MIUI 12, so the instructions are relevant to most users.

1.Diagnostics: Why does Redmi 8 need cleaning?

Before you start cleaning, identify what is slowing down your phone, and here are the typical symptoms of littering:

• 📱 Applications open long or suddenly close.
• 🔋 The battery is running faster than before (in the past). 20-30% months).
• 📲 Memory is filled with “unknown what” (in the settings it is shown that occupied). 10-15 GB, but you didn't install as many programs).
• 🔄 Phone warms up for no apparent reason (even with a simple scrolling of the tape in social networks).
• 🚨 Notifications appear “Little memory” or “clean up the storage».

The main causes of these problems are:

• 🗑️ Application cache: Temporary files that should be deleted automatically, but often remain and take up gigabytes.
• 📁 Residual files after deleting programs (for example, folders) Android/obb or Android/data).
• 🤖 Background processes: Many applications (especially Chinese) continue to run in the background, consuming RAM.
• 🔄 Memory fragmentation: Over time, files are “scattered” from memory, and the system takes longer to find them.

On the Redmi. 8 modestly 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of memory (which is available to the user about) 50 GB) these problems are particularly acute, for example, after a year of using the cache without cleaning, Facebook and Instagram can take up to 2-3 GB, and system log files - more 1-2 GB.

2. Cleaning cache and garbage without root rights

So let's start with the safest methods that don't require superuser rights or threaten your data, and these are the ones that will work for beginners.

2.1 Built-in utility Cleaning in MIUI

Xiaomi has built-in tool for quick cleaning, the Cleanup app (or Security in international firmware) that removes:

• 🧹 Application cache.
• 🗃️ Unnecessary APK-Files (remains after installing programs).
• 📄 Temporary files and log files of the system.
• 🔍 Files in the Download folder that have not been used for a long time.

How to use:

1. Open the Cleanup app (icon with broomstick).
2. Press Quick Cleanup. → Start cleaning up.
3. Wait until the process is completed (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
4. Go to the Deep Cleanup tab and select unnecessary files manually (e.g. duplicate photos or large video files).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in Android folders, MIUI Or manually, this can cause a phone to malfunction. Built-in cleaning utility securely removes only unnecessary temporary data.

Manual cleaning of the cache for individual applications

If the phone is slowing down due to a specific app (such as Telegram or TikTok), you can clear its cache separately:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the appropriate app (e.g., Gallery).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. If necessary, click Clear Data (this will remove all application settings, including logins!).

For social networks and instant messengers, cache can take hundreds of megabytes. For example, WhatsApp stores all media files in a folder. WhatsApp/Media — It can also be manually cleaned through any file manager.

Clear the cache in Settings → Applications

Remove old files from the Download folder

Transfer photos and videos to a memory card or cloud

Remove unused items APK-files from the Download folder

Clear the file. DCIM/.thumbnails (photo-picture)

-->

Cleaning with third-party applications

If the built-in tools didn't work out, you can use third-party utilities.The best options for Redmi 8 are:

• 🛠️ SD Maid (Paid version removes system debris deeper).
• 🧹 CCleaner (free version suitable for basic cleaning).
• 🗑️ Files by Google (Simple interface, deletes duplicates and unnecessary files).

Example of working with SD Maid:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Run the scan (CorpseFinder looks for residual files after uninstalling the programs).
3. Delete unnecessary files (pay special attention to the System and Logs sections).

⚠️ Note: Some cleaning applications (e.g. Clean Master) may consume a lot of resources and display false virus warnings.

3. Memory release: what can be removed without risk?

On the Redmi. 8 s 64 GB of memory is available to the user about 50-52 GB: Over time, this space gets clogged with unnecessary files:

Critical information for Redmi 8: folder /sdcard/MIUI/backup/AllBackup It can weigh a few gigabytes if you’ve ever backed up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup: These files can be deleted if they are not needed for recovery.

Use a file manager to find large files (such as Solid Explorer or Solid Explorer). FX File Explorer):

1. Open the manager and go to the root folder (/sdcard/).
2. Sort files by size (Sort option) → By size).
3. Delete unnecessary files (such as old videos or archives).

💡

Before you delete large files, check them through Google Photos or Gallery – these are probably important videos or photos that can be transferred to a memory card or to the cloud.

4.Deep cleaning: reset to factory settings

If the phone brakes a lot and the usual cleaning doesn't work, then the radical method is Hard Reset, which will delete all the data, including:

• 📱 Applications and their settings.
• 📁 Photos, videos, music (if stored in the phone’s memory, not on a map).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS, Call logs (unless synced with Google).
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords and accounts.

How to reset:

1. Backup your important data (see Section 5).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select Delete all data (reset to factory data).
4. Confirm the action (you may need to enter a pattern lock or password).
5. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

Once reset, the phone will be like new, with clean firmware and no unnecessary files, but this method should only be used as a last resort, because:

• ❌ You will lose all unsaved data.
• ⏳ You will have to reconfigure the phone (install applications, log in to accounts).
• 🔄 Some system errors (e.g., iron related) reset will not fix.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 8 with firmware MIUI 12+ After the reset, you may need to link to your Mi Account if you previously enabled Device Protection!

💡

Factory reset is the most effective way to clean up, but it should be the last option.Always try less radical methods first (cleaning the cache, deleting unnecessary files).

5. Backup before cleaning

Before resetting or deep cleaning, be sure to save important data. Here's what to reserve and how to do it:

• 📱 Contact and SMS: Sync with your Google Account (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization).
• 📷 Photos and videos: Upload photos to Google (up to 15GB free) or copy to your computer.
• 🎵 Music and documents: Move to a memory card or to the cloud (Google Drive, Yandex Drive).
• 🔑 Wi-Fi Passwords: Save the network list in your notebook or use the WiFi Password Viewer app (requires root).
• 🎮 Save Games: Use built-in reservation features (e.g., in Helium or through your Google Play Games account).

For automatic backup in MIUI:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Choose Local Backup or Backup in Mi Cloud.
3. Please provide data for saving (contacts, SMS, setup).
4. Click Create a backup copy.

The backup file will be saved in the folder /MIUI/backup/AllBackup/. It can be copied to a computer or memory card.

6. Post-cleaning optimization

After cleaning the phone, it is important to set it up correctly to avoid re-cluttering. Here are the key recommendations for Redmi 8:

• 🚫 Turn off the autoload of unnecessary apps: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select an app (like Facebook). Click Autorun and turn it off.

Limit background activity

1. In the same settings of the application, select Battery → Background activity.
2. Set a limit (such as Limit or Sleep Mode).

Use lightweight versions of apps

• 📌 Facebook Lite instead of Facebook.
• 📌 Messenger Lite instead of Messenger.
• 📌 Twitter Lite (web version via Twitter) PWA).
• 🔋 Set up Battery Mode: Go to Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery mode. Select Charge Saving or Balanced.

It is also useful to disable unnecessary system services:

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Special Opportunities Services.
2. Disable unnecessary services (such as TalkBack if you don’t use it).

For additional optimization, you can use the Greenify app (requires root for full functionality), which “freezes” background processes, saving charge and RAM.

💡

If your phone is still slowing down after cleaning, check it for viruses using Malwarebytes or a built-in scanner in Security. MIUI. Some malware masquerades as system processes and consumes resources.

7.Alternative methods: cleaning through recovery and ADB

For power users, there are more advanced cleaning methods that allow you to remove system debris without completely resetting.

7.1 Cleaning Dalvik cache through Recovery

Dalvik cache is a temporary file created by the Android virtual machine, and cleaning it can speed up the system, especially after updates.

How to clean:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Dalvik Cache (manage volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
4. Restart the phone (Reboot).

This procedure does not delete user data, but it can cause some applications to reassemble the cache the next time they run (they will open longer the first time).

7.2 Cleaning through ADB (advanced)

If you know me, ADB (Android Debug Bridge, you can manually delete unnecessary system files, for example, this is how the cache of all applications is cleaned:

adb shell pm trim-caches 500M

Or remove unnecessary packages (e.g. pre-installed Xiaomi apps if you don’t need them):

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.globalminusscreen

List of safe packets to remove on Redmi 8:

• 📱 com.mi.globalminusscreen (one-handed mode).
• 📱 com.xiaomi.scanner (document scanner).
• 📱 com.miui.analytics (collection of statistics).

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB Before you do that, back up and make sure you know what each package is responsible for. Don't delete anything with the names com.android, com.qualcomm or com.miui.core!

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning Xiaomi Redmi 8