The Redmi 8 series has earned its status as a favorite thanks to its excellent price-performance ratio, but its hardware limitations of 32 or 64 GB of internal memory often become a bottleneck for active users. When space runs out, the MIUI operating system begins to work unstable, applications open longer, and notifications can come with a delay, which seriously reduces the comfort of using the gadget.
In this situation, the owner is faced with the question of how to free up the memory on the phone Xiaomi Redmi 8 as efficiently and safely as possible without deleting important personal data. There are many ways to optimize storage, from built-in cleaning tools to radical measures like resetting, and the choice of the specific method depends on what exactly occupies space in your particular case.
Next, we will discuss in detail the proven algorithms of actions that will help return the device to its former agility, you will learn to find hidden files, clean the sprawling messenger caches and properly manage system partitions so that your smartphone will fly again.
Analysis of storage occupancy through standard means
The first step is always to diagnose where the precious space is going, and the MIUI shell has a powerful built-in tool that doesn't require third-party software and has deep access to system folders, and to run it, you just have to find the Security app on your desktop and select Cleanup.
Once scanned, the system will suggest removing obvious debris: remnants of deleted applications, temporary files and advertising cache. However, do not blindly trust the automation, as sometimes it can miss large files in the download folder or duplicate photos that take up gigabytes. Manual checking of categories at the bottom of the cleaner screen often reveals more significant amounts of data.
⚠️ Note: Before starting a deep cleanup, carefully review the list of files, especially in the Photos and Documents section, so as not to accidentally delete important checks, passport scans or original images.
And you should pay special attention to the Apps section, where you can see which software is taking up the most space, and it often turns out that social networks or navigators have grown to unimaginable sizes through offline maps and cached media files, and cleaning them will give you the greatest gain in free space.
Working with cache and data of popular applications
The main consumers of memory in modern smartphones are not system processes, but social networks and instant messengers such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber. These applications have a habit of storing every picture, video and voice message viewed into internal memory, creating huge archives that are often duplicated in the gallery.
To free up space, you need to go to the settings of each messenger separately. Telegram, for example, has a great built-in memory management tool available via Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Here you can not only clear the cache with a single click, but also set autodelete files, which is the most sensible solution to save space in the future.
A similar situation is observed with the Chrome browser, which accumulates gigabytes of temporary files when actively surfing. Clearing history and cache in the browser settings often frees up from 500 MB to 1 GB of space, which for a budget device with 32 GB of memory is a significant indicator.
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications for manual memory management of each installed software.
- 🗑️ Use the "Clear Cache" function for heavy applications, but beware of the "Erase Data" button if you do not want to lose logins and correspondence.
- 📸 Check the save settings in messengers and disable autosave to the gallery so that media files do not duplicate.
It is important to understand the difference between cache and application data. Cache is temporary files that can be deleted painlessly, whereas the data contains your authorization and settings. Clearing the data will return the application to a “just after installation” state, which will require re-entering the account.
☑️ Checklist of fast cleaning of messengers
Removing duplicates and sorting media library
Photos and videos are the most voluminous content you can store on a smartphone. The Redmi 8 camera takes good pictures, but they take up considerable space, especially if you're shooting video at 1080p. Often, the gallery accumulates hundreds of identical screenshots, blurred frames or videos that were shot "just in case" but never came in handy.
To combat this chaos, you can use Xiaomi's built-in Gallery app, which can automatically group similar photos and find screenshots. When you go to Screenshots, you'll be surprised at how much visual noise there can be, which has been dead weight for years, and removing this ballast is the fastest way to get a few hundred megabytes.
If built-in tools are not enough, it makes sense to use specialized utilities to find duplicates, although on Android you need to be careful not to remove the desired one.
| File type | Average size | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p video (1 min) | ~120-150 MB | Remove or transfer to the cloud |
| Photo (JPEG) | ~3-5 MB | Leave only the best cadres |
| Screenshot. | ~0.5-1 Mb | Remove after use |
| WhatsApp video | ~5-20 MB | Clean through the application settings |
Remember to check the DCIM →.thumbnails folder. This is a hidden system folder that stores thumbnails of your photos for quick display in the gallery. Sometimes it can be as large as several gigabytes, and its cleaning (through a file manager with hidden files) gives instant results.
What is a.thumbnails folder?
Use of cloud storage and memory cards
Xiaomi Redmi 8 owners are more fortunate than users of many modern flagships, as it retains a microSD card slot.This physical memory extension is the most reliable way to store archives of photos, music and documents that do not require instant access.
After installing the memory card, it is recommended to transfer all heavy files to it manually or through the file manager settings. Moreover, in the camera settings, you can specify saving new photos and videos immediately to the camera. SD-a card that will prevent the internal memory from overflowing in the future. → Settings (three stripes) → Save it on. SD-map.
An alternative to a physical map is cloud services such as Google Photos, Yandex.Disk or the built-in Xiaomi Cloud. The “Free Space” feature in Google Photos automatically removes from the device those pictures that have already been successfully uploaded and saved in the cloud, leaving them available for viewing online.
⚠️ Note: Memory cards tend to fail faster than the internal memory of the phone. Never keep a single copy of important documents or family archives only on the phone. SD-card without backup.
Using the cloud also allows you to sync data between devices. If you lose your phone or decide to buy a new one, all your contacts and photos will remain safe "SD-map + The cloud is a must-have configuration for a comfortable life.
Removing System Garbage and Unnecessary Applications
Over time, files that do not belong to any of the standard categories accumulate in the system, which can be error logs, remnants of deleted programs or temporary update files, and you can use the built-in Explorer application to find them by sorting the files by size.
Often, users forget about games they haven't played in six months. Modern games weigh a lot: one PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact can take 10-15 GB. Ruthless removal of unused software is the first step to freedom. Go to Settings → Apps and sort the list by size to see the consumption leaders.
Also worth noting are the pre-installed apps from Google and Xiaomi that you don't use. Although you can't remove system components completely without root rights, most of them can be "disabled," which hides the app from the menu and prevents it from updating or running in the background, which also saves space and battery power.
- 🚫 Delete. APK-installer files that often remain in the Download folder after installing programs.
- 📂 Check the folder. Android/obb — There are game caches, and if the game is deleted, the folder can be safely erased.
- 🔄 Update the system regularly as new versions are available MIUI Often include optimization of memory.
Some users try to use the "accelerators" and "cleaners" from the Play Market, but on modern versions of Android they often do more harm than good, constantly working in the background and using resources. MIUI It is sufficient to maintain order.
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Periodically check the Download folder. This is where the forgotten ones often get to. PDF-files, installation packages and images saved from the Internet, taking up space for months.
Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings
If none of the above methods have worked and memory continues to disappear rapidly, it is possible that the file system has accumulated errors or fragmentation has reached a critical level, in which case the most effective solution is a complete reset to factory settings (Hard Reset).
This procedure will return your Redmi 8 to a store-like state, removing all user data, apps and settings. Before starting the operation, it is critical to create a full backup of contacts, messages and photos, as it will be impossible to restore them after a reset without a backup.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Clear all data. The system will request a confirmation and possibly a password from your Mi or Google account. The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will restart clean.
After reset, take your time to install all the applications at once. Start with a minimum set and watch the memory fill. Often it turns out that the problem was in a particular application or program conflict that disappeared after a clean installation of the system.
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Hard Reset is the last but most effective measure, and not only frees up memory, it also eliminates software errors accumulated over the years, greatly speeding up the old device.