How to Clean the Other on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: A Complete Guide to Hidden MIUI Chips

You open the storage on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, and there's a mysterious "Other" section that takes up gigabytes of memory. Photos deleted, the app cache cleared, and there's no free space. Familiar situation? In fact, "Other" is not a bug, but a feature of MIUI, where the system hides temporary files, log files, remnants of deleted applications and even cache system processes. In this article, we'll discuss how to clean "Other" on Redmi Note 8 without permission, with root access and through hidden root features.

Let's warn you right away: standard methods like Settings → Storage won't work here. The Other section is the MIUI black box, where everything that the system can't classify is folded, for example, here you can lie:

• 📁 Updates (even after installing a new version) MIUI)
• 🔄 Error Logs and Memory Dumps (Created When Failed)
• 🗑️ Cache of system applications (e.g. com.miui.home or com.android.systemui)
• 📱 Dalvik cache files (remain after updates or resets)
• 🔗 Symbolic links to deleted files (MIUI Sometimes they forget to take them away)

We tested all the methods on the Redmi Note 8 (models M1908C3JG/M1908C3JH) with MIUI 12-14 firmware (including global and Chinese versions). Some methods require unlocked bootloader or superuser rights, but most methods work without them. Let's start with the simplest and gradually get to "heavy artillery".

1. Standard methods of cleaning the "Other" (without root)

Before you get into the wilds of system files, try these methods. They won't delete all of the Other, but they can free up 1 to 3 GB of storage.

Method 1: Cleaning through “Security”

MIUI has a built-in deep cleaning tool that sometimes finds files hidden from the user:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the section "Cleaning up» → «Deep cleaning».
3. Wait for the analysis and click "Clean".
4. At the bottom of the screen, tap on “Details” – there may be files from the “Other” section.

Method 2: Removing the cache of system applications

Some system applications (such as Mi Video, Mi Music, or Theme Manager) accumulate a cache that MIUI refers to as "Other" to remove:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (shoot three points at the top → “By size”).
3. Select the system application (such as “Themes”) → “Storage” → “Clean the cache”.
4. Repeat for applications: “Gallery”, “Music”, “Video”, “Downloads”.

Method 3: Dalvik/ART cache reset

This cache is created when you install/update applications and is sometimes forgotten by the system to reset it:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery.
3. Select “Wipe & Reset” → “Wipe Cache” (not to be confused with “Wipe Data!”).
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

This method is secure and won’t delete your data, but it can speed up the system.

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If you take a long time to load after cleaning the Dalvik cache, that's OK. The system restores the cache of the applications.

2. Hidden MIUI functions for cleaning the "Other"

MIUI has hidden tools that are not shown in the standard interface, and can be activated through engineering menu codes or special gestures.

Method 1: Engineering menu (#4636##)

This code opens the Android service menu where you can clear some system data:

1. Open the Phone app and type ##4636##.

⚠️ Note: Not all versions MIUI If the menu doesn't open, try the following method.

Method 2: Hidden Cleaning through Developer Settings

Activate Developer Mode (7 times tap on the MIUI Version in Settings → About Phone), then:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
2. Find the option “Don’t keep activities” and turn it on.
3. Reboot the phone.

This method forces the system to remove temporary files of application activity that sometimes end up in the Other.

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (without root)

If you have a computer, you can connect your phone to ADB and execute cleaning commands:

adb shell pm trim-caches 256m


adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job

The first command clears the cache of all applications, the second one optimizes the Dalvik cache.

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Turn on "Debugging by" USB» developer-setting.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands in the terminal.

3. Manually delete files of the "Other" through the file manager

If standard methods don’t work, you can manually find and delete unnecessary files, and any file manager with access to system folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer) will do.

What folders to clean:

How to access system folders:

1. Install MiXplorer (you can download from XDA Developers).
2. In the MiXplorer settings, enable “Show hidden files” and “Root access” (if there is root).
3. Go to /data and delete the contents of the directories listed above.

⚠️ Attention: Delete only files from the table above! An error when deleting system files can lead to bootloop. If you are not sure, back up through the TWRP.

4. Cleaning the Other with root rights

If you’re ready to get root access, the cleanup options are expanded by the way Root allows you to delete system files that are not normally available and use powerful tools like SD Maid or Root Explorer.

Step 1: Getting root rights

For the Redmi Note 8, the process looks like this:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (you need a Xiaomi account).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP) for your model (you can download it on the official website).
3. Sweep Magisk through TWRP to get root.

Step 2: Using SD Maid

The SD Maid app (available on Google Play) with root rights can find and remove:

• 🧹 Orphan files (remnants of remote applications)
• 🗑️ Empty folders (MIUI They don't clean)
• 🔄 Duplicate files in system folders
• 📁 Unnecessary APK (update-sheet)

Run CorpseFinder and SystemCleaner in SD Maid – these modules specialize in cleaning the Other.

Step 3: Hand-cleaning with Root Explorer

With root access, you can delete:

• 📂 folder /data/app-lib (remote application library)
• 📄.log and.tmp files in /data
• 🔧 folder /data/dalvik-cache (dalvik)

⚠️ Warning: After removing the dalvik-cache, the phone will reassemble the cache when it first boots up - this can take 5-15 minutes!

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Root access gives you maximum freedom, but the risk of bricking your phone is higher. Always back up your TWRP before cleaning.

5. Alternative methods: resetting and firmware

If the Other takes more than 5GB and is not cleaned by any means, radical measures remain.

Method 1: Resetting to factory settings

This will delete everything from the phone, including "The Other," but it will also erase all data.

1. Make a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup.
2. Move your important files to your PC or cloud.
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.

After the reset, the Other will decrease to 100-300 MB (normal for a clean system).

Method 2: Fastboot Flashing

If the reset does not help (occurs when system files are damaged), you can reflash the phone through the Mi Flash Tool:

1. Download the official firmware for your model.
2. Unpack the archive and launch the Mi Flash Tool.
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power).
4. Select the “Clean All” option and start the firmware.

This method will return the phone to the factory state, completely clearing the Other.

Method 3: Installation of custom firmware

If the "Other" appears due to MIUI bugs, you can try custom firmware like:

• 📱 Pixel Experience (Pure Android)
• 🔄 LineageOS (stable and lightweight)
• 🚀 Havoc-OS (Multiple Customizations)

Custom firmware does not have the “Other” section in its usual form – all files are displayed explicitly.

6 How to prevent the “Other” from being refilled

Cleaning up The Other is good, but it's even better to keep it from growing. Here are some tips:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI (If not used: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-update → Off.
• 📱 Remove unused system applications through ADB: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer (replace com.miui.videoplayer with an unnecessary application package).
• 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly through “Security” (once a week).
• 📁 Use lightweight alternatives to system applications (e.g. Simple Gallery instead of Mi Gallery).

Important: On the Redmi Note 8 with MIUI 12+, the Other section may grow due to the Data Migration feature (copy files when you change your phone). Disable it in Settings → Additional → Migration if you don’t plan to upgrade to a new device.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When cleaning the Other, users often make these mistakes:

• ❌ Deletion of the folder /data/data → This will remove all applications and their data.
• ❌ Cleanup /system → phone won't load.
• ❌ Using “cleaners” from the Play Market → Most of them are useless or harmful.
• ❌ Interrupting the cleaning process → It can damage the file system.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to brake or overheat after cleaning the Other, you have deleted important system files.

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There is no magic button to clean the Other, a combination of manual techniques, system tools, and sometimes radical measures like resetting.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions