How to Clean Memory on Xiaomi Mi 8: A Complete Guide to Tables and Life Hacks

The Xiaomi Mi 8 is still a popular smartphone years after its release, but over time, its memory is clogged with unnecessary files, app cache and system debris. If your device starts to slow down, issue notifications about space shortages or spontaneously close programs, the problem is precisely overloaded memory. In this article, we will analyze all working methods of cleaning, from basic to advanced, taking into account the features of MIUI firmware and Mi 8 iron.

It's important to understand that memory cleaning isn't just about removing photos or videos. The main space eaters are app cache (can take up to 10-15GB), residual files after uninstallation, duplicates in the gallery, and system debris that MIUI doesn't always remove automatically. We'll show you how to find and delete all of these without risking damage to the system.

This article is relevant for all Mi 8 versions: the standard version, Mi 8 SE, Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Explorer Edition. Instructions are checked on MIUI 12-14, but will be suitable for earlier versions, taking into account minor differences in the interface.

1. Diagnosis: how much memory is occupied and what

Before you clean, you need to figure out what's taking up space. The Mi 8 has built-in tools for that, but they don't always show the whole picture.

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Memory. Here you will see a general diagram of occupied space, broken down into categories: “Apps”, “Images”, “Video”, etc. Pay attention to the “Other” section, which is where garbage is often hidden.
2. For detailed analysis, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management and sort the list by size. Apps weighing >500MB are the first candidates for cache cleanup or deletion.
3. Use third-party analyzers like Files by Google or SD Maid to show hidden files, duplicates, and residual data that are not visible in standard settings.

Critical information: on the Mi 8 with 64 GB of memory, the system reserves up to 8-10 GB for your needs. If less than 5 GB is free, the smartphone will begin to “lag” even after cleaning the cache.

⚠️ Note: if the “Other” section is more than 5 GB, this is a sign of system debris or file system errors, in which case only a factory reset or flashing will help.

2. Cleaning the application cache and system

Cache is a temporary file that creates applications to speed up work, and over time, it accumulates and takes up gigabytes of memory. On the Mi 8, the cache can be cleaned in a number of ways:

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Select an app (like YouTube or Facebook) and click Clear Cache».
• 🧹 For mass cleaning, use the settings → Memory. → Clean (remove the cache of all applications at once).

Method 2: Using the Security Tool

• 🛡️ Open the Security app (Icon with shield).
• 🗑️ Go to the Cleanup tab and click Deep Cleanup».
• ⚙️ Enable the “Cleaning System Cache” option (requires administrator rights).

Important: Clearing the cache does not delete application data (logins, game saves), but it can slow down the first download of programs after the procedure.

Close all active applications

Connect the charger (the process can take 5-10 minutes)

Backup important data (in case of failure)

Check the free space before and after cleaning.-->

Method 3: Manual cleaning through Recovery

If the smartphone is severely slowing down, cleaning the cache through recovery mode will help:

1. Turn off Mi 8.
2. Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will erase all your data, including photos and contacts.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the phone starts to brake

Never cleaned.-->

3. Removal of unnecessary applications and their residues

Many users delete programs through the standard menu, but MIUI often leaves behind tails, folders with settings, cache, and data. Here's how to delete everything completely:

Step 1: Uninstallation through settings

• 📦 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🗑️ Select the unnecessary application and click “Delete».
• 🔍 If the Remove button is inactive, it's system software. It can only be turned off (Disable).

Step 2: Find and Delete Residual Files

You will need a file manager with root rights or an application like SD Maid:

1. Open SD Maid and go to the CorpseFinder section.
2. Run the scan - the program will find folders from remote applications.
3. Delete everything except system folders (these names start with com.android. or com.miui.).

Example: After deleting Facebook, folders /Android/data/com.facebook.katana/ and /Android/obb/com.facebook.katana/ are often left.

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Before you delete the app, check if important data (such as saves in games or chats in instant messengers) are linked to it. Use the export function, if any.

4. Optimization of RAM (RAM)

If the Mi 8 starts to hang when switching between applications, the problem may be a lack of RAM. This model has 6-8 GB of RAM, but MIUI doesn't always manage it efficiently. Here's how to free up RAM:

Method 1: Integrated optimization

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Memory. → RAM.
• 🚀 Click “Optimize” – the system will close the background processes.
• 🔧 Enable the option “Clean RAM when blocking” in Settings → Battery and productivity → Memory management.

Method 2: Manually Closing Applications

Holding the menu button (or swiping up in MIUI 12+) for a long time opens up the list of active programs. Close the ones you don't use. But don't close everything, because some system processes are necessary for stable operation.

Method 3: Disabling animations (for advanced)

Reducing animations will unload RAM and speed up the interface.

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Set values: Windows animation → Disable or 0.5x Transition animation → Disable or 0.5x Duration of animation → Disable

⚠️ Attention: if after optimizing RAM, the smartphone began to restart, return the animation settings to their original state.

5. Garbage cleanup in gallery and downloads

Photos, screenshots and uploaded files are some of the main memory eaters, and on the Mi 8, they are often duplicated or stored in hidden folders. Here's how to find and delete them:

Step 1: Finding duplicates

Use the Files by Google or Gallery Doctor app:

• 🖼️ Open the application and select the "Duplicates" section».
• 🔍 Scan the memory – the program will find repeated photos and videos.
• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary copies (leave the best versions).

Step 2: Cleaning Download folder

The download folder (/storage/emulated/0/Download/) often contains outdated files:

• 📁 Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager).
• 🗃️ Go to the Inner Memory → Download.
• 🧹 Sort files by date and delete anything older than 6 months (except important documents).

Step 3: Delete screenshots and screen recordings

Screenshots are automatically saved to /Pictures/Screenshots/ and screen recordings to /Movies/ScreenRecords/. Check these folders and delete the unnecessary. Tip: use Google Photos (Mi Cloud) to back up before deleting.

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Regularly cleaning the Download folder and removing duplicate photos can free up to 5-7 GB of memory on the Mi 8 without losing important data.

Advanced methods: resetting and firmware

If all previous methods have failed and memory is still clogged with invisible debris, it’s time for drastic measures.Warning: these methods will delete all data from the phone, so make a backup first!

Method 1: Reset to factory settings

This will delete all user data, but leave the firmware intact:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset All Settings (not to be confused with Network Settings Reset!).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

Method 2: Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fastboot Fast Fastboot Fastboot Fast Fastboot Fast Fastboot Fast Fastboot Fast FastBoat Fast Fast Fast FastBoat

If the reset didn't work, the problem might be the corrupted file system, and then a complete flashing of the file will help.

• 📥 Download the official firmware for Mi 8 from the Xiaomi website.
• 🖥️ Install the Mi Flash Tool on PC.
• 🔌 Connect Mi 8 in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down) + Nutrition).
• 🔄 In Mi Flash Tool, select the downloaded firmware and click "Flash».

⚠️ Warning: Fastboot will delete everything, including data in internal memory (photos, videos, documents). TWRP, You can make a backup through it before the firmware.

When it's needed:

• 🛠️ If after reset, the memory still shows occupied “invisible” files.
• 🐢 If the smartphone slows down even after cleaning the cache and removing applications.
• 🚨 If errors such as “Memory is damaged” or “Not enough space” appear, 10 are free.+ GB.

7. Prevention: How to avoid memory clogging

To avoid cleaning up your memory on the Mi 8 every month, follow these rules:

• 📱 Turn off autoload media in instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram). To do this, go to the chat settings → «Mediavisors» → «Autoboot and select “Never».
• 🔄 Set up automatic cache cleanup in the Security app (Section "Auto Cleanup»).
• ☁️ Use cloud storage for photos and videos (Google Photos, Mi Cloud). Set up automatic download when connecting to Wi-Fi.
• 🚫 Remove unused applications immediately after installation. If the program hasn't been used for more than a month, you don't need it.
• 📂 Check the Download folder regularly (every 2-3 months).

Additional Life Hack: If you install/remove games frequently, use Google Play Games with cloud-based saves to remove heavy games (like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty) without losing progress.

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Regular prevention (once every 1-2 months) will eliminate the need for radical memory cleaning and prolong the life of your Xiaomi Mi 8.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the memory of the Mi 8