Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Memory Cleanup: A Complete Guide with Hidden Chips MIUI

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 even 4-5 After the release of the smartphone remains popular, but it 64 or 128 GBs have the unpleasant property of being clogged with garbage. MIUI Actively caches data, applications create temporary files, and users often do not notice how to 10-15 GB of memory disappears in an unknown direction — 7 proven ways to clean up memory, including hidden firmware features and safe methods for beginners.

Features of the Redmi Note 8 — Hybrid Memory (if you have a version of the 3/32 GB 4/64 GB, where some RAM can be used as storage, which makes it difficult to manually clean, but we'll show you how to get around the limitations. MIUI (including MIUI 12/13/14), But some menu items may be different - we'll show you alternative ways.

Before you start, check the actual memory state: go to Settings → The phone. → Storage. If the graph shows System Data over 20 GB with standard firmware, that's a signal that you need to clean it up deep.

1. Built-in cleaning MIUI: What is missing and what is missing

The most obvious way is to use the built-in Cleanup tool (the broom icon in the settings menu).

• 🗑️ Application cache (temporary files that can be restored)
• 📁 Empty folders and thumbnails of images
• 🔄 Residual files after deleting programs
• 📥 Downloads (if not marked as important)

However, this method has 3 critical drawbacks:

1. Does not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.miui.gallery or com.android.providers.media) that may weigh 1-3 GB.
2. Does not remove duplicate photos and videos (even if they are taken up by the 5-10 GB).
3. Ignoring files in folders Android/obb and Android/data, which often remain after uninstallation of games.

How to start cleaning correctly:

1. Open the Settings. → Cleaning (or use a widget on your desktop).
2. Press Deep Clean (not fast!)
3. In the section Additional, include ticks for Cash thumbnails and Residual files.
4. Confirm the action and wait until the completion (may take a while) 5-15 minute).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone is running slower after cleaning, it is a sign of memory fragmentation, in which case only a complete reset or transfer of data to the memory card (if supported) will help).

2. Manually cleansing app cache: Hidden gigabytes

Many apps (especially social networks and instant messengers) store cache that is not removed by standard cleaning. 2-5 GB of temporary files, and TikTok - up to 1 GB for a month of active use. Manual cache removal is safe, but requires attention.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the top right corner → Sort → by size).
3. Select the app (start with the most "heavy" ones") → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
4. For system applications (such as Gallery or Downloads), click Clear Data, but be careful – this will delete settings and saved files.

Prof tip: If the app accumulates it quickly again after cleaning the cache (for example, Instagram), limit background activity.

1. Go to the app settings → Battery.
2. Choose Background Limitation or Battery Optimization.

Backup of important data|Check the space (at least 10% of the memory space is required)|Close all applications before cleaning|Mark apps that cannot be touched (banks, instant messengers with important chats)-->

3. Removal of duplicates and junk files: tools MIUI

Redmi Note 8 has a built-in tool for finding duplicates – Files (the application from Google, preinstalled in the app). MIUI). He can find:

• 📸 Same photos (including screenshots with the same content)
• 🎵 Duplicate audio files (even with different names)
• 📄 Repeated documents (PDF, DOCX etc.)
• 🎮 Save games (if they are duplicated in the cloud and locally)

How to use:

1. Open the Files app (Blue folder icon).
2. Go to the Cleanup section → Duplicate files.
3. Select the type of files to scan (photo, video, audio).
4. After analysis, mark duplicates and click Remove.

For more in-depth analysis, use third-party apps like Files by Google or SD Maid (available on Play Market). They'll find:

• 🗃️ Empty folders (remain after deleting applications)
• 🔍 Zero-size files
• 📂.thumbnails folders (miniatures that are not updated)
• 🗑️ Remains from old firmware (folder) /cache)

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete files in folders /system or /vendor — This will cause the system to crash and need to flash it back, and avoid deleting files with the.odex or.vdex extension, which are critical for applications to run.

💡

If you delete duplicates and the gallery still shows repetitive photos, clear the Gallery app cache and restart the phone. 5-10 minute.

4. Clearing folders Android/obb and Android/data: free 5-10 GB

Folders. Android/obb and Android/data — The main memory eaters are stored here:

• 🎮 Game data (e.g, PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty can be used 1.5-3 GB).
• 📥 Cache of streaming services (Netflix, YouTube, Film Search).
• 🗺️ Offline maps (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps, 2GIS).
• 📚 Cash of training applications (Duolingo, Skyeng).

How to clean safely:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (in file transfer mode).
2. Go to the internal memory folder → Android → obb.
3. Delete folders with game names you haven’t used in a long time (e.g. com.tencent.ig is a game name). PUBG Mobile).
4. In a file. Android/data delete only those folders that are related to remote applications (check the name of the package in the Play Market).

Important: Some files in obb can be protected. If you delete an error "File used", first:

1. Close all applications through Recent (swipe up).
2. Restart your phone to Safe Mode (press the power button → Safe Mode).
3. Repeat the removal attempt.

5. Data transfer to memory card: nuances for Redmi Note 8

The Redmi Note 8 supports microSD cards up to 256GB, but there are limitations:

• 📱 Not all applications can be transferred to the map (depending on the developer).
• 🎵 Music and photos are transferred without problems, but games often refuse to work with an external drive.
• 🔄 The card is formatted as internal memory (you can’t use it on other devices without formatting it).

How to transfer data:

1. Insert a memory card (we recommend the UHS-I U3 class for speed).
2. When you first connect, select Use as internal memory (if you want to port applications).
3. Go to Settings. → Apps, select the desired and click Storage → Change. → Map. SD.
4. For files (photos, videos) use Files → Select → Move it → Map. SD.

Important warnings:

• 🚨 After formatting the card as internal memory, it cannot be retrieved without properly disabling (via Settings). → Warehouse → Extract).
• 🔋 When using the card as internal memory, the battery consumption can increase by 5-10% (Due to slower reading/writing speeds).
• 📱 Some apps (like WhatsApp) don’t work with a memory card – they require internal storage.

⚠️ Warning: If the app starts to crash after you transfer it to the map, put it back in internal memory. This is a sign of incompatibility with Adoptable Storage. SD-cards as with internal memory).

💡

Moving apps to a memory card doesn’t always solve the problem of space scarcity, and many modern games and social networks (such as Facebook or Genshin Impact) block this feature due to data protection.

6.Reset to factory settings: when it's the only way out

If you have less than 10 percent left of your free memory after all the manipulations, and your phone is slowing down, you have to do a hard reset, which will delete all the data, including:

• 📱 Installed applications and their settings
• 📸 Photos, videos and music (if not on a memory card)
• 📞 Contact and SMS (If not synced with Google or Mi Account)
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords and account data

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Move the copy to your PC or cloud (like Google Drive or Mi Cloud).
3. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
4. Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
5. After the reboot, set the phone up as new or restore data from the backup.

Alternative method (if the phone is not turned on):

1. Turn off the Redmi Note 8.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (manage volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
4. After reset, select Reboot.

💡

Factory reset is a last resort, but sometimes it’s the only way to get the Redmi Note 8 back to factory speed, and when it’s reset, it’ll run faster by cleaning up fragmented system files.

7. Advanced methods: ADB and hidden teams MIUI

For power users, there are cleaning methods that are not visible in the standard interface: they require connecting the phone to a PC and using it. ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Method 1: Clearing the cache of all applications with one team

adb shell pm trim-caches -1 U

This command compulsorily clears the cache of all user applications.

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Check the free space in the Settings → Storage.

Method 2: Remove unnecessary system packets (routed devices only!)

If you have root access, you can remove pre-installed apps (bloatware) that take up space and are not in use.The list of safe packet removal for the Redmi Note 8:

com.miui.analytics


com.miui.bugreport




com.miui.cloudservice




com.miui.cloudbackup




com.miui.fm




com.miui.hybrid




com.miui.miservice




com.miui.player




com.xiaomi.midrop

Remove only those packets that you know are intended for! Use the command to delete:

adb shell


su




pm uninstall -k --user 0 Name Package

Method 3: Cache partition reset (does not delete user data)

If the phone is slowing down after the update MIUI, drop the cache section:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up to enter Recovery.
3. Select the Wipe Cache Partition.
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB And root rights can lead to loss of warranty and unstable operation of the phone. TWRP Or Mi Flash Tool.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning the memory of Redmi Note 8