Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 has proven to be a reliable device, but over time, even it begins to suffer from a lack of free space. Users often face a mysterious category in storage called “Other”, which can take up tens of gigabytes. This phenomenon is puzzling, since standard cleaning tools do not always cope with deep system caches and residual files.
This folder is bloated by the accumulation of temporary application data, error logs, incomplete downloads and fragments of remote content. The MIUI system classifies anything that does not fall into the standard categories (photos, videos, applications) as “Other”; cleaning this area requires a comprehensive approach that includes both built-in functions and manual interference with the file system.
In this guide, we will discuss safe and advanced ways to free up space, learn how to use the storage analyzer correctly, work with the messenger cache and apply radical but effective measures. Restoring free space will not only speed up the interface, but also allow you to install new programs you need without constantly worrying about overflowing memory.
Analysis of the contents of the folder Other through settings
The first step to solving this problem is to make a detailed diagnosis of what exactly is taking up space. Xiaomi's standard analyzer provides basic information, but often hides details inside system processes. You first have to go to the settings menu and select About phone, and then click on Warehouse. Here you'll see a color diagram of the data distribution.
Note that the Other category may be cache-covered by streaming services like YouTube or Netflix that save buffered videos for smooth playback, and it often hides navigation map data and offline dictionaries. The system analyzer allows you to see the big picture, but does not always give you access to deleting specific files within this category.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files through third-party root file managers unless you are sure of their purpose.
For a deeper analysis, you can use the built-in Security app. Go to Cleanup and start the scan. Once you're done, click on the Recycle Bin icon, but don't rush to delete everything you've asked. Go through the file list by size, and you can often find old backups or forgotten downloads.
Cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks
The main culprit behind the proliferation of the “Other” folder on Redmi Note 8 is most often messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store every image, video and voice message received in local memory, and over time this digital garbage reaches huge volumes that the system does not always correctly display in the category “Images” or “Video”.
The most effective way to clean up is to use the built-in tools of the apps themselves. Telegram needs to go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use. It is available here to Clear cache. It is important to note that cleaning the cache does not delete your correspondence, the files remain on the server and will be re-uploaded if necessary.
For WhatsApp, the procedure is a little different. Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The app will show you a list of chats that take up the most space. You can selectively delete media files from specific dialogs. It is also useful to change your media autoload settings to prevent future overflows.
- 📱 Open the settings of a particular messenger and find the “Storage” or “Data” section».
- 🗑️ Use the “Clear Cache” feature, not “Clear Data” to avoid losing accounts.
- 🎞️ Turn off autoloading videos on mobile networks to save traffic and space.
- 📂 Periodically check the download folders inside the applications for unnecessary files.
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In Telegram settings, enable the “Cache Removal” function and set a period of 3 days to prevent the accumulation of extra gigabytes in the future.
Use of a storage analyzer and manual cleaning
The built-in MIUI is good, but third-party analyzers often show a more detailed folder structure. One effective method is to use the Files by Google app or the built-in Explorer with hidden file display enabled. Go to the root of internal memory and look at the application name folders.
Special attention should be paid to the Android folder. It contains data and obb subfolders. The data stores user data of applications, and the obb stores the cache of games and heavy programs. Deleting folders from obb after deleting the corresponding application is a safe way to free up space. However, be careful: deleting the folder of the active application will lead to a reset of its settings or the need to reload resources.
☑️ Checking of hand residues
It's also worth checking the DCIM/.thumbnails folder, which is a hidden folder where the system stores thumbnails of all your photos and videos for quick display in the gallery. The.thumbdata file can grow to several gigabytes. Deletion is safe, the system will create a new, but smaller, file when the gallery opens next.
| Type of data | Location. | Security of removal | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Settings → Applications | Safe. | Clean regularly |
| Files.thumbnails | DCIM/.thumbnails | Safe. | Remove if there is a shortage of space |
| OBB folder | Android/obb | Only for remote games | Check before removal |
| System Logs | MIUI/log | Safe. | Can be removed |
Working with Residual Files of Remote Applications
When you delete apps in the standard way through menus, the disk often leaves “tails” – configuration files, logs and temporary data. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, these residues can form a significant part of the “Other” folder. For their search, it is best to use specialized snail analyzers, such as: SD Maid or built-in storage analyzer.
The manual verification process requires careful attention. Go to the file manager and sort the folders by date of change. Look for folders with names of games or programs that have been deleted long ago. Often developers leave folders with names like com.game.name even after uninstall-deletion, deleting such directories is completely safe if you are sure that the application is no longer used.
⚠️ Warning: Before you delete folders from the root directory of internal memory, back up your important data. Accidental deletion of the system folder can disrupt the work MIUI.
Another source of garbage is the Download and Bluetooth folder, which users often forget about downloaded APK installers, presentations or files transferred, which are not tied to any application and lie dead weight, occupying a place in the category of “Other” or “Documents”, which indirectly affects the overall statistics.
Why is the “Other” folder growing again?
Radical Methods: Resetting and Formatting
If the soft practices didn’t work and the Other folder continues to occupy a critical volume, such as over 20 GB on the Redmi Note 8, radical intervention may be needed. The most effective way is a complete factory reset. This action completely clears the internal memory by removing all user data, applications and, most importantly, system debris.
Before you reset, make sure to back up your contacts, photos and important documents to the Mi Cloud or your computer. To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all data. The process will take about 10-15 minutes, after which the phone will be as new.
An alternative to a full reset might be to clean the Dalvik Cache partition through Recovery mode, but on current versions of Android and MIUI, access to this partition is limited or does not have the same effect as on older versions.
- 🔄 Make a full backup of the data before resetting.
- 🔋 Make sure that the battery is at least 50% before the procedure.
- ⏳ Be ready to reconfigure all applications and log in to accounts.
- 💾 Use it. SD-card for transferring media files after resetting.
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To prevent the problem with the folder “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 does not return too often, you need to introduce the habit of regular maintenance of the device. Do not allow the memory to be filled “on end”. Always leave at least 15-20% of free space for the correct operation of the system and virtual memory mechanisms.
Set up automatic cleaning. You can set up a cache clearing schedule in the Security app, it's also useful to manually check messenger folders once a month, and using cloud storage for photos and videos will keep local memory free, transferring heavy content to the cloud.
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Regular prevention and monitoring of autoload media in instant messengers prevent 90% of memory overflow problems.
Xiaomi engineers are constantly optimizing the file system in new versions of MIUI. The firmware update may contain bug fixes that led to incorrect accounting of space occupied or the proliferation of system logs.