Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the most popular mid-range smartphones, but even its 64 or 128 GB of internal memory sooner or later ends. High-resolution photos, app cache, system updates and downloaded files take up precious gigabytes, and users often do not know how to quickly check the remaining space. In this article, we will analyze all the available ways to check memory on the Redmi Note 8 Pro – from standard MIUI tools to hidden functions and third-party utilities.
The feature of this model is that it supports microSD cards up to 256 GB, but even with them it is important to control the distribution of data. For example, some applications (like WhatsApp or Telegram) by default save media files to internal memory, quickly filling it, and we will show not only how to see the amount of free space, but also how to understand what exactly occupies memory - to effectively clean it.
1. Memory check through MIUI settings
The easiest and fastest way is to use the built-in MIUI shell tools.This method requires no additional applications and works on any version of the Redmi Note 8 Pro firmware (including MIUI 12/13/14).
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon on the home screen).
- 🔍 Scroll down and select the About Phone section.
- 📊 Slip on Memory (or Storage in new versions) MIUI).
- 📉 The system will display a diagram with the memory distribution: system files, applications, media, cache and other data.
In this menu, you will also see the Clean button, which allows you to quickly remove unnecessary cache and temporary files, but be careful: clearing the cache of some applications (such as Google Maps or Instagram) will lead to their slower operation on the next launch.
💡
If the memory diagram shows a category of "Other" with a volume of several gigabytes, most likely these are residual files of remote applications. To clean them, use the Cleanup function in the Security section (the application with the shield).
Detailed analysis through "Security" and "Cleaning"
MIUI has a separate Security app that offers advanced memory analysis tools that not only show free space, but also help you find junk files, duplicate photos and large, unnecessary data.
How to use:
- Launch the Security app.
- Go to the Cleanup tab (or Deep Cleanup in newer versions).
- Wait until the scan is completed – the process can take 1-2 minutes.
- The screen will display a list of categories: Cash, Residual files, Duplicates, Large files.
- Slip on any category to see the details and choose what to remove.
The advantage of this method is the ability to delete up to 3-5 GB of unnecessary data at a time, including cache of system applications that are not usually cleared through standard settings. However, do not delete files manually unless you are sure of their purpose - some of them may belong to important services.
What are "residual files"?
3. Use of a file manager (including hidden folders)
Xiaomi’s standard file manager also shows memory information, but with one caveat: it doesn’t display hidden system folders, which can take up a significant amount of space, by default, and to see the full picture, you need to turn on the hidden files.
Step-by-step:
- 📁 Open the File Manager (Icon with folder).
- 🔍 In the top menu, click on three dots (⋮) and select Settings.
- 👁️ Activate the option to show hidden files.
- 📊 Back to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) — At the bottom of the screen will be a free memory indicator.
Now you can manually check the folders that grow most often:
| folder | What it keeps. | Can we clean it? |
|---|---|---|
| DCIM/Camera | Photo and video from the camera | Yes (transfer to PC or cloud) |
| Download | Uploaded files from the browser | Yes (check for important documents) |
| Android/data | Application data (cache, save) | Partially (remove the folders of remote applications) |
| .thumbdata | Gallery miniatures | Yes (to be recreated) |
☑️ Safely cleansing memory
4. Third-party applications for memory analysis
If built-in MIUI tools aren't enough, you can use third-party utilities that offer more detailed analysis, visualization of occupied space, and even cleaning recommendations.
Top.-3 applications:
- 📊 Files by Google — shows junk files, duplicates and large media files. Supports cache cleaning with one tap.
- 🔍 SD Maid is an advanced tool for finding residual files and cleaning application databases. Requires root for full functionality.
- 📈 DiskUsage – visualizes the occupied space in the form of an interactive map, where each block is located. = file.
Example of Files by Google:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- Start and give access to the memory.
- Go to the Cleanup tab – the system will automatically scan the device.
- Select categories to delete (e.g., Duplicates or Old Screenshots).
⚠️ Note: Applications like Clean Master or CCleaner often contain aggressive advertising and can delete useful data.
5. Memory check via ADB (for advanced users)
If you want the most accurate information about memory allocation (for example, to diagnose storage problems), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for users familiar with the command line.
Instructions:
- Turn on Developer Mode on Redmi Note 8 Pro: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers. Activate USB Debugging.
Command line.
Terminal
adb shell df -hIt will show free and occupied space for all sections.
/data
adb shell du -sh /data/* | sort -rhThis command will sort folders by size.
The results will look like this:
/dev/block/mmcblk0p53 118G 15G 103G 13% /data
/dev/block/mmcblk0p52 5.8G 3.2G 2.6G 55% /system⚠️ Note: Do not delete files through ADB, If you don't understand their purpose, a mistake can lead to a system crash and the need to flash it.
6.How to free up memory on Redmi Note 8 Pro: practical tips
Knowing how much memory is left is useless without action to free it. Here are 5 ways to work for the Redmi Note 8 Pro:
- 📸 Move photos and videos to the cloud: Use Google Photos (up to 15GB free) or Mi Cloud (5GB) in the settings, enable Auto Download.
- 🎵 Optimize music: In Spotify or Yandex Music, reduce the quality of streaming to 96 kbit / s (in the application settings).
- 📱 Limit the application cache: In Settings → Select heavy programs (such as Facebook or TikTok) and click Clear Cache.
- 🔄 Use a Memory Card: Move supported apps to microSD via Settings → Annexes → [Select an application] → Warehouse → Change.
- 🗑️ Delete. APK-Files: After installing applications from third-party sources,.apk files remain in the Download folder – they can be safely deleted.
On the Redmi Note 8 Pro with 64 GB of memory, system files and firmware take up about 12-15 GB out of the box. If less than 5 GB is free, the phone will start to slow down - MIUI actively uses memory for caching.
💡
Regularly cleaning the cache and moving media files to the cloud can free up to 20-30% of memory without deleting important data.