How to completely remove the “Other” from the memory of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: step-by-step guide 2026

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro often encounter a mysterious “Other” section in the memory settings, which takes up gigabytes of space for no apparent reason. Even after deleting applications, cleaning the cache and transferring photos to the memory card, this section continues to grow, eating up to 10-20 GB of precious internal storage.

The problem is not new: it is related to the features of the firmware MIUI The other is not just garbage, it's a mixture of system logs, temporary update files, a cache of Google and Xiaomi services, and remnants of remote applications. In some cases, file system errors that occur after interrupted updates or improper extraction are to blame. SD-We tested 5 cleaning methods, from standard tools to hidden features. MIUI, — And only those that actually work on the Redmi Note 8 Pro (begonia model) were selected).

⚠️ Warning: Some methods require superuser rights (root) or work with system files. On models with a locked bootloader (for example, the global version of the Redmi Note 8 Pro for Russia), unlocking the bootloader erases all data! If you are not sure, use only safe methods (sections 1-3).

1.What is the “Other” in Xiaomi’s memory and why it takes up so much space

Section "Other" in Settings → Memory is a collective name for files that the system cannot categorize as specific (photos, videos, apps, etc.) on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, it is usually composed of a single file:

• 📁 System application cache (com.android.systemui, com.miui.home) – temporary interface data MIUI, which are not cleaned by standard means.
• 🔄 Update residues – firmware files (.zip) that have been downloaded but not installed (for example, due to an interrupted process).
• 🗑️ Error Logs and Dumps – automatically created when applications or systems fail (folder) /data/tombstones).
• 🔗 Symbolic links – “broken” links to deleted files that take up space.
• 📱 Google Play Services and Google App cache that can weigh up to 1-2 GB.

On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the problem is compounded by the fact that the model was released in 2019 with Android 9 on board, and modern versions of MIUI 12/14 are optimized for new devices. As a result, old cleaning mechanisms work inefficiently, and “Other” accumulates faster. For example, after upgrading to MIUI 14, users note an increase in this partition by 3-5 GB per month.

🔍 How do you check what exactly takes up space? Install Files by Google (pre-installed on most Xiaomi devices) and go to Cleanup, which shows large files and folders that can be manually deleted. However, some of the data will be hidden – root rights will be required to view them.

Method 2: Clearing cache and system application data (without root)

The safest method, which requires no special knowledge, is suitable for users who have “Other” takes up to 5-7 GB. The essence is to manually clean the cache and data of applications that are most often “junk”.

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Show System Processes”.
3. Find the following apps in the list and clear their cache and data (Clear Data button»): 📱 Google Play Services (can weigh up to 1-2 GB) 📱 Google Play Services (double of the previous one, if any) 📱 MIUI bootloader (remainders of downloads) 📱 Weather (cash maps and forecasts) 📱 Topics (uploaded wallpaper and icons)

Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Google Play Services data cleanup may cause temporary login issues in your Google account. After the reboot, wait for sync (usually takes 5-10 minutes).

Clear the Google Play Services cache | Delete MIUI bootloader data | Check the Download folder for garbage | Clear the Topic and Weather cache |Reboot the phone-->

💡 Additional tip: If after cleaning the place is not freed up, check the folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup. It stores backups of applications that can weigh several gigabytes. Remove unnecessary backups manually through any file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer).

Method 2: Delete temporary MIUI update files

Xiaomi is known for leaving behind tails after updates. Even if the firmware is successfully installed, update files (.zip) can remain in memory and take up to 1-3 GB. They can not be deleted by standard means, but can be found and cleaned manually.

🔧 Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with access to root folders (e.g. FX File Explorer or Root Explorer if root is available).
2. Cross the path: /data/ota_package/ /cache/ There may be files of the species. miui_HMNote8ProGlobal_V12.0.1.0.QGGMIXM_....
3. Delete all files with the.zip or.tmp extension.
4. Clean /cache/ completely (the system will restore it automatically).

📊 What files can be removed safely:

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system/ or /vendor/ — This can cause a device to fail, and if you're not sure what the file's name is, you'd better not touch it.

💡

Before deleting files from /data/ or /cache/, back up important data. In rare cases, cleaning the cache can cause some functions (such as a fingerprint) to fail.

Method 3: Reset the cache via Recovery Mode (without data loss)

If the first two methods didn’t work, try clearing the partition cache through Recovery Mode.This won’t delete your files or apps, but will clear up system debris that isn’t visible in the normal interface.

🔄 How to get into Recovery Mode on Redmi Note 8 Pro:

1. Press the Power and Volume buttons up at the same time until the Mi logo appears.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option (Factory Reset) will completely reset the phone to factory settings, deleting all your data.

5. Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a debugging tool that allows you to remove system debris without root permissions, which is suitable for users who are willing to work with the command line.

🖥️ Preparation:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on the phone Developer Mode: go to Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the item "Version" MIUI».
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.
4. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer mode).

💻 Cleanup commands:

Open the command prompt (or PowerShell in Windows) and type:

adb shell


pm clear com.google.android.gms # Google Play Services cleanup




pm clear com.google.android.gsf # Clean up Google Services Framework




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




rm -rf /data/log/* # Clearing Logs (requires root)




exit

🔍 What teams do:

• 🧹 pm clear – completely clears the data of the specified application (like the “Clear Data” button in the settings, but works even for system applications).
• 🗑️ rm -rf — Be careful: improper use can damage the system!

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf folder /data/log/ and /data/tombstones/ You need root rights. Without them, you'll get a Permission denied error.

💡

ADB is a powerful tool, but it's dangerous. Never execute commands you don't understand, and a single line error can cause data loss or system failure.

6. Method 5: Complete factory reset (extreme case)

If the Other takes up more than 10GB and no methods are working, the last option is Hard Reset, which will completely erase all data from the phone, including system debris, and return it to the “out of the box” state.

🔄 How to do the reset correctly:

1. Back up your important data (photos, contacts, messages) and use Mi Cloud or Google Drive.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Delete all data” and confirm the action.
4. Wait until it is completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).
5. After restarting, set your phone as new.

⚠️ Attention: On the Redmi Note 8 Pro with a blocked bootloader reset will not delete files from the folder /sdcard/ (But all settings, apps and account data will be erased. If the garbage was in the system partition, it will help.

📊 Pros and cons of Hard Reset:

7 How to Prevent the Re-Accumulation of the Other

To prevent the problem from returning in a month, follow the following simple rules:

• 📵 Turn off automatic updates MIUI (if not necessary: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings → Auto-update → Off.
• 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Memory. → Cleaning (once every 2 weeks).
• 🚫 Don’t use the Play Market’s “memory optimizers” – they often create more trash than they clean.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone every 3-4 days – this cleans up RAM and temporary files.
• 📁 Transferring heavy files to SD-The Redmi Note 8 Pro supports cards up to 512GB.

💡 Photographer's advice: If you often shoot videos 4K full HD, Set up automatic saving on the memory card. Open the camera, click on the memory card. ⚙️ «Settings» → «Memory» → choose «SD-map».

💡

If you install and delete applications frequently, use the Light version function in Settings → Apps → Lite Mode. This will reduce the cache that programs leave behind.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi