How to completely remove the “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi 8: 7 proven ways

The Other section in Xiaomi Redmi 8's storage is a real black hole for free space, and even after removing photos, videos and apps, it continues to take up gigabytes, and the system stubbornly says, "Memory is full." What's the catch? The fact is, under this category, there's an app cache, temporary MIUI files, system log files, remnants of deleted programs, and even data from videos on TikTok or YouTube that you've long forgotten.

Many users mistakenly believe that you just need to click "Clean" in the storage settings, but this only works with surface debris. In fact, up to 70% of the volume of "Other" are files that MIUI does not show by default. In this article, we will discuss 7 ways, including hidden features and third-party tools, to return precious gigabytes. And also find out why "Other" returns after a week and how to avoid it.

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1.What is the “Other” in Xiaomi Redmi 8’s storage and why does it take up so much space

On Redmi 8 (as on other Xiaomi smartphones), the “Other” section is a collective name for files that the system cannot categorize as standard: “Apps,” “Images,” or “Video.”

• 📁 App cache (including social networks, instant messengers, games), for example, Facebook can accumulate up to 1-2 GB of cache per month.
• 📄 Log files MIUI (Error logs, crash reports, they're needed for diagnostics, but they're rarely automatically cleared.
• 🔄 Remnants of remote applications. Even after uninstallation, programs often leave folders in the back of the folder. /data/data/.
• 🎵 Media files from messengers (audio from WhatsApp, stickers from Telegram).
• 🔧 Update files MIUI, which have not been properly installed or removed.

On the Redmi. 8 modestly 32/64 GB of memory (of which it is actually available) ~25/55 GB even 5–10 GB "garbage" can paralyze the smartphone, the problem is compounded by the fact that the MIUI It doesn't show these files in the standard file manager by default. SD-As an internal memory, a part of the Other can migrate there, making it even more difficult to clean up.

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2. Method 1: Clearing the application cache through MIUI settings

The easiest method is to remove the cache manually, which requires no root rights and is suitable for beginners.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Sort by size."
3. View the list: Apps with cache over 100-200MB are the top candidates for cleanup.
4. Click on the app → “Storage” → “Clear the cache”.

🔹 What apps most often “cache” on Redmi 8:

• 📱 Facebook and Instagram (up to 1-3 GB in six months).
• 🎮 Games (PUBG Mobile, Free Fire – up to 500MB of cache on maps and textures).
• 📺 YouTube and TikTok (video cache, thumbnails).
• 💬 Messengers (Telegram with its media files, WhatsApp with voice messages).

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.miui.home or android.process.media) – this can cause malfunctions MIUI.

Close all background applications

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

Check the free space before and after cleaning.

Reboot your smartphone to apply changes-->

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Method 3: Delete temporary files through Optimization

MIUI has a built-in Security tool that can find and delete unnecessary files, but by default it works inefficiently to get it to show hidden debris:

1. Open the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to “Optimization” → “Deep Cleaning”.
3. Click Scan and wait until it is completed (may take 1-3 minutes).
4. In the results, select “Junk Files” and “Residual Files”, then tap “Clean”.

🔹 What exactly does “deep cleaning” remove»:

⚠️ Warning: If after cleaning the smartphone starts to slow down, restart it. MIUI It takes time to re-index the files.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when memory ends

Never cleaned.-->

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4. Method 3: Manually clean through file manager (hidden folders)

Xiaomi's standard Files doesn't show many of the system folders, and you'll need a third-party manager to see them, like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer (with root mode enabled if you have superuser rights).

• 🗃️ folder /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ — This is where the application data is stored. Only delete the remote program folders.
• 📂 folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ — Log files and memory dumps (you can delete everything except for the theme/).
• 🎬 folder /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails — cache of thumbnails (safe to remove).
• 📥 folder /storage/emulated/0/Download/ — check on the old ones APK and unnecessary files.

Critical folder: /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/ – this is where additional game data (e.g. graphics packages for Genshin Impact) is stored.

🔹 How to Remove Important Files:

1. Do not touch folders with names com.android. or com.miui.
2. Do not delete files with the.odex or.vdex extension, which are components of applications.
3. Before deleting, make a backup copy (for example, copy the folder to your PC).

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5. Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (without root)

If previous methods didn't work, you can connect to your smartphone via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and remove the garbage manually, which is safer than getting root rights, but requires a computer.

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it on PC.
2. On Redmi 8, turn on Developer Mode (7 times tap on MIUI Version in Settings → About Phone).
3. In the “Developer Settings” activate “Debugging by USB”.
4. Connect your smartphone to your PC and in the command line (in the folder with ADB) type: adb devices If the device is displayed, execute: adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster This will reset the cache of the standard MIUI cleaner.

🔹 Useful. ADB-clean-up:

• 🧹 Delete the cache of all applications: adb shell pm trim-caches 1000000000 (number - maximum cache size in bytes, here) ~1GB).
• 🗑️ Delete temporary files: adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*
• 📊 View the occupied seat: adb shell df -h

⚠️ Note: Do not use the command adb shell rm -rf / — This will delete all data on the device without the possibility of recovery!

💡

If ADB Do not see the device, try reinstalling Xiaomi drivers or using the original USB-cable (not all cables support data transmission).

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Method 5: Reset the partition cache (wipe cache partition)

If the Other takes more than 3 to 5 GB and doesn't clear, resetting the cache of the cache will help.

1. Turn off Redmi 8.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the recovery menu, select “Wipe & Reset” → “Wipe Cache” (use volume buttons for navigation, power for confirmation).
4. After you complete, select “Reboot” → “System”.

🔹 What does this method do:

• ✅ Removes the update cache MIUI (often takes 500 MB-1 GB).
• ✅ Clears temporary Android kernel files.
• ✅ Fixes errors related to "broken" files in /cache.

📌 Important: Don't confuse "Wipe Cache" with "Wipe Data"! The second option will delete all your files.

💡

Resetting partition cache is the only way to delete files that are not visible even through ADB. Do this every 2-3 months for prevention.

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7. Method 6: Disabling unnecessary system applications (without root)

Many pre-installed Xiaomi apps (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps) run in the background and accumulate cache. They can not be removed without root, but you can disable:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three points → “Show all applications”.
3. Select an unnecessary application (e.g. com.miui.videoplayer) → Disable.

🔹 What applications can be turned off without consequences:

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable applications called com.android.* or com.miui.home, this will lead to the collapse of the interface. MIUI.

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8. Method 7: Complete reset to factory settings (last chance)

If the Other takes up more than 10GB and no methods are working, then the radical way is hard reset, which will delete all data, including photos, contacts and apps, so first:

• 📱 Make a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.
• 🔐 Save passwords (use Google Smart Lock or write them down).
• 📂 Copy important files to your PC or cloud.

🔹 How to Reset Redmi 8:

1. Select “Delete all data”.

What to do after the discharge:

• 🛠️ Do not restore the backup immediately – first check if the “Other” returned».
• 📴 Install only the necessary applications (avoid junk programs).
• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks).

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FAQ: Frequent Questions About “The Other” on Xiaomi Redmi 8