Smartphones line Redmi 8 remain popular due to excellent price-quality ratio, but over time owners face a lack of built-in storage. Overflowing memory is one of the main reasons for slowing down the operating system MIUI, which is especially noticeable on budget devices with a memory capacity of 32 or 64 GB. Proper management of installed software allows not only to free up valuable space, but also significantly increase the autonomy of the gadget, removing background processes.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to uninstall software, from standard methods to advanced techniques for system debris. You will learn to distinguish between regular programs and those that require a special approach to remove. Understanding the structure of the Android file system will help you keep your device clean for years without having to flash or reset settings.
Standard method of removal through the desktop
The fastest and most obvious way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use a shortcut on the home screen. In the MIUI shell installed on the Xiaomi Redmi 8, this process is as simple as possible for users. You don't have to search for complex menus, just find the icon of the application you want to remove.
To perform the operation, you need to pinch the icon on the desktop and hold it for one to two seconds, and then the action menu or edit mode will appear on the screen, where the basket icon or the words "Delete" will appear on the top or bottom of the display. Drag the icon to this area, confirm the action in the pop-up window, and the program will be completely erased from the device memory along with its cache.
If the standard menu doesn’t appear, you may have the “No Limits” mode enabled or a specific theme that hides the interface elements, in which case you should check the launcher settings or use an alternative method through the system settings. Some Xiaomi system applications may not have an delete icon in this menu, which is normal protection against accidental damage to the operating system.
⚠️ Note: When you delete from your desktop, you may accidentally erase important data within the app if you haven't backed up in advance.
This method is effective for quick cleaning, but it does not give you complete control over hidden data. If your goal is deep cleaning, you should consider more detailed software management options.
Managing applications through system settings
A deeper management tool is the settings section, which displays a complete list of all installed software. To get there, go to Settings → Apps → All applications. Here you will see a complete list of programs, sorted by frequency of use or size, which is extremely convenient for finding "heavy" files that occupy space. Unlike the desktop, you can control even those elements that do not have visible shortcuts.
Select the app from the list and you will be taken to the About screen. This is where the key management functions are: Stop, Clear cache and Delete. The delete button will only be active for those programs that are not system components of Android or MIUI. If the button is gray or missing, then the system considers this component critical for the stable operation of the smartphone.
In the same menu, you can see the details of the space you're taking, the size of the application itself, the amount of user data, and the size of the cache. It often happens that a program weighs 50 MB, but its data has grown to a few gigabytes. In such cases, it's helpful to press the "Clean Data" button before removing it to reset the program to a factory state, or immediately delete it if it's no longer needed.
Why can some apps not be removed?
This method not only removes, but also forcibly stops processes that are stuck or consuming too much energy in the background, and it's a great way to diagnose before a complete uninstallation.
Cleaning with built-in security tools
Each Xiaomi Redmi 8 smartphone has a Security system app preinstalled, which serves as a Swiss knife to service the device, and includes an application management module that automatically scans the device for malware and programs, consuming excessive resources, and running scans through this tool is the first step to optimization that the system itself recommends.
Inside the Security app, find the App Management or Cleanup section, and it will give you a list of programs that have been out of use for a long time or have a high battery rating. The smart MIUI algorithm itself tells you what you can delete without harming your phone, which is especially useful for beginners who are afraid to remove something extra and disrupt the gadget.
It also has a Deep Clean feature that analyzes residual files after deleted applications, often leaving empty folders and logs in memory after uninstalling, which take up space, and security tools that allow you to find and remove this digital debris at a single click.
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Run a security scan once a week to automatically find and remove junk and junk. APK-installer.
The use of standard protection products ensures compatibility and the absence of conflicts that may arise when using third-party cleaners from the Play Market.
Removal of system applications and bloatware
Redmi 8 smartphones, like many other Android-based devices, come with a pre-installed set of programs that cannot be removed by standard methods. This software, often called bloatware, includes Google services, Xiaomi apps (Mi Video, Mi Music) and sometimes affiliate software. They take up space and can run in the background, consuming battery power.
To remove these programs, you need to turn on the developer mode and use USB debugging. You will need a computer and a minimum set of ADB (Android Debug Bridge). First activate the developer mode by seven times clicking on the build number in the About Phone section. Then turn on USB debugging in the Developer menu and connect the phone to the PC.
Once connected and logged in on your phone screen, you can use commands to delete packets. This requires caution, as removing the system component can lead to a cyclic bootloop. Below is a table with examples of packets that users often delete and their security for removal.
| Package name | Description | Security of removal | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| com.miui.videoplayer | Standard video player Xiaomi | Tall. | Low (requires an alternative player) |
| com.facebook.katana | Facebook system app | Tall. | Not present (if not used) |
| com.android.chrome | Google Chrome browser | Medium | Low (needs another browser) |
| com.google.android.gms | Google Play Services | Low. | Critical (shops and maps will stop working) |
| com.miui.securitycenter | MIUI Security Centre | Dangerous. | High (disruption of the cleaning system) |
The following format is used to perform removal via ADB:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packetReplacing the packet name with the current name (e.g. com.miui.videoplayer) will remove the app for the current user without affecting the system partition recovery.This allows the app to be returned back with a simple reset if something goes wrong.
⚠️ Warning: Never delete packages associated with framework, systemui or telephony unless you're an expert.This can turn your Redmi 8 into a brick".
Use of third-party managers and launchers
If the built-in tools don't seem functional enough, Google Play offers a variety of alternatives: App managers like AppMgr III or SD Maid provide advanced statistics and groupings of programs, and they can sort apps by installation date, size, or last launch, making it easier to find forgotten software.
Some advanced launchers (desktop shells) also have built-in quick-remove features. By installing a launcher from Nova or Microsoft Launcher, you can change the behavior (long-press) on the icon by adding direct access to the delete menu, which speeds up the cleaning process, making it more intuitive.
However, it is worth considering that third-party applications consume resources themselves. On Redmi 8, with its limited amount of RAM, installing a heavy manager can backfire. It is better to use lightweight utilities that work on demand, rather than hanging in the background constantly.
☑️ Checklist before removing system applications
The main advantage of third-party tools is the ability to batch delete. You can choose ten unnecessary games at once and delete them with a single button, saving time.
Cleaning of residual files after deletion
Even after successful uninstallation, the phone often has tails — folders with logs, temporary files, and settings — that can take up hundreds of megabytes, especially if you’ve used instant messengers or played heavy games, and you’ll need a file manager to find them, like Xiaomi’s built-in Explorer or Files by Google.
Go to the root folder of internal memory and look at directories with names of remote applications. Android/data Or they have their own folder at the root with the developer's name (e.g. com.king.candycrush), and manually deleting those folders frees up space that the system considers free but physically occupied.
Be careful when manually cleaning: do not delete folders that you do not know the names of or that match the names of the remaining applications. Mistakeful removal of system configs can cause malfunctions in the remaining software. Regularly checking these directories is a good habit for maintaining order.
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Regular manual check of the Android/data folder allows you to free up to 1-2 GB of space, which is usually hidden from standard cleaning tools.
Automating this process can be done with scripts or specialized cleaning utilities, but manual control is always more reliable when it comes to important data.