Smartphone Honor 8X, released at the end of 2018, initially offered users impressive amounts of built-in storage - 64 or 128 GB. However, modern mobile applications, instant messengers and social networks are becoming more and more “heavy”, quickly filling the available space. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the system Android 9 Pie with a shell EMUI 9 requires a free buffer for the cache and temporary files to work correctly.
When the memory indicator turns red, the device begins to work slower: applications take longer to open, the camera may crash when trying to take a picture, and the system periodically freezes. Lack of free space affects not only the data writing speed, but also the overall stability of the processor HiSilicon Kirin 710. Gadget owners need to regularly carry out storage maintenance to avoid critical slowdown.
In this article we will look at proven cleaning methods, from simple built-in utilities to advanced methods for managing system files. You will learn how to find hidden space hogs and safely remove them without disrupting the operating system.
Using the built-in phone manager
The easiest and safest way to start fighting for gigabytes is to use the standard "Phone Manager" application pre-installed in the shell. EMUI. This tool analyzes the state of the system and offers basic solutions for optimization. Launch the application through the icon in the “Tools” folder or find it in the general list of apps.
In the main menu, select section Cleaning. The system will automatically scan the device for junk files, application caches and residual data from uninstalled apps. Clicking the “Clear” button will delete temporary files that do not affect the operation of the software, but take up space. Typically, this method allows you to free up from 200 MB to 1 GB of space.
For a deeper check, go to the Files section inside the manager. Here you can find large files, duplicate images, and rarely used applications. The “Analyze large files” function is especially useful, since users often forget about downloaded videos or archives that lie dead for months.
⚠️ Attention: When cleaning through the manager, carefully look at the list of deleted files. Sometimes WhatsApp thumbnails or saved stickers that you would like to keep fall into the “garbage” category.
Run “Cleanup” regularly once a week - this will prevent the accumulation of a critical mass of temporary files and speed up the operation of your smartphone.
Managing the cache of instant messengers and social media networks
The main memory consumers on any modern Android smartphone, including Honor 8Xare instant messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber save every photo, video and voice message received to their internal memory. Over time, folders with media files of these applications can grow to tens of gigabytes.
The most effective method is cleaning through the settings of the application itself, and not through the system menu. For example, in Telegram you need to go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage. Here you will see clear statistics on the cache and can delete it with one click. It is important to understand that deleting the cache does not erase your correspondence; the media files will be downloaded again if necessary.
In WhatsApp the situation is a little different. Go to Settings → Data and storage → Storage management. The system will show a list of chats that take up the most space. You can selectively delete media files from specific conversations while saving important documents or personal messages.
- 🗑️ Telegram: Set automatic cache deletion after 3 days or a week in the application settings.
- 📹 WhatsApp: Disable auto-saving media to the gallery to duplicates did not take up space.
- 📸 VK / Instagram: Regularly clear the cache in the application settings, since news feeds save a lot of thumbnails.
If you actively use social networks, their cache can take up to 2-3 GB. Periodic manual cleaning through the app menu (Settings → Applications → [Application name] → Memory → Clear cache) is a mandatory procedure to maintain performance.
Transferring data to a microSD memory card
The model Honor 8X supports installation of microSD memory cards up to 512 GB. This is the most radical way to solve the problem of lack of space, allowing you to transfer the bulk of user data from the internal drive. First, make sure that the card is installed and formatted correctly.
In the storage settings (Settings → Storage), you can change the default save location. Switch the slider to the “Memory Card” position. After this, all new photos, videos and downloads will be automatically saved to external storage without using up internal resources. However, existing files will have to be transferred manually.
To transfer media files, use the built-in file manager. Go to the Internal memory → DCIM → Camerasection, select all photos and videos, click “Move” and select a folder on the memory card. A similar procedure should be done with the folders Download, Music and Movies.
⚠️ Attention: Do not transfer the applications themselves to the memory card unless there is an urgent need for it. The read speed of microSD is lower than that of internal flash memory, which can lead to app slowdowns.
| Data type | Recommended storage location | Impact on speed |
|---|---|---|
| Photo and Video | Memory card (microSD) | Minimum |
| Music and Audiobooks | Memory card (microSD) | None |
| System applications | Internal memory | Critical |
| Games with heavy graphics | Internal memory | High (on SD) |
Transferring media files to a memory card can free up up to 80% of the internal space, which is critical for stable system operation.
Search and remove duplicate photos
Over several years of using a smartphone, duplicates inevitably accumulate in the gallery. These could be bad shots taken in burst mode, screenshots that are no longer relevant, or copies of images saved from different instant messengers. Manually sorting through thousands of photos is long and tedious.
The shell EMUI 9 has a built-in function for searching for similar images, although it does not always work perfectly. A more reliable option would be to install a specialized application for searching for duplicates, available in Google Play. Such utilities scan file hashes and offer to delete identical copies, leaving the original.
Pay attention to the folder Screenshots. Users often take screenshots of correspondence, tickets or recipes that are needed only once. Deleting old screenshots is a quick way to get a few hundred megabytes back. Also check the folder Bluetoothwhere files received from friends are often saved and are no longer needed.
How to find hidden folders with garbage?
Use a file manager and turn on the display of hidden files (dot at the beginning of the folder name). Often logs of deleted applications or temporary update data are stored there.
Cleaning the “Downloads” folder and deleting installers
The (Downloads) folder is a “black hole” in the memory of many users. PDF documents, application installation files ( Download (Downloads) is a memory black hole for many users. PDF documents and application installation files are automatically saved here (.apk), presentations and archives are automatically saved here. Often, after installing a app, the installer remains in memory, taking up space completely uselessly.
Go to the file manager and open the section Downloads. Sort files by size. You'll be surprised how much space old update installation files for banking apps or games take up. All files with the extension .apkthat are not current versions of the apps you need can be safely deleted.
Also check the contents of folders created by browsers. Chrome and other browsers can keep cached pages and downloaded files for weeks. Clearing your download history in the browser itself will also help bring order. Regular auditing of this folder should become a habit.
- 📦 APK files: Remove installers immediately after installing the application.
- 📄 Documents: Transfer important documents to cloud storage or to a PC.
- 🎵 Temporary downloads: Delete files downloaded “watch later” if you no longer open them.
⚠️ Attention: Before mass deleting files from the "Downloads" folder, make sure that there are no important documents, receipts or tickets among them that you may need in the near future.
Resetting settings as a last resort
If none of the above methods helped free up enough space, or if the system is unstable due to data fragmentation, you can resort to a radical method - resetting to factory settings. This procedure completely clears the internal memory, returning the phone to “out of the box” condition.
Before starting the procedure, it is critical to create a backup copy of all data. Use a cloud service Google Drive or a app HiSuite on your computer to save contacts, photos and messages. Without backup, you will lose all information irrevocably.
To perform a reset, go to menu Settings → System → Reset → Reset phone settings. Confirm the action and wait for the process to complete. After the reboot, you'll need to set up your phone again and sign in to your Google account. This guarantees the maximum amount of free space and often solves problems with software errors.
☑️ Preparing for a hard reset
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the memory fill up even if I don't download anything?
This happens due to background application processes running. Messengers cache media, browsers save site data, and the system creates logs and temporary files to speed up work. Over time, this “invisible” load takes up gigabytes.
Is it possible to delete files from the Android folder on Honor 8X?
Be extremely careful. The folder Android/data stores the cache and data of installed games and applications. Deleting the contents of this folder will reset app settings and delete game progress. Delete only those subfolders that belong to already deleted applications.
How to transfer applications to a memory card on Honor 8X?
In modern versions of Android, the ability to transfer applications to an SD card is often blocked by developers or the system itself to ensure stability. If there is no “Change” or “Move to SD” button in the application settings (Memory), then this application technically does not support working from an external drive.
Does full memory affect Internet speed?
Directly - no, but indirectly - yes. When there is not enough space, the browser cannot cache pages effectively, and the system does not have enough resource to buffer streaming video. This can lead to long page loading times and content buffering.