Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a mysterious situation: storage is crowded, even though the number of photos and apps is minimal, and detailed inspection through a standard memory analyzer reveals that the lion’s share of the volume is a section called “Other”, a term that scares many users, raising fears about viruses or system failures.
In fact, the Other category is a system folder where the MIUI or HyperOS operating system folds files that it cannot identify as standard media or applications, including messenger caches, remnants of remote programs, temporary update files and system logs, and understanding the structure of this partition is the key to freeing up space on the device without losing important data.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the nature of junk files, explain why they accumulate, and provide step-by-step instructions for safe cleaning, and learn to distinguish systemically important data from temporary junk that can be painlessly removed.
What is hidden behind the category “Other” in Android
The Android operating system that runs Xiaomi smartphones has a complex file structure, so when you install apps, they create a lot of temporary files to speed things up, and over time, that data is no longer needed, but it's not automatically deleted, and the system tags it as undefined data, summarizing it into one category.
It's important to understand that the Other section doesn't just include temporary files, but it can store offline map files, downloaded podcast episodes, game data, and streaming cache, and sometimes it can be as large as 10-15 gigabytes, which is critical for models with little built-in storage.
One reason for the growth of the category is the peculiarity of the file system: files can remain “hanging” after incorrect removal of applications or failures during downloading. Data fragmentation leads to the fact that the system sees disparate blocks of information, but can not associate them with a particular application, sending them to the shared basket “Other”.
Main sources of memory filling on Redmi
The main culprits of overflowing storage are most often messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber aggressively cache the images and videos viewed. Even if you deleted the media file from the chat, a copy of it can remain in the hidden cache of the application, continuing to occupy space in the “Other” section.
The second source is browsers and social media, and when you view your Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube feed, the content is stored in temporary storage for faster re-downloading, and if you haven't cleared the cache of your Chrome browser or your built-in MIUI browser in a long time, gigabytes of temporary data could have accumulated there.
Hidden folders in the root directory
Also worth mentioning are system reports and logs: If your device is frequently crashing, your system can store crash logs. They normally take up a little, but if you have frequent errors in one application, the logs can grow to hundreds of megabytes.
Storage analysis: embedded tools and third-party utilities
Before you start cleaning, you need to do an audit. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in analysis tool. Go to Settings → Memory and wait for the scan to finish. The system will show a graph of the allocation of space, where the category “Other” will be highlighted in a separate color.
For more in-depth analysis, you can use Files by Google or Explorer, which allows you to sort files by size and date, and it often turns out that the larger files in the Other section are forgotten downloads or archives that you can transfer to your computer.
There are specialized tools like DiskUsage or Storage Analyzer that build a visual memory card where each block corresponds to a file, and that help you find the heavyweights that are hidden in the back of the system folders and not visible on standard viewing.
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Use the Full Access mode in file managers to view Android/data system folders, where most often the bulk of the messenger cache is hidden.
Instructions for safe cleaning of the "Other" section
Cleaning should be done in stages so that the system doesn't malfunction. Start with the simplest method, using a built-in cleaner. Open the Safety app (green zipper icon) and select Cleanup. The system will prompt you to delete temporary files and cache.
Next, manually check the cache of heavy applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find messengers and social networks in the list. Inside each application, click Memory and select Clear Cache. Attention: don't confuse it with the "Clean All" or "Delete Data" button, or you will lose logins and correspondence.
☑️ Safe cleaning algorithm
If standard methods didn't work, you can use Recovery Mode. Restart your phone with the volume buttons and select Wipe Cache, which will delete the system's update cache without affecting your personal files.
Radical methods: resetting and flashing
If the Other section continues to grow despite being cleaned, there may have been errors in the file system, in which case a full reset helps. Be sure to back up important data to Google's cloud or computer before doing so.
To reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select Erase All Data. This process will return the phone to factory status by completely clearing the Other section, as all temporary files will be destroyed.
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Full reset is the only way to guarantee that you will remove system errors that are not visible to the user.
In extreme cases, when even the reset does not help (for example, if the "Other" partition takes place immediately after the clean phone is turned on), you need to flash the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility.
Comparison of Memory Cleaning Methods
Different cleaning methods have different efficiency and risks, and it is important to choose the right option depending on your situation and level of technical training.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Risk of data loss | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in cleaner | Low (100-500 MB) | No. | Very low. |
| Cleaning up the app cache | Medium (1-5 GB) | Minimum (exit from accounts) | Low. |
| Removal through the Conductor | High (depending on the user) | Medium (can be removed extra) | Medium |
| Reset to factory settings | Maximum (100%) | High (without backup data will disappear) | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, the first two methods are sufficient for regular maintenance, and radical measures should be applied only when critical memory overflows are involved.
Preventing overcrowding of storage
To keep the problem from coming back, change your smartphone usage habits. Set up automatic cache cleaners in messengers. For example, Telegram can set auto-delete the cache 3 days or a week after viewing.
Check Download and Bluetooth regularly, often with installation files (APKs) that are no longer needed after installing programs, and keep an eye out for system updates – newer versions of MIUI often fix memory leakage errors.
Developer mode
Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Switching to Google Photos with Free Space will automatically delete copies of files already stored in the cloud.
Frequent Questions and Answers (FAQ)
Can I delete the “Other” section completely without losing data?
Why is the “Other” section filled again after cleaning?
Is it safe to use third-party software?
Does the “Other” section affect the speed of your phone?
⚠️ Warning: Never delete files manually from system folders unless you are 100% sure of their purpose.Deletion of key files can lead to a phone bootloop (cyclical reboot.
⚠️ Warning: Before performing a full reset, make sure that your Google and Mi Account account are unbound or you remember the passwords from them. Otherwise, theft protection will work and the phone will be locked.
Proper memory management is the key to a long and stable operation of your Xiaomi Redmi. Regular prevention will take only a few minutes a month, but will save nerves and time in the future.