Where to Find the Other in Xiaomi: Hidden Partitions and Features

Users of Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI shell or a new HyperOS often face a situation where the interface seems overloaded, but the desired option is hidden behind non-obvious names. The request “where to find another in the shaomi” usually occurs in two main cases: either you are looking for a hidden folder with system files in storage, or you are trying to find a section of additional settings, which in the standard menu can be called differently. the interface of the Chinese manufacturer does have its own unique logic, which sometimes confuses even experienced owners of gadgets.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at all the possible locations hidden behind the term “Other” or “Other,” and look at both the file system, where this partition often takes up gigabytes of obscure space, and the settings menu, where advanced developer features and special features hide. Understanding the structure of the MIUI shell will help you manage device memory more effectively and open up new horizons of personalization.

The “Other” folder in the phone’s storage

The most common reason to search for an “Other” section is a memory scarcity notification. When you log into a standard “Security” or “Conductor” application, the system shows a diagram of occupied space where a significant portion may occupy the “Other” (or “Other”) category. Unlike the “Photo” or “Applications” folders, this section does not have a single physical address on the file system that is available to the average user without rights. In fact, it is an aggregator of all files that the system could not automatically classify: messenger cache, remnants of deleted applications, logs of root files, and updates.

Cleaning this section requires caution, as deleting system logs can lead to unstable smartphone operation. However, many files within this category can be safely deleted, freeing up valuable space. For example, streaming cache or downloaded files in instant messengers often inflate this partition to tens of gigabytes. It is important to understand that the Other is not a virus, but the standard operating mechanism of the Linux file system on which Android is built.

You can use built-in tools or third-party tools to analyze the content of this category. Xiaomi's standard storage analyzer offers cleanup, but it is not always effective. More advanced users can use a USB debugging connection to check the contents of folders manually, although access to the system directories will be limited without superuser rights.

There are several proven ways to reduce the size of the “Other” partition without losing important data. First, it is worth checking the settings of messengers: Telegram and WhatsApp can set up autodeletion of media files. Second, it is useful to clean the cache of the browser and Google Play store. Third, removing old screenshots and downloads that the system may have incorrectly indexed will also give results. Regular prevention will help keep RAM and storage in optimal condition.

Hidden sections in the settings menu

If your question was not about files, but about functionality, the Other in the context of Xiaomi’s settings is often called Special Features, Advanced Settings, or Developers. In older versions of MIUI, there was an Additional section that contained button, gesture, and interface settings. In current versions of HyperOS, these features were distributed to other tabs, making navigation more difficult. To find hidden options, you need to activate the developer mode.

To activate the hidden menu, you need to go to Settings → About the phone and seven times quickly click on the version MIUI version OS. Then, the Advanced Settings menu will have a new option, "Developers," where you'll find tools for debugging, animation management and working with the developers. USB-This is where you often look for those "other" settings that allow you to fine-tune the behavior of the system.

• 🔍 Debugging by USB — Allows you to connect your phone to your computer for deep system management and file transfer.
• ⚡ The scale of animation – changing the speed of transitions between windows to visually speed up the interface.
• 📡 Wi-Fi Launch – A feature for wireless app debugging useful for testers.
• 🎨 Width of the smallest area – change in pixel density (DPI) resize interface elements.

Special attention should be paid to the section “Accessibility” (Special features) and it is the settings for people with disabilities, but also hidden useful features for everyone, such as “magnification”, “Color correction” or control of the phone with voice. In some regions of firmware, you can find the menu “One-handed management” or quick access settings, which formally belong to the category of “other” useful functions.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in the Developer section, such as the background limit or font scale, may cause applications to display incorrectly or crash. Change the values only if you understand their purpose.

Advanced interface and control settings

When looking for “other” settings, users often overlook the sections related to gesture and button management. At Xiaomi, these features are put into a separate menu, which may not be obvious. Going down the Settings → Screen → Navigation path, you’ll find alternative controls other than the standard three buttons. Here you can customize hidden gestures, such as double tapping to turn on the screen or drawing letters to quickly launch apps.

Another layer of “other” settings is desktop personalization. Long taps on the blank space of the screen open up a menu of widgets and screen settings. Here you can turn on “Pocket Mode”, change the grid of icons or activate hidden transition effects. For owners of gaming smartphones series Black Shark or RedMagic (although it is not pure Xiaomi, but firmware is similar), there are separate gaming spaces that can also be considered the “Other” section.

And remember, Second Space, a unique MIUI feature that allows you to create a second, isolated desktop with separate apps and accounts inside a phone, ideal for separating work and personal life, or for handing the phone to children without fear for your data, and you can find this feature through a search in settings or in the About Phone section in some versions of the firmware.

Working with system files through a Explorer

For those looking for “Other” in the file system, Xiaomi’s standard Explorer offers limited options. However, by enabling the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings, you’ll see a lot of folders starting from a point (e.g.,.android,.cache), these directories contain data that the system hides from the eyes of the average user to prevent the accidental deletion of critical components.

When you connect to a computer, the Other folder is often displayed as a collection of files with obscure extensions. To work safely with them, it is recommended to use root-rights-enabled file managers such as Root Explorer or MiXplorer. They allow you to see the real size of each folder inside the data partition. The Android file system is designed so that the application can occupy 100 MB in the application menu, but store 5 GB of data in the Other section.

Analysis of the contents of the Android/data folder often shows that messengers and social networks are the main consumers of the place. Telegram, for example, stores all the photos and videos viewed in the cache, which the system refers to as “Other”, Regularly cleaning this cache through the settings of the application itself is the most effective way to fight for free space.

Google Special Features and Services

Often, “other” means services that are not part of the phone’s basic functionality but are preinstalled. In Xiaomi, it could be a Google folder, Mi Cloud, or service apps like Mi Video and Mi Music. In some regions, these apps can be removed or disabled, which will also reduce the amount of space they take up in the Apps section and related categories.

The Digital Wellbeing section, which collects statistics on phone usage and allows you to set time limits for apps, is a sort of "other" self-control menu that helps you understand where your time is going, and you can find the "Sleep Mode," "Focus" and parental controls settings that are hidden from quick access.

Google Play services also have their own hidden settings section, accessible via long tap on the version in settings or through ADB. There you can turn off automatic app updates, reset an advertising ID or clear the data of Google Play services, which sometimes helps solve problems with synchronization and store operation.

Solving memory overflow problems

If the search for "Other" was dictated by an acute shortage of space, there is a radical but effective method - resetting the settings to factory. Before you do this, make sure to back up all important data in the Mi Cloud or on your computer. This step will remove all applications, photos and settings, returning the phone to the "shop-like" state, and the "Other" section will disappear, giving way to a clean system.

The alternative to a full reset is to use the Second Space feature to create a clean profile, move data there and delete the old one. However, this takes time and technical literacy. For most users, the optimal solution is to regularly clean the cache and use cloud storage for photos and videos, leaving only current data on the device.

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Use the Cleanup feature in the Security app once a week, and it automatically finds remnants of deleted apps and large files that you haven't seen manually.

Remember that the Other partition size can increase dramatically after a system update, in which case the phone backs up old system files in case of rollbacks. If the phone is stable for a week after the upgrade, these files can be safely deleted via the system recovery menu or manually through the Explorer if access is available.

⚠️ Warning: Never delete files from folders with system application names (com.android..., com.miui...) manually through a file manager unless you are 100% sure of their purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The “Other” section is not a system error, but a storage of cache and temporary data. Regular hygiene of the smartphone and the use of built-in cleaning tools allow you to keep its volume within reasonable limits without losing functionality.