Xiaomi’s “Other” section: what are these files and how to securely delete them

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage settings and wondered why the Other partition takes up gigabytes of memory when you didn't consciously save anything? This mysterious section is one of the most talked-about topics on the brand's fan forums, and it accumulates system files, app cache, temporary data, and even remnants of remote programs that MIUI doesn't always correctly classify.

Unlike obvious categories like Photos, Videos, or Audio, the content of The Other remains a black box for most users – it cannot be viewed through a standard file manager, and cleanup attempts often lead to system failures. In this article, we will discuss in detail what types of files fall into this section, why they are there, and how to safely delete them without the risk of “bricking” the smartphone. MIUI 12/13/14 HyperOS devices, Xiaomi’s new firmware, where the logic of data storage has changed.

1.What is the "Other" section and why does it take up so much space

The Other section (or Other in the English version of MIUI) is the garbage bin of the operating system, where all files that do not fall into the standard categories: documents, media, applications fall into the trash bin.

• 🗑️ System cache - temporary files MIUI, Android kernels and Google services that are built to speed up work, but often don’t automatically delete.
• 🧹 Residual application data – fragments of programs that you deleted long ago, but their settings, databases or log files are left in memory.
• 🔄 Update files – firmware packages (.zip) that are downloaded to OTA-Updates, but not always cleaned after installation.
• 📁 Hidden folders are service directories like /data/log, /cache or /misc, rootless.

For example, after the update of the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 13 to HyperOS, the Other section may have up to 1-2 GB of temporary files that the system has forgotten to delete. And on flagships like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, this section is often inflated due to aggressive caching of the camera and the use of a new version of the system. AI-function.

⚠️ Note: If the Other partition takes up more than 10 GB on a device with 128 GB of memory, this is not normal. Most likely, the system has accumulated debugging log files (for example, after an application crash) or corrupted file system metadata.

2. Top.-5 Types of files that are hidden in the "Other»

To effectively clean up a partition, you need to understand what files are stored there, we analyzed data from 15 Xiaomi models (from Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 13T Pro) and identified the most common memory eaters:

Especially a lot of garbage accumulates on devices with MIUI 12.5 and older due to the function “Smart Cleanup”, which often works incorrectly. For example, after removing a game Genshin Impact in the “Other” section, up to 1.2 GB of its cache may remain, which the system does not recognize as unnecessary.

3. How to Safely View the Contents of the Other Section

By default, MIUI and HyperOS do not allow users to view files in the Other section through standard Files, but there are several ways to access them:

Method 1: Through the built-in memory analyzer

The most secure method that does not require superuser rights:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Put it on the memory usage schedule.
3. Select the category "Other".
4. The system will show the distribution by file types (cache, logs, temporary data).

Method 2: Use of ADB (for advanced)

If you need a more detailed scan, connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the command:

adb shell du -h -d 1 /data | sort -h

This command will display a list of folders in /data, sorted by size. Look for directories like /data/log, /data/dalvik-cache, or /data/app-lib — they are often inflated with unnecessary files.

⚠️ Note: Delete files through ADB without understanding their purpose, it can lead to a cyclical reboot of the device, for example, deleting content. /data/system Make it impossible to log in after rebooting.

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the vacant space (should be) ≥15%)|Turn off automatic cleaning in MIUI|Close all background applications-->

4. Step-by-step instructions for cleaning the "Other" section

Before you start cleaning, remember the golden rule: do not delete files that you do not know the purpose of. Even if the folder is called cache, it can contain critical data for MIUI. Below are proven ways that will not damage the system.

Step 1: Clean up the MIUI and Google cache

The easiest and safest method:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Select the “Deep Cleaning” tab.
3. Check the boxes "Cash system" and "Unnecessary files".
4. Click “Clean” (on HyperOS, the button may be called “Optimize”).

This method removes up to 1-1.5 GB of garbage, but does not touch critical files.

Step 2: Removal of application residues

Often, after the programs are uninstalled, their data is stored in memory to find it:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner and select "Show all apps."
3. Sort the list by size (click on "Size").
4. Look for apps marked “0B” or “Data: Multiple MB” – these are “zombie” files.
5. Click on this application → “Storage” → “Clean data”.

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If you see com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.midrop with a lot of data in the application list, that's OK, and these services are responsible for analytics and file transfer, and cleaning them can disrupt MIUI.

Step 3: Manually Delete Temporary Update Files

After each OTA-The update in the memory is an archive with firmware to delete it:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Go to the file. Downloaded_rom (It's in the root catalog).
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension.
4. Reset the device.

On some models (e.g. POCO F5), this folder may be called MIUI or OTA.

Step 4: Cleaning through Safe Mode (if the smartphone is slowing down)

If the “Other” section still takes up a lot of space after cleaning, try booting into Safe Mode:

1. Press the power button before the off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the “Switch off” button – a suggestion will appear to go to Safe Mode.
3. In this mode, all third-party apps are disabled and you can manually delete suspicious files.

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If the Other section has not been reduced after all the manipulations, the problem may be in the corrupt file system, in which case only resetting to factory settings or flashing through the Mi Flash Tool will help.

5. Features of the "Other" section on HyperOS

With the release of HyperOS (starting with Xiaomi 14 and Redmi K70), the logic of storage in the “Other” section has changed.

• 🤖 Virtual machine files – HyperOS uses isolated containers for applications, and their temporary data can take up to 500 MB.
• 🔒 Encrypted data – the system automatically encrypts part of the cache, making it difficult to clean it.
• 📊 Data for AI-Functions – Machine learning models (e.g. for voice recognition or battery optimization) are stored here.

HyperOS also has a new feature called Smart Compression, which automatically archives rarely used files in Other, which may give the illusion that memory is busy when the files are actually compressed, to disable this feature:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Additional.
2. Turn off the option “Compress Unused Files”.
3. Reset the device.

Important: Third-party cleaners (such as Clean Master or CCleaner) are not recommended on HyperOS, as they can damage isolated application containers.

6 When cleaning up 'The Other' could damage your smartphone

Not all files in the Other section can be deleted without consequences, but here are the cases where cleaning will lead to problems:

• 🚫 Deletion of the folder /data/dalvik-cache — This is the cache of the Android virtual machine. Without it, apps won't run.
• 🚫 Cleanup /data/system — This is where you store your system settings, your accounts, and your access rights).
• 🚫 Deleting files with the.odex or.oat extension are optimized binary application files. Without them, programs will dye.
• 🚫 Cleaning the folder. /data/misc — This is where you store data about your network, Bluetooth, and other services, and if you delete it, you lose your Internet connection.

If you accidentally delete critical files and your smartphone stops loading, try the following steps:

1. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
2. Select "Wipe & Reset» → «Wipe Cache».
3. Reset the device.

If this does not help, you will need to reflash through Fastboot.

7.Alternative ways to free up memory without clearing the Other

If you are afraid of damaging the system, but your memory is running out, try these methods:

• 📱 Transfer of applications to SD-The map (not working on all models):
• ☁️ Use of cloud storage:
• 🔄 Disabling unnecessary system applications:

On HyperOS devices, the Memory Extension feature is also available, which allows you to use part of the RAM as storage, to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Advanced Memory.
2. Select volume (usually 2-6 GB).
3. Confirm and restart the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's "Other" section