Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage and wondered why the Other folder takes up gigabytes of memory when you didn't save anything? This mysterious category is one of the main reasons for the lack of space on devices running MIUI. Unlike explicit sections like Photos or Video, the content of Other remains for most terra incognita users.
In fact, it's all about what's not standard file categories: system app cache, temporary update data, log files, remnants of deleted programs, even hidden backups. But the worst part is that MIUI often includes files that can't be deleted by standard means, even if they've long since lost their relevance. In this article, we'll not only look at what's stored in the "other" but also show you how to safely free up space without the risk of "breaking" your smartphone.
Why the Other folder takes up so much space on Xiaomi
The main reason for this section is because of the way MIUI and Android work, and the operating system automatically sorts files into categories, but anything that doesn't fit into predefined tags (like "Music," "Documents") gets into "Other."
- 📁 System application cache – temporary files from com.android.systemui, com.miui.home and other services that accumulate over time.
- 🔄 Update residues – firmware packages (.zip) that are downloaded for OTA-Updates, but not always removed after installation.
- 🗑️ Log files and dumps are error reports that are created when applications or systems fail.
- 👻 «Zombies files are data from long-deleted programs that remain in memory due to incorrect uninstallation.
The Other is growing especially strongly on devices with MIUI 12-14, where the system actively uses caching to speed up the interface. For example, after a major update (say, from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), duplicates of old libraries that occupy up to 1-2 GB may remain in the folder.
⚠️ Note: Some files in the "Other" are critical to the operation of the system. Deletion of the service data of com.android.providers.media or com.xiaomi.finddevice may cause failures in the gallery or the "Find Device" function».
Top.-5 Types of files that are hidden in “Other»
To make room effectively, you need to understand what kind of data you are dealing with. We analyzed the content of Other on several Xiaomi models (including Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra) and identified the most voracious categories:
| Type of file | Approximate size | Can I remove it? | How to clean up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash MIUI and Google Services | 500 MB - 1.5 GB | Yes (partially) | Through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google Play Services |
| Residues OTA-update | 300MB - 1GB | Yes. | Deletion through Files → Categories → Others. → folder Downloaded_rom |
| Log files (.log,.txt) | 100-800 MB | Yeah (caution) | Manual cleaning through a file manager with root or ADB rights |
| Data from remote applications | 200 MB - 1 GB | Yes. | Through Settings. → Memory. → Others. → Clean (not always working) |
| Backup copies of MIUI | 100 MB - 500 MB | No (systemic) | Only through resetting. |
Interesting fact: the POCO F4 GT with MIUI 13 after a year of use in the “Proch” accumulated 3.2 GB of log files from the game Genshin Impact.
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If you play heavy games frequently (like Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG), check the Android/obb folder – sometimes there are temporary files weighing up to 1-2 GB, which the system attributes to the “other”.
How to Safely Clean Others Without Root Rights
If you don't have superuser rights, there are limited options, but there are a few working methods.
- Standard Setting Cleaning: Go to Settings → Memory → Other → Clean. This method only removes part of the cache, but sometimes helps to free up 200-500 MB.
- Remove update residues: Open the file manager (such as Mi File Manager), turn on the hidden file display, and find the folder Downloaded_rom Delete all of its contents -- these are old firmware.
- Clean up the Google Play Services cache: Go to Settings → Apps → App Management → Google Play Services → Memory → Clear the cache. This can free up to 1 GB.
If standard methods don’t help, try forced cleaning:
- 🔧 Restart your phone in Safe Mode (hold the switch off button) → long tap on "Switch off» → «Restarting in Safe Mode»).
- 🧹 In Safe Mode, repeat cleaning through Settings → Memory – Sometimes it works better.
- 📱 Install a third-party cleaner (for example, SD Maid or Files by Google and scan your memory for debris.
⚠️ Note: Do not use applications like Clean Master or CCleaner – they often delete important system files, which leads to lags and errors in the system. MIUI.
Delete the folder Downloaded_rom|Clear the cache of Google Play Services|Check the folder. Android/obb play-off|Reboot your phone in Safe Mode and repeat cleaning|Install SD Maid for deep scanning-->
Radical methods: cleaning through ADB and resetting settings
If the Other is more than 5GB and not cleaned by standard methods, you will have to resort to advanced methods, one of the most effective is the use of ADB (Android Debug Bridge).
For this:
- Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times) → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB.
- Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB Tools, and execute the command: adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.media This will reset media storage and force the system to re-index files, which sometimes frees up to 2-3 GB.
- To delete log files, use: adb shell rm -rf /data/log/* But be careful! Deleting the wrong files can disrupt the system.
If even ADB doesn’t work, the last option is to reset your settings to factory settings.This will delete all data, including the contents of Other, but return the phone to its original state. Before reset, make sure to back up through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
What happens if you delete all files from the “Other” through root?
How to Prevent the Spread of “Other” in the Future
To prevent the folder from clogging again, follow these recommendations:
- 🔄 Clean the cache regularly – at least once a month, go to Settings → Memory. → Clean up.
- 🚫 Turn off automatic update downloads in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙️) → Auto-downloading updates.
- 📱 Use lighter versions of apps (like Facebook Lite instead of Facebook) that create less cache.
- 🗑️ Remove the games correctly – through Settings → Apps, not just dragging an icon into a shopping cart.
- 🔍 Check the folder. Android/data Remains of remote programs (for example, after uninstallation of TikTok, there may remain files weighing up to a maximum of three times). 500 MB).
On Xiaomi 13T Pro with MIUI 14, users note that disabling Smart Cleanup (in Settings → Battery and Performance → Smart Cleanup) reduces the amount of garbage in Proch, because the service itself creates logs and temporary files to analyze the system.
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The most reliable way to control Other is to disable automatic update downloads and manually clear the cache once a month via ADB or file manager.
What to do if the “other” returns after cleaning
If the folder grows back in a few days, the problem may be:
- MIUI Background Processes – Some system applications (e.g. com.miui.analytics) are constantly creating logs. Solution: disable analytics collection in Settings → Privacy → Analytics and Improvements.
- Viruses or malware - some Trojans masquerade as system files and generate debris. Check your phone through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.
- Media scanner malfunction: If the gallery is constantly re-indexing files, it creates temporary data. Solution: clear the data from the Media Store app (com.android.providers.media).
On the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, users encountered a bug in which the Other took up 8 GB due to a Mi Video malfunction, and the solution was found only after the app was completely removed via ADB:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer⚠️ Note: If the other still takes up more than 3-4 GB after all the manipulations, this may indicate a hardware memory problem (flash drive wear), in which case only replacing the memory module in the service center will help.