Xiaomi’s Other: What It Is, Why It Grows and How to Clean Up

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi memory settings and noticed that the Other partition takes up gigabytes of space? This mysterious item can display anywhere from 500 MB to 10 MB.+ GB, and it doesn't let you remove it easily. What's underneath that label? Why does the Other snowball over time? And most importantly, can you reduce it without risking your smartphone?

In this article, we will take a closer look at what file types fall into the “Other” category on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO, Why they don't show up in a standard file manager, and how to identify them, and you'll learn which of these data are critical to the system and which can be safely deleted, and we'll give you step-by-step cleanup instructions, from manual methods to hidden features. MIUI.

Important: Information is relevant to all modern versions MIUI 12–14 (including HyperOS) and models ranging from Xiaomi Mi 9 (2019) to Xiaomi 14 Ultra (2026).If you have older firmware, some menu paths may differ.

What is the “Other” section in Xiaomi’s memory?

The Other section (Other in English) is a container for files that the system cannot uniquely categorize as standard (photos, videos, apps, etc.) and is essentially a garbage bin for data that:

• 📁 Do not have a clear extension or tags (for example, temporary application files).
• 🔄 Created by a system or caching program, but not deleted after use.
• 🛠️ Are service (logs, memory dumps, backup copies of settings).
• 🔒 Encrypted or hidden from the user (e.g. Mi Account data).

V MIUI This section appears due to the features of the file system. F2FS/EXT4, Unlike Android in its pure form, there is no rigid separation between system and user data. Instead, all files are divided into:

• 📱 User (photos, music, documents) – displayed in standard categories.
• 🤖 Systemic/Shidden – Getting into the Other».

According to Xiaomi’s internal documentation, up to 30% of the “Other” partition volume can be cacheed by system applications (e.g. com.miui.home or com.android.systemui) that are not automatically cleaned.

Why does the “Other” section grow over time?

The main reason for the growth of the “Other” is the incorrect operation of the cache cleaning mechanism in the MIUI. Unlike “pure” Android, where the cache is deleted automatically when space is scarce, many applications (especially system ones) do not free up memory after use:

• 📸 The camera app saves thumbnails and metadata even after exporting photos.
• 🎵 Mi Music caches album covers and track previews.
• 🌐 Mi Browser Stores Copies of Pages for Offline Viewing.

The second reason is the residual files after the updates. MIUI through OTA The system stores old libraries (.so files) and configurations in the folder /data/app-lib. These files are not automatically deleted and can be taken up by 1–2 GB after each major update.

The third loophole is aggressive caching applications, such as:

• 📱 Facebook and Instagram (cache stories and videos).
• 🎮 Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile – store textures and shaders).
• 🗺️ Maps (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps – download offline map tiles).

Finally, the user is to blame: many install applications that create hidden folders (such as.thumbnails for thumbnails or.nomedia for media files not displayed in the gallery) that are not visible in the standard file manager, but take up space.

💡

To see the hidden folders in MIUI, Open any file manager (such as Mi File Manager), click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show Hidden Files».

How do you see what exactly takes place in the Other?

Unfortunately, MIUI It doesn't provide built-in tools for detailed analysis of the "Other" section, but there are several ways to get information:

Method 1: Through Settings → Memory.

The easiest, but least informative way to do this is:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Put it on the memory usage schedule.
3. Select the category "Other".

You'll see only the total volume here, without breaking down by file type. MIUI 14 A “Clean” button appears that removes some of the unnecessary data (but not all of it!).

Method 2: Using Storage Analyzer (without root)

Apps like Storage Analyzer or Files by Google can show file distribution across folders, including hidden folders.

1. Run the memory analysis.
2. Pay attention to the folders: /data/data — cache; /data/media/0/Android — file; /data/system — System files (requires root to access).

Method 3: ADB-Teams for Advanced Users

If you have experience working with ADB, You can get a detailed report on the occupied space:

adb shell df -h


adb shell du -sh /data/* | sort -rh

These teams will show:

• 📊 Total section size /data (where the "Other" is stored»);
• 📂 The size of each subfolder in /data, descended.

What files in the “Other” can be safely deleted?

Not all files in the Other section are equally useful, but here's what you can delete without risking to the system:

✅ Safe to remove

• 🧹 Application cache (folders) /data/data/packet/cache):
• 🗑️ Temporary files (folders) /data/local/tmp):
• 📁 Backup copies MIUI (folder /MIUI/backup):
• 🖼️ Miniatures and.thumbnails (folder) /DCIM/.thumbnails):

⚠️ Remove with caution

• 📝 Logs and dumps (/data/tombstones, /data/anr):
• 🔄 Updates data (/cache):

❌ You can't remove it.

• 🔐 Mi Account data (/data/system/users/0):
• ⚙️ System libraries (/data/app-lib):
• 📱 User application data (/data/data/name-packet, except /cache):

💡

Before deleting any files from Other, back up your important data, and even secure files can rarely affect system stability.

Step-by-step: how to clean the “Other” on Xiaomi

Now, let's get to the practice. Here are 4 proven methods, from the simplest to the most advanced, start with the first and move on to the next one if you don't have a seat.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of all applications

This is the safest way to do that does not require root or ADB.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner and select "Sort by size."
3. Turn to the apps that take up the most space (for example, Facebook, YouTube, Mi Video).
4. In each application, select "Memory". → Clear the cache».

🔹 Result: 1-3 GB free (depending on the number of installed applications).

Method 2: Delete temporary files through file manager

For this, the standard Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer (with root mode enabled, if you have rights) is suitable.

folder /DCIM/.thumbnails|folder /Download/.temp|folder /MIUI/backup (If backup copies are not needed)|folder /Android/data/ (cache of games and applications)-->

Method 3: Using ADB for deep cleaning

If the first two methods didn’t work, connect your phone to your PC and follow the commands:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home # Launcher cleanup


adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




adb shell rm -rf /data/tombstones/* # Dump cleanup (requires root)

⚠️ Attention: Command rm -rf It permanently deletes files. Do not use it for folders that are not listed in this manual!

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If the Other takes up more than 10GB and is not cleaned, it may have accumulated residual files from old firmware.

1. Make a backup copy of important data.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.

🔹 Result: Completely cleansing the Other, but all user data will also be deleted.

How can we prevent the “Other” from growing in the future?

To prevent the “Other” section from clogging memory again, follow these recommendations:

1.Tune in to automatic cache cleanup

V MIUI 12+ It's built-in:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Put it on the gear in the top right corner.
3. Turn on the "Autoclean" option.

2. Limit caching for "gluttonous" apps

For Facebook, Instagram and gaming:

1. Open the application settings.
2. Select “Memory” → Limit the cache».
3. Set a limit (e.g., 500MB).

3. disable automatic application updates

Updates through Google Play often leave residual files:

1. Open the Play Store → «Settings».
2. Select “Auto-App Update” → “Never.”

4. Check the Download folder regularly

Many files (APK, archives, documents, downloaded here and forgotten.

5 Use lightweight alternatives to heavy applications

Replace:

• 📷 Google Photo → gallery MIUI (less-cache);
• 🎵 Spotify → Mi Music (doesn't download album covers);
• 🗺️ Google Maps → Yandex.Maps (less weight offline cards).

💡

Install the app SD Maid (requires root) – it automatically finds and deletes residual files, duplicates and empty folders.

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many users make critical errors in their attempts to make room, leading to system failures or data loss.

❌ Mistake. 1: Deletion of the folder /data/data whole

This folder contains all the user applications (save games, setup messengers, etc.) and its removal is equivalent to a complete reset of the phone.

⚠️ Note: If you see advice like “just delete” /data/data», Ignore them. It will result in the loss of all installed applications and their data!

❌ Mistake. 2: Use of rm commands -rf / rm -rf *

These commands recursively delete everything in the specified directory, and if executed without specifying a specific folder (or with an error in the path), you can erase critical system files.

🔹 Correct: Always check the path before executing rm. -rf /data/local/tmp/ — safe, and rm -rf /data/ — no.

❌ Mistake. 3: Deletion of files from /system rootless

folder /system Any changes here without root rights or through the wrong commands will result in a device blink (phone won't turn on).

❌ Error 4: Clearing the cache of system applications like com.android.phone

Some system services (such as Phone or Settings) may:

• Stop saving the settings;
• Forget network data;
• Require re-authorization in Mi Account.

❌ Mistake 5: Ignoring backups before cleaning

Even if you delete "safe" files, there is always a risk of failure, such as clearing WhatsApp's cache can erase unsent media files.

⚠️ Warning: Before any manipulation of the Other, export important data (contacts, photos, messages) to the cloud or PC. → Google → Backup.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About the Other