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

Have you ever looked into the storage settings of your Xiaomi smartphone and wondered why the Other partition takes up gigabytes of memory, even though you didn’t consciously save anything there? This is one of the most mysterious categories in the MIUI system, which can eat from 5 to 20 GB — and it does not give a clear explanation of what exactly is stored there.

What types of files are in the Other (spoiler: it’s not just cache!)

Why does this section grow over time, even if you don’t install new apps?

How to clean it safely without risking the system

What tools Xiaomi and third-party utilities will help in this;

What to do if the memory is filled again after cleaning.

It's important to understand that the other is not garbage, but system and user data that MIUI can't uniquely categorize as standard (photos, videos, apps, etc.) Deleting it at random is like pulling wires out of the system unit in the hope that the computer will work faster, so we'll go through each file type in detail and give clear cleaning recommendations.

What exactly is hidden under the category “Other” in Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s official documentation describes the Other section in a vague way: “system files, temporary data and other files that are not in the main categories.” In practice, more than 10 types of data fall into this category, and their composition depends on the version of MIUI, the smartphone model and your usage habits.

• 📁 System application cache – temporary files from miui.system, com.android.systemui and other services that are not cleaned by standard means.
• 🔄 Residual files after updates – fragments of old versions MIUI, which are not automatically deleted (especially for devices with Dynamic Partition).
• 📱 Virtual Machine Data – If you use Dual Apps or Second Space, their files often land here.
• 🎮 Cache games and heavy applications such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile can leave gigabytes of tails here».
• 📊 Logs and dumps of the system – files.log,.dmp,.trace, which are created when crashes or for diagnostics.
• 🔒 Encrypted data – for example, files from Mi Cloud or Google Drive that are not recognized as “cloud».
• 📂 Remnants of Remote Applications – Folders /data/app-lib/ or /data/data/, which have not been completely cleansed.

Interestingly, devices with MIUI 14+ often get Android Runtime (ART) files, optimized versions of apps that are created on the first run, which can be as large as 1-3 GB, but it is pointless to delete them: they will recover the next run of the application.

Why the Other is Growing Over Time: 5 Reasons

If you notice that the Other section is growing every month, it is not just your activity that is responsible for it, but also the peculiarities of MIUI.

1. Automatic backup: The system creates backups for settings, SMS and calls in the background (folder /MIUI/backup/), but does not always delete them.
2. Cache clearing errors: Apps like Gallery or Music have to clear the cache when they close, but because of MIUI bugs, this doesn't happen.
3. Updates via OTA: Each MIUI update leaves tails in the form of old libraries (/cache/ota/).
4. Viruses or optimizers: Some cleaners (such as Clean Master) move files to Other instead of deleting them.
5. Functions like Smart Cleanup work, and the paradox is that the system itself can hide files in Others to free up memory in other partitions.

For example, after updating with MIUI 12 on MIUI 13 Redmi Note users 10 The Pro complained that the Other had grown to 8–12 GB: The reason is the old version files that are not deleted. /system_ext/. In such cases, only manual cleaning through the ADB.

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If you frequently install and remove APK-files, check the folder /data/local/tmp/ — Gigabytes of temporary files can accumulate there, which the system does not clean automatically.

How to Safely Clean Up Another Without Harming Xiaomi

Before you start cleaning, remember that not all files in Other can be deleted. For example, deleting /data/dalvik-cache/ will cause the smartphone to restart for 10-15 minutes the next time it is turned on, and we have put together proven methods, sorted by security:

Method 1: Integrated MIUI tools

Start with them – this is the safest method.

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Click on “Deep Clean” (not to be confused with “Quick Clean”!).
3. Select “Other Files” and wait for analysis.
4. Delete everything except the items marked "System Data" (they are highlighted in gray).

This method will remove up to 30-40% of the debris from the Other, but will not affect critical files, but it is useless against residual files after updates or cache of the virtual machine.

Method 2: Manually cleansing through file manager

Use Mi File Manager (or Solid Explorer with root rights):

• 🗑️ folder /sdcard/Android/obb/ — Game caches are stored here (can be deleted if the games are not used).
• 📂 folder /sdcard/MIUI/backup/ — Old backups (remove everything except the last one).
• 🔄 folder /sdcard/Download/.thumbnails/ — thumbnails of downloaded files (you can safely clean up).
• 📁 folder /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails/ — Gallery cache (removed without consequences).

/sdcard/Android/obb/ (game cache)

Files with.log and.tmp extensions

Old APK in /sdcard/Download/

Miniatures in /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails/

Backups over 3 months in /MIUI/backup/

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⚠️ Attention: Don't touch the folders /data/, /system/ or files with the.odex extension,.oat are components of the system, and their removal will lead to bootloop ( looped boot).

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (for advanced)

If built-in methods don’t help, connect your smartphone to your PC and use ADB commands:

adb shell pm trim-caches -a # Cache cleanup of all applications


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




adb shell rm -rf /cache/* # Clearing the system cache (requires a restart)

To delete residual files after updates:

adb shell rm -rf /data/ota_package/*

⚠️ Attention: Command rm -rf If you don't specify the right path, you can erase critical data. Always double-check the path and backup before you do it.

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If the Other takes up more than 15GB and isn't cleaned by other methods, you'll have to do a hard reset.

1. Save all data (photos, contacts, SMS) to your PC or cloud.
2. Write down the IMEI (type *#06#).
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
4. Select “Delete Everything” (not “Reset Settings”!).

After resetting, the Other will decrease to 1-3 GB, but you will have to adjust the smartphone again.

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Factory reset is the only way to completely clear residual files after multiple MIUI updates, but only use it if other methods have not worked.

Table: What can and cannot be removed from the Other

How to Prevent the Spread of the Other in the Future

To prevent the “Other” from taking up gigabytes of memory every few months, follow these recommendations:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic backup in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Backup.
• 📱 Limit cache for heavy apps (like Facebook or TikTok): go to Settings → Annexes → [Select the application] → Memory. → Limit the cache.
• 🚫 Don’t use cleaners like Clean Master – they often move files to Other instead of cleaning.
• 🔄 Update regularly MIUI — In new versions, bugs with cache cleaning are corrected.
• 📂 Store media files on a memory card, not in internal memory.

It is also useful to check /sdcard/Download/ and /sdcard/DCIM/ folders every 2-3 months for unnecessary files, for example, messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp can save gigabytes of media here, which then fall into the Other after cleaning the cache.

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many Xiaomi users make the same mistakes when trying to make room in "The Other."

1. Deleting.odex or.oat files are components of Android Runtime, without them, applications will not run.
2. Clear /data/app/ folder — this is where the data of the installed applications is stored, and deleting them will cause the programs to fail.
3. Using rm -rf /data/ or rm -rf /system/ is a guaranteed way to get a brick.
4. Delete boot.img or recovery.img files – without them, the smartphone will not turn on.
5. Cleaning the cache through Engineering Mode (code #4636##) can disrupt the radio module.

If you have already made one of these mistakes, don’t panic:

• For.odex/.oat files, reinstalling the problem application will help.
• If the smartphone doesn’t turn on, try going to Fastboot Mode (press Power + Vol-) and flashing stock firmware through the Mi Flash Tool.
• If the sound or network is lost after cleaning through Engineering Mode, reset the network settings to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi’s “Other”