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

Why is the Other eating away at your Xiaomi memory?

Have you ever looked into the memory settings of your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO And you see the mysterious "Other" section that takes up gigabytes of space, and it's not a system bug, it's not a virus, it's a standard category. MIUI It dumps everything that you can't get into photos, videos or apps, but why does it grow to ridiculous sizes, and can it be reduced without harming your phone?

In this article, we will understand what exactly belongs to the “Other” in Xiaomi memory, what files get there (including cache, logs, temporary data and system debris), and how to clean them correctly. You'll learn why when you delete apps, memory doesn't get released, how to tell useful files from ballast, and what tools will help you regain control of the storage. MIUI, which can be safely cleaned without rooting.

Important: The methods in this article work on all Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi Note). 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 older models, but some features may differ depending on the version MIUI (12/13/14) HyperOS shells. If your phone is on Android One (e.g. Mi) A3), Some of the advice will be irrelevant – we will warn about this separately.

1.What is in the “Other” category in Xiaomi’s memory?

The “Other” section is a dumping ground for files that MIUI I can't classify. Everything that isn't gets there:

• 📸 Media files (photos, videos, music from the gallery)
• 📱 Annexes (APK-files and their data /data/app)
• 📄 Documented (PDF, Word, Excel from Documents folder)
• 🔧 Downloads (files from the Download folder)

In practice, the “Other” is:

• 🗑️ App cache (including Google Play Services cache, which can weigh 1-3 GB)
• 📜 System Logs (.log,.dump files) MIUI malfunction)
• 🔄 Temporary files (remains after updates, failed installations) APK)
• 📁 Hidden folders MIUI (for example, MIUI/Extra, MIUI/Backup)
• 🎮 Game data (save, cache) Unity/Unreal Engine)
• 🔒 Encrypted files (e.g. data from Safe Folder or Second Space)

The biggest problem — MIUI It doesn't show the detailed composition of "The Other." Unlike Samsung or Google Pixel, where you can see the distribution by file type, Xiaomi just puts it all together. It makes cleaning difficult, but it doesn't make it impossible.

2.Why does the Other take up so much space?

There are three main reasons why the Other section grows to 10–20GB (and sometimes more):

1. Application cache is not automatically cleared. MIUI The default limit to automatic cache cleaning is 50 to 100MB per day, which is a drop in the bucket if you actively use social networks (TikTok, Instagram), instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) or games (Genshin Impact, PUBG For example, Telegram cache can weigh up to 5GB if not manually cleaned.
2. System logs and dumps are not deleted. MIUI Detailed logs of the system (files in the /data/log), These files are used for diagnostics, but rarely used by users, and after updates or crashes, they are left dead weight.
3. Remnants of remote applications. When you delete a program, its data often stays in folders. /data/data or /Android/obb. For example, after the installation, Facebook may remain in the 300 MB of garbage.

Another “invisible” memory eater – update files MIUI. Every time a new version of the firmware comes out, the system downloads it to the folder. /cache or /data/ota_package, But it doesn't always delete old files. 2–3 GB.

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To check how much update files weigh, go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Threefold (⋮) → Local Service Pack. Delete all old files with.zip extension.

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

MIUI It doesn't give direct access to the Other analysis, but there are workarounds:

Method 1: Built-in memory analyzer

Open the Settings. → Memory and tap on the "Other" section, and the system will show you the approximate composition:

• 📂 System data (cache, logs)
• 📱 Application data (remains after uninstallation)
• 🔄 Temporary files

Cons: There is no detail on specific files or folders.

Method 2: File Manager (with or without root rights)

Use standard Files by Google or third-party managers like Solid Explorer or Files by Google. FX File Explorer. Go to the root folder and check:

• 📁 /Android/data — This is where application data is stored, including game cache)
• 📁 /Android/obb — Game add-ons files (may weigh by 1–2 GB)
• 📁 /MIUI — System folders (especially system folders) MIUI/Backup and MIUI/Extra)
• 📁 /Download/rom — firmware

Method 3: Analyzer applications (without root)

Utilities like Storage Analyzer or DiskUsage scan memory and show which folders take up the most space, and they don't require root rights, but they can't read some system directories.

4.How to safely clear the “Other” in Xiaomi memory?

Before you delete files, remember three rules:

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system, /vendor or /boot — It will cause the system to crash, and don't touch files with.odex,.vdex, or.art extensions (they're needed to run the applications).

Now, Step-by-step,

Step 1: Cleaning the app cache

Go to Settings. → Annexes → App management. Select an app (like Telegram or Chrome) and tap "Clear Cache." For mass cleaning:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Click “Select elements” and tick unnecessary files.
3. Tap “Clean” (not to be confused with “Clean All” – it will also delete useful data!).

Step 2: Delete temporary files and logs

Use the built-in tool:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Additional.
2. Select “Clear temporary files” and “Delete logs”.

If this section is missing, use the Files and manually delete the contents of the folders:

• /data/log (requires root or ADB)
• /cache (cleaned up when rebooted)

Step. 3: Clearing the folder. /Android/obb and /Android/data

It's where game and application data is stored, to make room for it.

1. Remove games that you haven’t used in a long time (for example, through Settings). → Annexes).
2. For games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, you can manually remove folders from the game. /Android/obb, But then you're gonna have to download the data again.

Clean the app cache manually|Delete temporary files through Settings|Check the folder. /Android/obb file-in-the-box|Remove old backup copies from /MIUI/Backup|Reboot the phone to clean up /cache-->

Step 4: Remove old updates MIUI

Firmware files are stored in:

• /data/ota_package
• /cache
• /Download/rom

Delete all files with the.zip extension except the current firmware version.

Step 5: Resetting cache via Recovery (advanced method)

If the phone is slowing down, cache resetting will help:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up to enter Recovery.
3. Select Wipe Cache Partition (not to be confused with Wipe Data!).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: This method does not delete personal data, but will reset some settings (e.g. fingerprints may require re-setting).

5. How can we prevent the growth of the “Other”?

To prevent the “Other” from taking up gigabytes, follow these tips:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly. Use the built-in Settings tool → Memory. → Cleaning every 1-2 weeks.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic update downloads. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → Threefold (⋮) → Settings and disable "Automatic download via Wi-Fi».
• 📁 Transferring heavy files to SD-In the camera settings (Xiaomi Camera), select saving photo/video to the memory card.
• 🎮 Limit the cache of games. In the game settings (for example, PUBG Mobile) reduce graphics quality or disable caching.
• 🔒 Use cloud backups instead of local backups in the cloud. /MIUI/Backup Set up sync with Google Drive or Mi Cloud.

If you install/remove applications frequently, use SD Maid (requires root) or Files by Google to automatically clean up residues, and these utilities are able to find orphan files, which are data from applications that are left over after uninstallation.

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The most effective way to deal with the Other is to manually clean the cache (once a week) + disabling automatic download of updates + file-control /Android/obb and /MIUI/Backup.

6. Frequent errors in cleaning the "Other"

Many Xiaomi users make these mistakes in an attempt to free up their memory:

1. Deletion of files from /system or /vendor. It leads to a blink (the phone stops turning on) Never touch those folders without root rights and knowing what you're doing.
2. Clearing the cache of all applications in a row. Some programs (such as WhatsApp or banking applications) will then require re-authorization.
3. Deletion of the folder /Android/data It'll erase all the data from the apps, including game saves and messaging settings.
4. Using the "magic" cleaners from Play Market, most of which (like Clean Master) not only fail to help, but also show false virus warnings.

Another common problem is clearing the Google Play Services cache, which can lead to Google account sync errors and app update issues, and if you do clear the Google Play Services cache, restart your phone and wait for the automatic data recovery.

7 What to do if the "Other" takes 20+ GB and not cleaned?

If standard methods don’t help and the Other section continues to grow, try these solutions:

Method 1: Reset to factory settings

It's a radical way, but it's guaranteed to clean up everything you don't need.

• Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
• Remember the passwords from the accounts (they will erase!).
• Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Erase all data.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS phones (such as Xiaomi 14), the path to reset may be different: → Memory. → Resetting settings.

Method 2: Use of the ADB deep-clean

If you have a PC, you can connect your phone to ADB And manually delete unnecessary files, for example, to clear the cache of all user applications, do this:

adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.android.vending


adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.google.android.gms

To delete logs:

adb shell rm -rf /data/log/*


adb shell rm -rf /cache/*

Method 3: Virus and malware testing

Sometimes, "Other" grows because of viruses that create hidden files.Scan your phone with Malwarebytes or built-in Security MIUI (Settings → Security → Scanner: Pay attention to applications with suspicious permissions (e.g. access to the Internet) SMS or contact without cause).

Method 4: Update MIUI last-minute

Old versions. MIUI (for example, MIUI 11 or 12) there were bugs that prevented temporary files from being deleted correctly. → The phone. → System Update. If the update is not available, try installing it manually through MIUI bootloader or Xiaomi Community.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions