Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO storage settings and found that the mysterious Other section is 10, 20, or even 30GB of precious memory, and neither photos, nor apps, nor cache show that appetite, where does this invisible junk come from, why does the system not classify it, and most importantly, can it be safely removed?
This article is not about cache cleaning or uninstalling unnecessary apps. We'll dive into the MIUI system, where log files, update remnants, temporary service data and other "remorseless" files that Android classifies as "Other" you'll learn which ones you can safely erase and which you can absolutely not touch - otherwise you risk losing data or disrupting your smartphone. We'll also analyze the unique MIUI 14/15 bug that inflates the "Other" after each major update, and give step-by-step instructions for fixing it.
What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Storage and Why Does It Take So Much Space?
The “Other” section of the Settings menu → Storage is a dump for all files that Android could not categorize as standard (applications, multimedia, documents, etc.)
- 📁 System Logs and Dumps – Error Reports, Kernel Log, Sensor Data.
- 🔄 Update residues – temporary firmware files that have not been deleted after installation.
- 🧹 Google Cache Services and MIUI — For example, Google Play Services or Mi Cloud data that is not cleared by standard means.
- 🗑️ Deleted files are not completely erased data (especially important for files deleted through the MI File Manager).
- 🔧 Configuration Files – Application settings that are not tied to their main folders.
On Xiaomi devices, the problem is exacerbated by two factors:
- Aggressive MIUI optimization: The system actively caches data to speed up work, but does not always delete it correctly.
- Bug with updates: after installing large updates (for example, with the MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) Temporary files often remain in the folder /data/ota_package and "hangs" in the "Other" section for years.
In our tests, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with MIUI 15 averages 8 to 12 GB of “Other” right after purchase — and can grow to 20+ GB in a year of use, and up to 60% of that volume can be safely cleaned!
What files in the “Other” can be deleted and which can not
Not all files in the Other section are equally secure, and below is a table by risk and cleaning method:
| Type of file | Can I remove it? | How to clean up | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Log files (/data/log, /data/anr) | ✅ Yes. | Aided by ADB or Root Explorer | No, but they can come back if they make mistakes. |
| Remains of updates (/data/ota_package) | ✅ Yes. | Manually or through MIUI Cleaner | No. |
| Google Play Services cache (/data/data/com.google.android.gms) | ⚠️ Partially. | Cleaning data in Settings → Applications | Google account settings may be reset |
| Mi Cloud Data (/data/data/com.miui.cloudservice) | ❌ No. | — | Loss of synchronization with Xiaomi account |
| Temporary application files (/data/data/*/cache) | ✅ Yes. | Through Settings → Storage → Cleaning | No. |
Critical folders that can not be touched:
- 🚫 /data/system — Android settings and MIUI.
- 🚫 /data/dalvik-cache — Virtual machine cache (deletion will lead to a reboot cycle).
- 🚫 /data/misc — Network Services Configuration and Encryption.
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Before any cleanup via ADB or root conductor, back up /data with the adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab command. This will save your data if something goes wrong.
Step-by-step: how to clean the “Other” without root rights
If you don’t have superuser rights, use these methods (from the safest to the riskiest):
- Cleaning through built-in tools MIUI: 🔍 Go to Settings. → Warehouse → Cleanup. 🧹 Click on “Deep Clean” and select “Unnecessary Files». ⚠️ Do not check the “Journals” and “Downloads” items – there may be important data there.
Removal of update residues
- 📱 Open up. MI File Manager (or any other file manager).
- 🔍 Go to the Inner Memory → data → ota_package.
- 🗑️ Delete all files with the.zip or.pkg extension.
- Resetting section cache /cache: ⚠️ This method does not delete user data, but it can reset some settings. 1. Turn off the phone. 2. Press the power button. + Volume up for entrance to Recovery. 3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache. 4. Reset the device.
If the /data folder is not available:
- 🛠️ Use it. ADB (higher).
- 🔧 Or install Root Explorer (requires root).
In MIUI 15 (Android 14), this bug is partially fixed, but on devices with Redmi Note 11/12 and POCO X5, the problem still occurs. If after the update, "Other" has grown by more than 5 GB, it is 100% undeleted firmware files.
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After each update MIUI check the folder /data/ota_package — Even if the system claims that files are deleted, there are often “tails” of the volume. 1–3 GB.
What to do if the “Other” takes 30+ GB and does not clean
If standard methods didn’t help, and the “Other” section takes up an absurdly large amount of space (e.g. 30GB on a 128GB device), the reason could be:
- 🔍 Hidden backups (folder) /data/backup).
- 📱 Virtual Space Data (e.g. Second Space or Dual Apps).
- 🗑️ File system error (for example, after incorrect shutdown) USB-storage).