Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the built-in storage is filled in inexplicably, and the memory management section includes a category called “Other” that can take up gigabytes of valuable space. This is puzzling, as standard cleaning tools often cannot accurately identify the contents of this partition, leaving the device owner in the dark as to what exactly consumes resources.
In fact, this name doesn't mean a single file type, but rather a collection of heterogeneous data, including temporary files of the MIUI operating system, remnants of remote applications, cache of messengers and streaming services, and system process data, and understanding the structure of this partition is critical to managing a device properly without the risk of removing vital components.
In this article, we will go into detail about what the Other category consists of, why it can increase in volume and what are safe ways to free up space. We will look at both the standard MIUI shell tools and more advanced methods that require a connection to a computer. It is important to approach cleaning consciously so as not to disrupt the system.
The structure of the “Other” section: what is hidden there
The Other section of the MIUI-based Android file system is a container for files that the system cannot uniquely classify as photos, videos, music or documents, a kind of gray area where data that does not have an obvious owner or standard extension enters, the bulk of which is cached application data, which is stored to speed up the program.
For example, when you watch YouTube videos or flip through Telegram feeds, media files are stored in temporary storage, and over time, this cache grows to a huge size, but in a standard memory analyzer, it is displayed as “Other”, and this includes error logs, usage reports and temporary update files.
Another significant part is the remnants of remote applications. When you uninstall programs through a standard manager, some folders with settings or user data may remain on the system. They are no longer used, but continue to occupy space. In addition, MIUI system processes create their own temporary files for the operation of background services, which also fall into this category.
- 📦 App cache: temporary data of social networks, browsers and games that accelerate the loading of content.
- 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Programs: Empty Folders and Configuration Files After Uninstallation.
- 📝 System Logs: System reports that are automatically created for diagnostics.
- 📥 Uncompleted downloads: fragments of files that have been interrupted.
⚠️ Warning: Don't try to manually delete files from system folders through root-righted file managers unless you're sure of their purpose. Deleting critical system libraries from the Other section can lead to a cyclical smartphone reboot.
The reasons for the growth of the volume of hidden data
The main reason for the increase in the volume of the “Other” section is the active use of multimedia applications and instant messengers. Apps like Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber by default cache all the images and videos viewed. If these applications do not automatically clean the cache, during a month of use, 5-10 GB of data can accumulate, which the system does not see as “Photo” or “Video”, but refers to other things.
The second factor is the MIUI shell. The aggressively caching thumbnails and videos for the gallery to keep the tape scrolling smooth. These thumbnails are stored in hidden directories and can take up a significant amount of space over time. Also, firmware updates sometimes leave older versions of the system libraries in case of rollbacks, marking them as other things.
The third important aspect is streaming services: apps like Netflix, Spotify or Yandex.Music store data for offline listening or just cache the play buffer. Even if you haven't downloaded tracks for offline mode, the temporary play buffer can weigh hundreds of megabytes, all of which are summarized and displayed to the user as a mysterious "Other" section.
Memory analysis with built-in tools
Before we start radical measures, we need to do a diagnostic. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in Cleanup tool that gives you a basic idea of occupancy. However, for a deeper analysis, it is better to use the built-in file manager or developer menu. Standard analyzer often shows only the big picture, sifting through the details.
To start, go to Settings → Memory. Here you will see a graph of the space allocation. Click on the “Other” category if the system allows for detail, or use the “Clear” button to remove obvious debris. A more efficient way is to use the File Manager app. Go to the Files section and sort them by size. Often large folders called android/data contain an application cache that appears as “Other.”
It's also worth checking the MIUI folder at the root of internal memory, which can contain debugging logs and crash reports. If you're not a developer and you're not debugging, these files can be safely deleted. Pay attention to the backup folder, if you've ever backed up your phone, it can also take up space in the Other section.
☑️ Memory diagnostics
Safe cleaning methods of the "Other" section
There are several proven ways to reduce space, and the safest and most effective way to do this is to cache specific "heavy" applications, so you don't have to clean everything, you just have to find 2-3 apps that consume the most resources, usually social networks and instant messengers.
To do the cleaning, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find an app like Telegram or Chrome in the list. Click on it, select Storage and click Clear Cache. It is important not to confuse it with Clear All (or Reset) because it will remove your logins and settings inside the app. Once the cache is cleared, you will immediately notice a decrease in the Other partition volume.
The second method is to use Cleanup mode in the Security app. Launch the app, select Cleanup and wait until the scan is over. The system will suggest removing temporary files and app residues. There's also Deep Cleanup on the menu, which finds large files, duplicates and rarely used applications, which helps to identify hidden amounts of data.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Security | Skills required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning up the app cache | Tall. | Safe. | Initial. |
| Delete Thumbnails folder | Medium | Safe. | Medium. |
| Reset to factory settings | Maximum | Demands backup. | Initial. |
| Using ADB teams | Tall. | Average (error risk) | Advanced. |
⚠️ Note: Before deleting any files through the file manager, make sure they are not system files.Apk,.obb or in system directories cannot be deleted without an accurate understanding of their function.
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Periodically delete the folder.thumbnails in the hidden folders of the gallery. This will safely speed up the gallery and free up space, as the thumbnails will be recreated if necessary.
Working with the cache of messengers and social networks
Messengers deserve special attention, as they are the main garbage generators in the “Other” section. In Telegram, for example, the cache can be cleaned directly inside the application without getting into the phone settings.
In Telegram settings, go to Data and Memory → Memory Use → Clear Cache. Here you can set an autodelete timer (for example, store media for 3 days, 1 week or 1 month) to prevent the Other section from growing in the future. WhatsApp has similar features (Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management) where you can selectively delete large videos and files from specific chats.
For Instagram and TikTok, the built-in function of full cache cleaning is often not available, so you have to use system cleaning through Android settings (Applications → Instagram → Storage → Clear cache). After this cleaning, you will have to re-authenticate in the application, but this effectively frees up gigabytes of space.
Why is the cache growing so fast?
Radical measures: Resetting and reflashing
If the software methods don’t help and the Other partition continues to occupy a critical volume (for example, 20-30 GB per 64 GB of memory), the last option is a complete data reset. This is guaranteed to remove all accumulated debris, file system errors and hidden logs. However, this requires full preparation, since the phone will return to the out-of-the-box state.
Before resetting, make sure to back up important data to the Mi Cloud or your computer. Photos, contacts, and notes should be saved. Go to Settings → Phone → Reset → Erase all data. The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will restart with a clean system. In this state, the Other section will be minimal.
In rare cases, even after a reset, when the “Other” partition takes up a lot of space immediately after turning on, the problem may lie in a file system corruption or a bug of a particular version of MIUI. In such a situation, you may need to flash the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility. This is a complex procedure that requires unlocking the bootloader, and it is recommended only for advanced users.
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A complete factory reset is the only way to ensure that you remove all hidden system errors and residues that are not removed by standard cleaning.
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To keep the problem from returning in a month, you need to change your smartphone usage habits, first of all, set up automatic cache cleaning in heavy applications, regularly check the storage and delete unnecessary files immediately, without waiting for the memory to fill up.
Use cloud services to store photos and videos. Enable sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud with Free Space, which removes local copies of files already uploaded to the cloud, which will keep the Photos and Others section within reasonable limits, and also try not to store files on your phone that you are not using right now.
Watch for system updates. Xiaomi periodically releases patches that optimize memory and fix leaks in system processes. If you notice that the Other section has started to grow faster since the MIUI update, you may want to wait for the next patch or consult the support forum.