Xiaomi’s “Other Data”: What It Is, Why It Takes Place, and How to Clean It

Have you ever looked at your Xiaomi store settings and noticed that the mysterious Other Data section takes the lion’s share? It’s not just junk files — it hides a whole layer of system information, app cache and service data that Android and MIUI create while working. Unlike photos or videos that can be easily identified and deleted, “other data” often remains a “gray area” for users.

In this article, we will look at what exactly falls into the “Other Data” category on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, why this section can grow to tens of gigabytes, and most importantly, how to clean it safely without risk to the system, learn which files can be deleted manually and which are better not to touch, and get step-by-step instructions for the features of MIUI 14 and later.

What is “Other Data” in Xiaomi’s Storage?

The term "Other" (Other or Miscellaneous files in English) is a generic name for all files that do not fall into the standard categories (photo, video, audio, documents, applications).

• 📁 Application cache and systems – temporary files that are created to speed up the operation of programs (for example, image thumbnails, web page data in the browser).
• 🔄 Logs and dumps are error reports files (.log,.dmp) that Android generates when crashes.
• 🗃️ Residual files of remote applications are “tails” that remain after uninstallation of programs (settings, databases).
• 🔒 Encrypted data – files that the system cannot classify (for example, data from messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp).
• 🤖 Service files MIUI — cache of themes of design, updates, backups of settings.

It's important to understand that "other data" isn't always garbage, some of it is critical to the stable operation of a smartphone, such as the cache of Google Play Services or MIUI System when deleted can lead to slowdowns or service errors, but if this partition takes more than 10-15 GB, it is a signal to clean up.

Why does “Other Data” take up so much space?

There are several key reasons why the Other Data section grows to uncontrollable sizes:

1. Active use of instant messengers: Apps like Telegram, Viber or WeChat store media files and cache in encrypted form, which the system refers to as “other data”, for example, a chat with a large number of stickers or a GIF can “weigh” several gigabytes.
2. Frequent MIUI updates: When installing updates, the system backs up older versions of files that are not always automatically deleted.
3. Application errors: Some programs (especially games or social networks) do not optimize cache and leave behind junk files.
4. System logs: If your smartphone reboots frequently or crashes, Android stores reports that accumulate over time.

For example, on Xiaomi 12 Pro with active use of Telegram and TikTok, the “Other Data” section can take up to 20-25 GB – and this is despite the fact that the user regularly cleans the cache manually, the reason lies in the MIUI architecture, which does not always correctly classify files.

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To check which apps are inflating the Other Data section, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management and sort programs by cache size.

How do you see what is in the “Other Data”?

Unfortunately, MIUI does not provide detailed analysis of the contents of the Other Data section through standard settings, but there are several ways to get more accurate information:

Method 1: Using an integrated storage analyzer

Open the Settings. → Memory and wait until the analysis is complete. Click on the "Other Data" section, and the system will show you the list of applications that occupy the most space in this category.+).

Method 2: View through the file manager (for power users)

Using the Mi File Manager app (or third-party Solid Explorer), go to the root folder of the storage and turn on the display of hidden files.

• 📂 /Android/data/ — herein, the application data is stored.
• 📂 /Android/obb/ — game files and large programs.
• 📂 /MIUI/ — service-shell files.
• 📂 /DCIM/.thumbnails — picture-size.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in folders /system/, /vendor/ or /data/ It can cause permanent damage to the system.

Method 3: Third-party applications for memory analysis

Applications like Files by Google, SD Maid, or Storage Analyzer can detail the content of “other data,” such as SD Maid, which shows:

• 🗑️ Residual files of remote applications.
• 📊 Duplicates and empty folders.
• 🔍 System services cache.

How to Safely Clean Other Data on Xiaomi?

Cleaning this partition requires caution, as deleting critical files can disrupt the system, and below is a step-by-step, risk-based instruction.

Step 1: Cleaning the app cache

The safest way is:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app with a large cache (e.g. Telegram, Chrome, Facebook).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

Step 2: Delete unnecessary files manually

With Mi File Manager, check the following folders:

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files with.db,.xml or.dat extensions in application folders unless you are sure of their purpose.

Step 3: Use the Deep Cleanup feature in MIUI

MIUI has a built-in tool to remove unnecessary files:

1. Open Security. → Cleanup.
2. Choose Deep Cleanup.
3. Check the "Residual Files" and "System Cache" items.
4. Press Clear.

Step 4: Cache reset via Recovery (for advanced)

If the “other data” is 10+GB and is not cleared in standard ways, you can reset the cache via Recovery:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action.

This method deletes all temporary system files, but does not affect user data.

What happens if the “Other Data” is returned?

If the partition grows back after cleaning, the problem lies in system processes or specific applications.

• 🔍 Check the messengers. In Telegram, go to Settings → Data and memory → Storage and clear the cache. On WhatsApp, do the same in Settings. → Warehouse.
• 📱 Update. MIUI. Some versions of the shell have bugs that don't clear the cache correctly. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🚫 Limit background activity. Go to Settings. → Battery and productivity → Battery management and disable auto-start for unnecessary applications.
• 🔄 Reset the settings to factory (extreme). If the problem is not solved, backup and reset to Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.

For example, on the Redmi Note 11 with MIUI 13, users often encountered the fact that “other data” took up 15-20 GB due to an error in the work of Google Play Services, the solution is to upgrade to MIUI 14 or manually clear the cache of Google services.

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If the “other data” takes up more than 5 GB and does not decrease after cleaning, most likely, one or more applications with aggressive caching (messengers, social networks, games) are to blame.

Myths and misconceptions about “Other Data” in Xiaomi

There are many myths surrounding this topic, and let's look at the most common ones.

❌ Myth 1: “Other data” is a virus. ✅ Reality: 99% of the time, these are system or user files, not malware. Viruses masquerade as regular applications, not as service data.

❌ Myth 2: You can delete all “other data” without consequences. ✅ Reality: Deleting files from /data/data/ or /system/ without root rights will cause applications or systems to fail.

❌ Myth 3: Cleaning up ‘Other Data’ Will Speed Up Smartphone. ✅ Reality: Acceleration will only be noticeable if the cache takes up a critical amount of space (e.g. 5).+ In other cases, the effect is minimal.

Another misconception is that “other data” only appears on Xiaomi, which is actually found on all Android devices, but in MIUI it is more likely to grow due to the shell features (e.g., duplicate cache for the themes).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi’s “Other Data”