You opened up your memory settings on your Xiaomi Redmi 5 and found that the mysterious “Other Files” category is the lion’s share? This problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi budget smartphones, especially those with 16-32 GB of internal memory. Unlike photos or apps, “other files” do not have an explicit source, but can eat up to 10-15 GB of precious space. Why is this happening and can it be fixed?
In this article, we will explore in detail what is hidden under the term “other files” in MIUI, why they accumulate on Redmi 5 (and other models with low memory capacity), and provide 4 proven methods of cleaning, from safe to radical.
Spoiler: 80 percent of the time, the problem is solved without resetting to the factory settings, but first, you have to understand what we're dealing with.
What are the “other files” in the memory of Xiaomi Redmi 5
The category “Other files” (or Other files in the English version of MIUI) is a “basket” for all data that the system failed to categorize as standard: photos, videos, audio, documents or applications.
- 📁 Application cache (including hidden cache of system services) MIUI)
- 🗑️ Temporary files from updates, installers APK and download
- 🔄 Logs and dumps (Error Reports that Android Creates)
- 🖼️ Miniatures and previews (for example, for a gallery or file manager)
- 📱 Remnants of Remote Applications (Incomplete Uninstallation)
- 🔗 Symbolic links and file system metadata
On the Redmi 5 (and other MIUI 9-12 smartphones), this category is growing especially fast for two reasons:
- Limited memory: With 16GB on board, the system actively uses caching to speed up work.
- eMMC architecture: cheap flash memory in Xiaomi budget models is slower to process write/delete operations, which leads to the accumulation of junk files.
Interesting fact: on the Redmi Note 5 or Mi A1 (with pure Android) of the same era, the problem is less common - the optimization of MIUI for weak iron is to blame.
Why do “other files” take up so much space on Redmi 5?
While Xiaomi flagships (such as the Mi 10 or Black Shark) rarely have “other files” above 1-2 GB, Redmi 5’s can hold up to 30-40% of the total memory, here are the key reasons:
| Reason. | Impact on “Other Files” | How it manifests |
|---|---|---|
| Small memory (16/32 GB) | The system actively caches data to reduce memory load | Application cache is not automatically cleared |
| F2FS file system | Faster wears out with frequent records, leaving “broken” temporary files | Files with the.tmp or.bak extension |
| Optimizing MIUI for weak processors | The system creates many logs to debug productivity | /data/log and /data/anr folders are growing |
| No automatic cleaning | Unlike the new MIUI versions, Redmi 5 doesn’t have a built-in garbage cleaner. | .thumbdata and.nomedia files have been accumulating for years. |
Another nuance: Redmi 5 (mido) often has a cache-duplicating bug, such as when an app is updated via Google Play, the old APK files are not deleted but remain in the /data/app-lib folder, which can be checked through Root Explorer (if there is root access) or ADB.
⚠️ Warning: If you see “other files” taking up more than 8-10GB on a 16GB Redmi 5, it may indicate file system damage.
How to securely delete “other files” on Xiaomi Redmi 5: 4 working ways
Before you start cleaning, remember two rules:
- Never manually delete files from /system or /vendor folders, which will cause a phone to fail.
- Try soft methods first (1-2 methods), and only if they do not help - go to radical (3-4 methods).
Now, Step-by-step, let's start with the safest option.
Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools
Even older versions of MIUI (9-11) have hidden tools for cleaning up garbage.
- Open the Settings → Memory.
- Slip on the memory usage schedule, then select “Other Files”.
- Click “Clear” (if the button is active).
- Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
- Sort by size and select apps with large cache (e.g. Facebook, Telegram, Google Play Services).
- In the menu of each application, click “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data” (if you are not afraid to lose settings).
This method removes up to 1-3 GB of garbage, but often leaves deep system files. For more thorough cleaning, move on to the next method.
☑️ Preparation for memory cleanup
Method 2: Use Files by Google (formerly Files Go)
Google’s official app is better at finding garbage than Xiaomi’s standard Explorer, download it from the Play Market and follow the instructions:
- Open Files by Google and go to the Cleanup tab.
- Slip "Free the place" and wait for the analysis.
- In the section "Unnecessary files" mark:
Click “Clear” and confirm the action.
The advantage of this method: the application finds garbage even in folders hidden from the user (for example, the app finds garbage in the folders, /data/data). However, it does not remove system logs and cache. MIUI.
Method 3: Manual removal via ADB (for advanced)
If the first two methods didn’t work and the “other files” still take up gigabytes, try removing them via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).
You'll need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS
- 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
- 🛠️ Utilities. ADB and Fastboot
Instructions:
- Turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode).
- Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.
- Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (or Terminal) in the ADB folder.
- Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (device should appear) adb shell su (if there is root, or skip this step) cd /data du -sh * | grep -i "M\|G" (this will show large folders)
- Delete unnecessary files with the command rm -rf folder name (for example, rm -rf /data/log/*).
⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders data/app, data/system file-extension.odex/.vdex — It's going to crash the system, and if you're not sure, you'd better skip this.
What folders can be deleted through ADB?
Method 4: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)
If none of the methods worked, and the "other files" take up more than 50% of the memory, then all that remains is Hard Reset, which will delete all the contents of the phone, including garbage, but all your data too.
How to do the reset correctly:
- Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup or manually copy files to your PC.
- Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
- Select “Resetting” and confirm the action.
- After a reboot, don't restore data from a backup - first check if "other files" have disappeared. Often they come back with a backup!
If the problem persists after the reset, it may indicate a hardware memory malfunction (wear of eMMC cells), in which case only replacing the memory module or buying a new phone will help.
💡
Factory reset is a last resort, and 90% of the time, the first three methods solve the problem of “other files” on Redmi 5.
How to prevent the re-accumulation of “other files”
Cleaning up your memory is a half-measure, so that the problem doesn't come back in a week, follow these tips:
- 📵 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play (or limit updates to Wi-Fi only).
- 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly through Files by Google or SD Maid (once in 2 weeks).
- 🚫 Don’t use “memory optimizers” from third-party developers – they often create more trash than they remove.
- 📁 Move the applications to SD-Card (if supported) Redmi 5 does this through Settings → Annexes → Move it to SD.
- 🔄 Reboot your phone every 3-4 days – this clears temporary files in your memory.
If you install/remove applications frequently, consider a customized recovery (such as TWRP) and regular cleaning of the Dalvik cache. This requires unlocking the bootloader, but gives you more control over memory.
💡
On Redmi 5 with 16GB of storage, try to keep at least 2-3GB of free space. When the memory is filled by 90%, the system starts to work in emergency mode, which speeds up the accumulation of garbage.
Frequent errors when cleaning “other files” on Xiaomi
Many users compound the problem by following questionable advice from the Internet.
| Mistake. | Why is it dangerous? | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Delete files via Root Explorer without knowing the structure of Android | You can accidentally erase system libraries, which will lead to a blink. | Use only proven ways (see Method 3) |
| Cleaning /data/data folder manually | This is the storage of user data applications - deletion will lead to loss of accounts and settings. | Clear the cache only through application settings |
| Use applications like Clean Master or CCleaner | These programs often delete useful files and leave garbage behind. | Use Files by Google or the built-in MIUI tools |
| Formatting internal memory as an external storage device | This destroys the MIUI structure and makes the phone inoperable. | For a complete reset, use only Wipe Data in the Recaveri |
Another common mistake is ignoring MIUI updates. Newer firmware versions (e.g. MIUI 12.5) optimize memory and “other files” accumulate more slowly. If your Redmi 5 supports the update, be sure to install it.
Alternative solutions: if nothing helps
If you’ve tried all the ways but the “other files” are persistently coming back, consider these options:
- 🔧 Fastboot Flashback: Install a clean version MIUI This will delete all system junk files, but will require unlocking the bootloader.
- 📱 Install custom firmware: For example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience. these firmwares have no problems with "other files", but may deprive you of some features MIUI (for example, the themes of design).
- 💾 Memory replacement: If the phone overheats and brakes frequently, flash memory may be worn out (especially for the 2017-2018 Redmi 5) and can be replaced by a new one at the service center.
- 🛒 Buying a phone with more storage: Redmi 5 with 16 GB in 2026 is objectively small for modern applications.
If you decide to flash it, consider that this will void the warranty (if it is still valid) and require all the data. For Redmi 5, Android 8-10 firmware will work, newer versions may not work stable due to the weak Snapdragon 450 processor.
💡
Before drastic measures (flashing, memory replacement) evaluate the cost-benefit ratio. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a used Redmi Note 8 with 64 GB than to repair the old Redmi 5.