Xiaomi’s “Other” in Memory: What are these files and how to clean them without harming the system

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO storage settings and found that the Other is 10, 20, or even 30GB in size, and neither photos, apps, nor cache explain where those gigabytes went, and the situation is made worse by the fact that standard MIUI cleaning tools are often powerless — the gray “clean” button, and the system insists that there are no files to delete.

In this article, we will not only understand what exactly is hidden under the term “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi smartphones, but also show practical ways to free up space – from safe (through built-in tools) to advanced (using the use of smart devices). ADB And we're going to focus on the risks of why you don't delete everything, and how you don't break the system. MIUI 12–14 (including HyperOS) and models from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Spoiler: 80 percent of the time, it's not junk files, but hidden application data, system logs, and misclassified files that can be reduced without root rights. But there are exceptions: for example, some firmware includes critical MIUI update files, deleting which will lead to a device "brick."

What is the “Other” in Xiaomi memory: the official explanation and reality

According to Xiaomi’s documentation, the “Other” section of the Settings → Storage menu includes: (1) System Files (kernels, libraries, drivers), (2) Application Data not classified as “Applications” or “Media”, (3) System Process Cache, (4) Temporary Files that MIUI was unable to classify.

• 📁 Logs and dumps of the system (files with the extension.log,.dmp – created when crashes or debugging).
• 🔄 Residual update files (folders) /cache/update or /data/ota_package).
• 📱 Remote Application Data (remains in /data/data even after the installation).
• 🖼️ Media files without extension (for example, screenshots saved through the ADB third-party).
• 🔒 Encrypted files (MIUI They cannot read it and they are not read by others»).

Fun fact: on dynamic partition devices (used in MIUI 12+), a part of the Other can take up unused space for future updates. The system reserves it in advance, but does not show the user, which explains why the Other partition does not decrease after resetting to factory settings.

Another trap is misclassification, such as files from the DCIM/.thumbnails folder or Google Play Services data often end up in Other, although it is more logical to classify them as Media or Apps.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi) K70) The "Other" section may include virtual memory (swap) files, which will cause the system to slow down!

Why "The Other" Takes So Much Space: Top-5 cause

If the partition grew to 10+GB, one of these scenarios is likely to work:

1. MIUI actively writes debugging information when apps freeze, overheat or error. For example, after forced close Google Play Market, a file /data/anr/traces.txt of 500+MB may appear.
2. Residual firmware files. After updating through Settings → System Update Service Package (update.zip) It's often left in the memory. 12 file can weigh 2–3 GB.
3. Deleted application data. When uninstalled, many programs cache to the site. /data/data/com.package.name. For example, Facebook and TikTok can forget» 1–2 GB of garbage.
4. System cache Dalvik/ART. The Android virtual machine creates optimized files to speed up the launch of applications. /data/dalvik-cache and can borrow up to 5 GB.
5. File system errors: When you have a power outage or firmware failure, files lose their tags and go to "Other." SD-map.

To check what exactly takes up space, you can use the hidden statistics MIUI:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 5 times on the MIUI version line to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Activate "Debugging by" USB» and “Memory statistics».
5. Now in Settings → Warehouse will appear the item “Details”, where you can see the distribution of “Other” by category.

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If you have root access, use the DiskUsage app or the adb shell du -sh /data/* command | sort -rh in the terminal to see the heaviest folders.

How to Clean Up Xiaomi’s “Other” Memory: Safe Ways

Begin with soft methods – they don’t require root rights and don’t risk the stability of the system.

1. Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools

• 🧹 Cleaning up garbage: Go to Settings → Warehouse → Clean. Click on Deep Clean and select Unnecessary Files». MIUI It can find up to 1-2 GB of temporary data.
• 🔄 Delete the app cache: In the same menu, select App cache and clear it.It's safe, but the cache will recover over time.
• 📦 Delete downloaded files: Check the Download folder – often unnecessary ones accumulate there APK file-book.

2. Delete residual update files

If the "Other" has grown since the MIUI update:

1. Go to Files → Categories → System Files.
2. Find the file. cached_update or ota_package and remove its contents.
3. Reset the device.

3. Dalvik/ART cache reset

This method helps if the Other is busy with optimized application files:

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

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will erase all your data, including photos and apps.

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the battery charge (minimum 50%)|Disable two-factor authentication in banking applications|Remember passwords from accounts (after cleaning, you may need to re-enter)-->

Advanced methods: ADB and manual cleaning

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to use developer tools, which require caution, but allow you to delete up to 5 to 10 GB of unnecessary files.

1. Cleaning through ADB (no root)

Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands in the terminal:

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep "data/app"

This command will show all the installed apps. To remove the cache of a particular app (e.g. Facebook):

adb shell pm clear com.facebook.katana

To remove the entire system cache (caution!):

adb shell su -c "rm -rf /data/dalvik-cache/*"

Removal of logs and dumps

The system logs are stored in folders:

• /data/anr – Tracking application failures.
• /data/tombstones — kernel dumps (files) tombstone_XX).
• /data/log - logs of the system.

You can remove them through ADB:

adb shell su -c "rm -rf /data/anr/ /data/tombstones/ /data/log/*"

3. Folder analysis /data/data

It stores data from all applications, including remote ones, to find the heavy folders.

adb shell su -c "du -sh /data/data/* | sort -rh | head -n 20"

If you see a folder that weighs 1+ GB from a long-deleted application (for example, /data/data/com.tencent.mm For WeChat, it can be deleted:

adb shell su -c "rm -rf /data/data/com.tencent.mm"

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete folders named com.android., com.miui. or com.xiaomi.* are system components).

What NOT to remove from the Other (risks and consequences)

Not all files in the Other section are safe to delete, but this is something you should not touch:

You should work with folders especially carefully:

• 🚫 /data/misc — contains critical network settings, Bluetooth, accounts.
• 🚫 /data/system — here you can store application rights, Wi-Fi passwords, Mi Account data.
• 🚫 /data/adb — Debugging files, deleting will result in loss of access ADB.

If you accidentally deleted something important, try:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Log in Safe Mode (squeeze Power → hold Off → select Safe Mode).
3. If the system does not boot, run the device through the Mi Flash Tool (instruction below).

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If in doubt, don't delete! Better leave 1-2 GB of junk than risk the phone working properly.

What if the “other” has not decreased after cleaning?

If you’ve tried all the ways but the partition still takes up 10+GB, the following reasons are possible:

1. File system error. Check through Recovery: adb reboot recovery Select Advanced → Fix permissions or Repair disk
2. Hidden files on SD-map. MIUI It can show them as "Other." Take the card out and check it on a PC using WinDirStat.
3. Virus or malware: Some Trojans disguise their files as system files. Scan your device through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web.
4. Firmware error: Some versions of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 13.0.4 for Redmi Note 11) have a bug that mismasks memory, so the solution is to upgrade to the latest version.

If the problem persists, the last measure remains - reset to factory settings:

1. Make a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.
4. After reset, do not restore data from the backup – first check if the Other has decreased.

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Before reset, write down the phone's IMEI (type *#06#). In rare cases, it may reset after reset, and you'll need to restore it through the Mi Account.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi