Every Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco smartphone owner is confronted with a nasty space-short notification, and when you try to figure out what ate the precious gigabytes, you go into the storage settings and you see a frightening picture: The Other section can take 10 to 50 GB or more, and that space is often unavailable for easy removal, causing confusion and frustration.
In reality, the Other category is not a single file, but a collection of system data, application cache, residual files after deleted programs, error logs and temporary messenger data. MIUI or HyperOS classifies them as not clearly belonging to photos, videos or documents. Understanding the nature of these files is the first step to successfully clean up without risking damage to the operating system.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what this volume is made of, why it can’t be simply erased with a single button, and what safe methods exist to free up space, how to find hidden folders, which apps are most likely to inflate this section, and whether radical reset methods are worth using.
The Anatomy of the Other Section: What It Is Consisted of
To effectively combat memory overflow, you need to be clear about what lies behind this mysterious name. The Android operating system that powers Xiaomi smartphones doesn't have a single folder called "Other" -- an aggregated metric that the MIUI shell generates dynamically by collecting data from different system directories.
The bulk of data is temporary files and cache. When you watch YouTube videos, listen to music on streaming services, or browse through social media, media files are stored locally for quick download when you re-watch, and over time, this cache can grow to huge sizes, especially if you have many communication and entertainment apps installed.
The second important component is the remnants of remote applications, which, even after uninstallation, can still contain configuration files, logs and temporary data that the system no longer uses, but also does not delete automatically, and also includes firmware update files that were not deleted after installation, and offline map data.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to manually delete files from system folders without understanding their purpose. Deleting critical system libraries can lead to unstable smartphone operation or cyclical reboot.
Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber have a habit of saving all received media files in their own hidden directories, which the system often refers to the category “Other”, not “Images” or “Video”, this is due to the specifics of encoding paths or data encryption in modern versions of Android.
Diagnostics: How to find files that occupy the place
Before you start cleaning, you need to diagnose and identify the main “eaters” of the space. Xiaomi standard tools provide the basic tool for this, but for deep analysis it is better to use specialized utilities. Built-in analyzer often shows only the big picture, hiding details.
One of the most effective ways to see the real structure of the storage is by using the Files by Google app or a dedicated disk analyzer like DiskUsage or Storage Analyzer, which visualizes the memory as a block map, where the square size corresponds to the size of a file or folder, and allows you to instantly find giant files hidden in the depths of directories.
For manual checks with standard means, perform the following actions:
- 📱 Open the Safety app (green zipper icon) on the home screen.
- 🧹 Go to the Cleanup section and wait for the scan to be completed.
- 📂 Click on the Warehouse icon or go to Settings → The phone. → Warehouse.
- 🔍 Explore the list of applications: Often, “Other” is just the sum of data from heavy applications that the system cannot classify otherwise.
If you find that the volume of the Other section has increased dramatically after installing a particular application, the problem is most likely its cache. In such cases, a standard cache clearing through the application settings may not help, and a deeper intervention or reinstallation of the program will be required.
Secure cleaning of cache and temporary files
The safest and first step to freeing up space is to clean up the app cache. This won't delete your personal data, your correspondence, or your accounts, but will erase temporary files that take up space. There are multiple layers of access in the Xiaomi ecosystem for this.
Start with the built-in Cleanup tool, which automatically finds temporary files that are safe to delete, but to do more, you need to go to the settings of each heavy application separately, especially for browsers, social networks and streaming services, where the cache can reach several gigabytes.
☑️ Checklist for safe cleaning
It is important to distinguish between Clear Cache and Clear Everything (or Reset): The first action is safe and recommended regularly; the second action completely removes the application along with all data, returning it to the state immediately after installation; Use the reset only if you are sure that the applications you do not need or are stored in the cloud.
For instant messengers like Telegram, it’s better to use built-in cleaning tools. Telegram’s settings have a Data and Memory section → Using memory where you can clear the cache with a single click and even set up auto-delete media files. This is much more effective than system cleaning, since Telegram processes its databases correctly.
Working with Android folder and hidden data
Since Android 11 and up, access to the Android folder at the system level has been restricted for security reasons, but that's where the massive arrays of data that belong to the Other section are often hidden.
It is recommended to install a file manager with advanced access rights, such as X-plore File Manager or Material Files, and when they first run, they will request special permission through the Android system interface, and once you get permission, you will be able to see the contents of the obb and data folders.
Inside the Android/obb folder, you store additional files of games and heavy apps. If you delete a game but the folder with its name is still there, you can delete it. The Android/data folder stores app data. You need to be careful: delete only folders with the names of programs that have already been deleted.
What to do if the folder is not deleted?
It's also worth checking the folder. MIUI It's at the root of the internal memory. It might have debugging logs (debug_logs), And if you're not a developer and you don't debug the system on purpose, you can delete those files without any fear.
Radical methods: resetting and flashing
If standard methods have failed and the Other continues to take up an unrealistically large volume (e.g., 40-50GB on a 64GB phone), there may have been a file system error or a buildup of system debris that is not visible to conventional means, in which case radical measures help.
The most effective way is to completely reset your smartphone to the factory settings (Wipe & Reset), which completely clears the memory of the smartphone, returning it to the state of “shop-like”. Before doing this, make sure to back up important data, as all photos, contacts and applications will be deleted.
⚠️ Warning: Before performing a full reset, make sure that the battery is at least 50%, or better yet, connect the device to the charger.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The system will warn you of the consequences. Once the reboot is done, the smartphone will be clean, and the Other section will take up the minimum possible volume typical of a clean system.
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Tip: After reset, don't restore your app backup wholesale from Google Play or Mi Cloud. Install the apps only the ones you really need. Often, old backups return all the garbage with the apps.
In rare cases, when even a reset doesn’t help (which is extremely rare), the problem may lie in the physical degradation of memory or the bug of a particular version of the firmware. Then consider flashing the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility, choosing Clean All mode.
Prevention: How to prevent the growth of garbage
To avoid the problem of a crowded “Other” section in the future, it is worth introducing several useful habits in using a Xiaomi smartphone. Regular maintenance takes a couple of minutes a week, but saves you from the need for emergency cleaning.
First, set up automatic cache cleaning. In the Security app, you can set a schedule so that your phone cleans the trash itself when the screen is off or the device is charging. Second, watch the messenger settings: turn off auto-save media to the gallery if you don't need it.
The table below shows the comparative effectiveness of the different cleaning methods:
| Cleaning method | Security | Efficiency | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in cleaning (Security) | Tall. | Low/Mediocre | No. |
| Cleaning up the app cache | Tall. | Medium | No (only temporary files) |
| Delete folders in Android/obb | Medium | Tall. | Medium (you can delete the game) |
| Full reset (Wipe & Reset) | High (for the system) | Maximum | Tall (requires backup) |
It's also helpful to check the list of installed apps periodically. Uninstalling programs you haven't used for more than 3 months is a great way to keep things in order. Many apps continue to collect data and update in the background, even if you're not using them.
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Regular cleaning of the cache of heavy applications (social networks, navigators) every 1-2 months prevents a critical proliferation of the "Other" section and keeps the performance of the smartphone.