Xiaomi’s “Other”: Hidden Files, Cache and Garbage – How to Clean Up Without Risk

Why does Xiaomi have a mysterious “Other” section?

You went into your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO storage settings to make room, and you saw a strange category called "Other" that takes up gigabytes of memory. What are these files? Why doesn't the system classify them as photos, videos or apps? And most importantly, can they be deleted without harming your smartphone?

The Other section is the Android junk bin, which includes temporary files, process cache, remnants of deleted applications, and data that the system failed to categorize as standard. Unlike app cache or downloads, these files don't have a clear structure, so MIUI groupes them under a common name. On Xiaomi devices, this section often grows to 5-15 GB — especially if you've been using your smartphone for more than a year.

The problem is that standard cleaning tools (like the built-in Optimizer) often don’t address Other, and some files in this section can be critical to the system’s operation — like Dalvik-cache data or ART configuration. Delete them carelessly — and get a brick instead of a phone.

What exactly is in the “Other” section?

The composition of this section varies depending on the Xiaomi model and the MIUI version, but you can usually find:

• 📁 Cache of system processes: temporary files from Android System, MIUI Daemon and other services that are not automatically cleaned.
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications: Folders /data/app-lib or /data/dalvik-cache, which remain after the uninstallation of the programs.
• 🔄 Logs and dumps: debugging files (logcat, tombstones) that are created when crashes or for diagnostics.
• 📱 Data data OTA-Updates: downloaded but not installed firmware packages (folder) /cache/ota).
• 🔒 Encrypted files: for example, Keystore data or DRM, The system cannot read without special keys.
• 📊 Statistics and analytics: files from Mi Analytics, Google Play Services and other data collection services.

On devices with MIUI 14+, virtual memory files can also get into the Other (if RAM Expansion is enabled), and on older versions (for example, MIUI 12) – remnants of those designs that you tried but did not install.

Why does the other take up so much space?

There are several reasons why this section is growing to unthinkable sizes:

1. Incorrectly delete applications. When you delete a program through Settings → Applications, MIUI does not always clear the files associated with it to /data/data or /sdcard/Android/obb.
2. Automatic updates: The system downloads updates for MIUI and applications in the background, but does not always install them (for example, if space or battery is not enough), these files remain in memory as “junk”.
3. Failures and errors: If an application or process crashes, it may not have cleared temporary files, and hundreds of such scraps accumulate over time.
4. MIUI features: For example, Game Turbo, Second Space, or App Lock create their own caches and logs that are not visible to the user.

On Xiaomi AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro or Redmi K60) The other can also get color calibration data that the system creates to adjust the shades, and on devices with extended memory (for example, the system creates color calibration data, POCO X5 Pro) files from the /sdcard, if they have been improperly transferred.

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If the Other section suddenly grew by 2-3 GB overnight, check the /sdcard/Download folder – it may have been a large file (such as firmware or backup) that the system could not classify.

How to Safely Clean “Other” on Xiaomi?

Before you start cleaning, remember that not all files in this section can be deleted. For example, folders /data/dalvik-cache or /system/priv-app are critical to the Android experience.

Method 1: Integrated MIUI tools

Starting with MIUI 12.5, the system has a hidden deep cleaning function:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the line version of MIUI to activate the developer mode.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → Special Options → Clean Storage.
4. Choose Deep Cleanup and confirm the action.

Method 2: Manual deletion through file manager

Use Mi File Manager (or Solid Explorer with root rights):

folder /sdcard/Android/obb (game-cash)|folder /sdcard/Download (load)|folder /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log (logic)|folder /sdcard/Bluetooth (file-off)

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⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders called com.android., com.xiaomi. or android are system data. Also avoid files with the.odex or.vdex extension.

Method 3: Through ADB (for Advanced)

If you are familiar with ADB, follow the following commands:

adb shell pm trim-caches -a


adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*




adb shell rm -rf /cache/*

This will clear the cache of all applications and temporary files of the system. -rf /data/*! — This will erase all user data.

What files in the "Other" can not be touched?

Some folders and files in the Other section are critical to Xiaomi's operation, and deleting them will cause the device to crash or crash.

⚠️ Note: If you see files with.key,.keystore or.drm extensions in the Other, do not delete them – these are encryption and digital rights data (DRM). Without them, Netflix, Disney will not work.+ and other content protection services.

How can we prevent the growth of the “Other”?

To the “Other” section does not take up gigabytes of memory, follow these recommendations:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Warehouse → Clean the cache (do it once every 1-2 weeks).
• 📦 Remove Apps correctly: Use Settings → Annexes → Remove, not just move the icon to the cart.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic updates MIUI, If you have little memory: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-update.
• 📱 Use lighter versions of apps (like Facebook Lite instead of Facebook) to reduce cache volume.
• 🔍 Check the Download folder for unnecessary files (e.g. old ones). APK or archives).

On devices with MIUI 13+, you can enable Smart Clean (Settings → Storage → Smart Cleanup) that will automatically delete unnecessary files once a day, but it does not affect deep system caches.

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If the Other takes more than 10GB and standard methods don’t help, consider resetting to factory settings (Settings → Additional → Resetting).

Frequent Questions About Xiaomi’s “Other” Section