What is “Other” in Xiaomi Phone Memory and How to Clean It

Many Xiaomi smartphone owners are faced with a nasty situation: the device’s internal memory is full, although there are not so many photos and applications, the MIUI or HyperOS storage system divides all files into understandable categories: images, video, audio, documents and applications. However, there is a mysterious category that often grows to tens of gigabytes and does not lend itself to simple cleaning.

This partition in the memory analyzer is usually labeled as "Other" or "Other" and users panic about deleting the files they want, fearing that the phone will stop working, but the amount of bytes they're using doesn't decrease, and understanding the nature of that data is the first step to freeing up space without compromising the functionality of the gadget.

In this article, we will take a closer look at what this mysterious volume actually consists of, why the system classifies important data as garbage, and what safe cleaning methods the MIUI shell itself offers. You will learn how to distinguish system cache from valuable data and whether radical methods like total resetting are worth using.

The Nature of the Other: What's Hiding Inside

The “Other” category is not a virus or a system error, but a special section where the Android operating system in conjunction with the Xiaomi shell folds files that do not fit the standard definitions, this includes temporary files, application cache, remnants of remote programs, messenger data and even some system logs.

The bulk of this section is often cached data: Messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp store photos and videos viewed in cache so that when you reopen the chat, they load instantly. Over time, this cache can grow to 10-20 gigabytes, but for a system it is just a set of bytes without a clear binding to the gallery or documents.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files of the category "Other" through file managers with root rights manually, if you do not know the exact purpose of the folder. Deleting system logs can lead to unstable work MIUI.

Also in this section, offline maps of navigators, downloaded tracks from music services and temporary browser files often fall into the system sees them as application data, but can not uniquely classify them as “Music” or “Video”, so sends them to the pile.

Why does memory fill up so quickly?

The rate of filling in the Other section depends on the user’s activity and installed applications. Social networks and instant messengers are the main “eaters” of space. Every storis viewed, every open picture in the news feed is stored in a hidden cache, which eventually turns into gigabytes of useless garbage.

The second reason is that apps that are not properly deleted are often left with configuration files and resource residues when you delete a game or program, and the HyperOS shell tries to track those residues, but it can't always identify them, leaving them lying dead.

The third factor is system updates, which can leave installation packages and backups of older drivers on the phone after a major firmware update, taking up space until the first reboot or manual cleaning, but sometimes staying in the system longer than necessary.

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Use the Cleanup feature in the standard Security app once a week to prevent the cache from growing to critical values and speed up the system.

If you watch videos offline or listen to music without the internet, these files can also be classified as “Other” if the application does not transmit the correct metadata about the type of content to the system.

Safe methods of cleaning with regular means

The most reliable and secure way to free up space is to use the built-in tools of Xiaomi**.The system provides powerful utilities that know which files can be deleted without risking stability. First of all, open the Security app and select Clean up.

Once scanned, the system will prompt you to remove the garbage, but often that's not enough. Click on the Deep Clean icon.** Here you'll see a more detailed analysis: large files, rarely used apps and, most importantly, instant messenger data, and this is where you can safely unload your cache from Telegram or WhatsApp.

Another effective method is to clean through the storage settings. Go to Settings → Memory and wait for the analysis to be completed. The system will show the usage schedule. Click on the “Other” category** if it is clickable, or go to the list of applications to find the culprit.

⚠️ Note: When cleaning these applications through settings, remember that the “Clear All” button will remove not only the cache, but also your logins, correspondence and settings within a particular application.

For advanced users, the Recovery Cache Clearance feature is available, but in modern versions of MIUI it is often hidden or requires confirmation of an account password. Standard methods through the interface usually cover 90% of the needs of the average user.

Memory Analysis via Computer and ADB

If the standard methods don't help you understand what exactly occupies space, you can use a deeper analysis using a computer. USB In file transfer mode, you can see the folder structure, although the system partitions will be hidden. ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

This method requires you to include USB debugging in the Developer Menu, and once you connect to a PC, you can use commands to output disk usage statistics, so you can see hidden folders that aren't displayed in the standard Explorer.

adb shell dumpsys diskstats

This command will provide detailed statistics on each application and system process, so you can see the exact size of the cache and data for each packet, which is especially useful when some hidden system application is accumulating error logs.

Using ADB also allows you to force the cache of specific system services that prevent you from doing this through the interface, but this requires caution: deleting the wrong files can lead to a bootloop (cyclic reboot).

Table: File types in the "Other" section

To better understand what you can delete and what you can’t touch, check the file classification. Below is a table that helps you identify the contents of the partition.

As you can see from the table, most files in the Other category are temporary, but you can't touch system libraries at all, and if you're not sure what the folder is when you connect to your PC, you'd better leave it alone.

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It is safest to clear the Other section through the built-in Security app or the settings menu of a particular app (like clearing a cache in Telegram), rather than deleting files directly through Explorer.

Radical measures: resetting and reflashing

In cases where the Other partition is illogically large (e.g., 40-50 GB on a 64 GB phone) and is not cleared by standard methods, radical intervention may be required, often indicating a file error or “ghost” files that the system considers busy but does not show.

The first step is to reset to factory settings. Before you do that, make sure to back up your important data to the Mi Cloud or your computer. Once reset, the phone will go back out of the box and the Other category will be reduced to the minimum system values.

⚠️ Warning: Before performing a full reset (Wipe Data), make sure you remember the password from the Mi Account. Otherwise, the phone will lock after rebooting due to activated Find Device protection.

Even if the reset didn’t help (which is extremely rare), the file system may be damaged, in which case only a complete flashing of the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility helps, which is guaranteed to clear all memory partitions, including hidden ones.

Prevention of memory overflow

To keep the problem from returning, you need to develop a habit of regular smartphone maintenance: do not allow the memory to be filled up "on the back" When less than 10% of the space is free, the system starts to work slower, and the caching processes can fail.

Set up automatic cleaning in messengers. Telegram, for example, you can set a restriction on the storage of media files: Settings → Data and memory → Data Storage → Media Save: 3 days. This will automatically remove old pictures from the cache, freeing up gigabytes of space.

It is also recommended to update applications and the MIUI system regularly. Developers often fix memory leaks in new versions. Older versions of applications may not work properly with new versions of Android, creating redundant temporary files.

Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Google Photos or Mi Cloud allows you to store originals in the cloud, leaving only compressed copies on the device or freeing up space with a single button.

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