“Other” in memory Xiaomi Redmi 7A: full parsing + 5 ways to clean

You opened your storage settings on your Xiaomi Redmi 7A, and suddenly you found that the lion's share of memory is occupied by the mysterious "Other" section? 10, 15, or even 20 GB - and it is unclear what these files are, can they be deleted, and why the system does not show them explicitly, a problem familiar to most owners of budget Xiaomi smartphones, where every megabyte counts.

Unlike obvious categories like Photos, Videos, or Apps, the Other is a kind of Android black box. This is a collection of system process cache, temporary update files, remnants of deleted programs, and even hidden messenger data. On the Redmi 7A, with its 16/32GB of memory, this partition often grows to critical size due to the features of MIUI firmware and the limited amount of built-in storage. In this article, we will not only explain what exactly is hidden under the Other, but also show 5 ways to safely reduce its size and fix the phone.

What is the “Other” in memory Redmi 7A: a technical explanation

From the Android operating system perspective, the Other category is all files that don’t fall into the standard categories (music, documents, images, etc.) and the Redmi 7A with MIUI firmware includes:

• 📁 Cache of system applications (including Google Play Services, MIUI Launcher, Security, etc. These files are created automatically to speed up work, but often are not cleared.
• 🔄 Remains of updates MIUI. After installing a new firmware version, old update files can remain in memory for years.
• 🗑️ Temporary files from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) that are not included in the category “Media” or “Documents».
• 🛠️ Logs and dumps of the system (such as.log or.dumpstate files) that are created when crashes or diagnostics occur.
• 📦 Hidden application folders that developers hide from the user (for example, /Android/data/com.xiaomi.*).

The Redmi 7A is particularly interesting because of its small storage capacity (16/32GB) and the lack of a microSD slot in the base version, it caches more aggressively to compensate for the lack of resources, and as a result, the Other can take up to 30-40% of the total storage capacity — which is normal for devices with MIUI on board.

Why The Other is Growing on Redmi 7A: 3 Key Reasons

While on flagship smartphones, this partition rarely exceeds 3-5 GB, on the Redmi 7A it can eat up half of the memory.

1. The Redmi 7A uses a budget eMMC memory that handles cleaning operations slower than UFS in top-end models. The system takes longer to "think" before removing unnecessary files and they accumulate.
2. Optimizing MIUI for weak devices: The firmware is specifically configured to maximize caching to compensate for Qualcomm's weak Snapdragon 439 processor and 2GB of RAM. For example, MIUI can store up to 10 copies of the same cache for different versions of applications.
3. File-Based Encryption (FBE) bugs: Starting with Android 7, Xiaomi uses file encryption, but on the Redmi 7A (with Android 9 Pie), it doesn’t work well, so some files are labeled “system” and end up in “Other” when they’re actually garbage.

Another caveat: Redmi 7A doesn’t support Adoptable Storage, so the system is forcedly trying to save every byte by creating additional temporary files, which leads to a paradox: the less space available, the more actively the Other absorbs it.

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If your Redmi 7A is "slowed down" after cleaning the Other, don't be alarmed - that's OK. It takes 10-15 minutes for the system to recover the critical cache. Don't restart the phone during this period!

How to see what exactly occupies the “Other”: step-by-step instructions

Unfortunately, standard MIUI tools don't allow you to detail the contents of the "Other" section, but there are workarounds:

Method 1: Through "Storage" in settings (partial analysis)

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Put it on the memory usage schedule.
3. Select the category “Other” and only show the largest files (usually the Google Play cache or MIUI Security).

Method 2: Use Files by Google (recommended)

• 📱 Install Files by Google from the Play Market.
• 🔍 Launch it and go to the “Cleaning” tab».
• 🗑️ Select “Unnecessary Files” – temporary data that can be safely deleted will be displayed here.
• 📊 For in-depth analysis tap "Storage Analysis" (requires confirmation of rights).

Method 3: Viewing hidden folders through a conductor (for experienced)

Use any root-enabled file manager (such as FX Explorer or Solid Explorer) and check the following folders:

/data/data/ – cache of user applications


/android/obb/ – Game and heavy-app data




/data/local/tmp/ – Temporary system files




/data/log/ - error logs

Backup of important data

Close all background applications

Connect your phone to charge (the process can take 30+ minutes)

Do not interrupt cleaning until completed-->

5 Safe Ways to Clean Up The Other on Redmi 7A

We warn you that not all files in Other can be deleted, some are critical to the system, and we only selected methods that do not require root rights and do not violate the stability of MIUI.

Method 1: Cleaning the cache of system applications

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (slip to three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select apps from Google and Xiaomi (Google Play Services, MIUI Security, Download Manager).
4. Tap "Clear Cache" (not data!).

Effect: Releases up to 1-3 GB (depending on the time of the last cleaning).

Method 2: Remove old MIUI updates

Update files are stored in the /cache folder and can take up to 500 MB-1 GB:

1. Open Files by Google or any Explorer.
2. Go to the Inner Memory → cache.
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension or names like update.zip.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files that start with recovery_ — They are needed to restore the system.

Method 3: Resetting Safe Mode (to remove hidden debris)

This method helps to get rid of temporary files that are not visible in normal mode:

1. Press the power button until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Press and hold the option “Switch off power” (a suggestion will appear to go to Safe Mode).
3. In Safe Mode, open Settings → Storage and clear the cache of all applications.
4. Reboot the phone.

The effect: Frees up to 500 MB-1.5 GB of “invisible” garbage.

Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (no root)

For advanced users: ADB can remove unnecessary files that are not available through the interface.

adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.media # Cleaning up media cache


adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




adb shell rm -rf /data/log/* # Clear logs (only if there are no errors in the phone’s operation!)

⚠️ Attention: Command rm -rf It permanently deletes files. Don't use it for folders. /system or /vendor — This will lead to a device blink.

Method 5: Re-Creating a Media Database

Sometimes the system mistakenly refers media files to "Other" to reset that database:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find the Media Storage (Multimedia Storage)
3. Tap "Clear Data" and "Clear Cache".
4. Reboot the phone. The system scans the files, and some of them go into the right categories.

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The safest method is a combination of cleaning the cache of system applications (Method 1) and removing old updates (Method 2), which together will release up to 3-4 GB without risk to the system.

What NOT to do when cleaning the Redmi 7A

Some tips off the internet can permanently shut down your phone.

• 🚫 Deletion of the folder /data/dalvik-cache — This will cause the phone to reboot cyclically, and the Dalvik cache will only recover after a complete flashing.
• 🚫 Google Services Framework data cleanup – all Google accounts will be dropped and the phone will no longer sync.
• 🚫 Using cleaners like Clean Master or CCleaner, these programs often delete critical files. MIUI, Which leads to lags and departures.
• 🚫 Formatting of the section /cache via Recovery - on Redmi 7A This could erase the data for OTA-Updates and the phone will no longer receive them.

Also not worth it:

• 🔧 Disable system applications via adb or Titanium Backup – it disrupts the work MIUI.
• 📉 Reset the phone to factory settings without backup. on Redmi 7A After reset, the “Other” may grow again due to errors in the MIUI 10/11.

How to Prevent the Spread of the Other in the Future

To avoid having a problem every 2-3 months, follow these guidelines:

If you are actively using messengers, set up auto-cleaning media in them:

• On WhatsApp: Settings → Storage → Storage Management.
• In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoclean media.

Frequent questions about the “Other” in the memory of the Redmi 7A