“Other” in the memory of Xiaomi: what it is, why it takes gigabytes and how to remove without harming the system

Why The Other Is Eating Your Memory and Is It Worth Fighting?

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi memory settings and found that the Other partition is 10, 20, or even 30GB, and neither the photos, nor the apps, nor the cache show that much, and where does this mysterious junk come from, and most importantly, can it be safely removed without breaking the system?

Unlike app cache or downloads that are cleared in two clicks, "Other" is a system partition where MIUI resets data that doesn't fall into standard categories. It can hide the remnants of deleted applications, temporary update files, and even hidden system logs that Xiaomi doesn't show the user by default, but it's not all that scary: some of this data can be cleaned manually, and some of it can be optimized without risk to the smartphone.

In this article, we will break down: Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro or Mi 11 Ultra — it does not matter, the problem is relevant for all devices on MIUI 12/13/14. And you will learn what hidden features are in the firmware for memory management and how to avoid re-filling partitions.

What’s hidden under the “Other” section in Xiaomi’s memory

So, to start with, the other is not just garbage, it's a container for data that the system can't categorize as standard -- applications, media, documents -- and it includes:

• 📁 Remnants of Remote Applications – Settings files, databases, and cache that didn’t clear after uninstallation.
• 🔄 Temporary update files – packages OTA, Those who have not yet been slain, or have not been).
• 📊 System Logs and Error Reports — MIUI Actively collects crash data, and these files can weigh gigabytes.
• 🔒 Encrypted data – for example, files Android/data or Android/obb, Some applications are hidden from the user.
• 🗑️ Cache of system processes, such as com.android.systemui or com.miui.home, that are not cleaned by standard means.

Fun fact: on Xiaomi with MIUI 14, the Other section can take up up to 40% of internal memory if you’ve been using your smartphone for more than a year, while Android 13/14 (clean, no shell) doesn’t have such a section at all – there are files distributed into other categories.

To understand what's eating away at your memory, you can use a hidden storage analysis.

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 5 times on the line "Version" MIUI» (A notification will appear saying, “You have become a developer»).
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Activate “Show hidden processes” and “Debug over USB”.
5. Install Files by Google from the Play Market and give it access to the root directory.

Now, in Files by Google, you can see the /data folder and other system directories that are usually hidden, but be careful: deleting files from there without understanding can lead to system failure.

Why the Other is Growing So Fast: 5 Reasons

If you think "Other" is filling up just because of your activity, you're wrong. MIUI itself is prone to garbage accumulation, and here's why:

One of the most insidious reasons is the background log collection, because Xiaomi is actively monitoring the device, and if your smartphone ever freezes or reboots, the system creates a memory dump (an error report file), which can weigh 500-800 MB each and accumulate for months.

Another memory eater is the themes and wallpaper updates, and even if you don't manually install them, MIUI automatically downloads new packets in the background, stored in /data/system/theme, and can take up to 2-3 GB.

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If you are not using MIUI themes, turn them off automatically updating in Settings → Theme → Settings → Auto-Update Themes.

How to Safely Clean the Other Without Root Rights (5 Verified Ways)

If you don't have root access, don't despair: some of the trash can be removed with standard tools. Here are 5 working methods, from the simplest to the more complex:

1. Cleaning through the built-in “Memory Optimizer”

The safest, but also the weakest method, it only deletes cache and temporary files without touching system data.

1. Go to Settings. → Memory.
2. Slip on "Clean" at the bottom of the screen.
3. Choose “Deep Cleanup” (if available).

This method will release 100-500 MB, but no more.

2. Removal of the cache of system applications

Many MIUI processes (e.g., com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.market) accumulate gigabytes of cache to clear it:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Show all applications.
2. In the search, type the name of the system process (e.g., “analytics”).
3. Select the application → “Storage” → “Clean the cache”.

Pay attention to these processes (they are often to blame):

• 📊 com.miui.analytics (analytics)
• 🛒 com.xiaomi.market (theme store)
• 📱 com.miui.home (launcher)
• 🔄 com.android.updater (updates)

3. Clean Download and DCIM/.thumbnails folder

Sometimes, "Other" includes thumbnails of photos and downloads that are not displayed in the gallery.

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and enable File Transfer (or use a file manager).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails and delete all files.
3. Check the Download folder for old upload files and archives.

4.Resetting the "Media Storage" settings

If a gallery or music player is unstable, their cache can swell to an incredible size.

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Show everything.
2. Find the Media Store (com.android.providers.media).
3. Click on “Storage” → “Space Management” → “Clean all data”.

⚠️ Warning: After that, the gallery will stop displaying photos before the reboot. Don't be alarmed - it's temporary.

5. Removing old system updates

MIUI stores update packages in /cache and /data/ota_package. To remove them:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner → “Delete the downloaded package”.
3. If you don’t have a file manager, use a root-access (or ADB) file manager.

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the battery charge (minimum 50%)|Disable automatic update of applications|Remember passwords from accounts (reentry may be required)-->

Radical methods: cleaning through ADB and TWRP

If standard methods don’t work, it’s time to move on to advanced tools, which require a little more effort, but can free up up to 10-15 GB of memory.

Method 1: Cleaning through ADB (no root)

ADB (Android Debug Bridge) allows you to delete system files without full access.

1. Install Platform Tools on your PC.
2. Connect your smartphone via USB and enable “Debugging by USB” (see section above).
3. Open the command line in the ADB folder and type:

adb shell


pm clear com.miui.analytics




pm clear com.xiaomi.market




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*




rm -rf /cache/*

These commands will clear the analytics, theme store, and temporary update files.

Method 2: Remove memory dumps via TWRP (unlocked bootloader required)

If you have custom recaps installed (TWRP), you can manually delete unnecessary files:

1. Download to TWRP (hold Power + Vol Up when enabled).
2. Go to Advanced → File Manager.
3. Delete folders: /data/tombstones (error dumps) /data/anr (freeze logs) /data/log (system logs)

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in /data/data or /system — It's going to crash the system.

Method 3: Complete fastboot reset (extreme)

If the Other takes up more than 20GB and no methods help, it's just a complete reset, but before you do that, try the Fastboot update, which sometimes cleans up the trash better than the standard dump:

fastboot update name firmware.zip

This will reinstall the system without losing data, but will delete all unnecessary files.

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If you are unsure of your actions with ADB or TWRP, it is better to consult a specialist.A mistake in the team can lead to a device blink (complete failure).

How to Prevent Re-Filling the Other: 7 Prevention Measures

Cleaning up The Other is half the battle, and the key is to keep it from growing again.

• 🚫 Turn off automatic theme loading in Settings → Theme → Settings → Auto-update themes.
• 🔄 Clean the cache of system applications regularly (once a month).
• 📥 Set a limit on background loading in Settings → Battery → Background restriction.
• 🗑️ Use it. SD Maid or Files by Google for automatic cleaning.

Another useful life hack: if you install and uninstall applications often, use App Cloner, which allows you to test software in the sandbox without clogging the main system.

And don’t forget about backups: before any cleaning, backup to Settings → System → Backup or through Google Drive.

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many users, in their attempt to free up memory, make critical mistakes that lead to smartphone failure.

1. Using "cleaners" with aggressive algorithms, applications like Clean Master or CCleaner often delete files that are needed by masking them as garbage.
2. Interrupt cleaning via ADB or TWRP. If the cleaning process is interrupted, the system may lose critical files (e.g., dalvik-cache).

To avoid problems, follow a simple rule: if you don't know what a file does, don't delete it. It's better to spend time searching for information than restoring a smartphone.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi’s Other