Xiaomi’s “Other Files”: What They Are, Why They Take Place, and How to Delete Them

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage and wondered why the Other Files partition takes up gigabytes of memory when you haven't downloaded anything? It's one of the most puzzling categories on the storage menu -- the system shows its volume but doesn't explain what it's in. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what types of data are going into Others, why they're being stored, and how to clean them safely without disrupting your smartphone.

It's important to understand that "Other files" are not garbage in the usual sense. This includes both temporary application data and system files, without which MIUI can work unstable. For example, Google Play Services cache or debugging log files can weigh hundreds of megabytes, but deleting them without preparation will lead to failures. We will tell you how to distinguish unnecessary files from critical ones and what tools to use to do this.

This article will be useful to owners of all Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO — From the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra, we will focus on hidden folders that do not appear in the standard file manager, but take up to 30% of memory. → The storage often fails to produce results.

What are “Other Files” and Why Do They Appear?

The Other Files section of MIUI is the “basket” for all data that the system cannot categorize as standard: Apps, Images, Videos or Audio.

• 📁 Application cache – temporary files that are created to speed up the work of programs (for example, Instagram or TikTok cache can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• 📜 Log files – records of system and application operation (used to diagnose failures).
• 🔄 Residual data – files from remote applications that have not been cleaned completely.
• 🖥️ System files MIUI — configurations of themes, widgets, updates.
• 📱 Data data Dalvik/ART — cache of the Android virtual machine, speeding up the launch of applications.

The main problem is that MIUI doesn't show the detail in this section, you only see the total volume, but you don't know what it's up to, like when you update the firmware, you might have old kernel files (boot.img) that the system doesn't delete automatically, or Google Play Store cache that's been accumulating for years.

Another nuance: Other files can be inflated by file system errors, such as if an application crashed, it might not release temporary files, or the virus software created hidden folders in the root directory, in which case a standard cleanup won't help, you need special tools.

Top.-5 Types of files that occupy the most space

Analysis of thousands of Xiaomi devices shows that 80% of the volume of “Other files” is in just 5 categories.

Log files are especially noteworthy, they are created by the system and debugging applications, but are rarely used by the user, such as /data/anr contains error dumps, and /data/tombstones contains crash reports, and these files can be deleted, but only if you are not developing software for Xiaomi.

Another invisible memory eater is the Dalvik cache, which is optimized files for fast application launches that are stored in /data/dalvik-cache, which can be as large as 1-1.5 GB, but manual removal is not recommended: the system will restore them the next time the applications are launched, but this will take time and resources.

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If the memory is quickly filled again after cleaning Other Files, check the apps for background activity, for example, Facebook and TikTok can recover the cache in a few hours.

How to see what exactly takes place

The standard MIUI file manager does not show the details for Other Files, and you will need third-party tools to see their content:

1. Files by Google — shows hidden folders and sorts files by type, for example, highlights “big files” and “unused applications”.

Example of Files by Google:

1. Install the app from the Play Store.

If you have root access, use Root Explorer to view system directories:

• 📂 /data/app — residual data of remote applications.
• 📂 /data/data — cache and application settings.
• 📂 /cache — temporary update files.

Safe Ways to Clean “Other Files”

Before you delete files, remember the main rule: do not clean folders that you do not understand the purpose of. For example, deleting the content of /data/dalvik-cache will slow down the smartphone, and cleaning /data/system can cause MIUI to fail.

Here are some safe methods that won’t hurt the system:

Clean the application cache manually|Delete log files through ADB|Use Files by Google to search for garbage|Check Downloads folder for unnecessary files|Remove the old ones APK-file-->

1. Cleaning the app cache

The easiest way is:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Chrome or YouTube).
3. Press "Memory» → «Clear the cache».

For mass cleaning, use CCleaner or SD Maid (without root, they will only clear the user cache).

2. Delete log files via ADB

If you have a PC, connect your smartphone over USB and follow the commands:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/log/*




rm -rf /data/anr/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




exit

⚠️ Warning: these commands require root rights. Without them, they won't work. /data/misc — It could disrupt the job. MIUI.

3.Clean through Recovery Mode

If Other Files take several gigabytes and are not cleaned in standard ways, try:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Power + Volume up to enter Recovery.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action.

This method will delete temporary update files and cache, but will not affect user data.

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Never choose Wipe Data in Recovery – it will lead to a complete reset of your smartphone!

What to do if the “Other Files” are returned

If the “Others” section is filled in a few days after cleaning, the problem lies in:

• 🔄 Background activity of applications – some programs (for example, Facebook, VK) constantly re-cache.
• 🐞 File system errors – damaged memory sectors can “hang” in a busy state.
• 📥 Automatic downloads – for example, Google Play Store downloads updates in the background.
• 🛠️ Failures MIUI — After updates, the system may incorrectly calculate the occupied space.

Decisions:

1. Turn off auto-update apps in the Play Store.
2. Limit background activity through Settings → Battery → Energy management.
3. Check the memory for errors using SD Maid (CorseFinder section).
4. Reset your storage settings (without data loss): Settings → Storage → Additional → Reset.

If the problem persists, make a diagnosis through MIUI Diagnostics:

1. Enter the dialer code ##4636##.
2. Select "Storage Information".
3. Check which processes are actively using memory.

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If Other Files take up more than 5GB and cleaning doesn't help, consider resetting to factory settings. pre-save data via Mi Cloud or Google Drive.

Hidden folders you didn't know about

MIUI has directories that don't show up in a standard file manager, but can take up gigabytes.

To see these folders:

1. Install Total Commander or FX File Explorer.
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the application settings.
3. Follow these steps and check their size.

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders /data/dalvik-cache and /data/system — It'll cause a breakdown. MIUI. Also avoid changes in the /vendor and /system, If you are not sure of your actions.

Myths and Misconceptions About “Other Files”

There's a lot of conflicting information on the Internet about Other Files, and we'll look at some of the most common myths.

• ❌ «They're viruses, 99 percent of the time they're not. Viruses masquerade as system files, but they're usually detected through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web.
• ❌ «You can delete everything without consequences – no, some files are critical to work MIUI.
• ❌ «Cleaning through Settings removes everything" - standard cleaning only affects the application cache, not system files.
• ❌ «It's a mistake. MIUI, You need to reflash it — usually the problem is in the settings, not the firmware.

The real reasons for the inflating of “Other Files”:

• 📱 Frequent installation/removal of applications – the “tails” remain in the /data/data.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI — Old firmware files are not always deleted.
• 📊 Failures in the file system – for example, after a sudden power outage.

If you see that Other Files take 10+GB and cleaning doesn’t help, try:

1. Check the file system through SD Maid.
2. Delete unused accounts in Settings → Accounts (they may leave data).
3. Disable autosynchronization for unnecessary services (e.g. Mi Cloud if not used).

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Xiaomi's "Other Files"