Xiaomi’s ‘Other’: What It Is, Why It Takes So Much, and How to Clean Up

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi memory settings and found that the Other is 10GB, 20GB, or even 30GB, and neither photos, apps, nor cache explain that expense: Where does this mysterious junk come from, and why do MIUI smartphones like to accumulate it so much?

Unlike the obvious categories like Media or Applications, the Other is a dump of system files that Android and MIUI create while running, which can hide update remnants, error logs, temporary system process files, and data from remote applications that have not been cleaned properly. Worse yet, standard cleaners (like the built-in Cleaner) often don’t touch these files — they need to be removed manually or with special tools.

If you notice that the space on the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 or other Xiaomi device is melting before your eyes, it is the fault of “The Other.” In this article, we will understand what exactly lies under this category, why it grows to incredible sizes and what safe ways to free up memory without risking “breaking” the phone.

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

On Xiaomi devices (as on other Android smartphones), the Other section is a container for system files that don’t fall into the standard categories.

• 📁 Remains of updates MIUI — temporary files that remain after installing new firmware versions. Even if the update is successful, the system does not always delete them automatically.
• 🗑️ Cache system applications – data from Google Play Services, MIUI System and other services that accumulate over time.
• 📜 Error Logs and Dumps – files with information about failures that are created for debugging (for example, /data/tombstones or /data/anr).
• 🔄 Residual data from remote applications – some programs leave files in folders /data/data or /sdcard/Android/data.
• 🖼️ Miniatures and sketches – gallery cache that can weigh several gigabytes (folder.thumbnails).
• 🔒 Encrypted files – data from secure applications (for example, banking programs or encrypted messengers).

MIUI is a feature that uses caching to speed up the interface, for example, animations, themes, and even fonts can be stored in temporary files that eventually turn into digital garbage. In addition, updates through OTA (over the air) often leave behind folders with old firmware (/cache/ota) that take up to 1-2 GB each time.

Another reason for the Other’s proliferation is memory fragmentation, where when you delete files, the system doesn’t always make room “clean”: there are small blocks of data that accumulate over time and appear as “Other,” which is especially noticeable on devices with eMMC memory (as opposed to more modern UFS).

⚠️ Note: Do not try to delete files from folders /system or /vendor manually, which can cause the system to crash and need to flash it back. /cache or /data/data (root-rights).

Why the Other is taking up so much space on Xiaomi

If your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO has expanded to 10+GB, there are several reasons:

1. Aggressive MIUI caching: MIUI firmware actively uses preloading to speed up the work, but does not always clean the cache correctly. For example, the themes (.mtz files) can take up hundreds of megabytes.
2. Incorrect removal of applications: Many programs (especially games) leave behind files in /Android/obb or /Android/data folders that are not deleted through the standard Delete.
3. Log accumulation: If the phone is frequently rebooted or apps are crashed, the system creates memory dumps (/data/tombstones) that can weigh 50-100 MB each.
4. Firmware residues after the update. MIUI through settings → The phone. → Update the system to temporary files in /cache or /data/ota_package.
5. Viruses or malware: Some Trojans disguise themselves as system files and hide in "The Other." If the memory fills up on its own, check the phone with an antivirus.

On devices with a small amount of memory (for example, Redmi 9A with 32 GB), the “Other” can take up to 30-40% of the total volume, this is due to the fact that MIUI reserves some of the memory for system needs, and when there is a shortage of space, it begins to compress files, which leads to fragmentation.

Interesting fact: on some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11), the Other can suddenly bloat after resetting, which is because the system restores backups of data from /data/misc, but does not always clean them correctly.

How to Check What the “Other” Is Occupying

Before you clean the Other, you need to understand which files fill it, which can be done using both the built-in MIUI tools and the application side.

Method 1: Built-in memory analyzer

Open Settings → Memory and tap on the “Other” section, and the system will show the distribution by category:

• 📂 System data - cache and logs.
• 🗃️ Uploaded files – residues from browsers or messengers.
• 🖼️ Multimedia - miniatures and cache of galleries.

However, this method does not show detailed information, only general categories.

Method 2: Applications for Memory Analysis

For deep scanning, you can:

• 🔍 Files by Google – Shows junk files, including cache and app residues.
• 📊 SD Maid (requires root) – Finds duplicates, empty folders, and temporary files.
• 🛠️ Storage Analyzer – visualizes occupied space by folders.

If you have root rights, you can use DiskUsage or Root Explorer to view hidden system folders:

/data/log


/data/tombstones




/cache




/data/ota_package

This is where unnecessary files are most often collected.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system or /vendor without understanding their purpose, this can lead to loss of functionality (for example, failure of the camera or mobile network).

💡

If you are not sure if you can delete the file, move it to another folder (for example, to the file). SD-If the system is stable, the file was safe to delete.

Safe Ways to Clean the Other on Xiaomi

Now, let's get to the practice, and here are ways to make room without risking the stability of the system:

1. Cleaning the cache of system applications

Many system processes (Google Play Services, MIUI System) accumulate cache that can be reset:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show Systems."
3. Find Google Play Services, MIUI System, Download Manager and click Clear Cache.

2.Removal of residual MIUI updates

After the firmware update, temporary files remain in /cache or /data/ota_package. To remove them:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Memory. → Clean and select “Deep Cleaning».
• 🔄 If it doesn’t work, use the recaps: turn off the phone, pinch the Power. + Volume Up, select Wipe → Cache.

3. Cleaning of thumbnails and gallery cache

The.thumbnails folder at the root of the memory can weigh a few gigabytes to clear it:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable File Transfer.
2. Open the internal memory and delete the.thumbnails folder (it is hidden – turn on the display of hidden files).
3. Reboot the phone – the folder will be created again, but already empty.

4. Removal of logs and error dumps

If the phone often “flies”, check the folders with logs:

/data/tombstones – memory dumps when applications crash


/data/anr – logs of the “hangs”




/data/log – System Logs

To remove them, you will need root rights or ADB:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




rm -rf /data/anr/*




rm -rf /data/log/*

5. Reset partition cache (Wipe Cache Partition)

This is a safe way to clear temporary files without losing data:

Turn off the phone.

Press the Power + Volume Up buttons

Choose a language (if required)

Go to Wipe. → Wipe Cache

Confirm the action and restart the phone-->

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data (reset to factory settings)! the first option deletes only temporary files, the second - erases all user data.

What to do if the “Other” is growing again

Even after cleaning, the Other can take up a lot of space again. Here's how to prevent it from growing.

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system and disable Auto Update. Install firmware manually to monitor residual files.
• 🚫 Limit the background activity of applications. → Battery → Power saving mode: Include restrictions on unnecessary programs.
• 📱 Use the Light versions of apps, such as Facebook Lite or Messenger Lite, which take up less space and create less cache.
• 🔍 Check your memory regularly. Make a habit of going to Settings once a month. → Memory and cache clearing.
• 🛡️ Install an antivirus. Some viruses masquerade as system files and inflate the Other. Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light will help you find them.

If the problem returns with enviable regularity, memory fragmentation may be to blame. On devices with eMMCs (such as the Redmi 8A or POCO M2), this is especially noticeable.

• 🔧 Replacement with a device with UFS-memory (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or newer).

Table: What can and cannot be removed from the Other

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many users, in their attempt to free up memory, make critical errors that cause them to crash.

• 🚫 Delete files at random, like deleting them. /data/dalvik-cache This will cause applications to stop running before rebooting.
• 🚫 Format a section /data It's like resetting to factory settings, you'll lose all the data.
• 🚫 Use cleaners like Clean Master, which often delete files and give false virus warnings».
• 🚫 Clearing the Google Play Services cache.This can lead to login issues in your Google account.
• 🚫 Delete the Android folder on SD-This is where application data (e.g. downloaded maps for Google Maps) is stored).

If the “Other” still takes up a lot of space after cleaning, check:

1. Are there pirated apps on the phone – they often mask their data as system files?
2. Is not log entry for developers included (Settings → For developers → Maintaining HCI journal).
3. Whether you use modified firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu) – they can create additional logs.

💡

If the Other takes up more than 15-20% of total memory, this is a cause for concern, and on new devices (with UFS 3.1 and MIUI 14+), this figure should not exceed 5-10%.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions