What is the Other in Xiaomi Redmi 9C Storage and How to Deal With It

You opened the storage settings on your Xiaomi Redmi 9C to make room for new photos or apps, and you saw a strange item called "Other" that takes 5 to 20 GB of storage. What are these mysterious files? Why aren't they deleted in standard ways? And most importantly, can they be safely cleaned without breaking your smartphone?

This problem is familiar to many owners of budget Xiaomi smartphones, where every gigabyte is on the account. Unlike the obvious categories like “Apps” or “Media”, the “Other” section is the “black box” of the system, where cache, temporary files, remnants of deleted programs and even hidden MIUI data fall. In this article, we will not only explain what exactly is hidden under the “Other” in the Redmi 9C, but also show 3 proven ways to reduce its size without root rights and risk.

Important: cleaning methods depend on the version of MIUI (on the Redmi 9C out of the box is MIUI 12 based on Android 10, but many have upgraded to MIUI 13/14). We will take these nuances into account and warn against dangerous actions that can lead to data loss or failure of Google services.

What is the “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi Redmi 9C: analysis by shelves

The Other (or “Other” in the English version of MIUI) is a collective name for files that the system cannot categorize as standard: photos, videos, music or applications.

🗑️ Application cache and systems: temporary files that are created to speed up the work of programs (for example, thumbnails of images in the gallery or map data in Google Maps).
🧹 Residual files: Tails from remote applications that have not been cleaned completely (such as settings or databases).
🔄 Logs and dumps: error reports that MIUI Android is designed for diagnostics (especially after a crash).
📁 Hidden folders MIUI: for example, /miui/backup (backup copies of settings) or /MIUI/Extra (subject-matter).
🌐 Web browsing data: browser cache, cookies and offline pages (even if you haven’t used Chrome in a long time).

On the Redmi 9C, with its modest 64 or 128GB of storage, the Other can grow to 10-15GB — especially if you:

📱 Frequently install/remove applications.
🎮 Playing heavy games (they leave gigabytes of cache).
📸 Use photo/video editing apps (e.g. CapCut or Lightroom).
🔄 Update regularly MIUI «Over the air” (updates are downloaded to a hidden folder /cache).

Fun fact: On Redmi 9C with MIUI 12 and below, "Other" often includes virtual memory (swap) data that the system uses to multitask. MIUI 13+ optimized this mechanism, but old swap files can stay in memory for years.

📊 How often do you clear your memory on Redmi? 9C?

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when the place ends.

Never cleaned.

Why the Other Takes So Much Space: 5 Top Reasons

If your Redmi 9C has suddenly grown to 15 to 20 GB, it's not just temporary files that are to blame.

Reason.	How much space does it take?	Can we clean it?
Google Play Services and Framework	2–5 GB	Yes (partially)
Remnants of remote applications (such as games)	1-3 GB	Yes.
System Logs and Dumps (files with.dmp extension)	500MB - 2GB	Yeah (caution!)
Hidden MIUI Updates (Folder /cache/ota)	1-3 GB	Yes.
Virtual Memory Data (Swap)	1-4 GB	No (systemic)

A lot of garbage is accumulated if you:

🔄 Use auto-update apps in Google Play (cache accumulates faster).
📱 Install applications from APK (They are often not cleaned properly).
🎯 Use launchers from third-party developers (for example, Nova Launcher or Apex).
📡 Often connect to different Wi-Fi networks (the system saves the logs of connections).

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to manually delete files from the folder /data This can lead to loss of Mi Account or failure of Google services. MIUI 12+ This folder is protected, and trying to clean it through the file manager often ends with the error "No permissions to access».

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

Before you clean it, you need to understand which files inflated the Other section. MIUI for Redmi 9C has built-in tools, but they don't show everything.

Method 1: Built-in storage analyzer

Open the settings → About the phone → Storage.
Slip on the chart "Other" (or "Other").
The system will show the distribution by categories: “Cash”, “Downloads”, “Other files”.

Minus: MIUI does not show hidden folders and system cache.

Method 2: File Manager (for experienced)

Install Files by Google or FX File Explorer.
Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
Check the folders: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data – application cache. /storage/emulated/0/MIUI – topic data and backups. /storage/emulated/0/Download – old downloads. /storage/emulated/0/cache – temporary update files.

Method 3: ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If you’re ready to connect the Redmi 9C to your computer, you can use ADB for detailed analysis.

adb shell


du -h -d 1 /storage/emulated/0 | sort -h

This command will show the size of all folders in the internal memory, sorted by weight. Look for suspiciously large directories (e.g. /Android/obb with game remnants).

View the folder size /Android/data (app cache)

Remove old APKs from /Download

Check the /MIUI/backup folder for unnecessary backups

Estimate the size /cache (temporary update files)-->

3 Safe Ways to Clean Up The Other on Redmi 9C

Now, let's get to the practice. The important thing is that not all methods are equally safe, and we sorted them from the most gentle to the riskier (but effective).

Method 1: Hand-cleaning the cache (without risk)

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Sort the apps by size (slip to three dots in the upper right corner).
Select apps with large cache (like Google, Chrome, Facebook) and click Clear Cache.
For system applications (such as Google Play Services), click Storage → Clear Cache.

Effect: Frees up 1-3 GB, but the cache will start to accumulate again in a few days.

Method 2: Delete Unnecessary Files via Google Files

Install Files by Google.
Open the "Cleaning" tab» → «Unnecessary files».
Select the categories: “Temporary Files”, “App Cache”, “Dublicates”.
Click "Clear" and confirm.

Advantage: The app finds debris that MIUI doesn’t show (like old APKs or update remnants).

Method 3: Resetting cache via Recovery (advanced)

If the first two methods didn’t work, try resetting the partition cache through the Restore mode:

Turn off the Redmi 9C.
Press Power + Volume Up to Enter Recovery.
Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
Confirm the action and restart.
Check Download folder regularly: Delete old APKs, memes, and documents you haven’t opened in a long time.

For Redmi 9C, the rule is especially relevant: do not store games with large cache (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile). Their files in the /Android/obb folder can take up to 10 GB and are not always correctly deleted when uninstalled.

How to check which app is the most littering?

Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery usage. Tap three dots in the upper right corner and select Memory Use. The system will show the applications taking up the most space (including cache).

Frequent Questions About The Other in Redmi 9C Storage

❓ Why After Cleaning, The Other Takes Up a Lot of Space Again?

This is normal: the system and applications are constantly creating new temporary files. If the space goes away too quickly (in 1-2 days), check the data: 📱 Apps like Telegram or Viber – they cache media files. 🎮 Games with online updates (for example, PUBG Free Fire). 🔄 Background processes MIUI (Solution: limit the cache for problematic applications in their settings or turn off autoloading media in instant messengers.

❓ Can you remove the "Other" completely?

No, it's impossible and dangerous. The other one includes system files without which MIUI won't work. The best you can do is reduce it to 1-3 GB (that's normal for a Redmi 9C). If you see the other one takes 0 bytes, it's a display error in MIUI (reboot the phone).

❓ Why on the other Redmi? 9C «The other one takes up less space?

The size of the "Other" depends on: 📱 Versions MIUI: into MIUI 13+ optimized cache cleaning. 🎮 Set of installed apps: games and social networks create more garbage. 🔄 Frequency updates: if you update frequently MIUI «by air, in /cache They're accumulating temporary files, like Redmi. 9C s MIUI 12 and 10 The other game may be the one that is being played. 12 GB, and on the same phone with MIUI 14 And only messengers -- everything. 2–3 GB.

❓ What to do if after cleaning the phone began to brake?

This is a temporary effect due to the fact that: 🔄 The system rebuilds the cache (can take 5-10 minutes). 📱 Apps reload data (e.g., maps in Google Maps) Solution: Wait 15-20 minutes — lag has to pass. Reboot your phone. If the brakes are left, check if you have removed the cache of system applications (e.g., Android System WebView).

❓ Can I transfer the “Other” to a memory card?

No, it's technically impossible. The "other" is system and temporary files that need to be stored in internal memory for quick access. SD-map will lead to: 🛑 Application malfunctions (they won’t be able to find the files they need). 🔄 Slowing down the system (SD-cards slower than the built-in eMMC memory. The only things you can transfer are media files (photos, videos) and some applications (via Settings). → Annexes → Transfer to SD-map).