“Other” in the memory of Xiaomi: hidden files, cache and garbage – a complete analysis

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage settings and wondered why the Other is 10GB, 20GB, or 30GB, and neither photos, nor apps, nor even browser cache, explain this appetite. It's not a system bug, it's not a virus, it's a feature of the work. MIUI, Which the manufacturer prefers to keep silent about.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what’s hidden under the Other label, why this section grows over time, and how to safely shrink it without the risk of breaking your smartphone. You’ll learn about system logs, temporary update files, hidden app folders, and even how Xiaomi reserves memory for its services. And most importantly, get step-by-step cleaning instructions that work on models from the Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Spoiler: up to 40% of the memory in the "Other" section can be freed manually, but some files can not be touched categorically - this will lead to malfunctions MIUI.

What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Memory and Why Does It Take So Much Space?

The “Other” section in the Settings menu → Memory is a container for all files that the system cannot categorize as standard (applications, media, documents, etc:

• 📁 System logs and dumps are debugging files that are created when crashes or for diagnostics, /data/anr/ or /data/tombstones/.
• 🔄 Temporary update files – Firmware residues that have not been deleted after installation (folder) /cache/).
• 🤖 Cache of system applications, such as Mi Cloud, Security or Theme Store, that are not cleaned by standard means.
• 📦 Hidden application folders – some programs (such as messengers) store data in non-obvious places, such as, /data/data/com.whatsapp/.
• 🔒 Standby vault MIUI — The system reserves up to 5-10 GB for its needs (more on this below).

Why is this section growing? MIUI It's not optimized for automatic cleaning of temporary files:

• When updating through OTA scaling /cache/, But after installation, it doesn't always remove it completely.
• Error logs accumulate over the years – they can only be deleted manually or through a computer. ADB.
• Some applications (especially Chinese ones) create duplicate cache folders that are not visible in the standard file manager.

On Xiaomi models with 128 GB of memory, the “Other” can take up to 15-20 GB, and on flagships with 256 GB+ — It's not critical until you start getting notifications about space shortages.

What files in the “Other” can be deleted and which can not

Not all files in the Other section are equally secure to delete, and below is a risk table that shows what you can touch and what you can only touch with specialized tools.

Critical folders that can not be touched:

• 🚫 /data/dalvik-cache/ — Android virtual machine cache, deleting it will lead to a cyclical reboot.
• 🚫 /data/system/ — system settings, accounts, application rights.
• 🚫 /data/misc/ — configuration, VPN, biometrics.

⚠️ Note: If you delete files from /data/app/ (stored APK The apps will stop working, but they can be restored through the Play Market. /data/data/ will lead to a complete loss of application data (for example, correspondence in messengers).

How to see what exactly takes place in the “Other”

Xiaomi’s standard file manager (Files or File Manager) does not show hidden system folders, but you will need additional tools to see the real picture:

Method 1: Through ADB (for advanced users)

1. Turn on USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times according to version, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell du -sh /data/* | sort -h It'll show you the size of all the folders in /data/, volume-sorted.

Method 2: Applications for Memory Analysis

• 📊 Storage Analyzer (from Play Market) – Shows a folder tree with size indications, including hidden folders.

Method 3: Manually via Root Explorer (routed devices only)

If you have root access, open Root Explorer and go to:

/data/


/cache/




/system/

Sort files by size, so you will see the heaviest folders.

adb pull /data/anr/ C:\backup\anr\

This will save logs on your computer and you can return them if necessary.-->

Step-by-step: how to clean the “Other” without harming the system

Before cleaning, it is necessary to:

• 🔋 Charge your phone at least 50%.
• 📱 Backup important data (photos, contacts, messages).
• 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes it frees up to 1-2GB of temporary files.

Step 1: Cleaning Update Cache

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Click Update Files (if there is a paragraph) or manually delete the folder contents /cache/ File Manager with root rights.

Step 2: Removing error logs

It's gonna take a while. ADB or a root explorer:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/anr/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




rm -rf /data/log/*

Step 3: Cleaning the cache of system applications

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Cloud, Security, Theme Store and click Clear Cache.
3. For deep cleaning, use the command: adb shell pm clear com.miui.cloudservice (replace com.miui.cloudservice with the desired application package).

Step 4: Delete temporary application files

Use Storage Analyzer or Files by Google to find folders like:

/data/data/com.whatsapp/cache/


/data/data/com.facebook.katana/app_webview/

Remove the contents, it is safe.

Step 5: Resetting the backup storage MIUI (optionally)

⚠️ Warning: This step could result in themes, wallpapers and some interface settings being reset.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select "Resetting settings" MIUI» (partial reset!).
3. Confirm the action – this will clear up to 3-5 GB of backup data.

Backed up important data|Checking the battery charge (minimum) 50%)|I made sure I didn't touch the files. /data/system/ and /data/misc/|Used. ADB Root Explorer for secure folders only|Rebooted phone after cleaning-->

What to do if the “Other” is growing again

Even after cleaning, the "Other" partition can take up a lot of space again, and that's OK, the system keeps working and creates temporary files, but there are ways to slow down its growth.

1. Turn off automatic diagnostics

MIUI It collects logs for error reports to reduce the number of errors:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Reviews and diagnostics.
2. Turn off Automatic Reporting.

2. Limit cache for system applications

Some Xiaomi apps (such as Security or Cleaner) aggressively cache data to limit it to:

1. Open Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find Security, click on Storage and set a cache limit (if the option is available).

3. Clean the folder regularly /cache/

Create a task in Automate or Tasker that will perform once a week:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /cache/*

4. Use "Light Mode» MIUI

On weak devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A POCO C31) turn on:

1. Settings → Special facilities → Easy regime.
2. This will reduce the background activity of the system and reduce the creation of logs.

5. Update MIUI to the latest version

In newer versions of the firmware (for example, MIUI 14/15) optimized cache work. Check the updates in Settings → Updating the system.

💡

If the Other takes up more than 20GB on a 128GB device, that's a reason to think about factory resetting, and 80 percent of the time, it solves the garbage problem.

Myths and truths about the “Other” in Xiaomi’s memory

There are a lot of tips on the Internet to clean up The Other, but not all of them are safe.

Myth 1: «You can just format a section. /data/»

❌ Truth: Formatting /data/ It's like a full reset, you lose all the data, applications and settings, and it's a last resort, not a cleanup.

Myth 2: «Deletion of the folder /data/dalvik-cache/ speed up»

❌ Truth: This folder contains optimized code for fast application operation, and deleting it will lead to a long restart (the system will restore it automatically), but it will not speed up the device.

Myth 3: “All files in the Other are garbage”

⚠️ Truth: Only 30 to 50 percent of the files in this section can be safely deleted. The rest is critical data to work with. MIUI.

Myth 4: “Cleaning the Other through CCleaner is safe.”

❌ Truth: CCleaner and similar applications often delete the right files, which leads to crashes. SD Maid (with caution) or manual methods.

Myth 5: “If the Other takes up a lot of space, it means a virus.”

⚠️ Viruses can create hidden files, but 99% of the time, an inflated “Other” section is a feature. MIUI, Check your phone through Malwarebytes if you suspect malware.

Alternative ways to free up memory on Xiaomi

If even after cleaning the “Other” space is not enough, try these methods:

1. Transfer of applications to SD-map

Not all Xiaomi models support this feature, but some (like the Redmi Note 11) can:

1. Insert microSD (preferably class) A1/A2).
2. Go to Settings. → Annexes → [Select the application] → Warehouse → Change. → SD-map.

⚠️ Restriction: On SD Only a part of the application can be moved (usually no more than 50% of its weight).

2.Use of cloud storage

Mi Cloud gives you 5GB for free, so you can move the photos.

1. Open the gallery. → Choose a photo → «More» → «Download to Mi Cloud».
2. After downloading, delete local copies (the option “Free space”).

3. Cleaning through Fastboot (for experienced)

If the phone is heavily cluttered, you can perform a soft reset without losing data:

fastboot erase cache


fastboot flash cache cache.img

⚠️ Requires unlocked bootloader and firmware through Mi Flash Tool.

4. Removal of pre-installed applications (bloatwer)

Many Xiaomi system applications (e.g. Mi Music, Mi Video) take up space and are not removed by standard means.

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer




pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.player

🔹 List of safe packet removal:

• 🎵 com.miui.videoplayer - video player.
• 🎶 com.miui.player - Music Player.
• 📰 com.miui.notes – notes (if not used).
• 📖 com.miui.bugreport – error reporting tool.

5. Reset to factory settings (last chance)

If nothing helps, do a full reset:

1. Make a backup on your PC or in Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
3. After reset, do not restore data from backup – install the applications again to avoid garbage transfer.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi