“Other” in the memory of Xiaomi: hidden files, cache and garbage – how to understand and free up space

If you’ve ever looked into the “Storage” section of a Xiaomi smartphone, you’ve probably noticed the mysterious “Other” item, which can range from 500 MB to 10 MB.+ GB -- and it doesn't give any clues as to what's going into it. Why is that? Is that "other" useless garbage or critical system data?

Many users mistakenly think that "Other" is just an app cache or deleted file remnants, but what's really hiding here is a combination of system logs, temporary files. MIUI, In fact, in some cases, this partition can grow because of file system errors or malfunctioning applications, but how to distinguish useful data from real garbage — and can it be safely deleted?

Today we're going to take a look at this in detail:

• 🔍 What exactly goes into the Other section on Xiaomi (including hidden folders and system files).
• ⚠️ What data can not be deleted – so as not to break the firmware or lose important information.
• 🛠️ Practical cleaning methods – from hand-held methods to automated tools.
• 📊 Why the Other Returns After Cleaning and How to Minimize Its Growth.

1.What is hidden under the “Other” item in Xiaomi’s memory?

To start with, “Other” is a generalized category for all files that the system cannot classify as standard partitions (photos, videos, apps, etc.) and includes anything that is not classifiable, including:

• 📁 System Logs and Dumps – Files with Error Reports (/data/anr/, /data/tombstones/), which are created when applications or firmware fail.
• 🔄 Temporary files MIUI — cache of design themes, animations and even Control Center data (folder) /data/system/theme/).
• 🗃️ Backups and recovery tags – for example, *.bak files or Mi Cloud data that were not synced.
• 🖥️ Virtual memory files (swap) – used to optimize multitasking.
• 🔧 Remains of updates - undeleted firmware packages (/cache/) data OTA.
• 🎭 Cache widgets and live wallpaper - especially relevant for devices with MIUI 12+.

Fun fact: on some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro or other models). POCO F3) Even Game Turbo data can be accessed in Other if it was not deleted correctly after the game closes, and ARCore (for augmented reality) files that take up to 1-2 GB but do not appear in standard partitions are often included.

But it's not that clear. Some of the files in The Other are not garbage, but critical data to work with. MIUI, including security settings and licenses DRM (For example, for Widevine L1). Deleting them could lead to high-resolution video playback failures or problems with Google Pay.

2.Why does the Other take up so much space?

The main reasons for the growth of the “Other” section on Xiaomi can be divided into system and user:

One of the most common causes is Mi File Manager, which, for example, when files are deleted through this manager, they may not disappear completely, but instead move to a hidden.trash folder, which grows over time. The problem is also aggravated if you often connect your phone to your PC in mode. MTP — Windows creates temporary Thumbs.db files that remain in the device’s memory.

Another "culprit" - updates MIUI through OTA. Even after installing a new version of the firmware in the folder /cache File sizes can remain 500 MB–1 GB that the system does not automatically remove.

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If you notice that the Other has grown dramatically since the update MIUI, check the folder /cache through a root file manager (like Root Explorer), often with firmware archives with the.zip or.payload extension.

3. How to safely clean the Other without harming the system?

Before you start cleaning, remember the main rule: do not delete files manually unless you are sure of their purpose. MIUI Here are the proven ways, from the safest to the riskier.

Method 1: Cleaning through built-in tools MIUI

Method 2: Use of third-party utilities (without root)

• 🛡️ SD Maid or Files by Google – these apps can find residual files and duplicates.
• 🔍 CCleaner (for cache cleaning only, do not use the Optimization function»!).

Method 3: Manual cleaning (for advanced users)

⚠️ Attention: This method requires caution, deleting the wrong files can cause malfunctions in the phone. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

• 🔧 Connect your phone to your PC and use it. ADB To view hidden folders: adb shell ls -la /data/data/ | grep -i "cache"
• 🗑️ Delete the contents of the folders /data/log/ and /data/tombstones/ (mistake).
• 📦 Check the folder. /cache/ For old updates (files with names like this) update.zip).

Create a backup copy of the data|Check the battery charge (minimum 50%)|Install a file manager with root access (if necessary)|Disable important notifications during cleaning-->

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If the Other takes up more than 5-7 GB and does not shrink after all the manipulations, the problem may be fragmentation of the file system.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Delete all data” (remember to save important files first!).
3. After reset, do not restore data from the backup – this can bring back the “garbage”.

4. Which files in the "Other" can not be deleted?

Some of the data in the Other section may seem unnecessary, but it is critical to Xiaomi's stable performance.

• 🚫 Files in /data/dalvik-cache/ — Android virtual machine cache, and deleting it will slow down your phone.
• 🚫 folder /data/misc/ — contains settings Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, VPN and other system data.

It is especially dangerous to delete files from a folder. /data/data/ — It stores all the installed applications, including saved games, instant messenger settings, and even Google Authenticator. If you delete, for example, the com.whatsapp folder, you lose all the correspondence without the ability to restore it.

⚠️ Note: If you use Magisk or other tools to obtain root rights, do not delete files in any way. /data/adb/ — This can result in loss of access to SuperSU and other modules.

You should also avoid cleaning the folder. /data/local/tmp/ — This is where files are temporarily stored for some system services, including Google Play Services.

5. Why does the Other come back after cleaning?

Many users find that after a while after cleaning, the Other section grows again, for several reasons:

• 🔄 Automatic creation of logs — MIUI constantly records debugging information, especially if the option “Debugging by” is enabled USB» (Settings → For developers).
• 📱 Background applications – instant messengers, social networks, and even system services (such as Mi Security) create temporary files.
• 🔧 File system errors - if partition /data fragmented, the system may miscalculate occupied space.
• 📦 App Updates – Google Play and Mi App Store save time packs (.apk) in hidden folders.

To minimize the growth of the Other, follow these tips:

• 📵 Turn off the debugging. USB», If you don't use it all the time.
• 🚫 Limit the background activity of applications in Settings → Battery → Battery consumption management.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone regularly (every 2-3 days) – this clears temporary kernel files.
• 📦 Use the “light” versions of apps (e.g. Facebook Lite instead of the main client).

If the problem persists, check your phone for viruses or malicious applications that can create hidden files, such as Malwarebytes or the built-in Mi Security Scanner.

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Regularly restarting your phone is one of the easiest ways to reduce the volume of the Other, as it cleans the kernel cache and temporary files of system processes.

Xiaomi Hidden Folders: Where to Look for Garbage?

Some of the files related to the Other are stored in hidden folders that are not displayed in the standard Mi File Manager.

• A file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
• Or connect to a PC through ADB.

Here are the main folders where you should look for unnecessary files:

You can use the contents of these folders without root rights to view them. ADB:

adb shell


su




ls -la /data/log/

If you are not sure about the purpose of the file, check its extension:

• .log,.trace – logs (can be deleted)
• .bak – backups (can be deleted if not needed).
• .tmp – Temporary files (can be deleted).
• .odex,.oat - system files (do not touch!)

7. Alternative Memory Management Ways on Xiaomi

If cleaning the Other doesn’t work, consider alternative approaches to memory management:

• 🔄 Transfer applications to memory card (if supported): Go to Settings → Apps. Select the application and click "Move to" SD-Map (not all applications support this function).

Use of cloud storage

• 📁 Mi Cloud (5GB) free of charge).
• 📁 Google Drive or Yandex Disk to automatically upload photos.

Google Files

:

• There is a “Cleanup” function to remove cache and temporary files.

Disabling unnecessary system applications:

Some pre-installed annexes MIUI (For example, Mi Music, Mi Video, they take up space even if you're not using them. → Annexes → Show all applications → Shut down.

If your phone supports memory expansion via MicroSD (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro or POCO X3), Consider installing a class memory card A2 or UHS-I. This will allow you to transfer some applications and data to an external drive, unloading internal memory.

For users who often work with large files (video, projects, games), it makes sense to consider using the data. OTG-By connecting the flash drive through the adapter, you can store media files on it and even run some applications (with support for the device). USB OTG).

8.When should I contact the service center?

In most cases, the problem of the “Other” can be solved independently, but there are situations when it is better to contact specialists:

• 🚨 «Another takes up more than 10GB and none of the cleaning methods helps.
• 🔧 The phone began spontaneously restarting or issuing errors when working with memory.
• 📉 The speed of writing/reading data has dropped dramatically (for example, photos are stored with a delay).
• 🔄 The system does not see part of the internal memory (for example, only 64 GB is available out of 128 GB).

These symptoms may indicate:

• Hardware wear of memory (especially important for phones older than 3-4 years).
• Damage to the file system (for example, after an incorrect update or power failure).
• Viral infection that masks its files as system.

The service center will be able to:

• Diagnose memory using specialized equipment.
• Perform low-level formatting (if the file system is problematic).
• Replace the memory module (in case of physical wear and tear).

⚠️ Note: If you decide to contact the service, pre-do a full backup of data through Mi PC Suite or Google Account.In some cases, it may be necessary to completely reset with all data lost to restore memory.

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If the Other takes up more than 15-20% of the total memory and does not decrease after all the manipulations, this is a reason to suspect a hardware problem, in which case, self-cleaning attempts can only aggravate the situation.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” section in Xiaomi’s memory