Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones sooner or later face a mysterious situation: the device’s memory is full, but in the standard storage analyzer, the lion’s share of space is allocated to the “Other” section, which often causes bewilderment and irritation, as it takes dozens of gigabytes, turning a fast flagship into a braking device.
Understanding the nature of this partition is key to freeing up space without losing important data. Unlike obvious categories like Photos or Applications, the Other system partition is a complex mix of cache, logs, residual files and temporary data that MIUI or HyperOS cannot automatically classify. Up to 40% of the Other partition volume on older devices can make up a cache of messengers and system services that is not removed by standard cleaning.
In this detailed guide, we will break down the anatomy of system debris, explain why it accumulates, and offer proven safe cleaning methods.You will learn to distinguish critical system files from digital junk that can be ruthlessly removed.
The Anatomy of the Other: What’s Hiding There
When you go into the storage settings, the operating system tries to categorize all the files into understandable categories, but a lot of the data doesn't fit into the standard framework, which includes archives, file formats that the system didn't recognize, and most importantly, data from running applications that weren't tagged correctly by the developers.
The bulk of The Other is made up of temporary update files and streaming cache, for example, if you watch YouTube videos or listen to music on Spotify, the buffered data often ends up in that section, and it also hides error logs, crash reports, and backups the system has created for its own stability.
It is important to understand the difference between system files and user debris. System libraries are essential for the interface to work, while residual files from remote applications only take up space. Often, the Other contains APK installation files packages that were downloaded by the browser but never installed.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to manually delete files from system folders through a root-rights file manager without knowing exactly what they are intended for, which can result in a cyclical device reboot or loss of ability to enable.
To visualize what might be taking place, consider the typical data distribution in the Other section:
| Type of data | Description | Security of removal |
|---|---|---|
| Cash app. | Temporary data for programme acceleration | Safe (apps can run slower on first run) |
| Logs of the system | Records of OS performance and errors | Safe (the system will create new ones) |
| Remnants of remote games | Cached resources (wallpaper, sounds) of remote games | Safe. |
| Anonymous statistics | Telemetry data sent to the manufacturer | Safe (can be turned off in settings) |
Cleaning through built-in MIUI and HyperOS
The first and safest step is to use a regular cleaning tool, which is integrated deep enough in Xiaomi shells to find more garbage than standard Android, and you have to go to the Security app and select Cleanup.
However, a simple Clean button often removes only the surface layer. For deep cleaning, scroll down to the Clean section (or Deep Clean depending on the version of MIUI), where the system will suggest removing large files, duplicates and rarely used applications.
☑️ Checklist for quick cleaning
Remember to check the recent section in the gallery. Often deleted photos and videos don't disappear completely, but move to the basket, continuing to occupy a place in the total memory, sometimes displayed as part of the system data until the final erasure.
⚠️ Warning: Before using the Deep Clean feature, make sure that the gallery's Recycle Bin folder does not contain important images you planned to restore.
Working with the cache of messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber
Messengers are the main memory eaters on modern smartphones, storing every photo, video and voice message viewed in local storage, and in the Other section, this data is often disguised as a system cache or unknown files.
The most effective way to clean up is to use the built-in tools of the apps themselves. On Telegram, you need to go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use and click “Clear Cache.” Importantly, this won’t delete your correspondence, the files will simply be re-downloaded from the cloud if necessary. On WhatsApp, the path is slightly different: Settings → Data and Storage Management → Storage Management.
Here you will see a list of chats sorted by volume. Often one active group chat with video sharing can take 5-10 GB. It is recommended to install automatic deletion of media files older than 3 or 6 months so that the problem does not return.
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In Telegram, enable the “Auto-Delete Media” function in your cache settings, which will save the last 100 MB or 1 GB of data, automatically deleting old files without your involvement.
If standard methods don’t work, you can use third-party file managers like Files by Google or Total Commander to manually check your Android/media and Android/data folders. However, newer versions of Android have limited access to these folders, so built-in messaging tools remain the most reliable option.
Cleaning up the download folder and hidden files
The Download folder is a back door that allows digital trash to enter your phone's memory. Browsers, email clients and social media stores everything you've ever downloaded here..apk installers,.pdf documents,.zip archives lie idle for years, but are counted by the system as user data or "Other."
For manual cleaning, go to File Manager. Find Download. Sort files by size is the fastest way to find heavyweights. Often, you'll find forgotten application update installation files or saved statuses from messengers.
- 📂 Delete all files with the.apk extension if you don’t plan to install them right now.
- 🗑️ Check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails (A hidden thumbnail folder that can grow to several gigabytes.
- 📄 Clean the Bluetooth folder, where the received files are often automatically saved.
It's also worth checking the folder. MIUI It's at the root of the internal memory. It might have debugging logs (debug_log) And crash reports that are generated by the system when the system crashes, and removing them is safe and frees up space.
Where to find hidden folders in the conductor?
Using Developer Mode and ADB for Advanced
If standard methods fail, you can use more radical but effective methods through your computer, using USB debugging and ADB command line to clear the cache of system applications that are not accessible to the average user.
To start, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version) option. Then, in the advanced settings, turn on “Debugging on USB.” Connect your phone to your PC and follow the command to clear the cache:
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command forcibly trims the cache of all applications to the lowest possible value, and you can also use the adb shell pm clear command to clean a particular system application that consumes too much resources, such as com.android.vending (Google Play).
⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB A mistake in the name of the package or using the pm clear command for critical system services can cause a reset or interface to fail.
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Using ADB is the most powerful cleaning tool, but it requires a computer and basic command line knowledge. For most users, built-in tools and messaging are enough.
Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings
When the Other partition is inflated to unthinkable sizes (like 40-50GB on a 64GB device) and no methods help, the final argument is a complete reset, which is guaranteed to remove all software debris, file system errors and accumulated artifacts over the years.
Before the procedure, make sure to back up important data to the Mi Cloud cloud or to your computer. Reset will delete everything: contacts, photos, apps and their data. Once turned on, the phone will be like a new one, with a clean file system and minimal space occupied.
The process is done via the Settings menu → About Phone → Settings reset → Erase all data. After the reboot, the system will recalibrate the memory and the Other partition will return to its normal values (usually 2-4 GB).
- 🔄 Reset eliminates file system errors that can distort memory statistics.
- ⚡ The phone will start to work faster, as the cache of all system processes will be cleared.
- 🛡️ Possible hidden malicious files are removed if they were the cause of the problem.
Prevention: How to avoid overcrowding in the future
To keep the problem from returning in a month, you need to change your smartphone usage habits, regular memory hygiene is more important than one-time cleanings, try not to keep hundreds of unused apps in your memory, and check your download folder regularly.
Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk allow you to free up space on your device with one click, saving originals in the cloud. Set up automatic synchronization so that media files do not accumulate in local memory.
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Set the one-month rule: once a month, take 5 minutes to check the Download folder and clear the cache of heavy apps (Instagram, TikTok, Telegram) and it will take less time than finding ways to make room in an emergency.
It’s also worth turning off automatic status saving in instant messengers and preventing browsers from automatically downloading files, which will prevent gigabytes of garbage from accumulating in the Other section.