What does the “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 – full parsing + cleaning instructions

Introduction: The Mystery of the Other section in your smartphone

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi Redmi Note 9’s memory settings and found that the Other is 10, 20, or even 30GB? With no photos, apps, or cache explaining that cost, and this gray area of memory is one of the most mysterious features of MIUI that users have been arguing about on forums for years.

Unlike the obvious categories like Apps or Media Files, the Other section doesn't have a single definition. It's a system data dump where MIUI dumps everything it can't classify, from temporary update files to remote program artifacts. And if new Xiaomi models like the Redmi Note 12 take up 2 to 5 GB of this partition, the Redmi Note 9, with its 12-14 MIUI and limited memory (64/128 GB), can eat up to 40% of the total. Why this happens and what to do with it, we'll see below.

What exactly is hidden under the “Other” in the memory of the Redmi Note 9?

Technically, "Other" is unclassified data that the system cannot categorize as standard, including:

• 📁 Remnants of Remote Applications: Even after uninstallation, programs often leave configuration files in folders /data/data/ or /Android/obb/.
• 🔄 Temporary update files: MIUI downloads firmware in the background, and after installation does not always clean the cache.
• 🗑️ System garbage: log files (.log), memory dumps (.dmp), debugging residues (adb).
• 🔒 Encrypted data: files protected by Knox or MIUI Security that the system cannot read without a key.
• 📱 Virtual machine cache: artifacts of work ART/Dalvik (Android application execution system).

On the Redmi Note 9, the memory architecture of eMMC 5.1 (as opposed to UFS on flagships) makes matters worse, and the device is slower to process cleaning operations, which makes temporary files more active. In addition, the MIUI based on Android 10–11 (relevant to the Redmi Note 9) had a bug with incorrect counting of occupied space – sometimes the “Other” section showed inflated numbers.

⚠️ Note: If the Other section is over 15 GB and you haven’t installed heavy games or updated your firmware, this may indicate a virus (e.g., a miner hiding under system processes). MIUI Security Scan).

How do you check what is in the “Other”?

Unfortunately, MIUI does not provide a detailed analysis of the Other section, but there are workarounds:

Method 1: Through embedded tools

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Memory.
2. Slip on the memory usage chart, then select “Other”.
3. The system will show the total volume, but without breaking down by file.

Method 2: Using a file manager (manual analysis)

Use the Mi File Manager (or Solid Explorer from Google Play):

• 🔍 Go to the root folder (/).
• 📂 Check the folders: /Android/obb/ — play-off; /data/log/ — system-log; /MIUI/backup/ — backup; /cache/ — update cache.

adb shell du -h /data | sort -rh | head -n 20

It'll show the top.-20 Largest folders in the system section.-->

Method 3: Analyzer applications

Utilities like Storage Analyzer or DiskUsage visualize occupied space, and they won't show the contents of The Other directly, but they can help identify abnormally large files.

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

Before you start, back up your important data (photos, contacts, messages) and some methods can cause failures.

Save data on PC or in the cloud|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Disable automatic update of applications|Remember passwords from accounts-->

Method 1: Clearing cache and temporary files

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size and choose the most "heavy" programs.
3. Tap "Clear Cache" (not data!).
4. For system applications (such as MIUI Gallery), use Clear All Data – but this will remove the settings.

Method 2: Removal of residues of applications

Use SD Maid (requires root) or manually:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Other → Application files.
2. Delete folders with the names of remote programs (for example, com.tencent.mm for WeChat).

Method 3: Reset partition cache (without data loss)

This is a secure way that does not affect personal files:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume Up to Enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe Cache Partition (use volume buttons for navigation).
4. Confirm the action and restart.

⚠️ Note: If the Other section fills up quickly after cleaning, check the background activity of the applications. Some programs (for example, Facebook or TikTok) create gigabytes of cache even when folded. → Battery → Charge optimization.

💡

Cleaning the cache with Recovery Mode is the most effective way to reduce the Other without risking data.

What to do if the “Other” takes more than 20 GB?

If standard methods have not worked and the Other section continues to grow, the reasons may be more serious:

• 🦠 Viral software: some miners masquerading as system processes (e.g. com.android.system.
• 🔧 Damaged file system: If the phone suddenly turned off while writing data, the partition could fragment.
• 📱 Firmware error: on the Redmi Note 9 with MIUI 12.5 was a bug that caused the system to duplicate files in "Other." MIUI 13+.

If you are ready for radical measures:

1. Reset to factory settings (loss of all data!): Settings → About phone → Reset settings.
2. Fastboot Flash Firmware (for power users) download the official firmware from Xiaomi and follow the instructions:

fastboot flash boot boot.img


fastboot flash system system.img




fastboot flash recovery recovery.img




fastboot reboot

How to prevent the “Other” from being refilled?

To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly (once a month through Settings) → Memory. → Cleanup).
• 🚫 Avoid heavy launchers (like Nova Launcher or Action Launcher) that create duplicate files.
• 📥 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play (or limit Wi-Fi).
• 🔒 Don’t use the Play Market’s “memory optimizers” – they often only make the problem worse.

For the Redmi Note 9, it is especially important not to pack internal memory into the bin. Keep at least 10-15% of the total volume free (for example, 8-12 GB on a 128 GB model), which will prevent fragmentation and write errors.

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

But remember: games can slow down from the memory card of the class below A2.-->

FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” section of the Redmi Note 9