Xiaomi’s “Other”: Hidden Files, Cache and Garbage – How to Reduce Occupied Space

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage settings and wondered why the Other partition takes up tens of gigabytes? It's not a system bug or a virus, it's a cluster of utility files, cache of applications, temporary data and remnants of deleted programs that MIUI doesn't classify as standard categories ("Photos," "Videoes," "Apps"). In this article, we'll take a closer look at what's in the Other, why this partition grows over time, and how to clean it safely without risking damage to the system.

Xiaomi (and other Android smartphones) are not always properly classifying files, and what seems like garbage to the user can be an important cache or backup for the system, such as MIUI update files that have been downloaded but not installed, can lie in the Other for years and take up to 5-10 GB. We'll show you how to find these files, which can be deleted manually, and which can only be deleted through special utilities.

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

Xiaomi’s Other section is a shopping cart for all files that the system failed to categorize as standard.

• 📁 App and system cache (including Google Play Services cache, which can weigh several gigabytes).
• 🔄 Temporary files from the installer APK, update MIUI backups.
• 🗑️ Remnants of remote applications (folders with settings, logs and cache that did not clear after uninstallation).
• 📄 System logs and error dumps (created when crashes, take up to 1-2 GB in a few months).
• 🔒 Encrypted files (e.g. data from Secure Folder or corporate profiles).

The main problem is that MIUI doesn't provide tools to analyze this section in detail. Unlike Samsung or Google Pixel, where you can see the distribution of "Other" into subcategories, in Xiaomi, the user sees only the total volume, which makes cleaning difficult, because it is not clear which files are critical to the system and which are not.

For example, after a major update MIUI 14 → MIUI 15 in the “Other” may remain an archive with the previous version of the firmware (.zip files weighing 2-4 GB), the system does not delete them automatically, “just in case”, although they are no longer needed.

The Other section structure: which files can be deleted and which can not

To safely clean the Other, you need to understand what files are stored in it, and we divided them into 3 categories by importance:

The heaviest files are usually in the second category, such as the Google Play Services cache can take up to 3-5 GB, and temporary update files can take up to 2-7 GB. These can be deleted without consequences, but the system will eventually recover some of the data.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files with.odex,.vdex or folder extensions /data/dalvik-cache — components ART (Android runtime environment, without which applications will not work.

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

By default, MIUI does not show the detailed composition of the Other section. To analyze it, you will need third-party tools or ADB. We will look at 3 ways:

Method 1: Through the built-in file manager (limited access)

Open the Files app and go to Storage Analysis, where you'll see the total volume of the Other, but not the contents, to get more data:

1. Click on "The Other» → «Details».
2. The system will show a list of folders sorted by size (e.g. /data/media/0/Android or /cache).
3. Folders with the names com.android. or com.xiaomi. - system, touching them is not recommended.

Method 2: Files by Google (recommended)

Google’s tool can analyze “garbage” better than a standard manager:

1. Install Files by Google.
2. Open the "Cleaning" tab» → «Make room».
3. The app will show the category “Unnecessary Files” – here is often hidden temporary data from “Other”.

Method 3: Through ADB (for power users)

If you need a detailed scan, connect your phone to your PC and follow the command:

adb shell du -h -d 1 /data | sort -h

This command will show the folder size in /data (where most of the Other files are stored) and look for large folders like /cache or /app-asec.

Backup important data | Check the vacant space (should ≥10%) |Close all applications |Disable cloud synchronization-->

Top.-5 How to Clean Up “Other” in Xiaomi Memory

Now, let's get to the practice. We've selected 5 working methods, from the safest to the most advanced, start with the first and move on to the next one if you don't have a seat.

1. Cleaning the app cache

The easiest way to delete temporary files without risk to the system is to:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size and select apps with a large cache (e.g. YouTube, Telegram, Google Play Store).
3. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».

🔹 Effect: Releases 1-3 GB (depends on the number of applications).

2. Delete temporary files via Files by Google

The app finds and removes:

• 🗃️ Google Play Services cache (up to 2–4 GB).
• 📥 Undetermined APK-file.
• 📂 Empty folders and duplicates.

🔹 Effect: 3-7 GB (if not cleaned for a long time).

3. Manual cleaning of /cache folder

This folder contains temporary system and application files to clear it:

1. Use a file manager with root rights (such as Root Explorer) or ADB.
2. Go to /cache and delete all content.
3. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete the folder /cache The whole thing is just the contents. The system will restore it automatically.

4.Removing old MIUI updates

Update files are stored in /data/ota_package and can borrow up to 5 GB to remove them:

1. Open the file manager with root rights.
2. Move to the /data/ota_package Delete all files with the.zip extension.
3. Reset the device.

5. reset of /data partition cache (advanced method)

If the previous methods did not help, perform a cache reset through the Recovery:

1. Turn off your phone and press Power + Volume Up to log in to Recovery Mode.
2. Select "Wipe Cache Partition» → «Yes».
3. Reset the device.

🔹 Effect: Frees up 1–5GB, but resets some app settings.

💡

Before cleaning the Other, check the /DCIM/.thumbnails folder – it stores thumbnails of photos and videos that can be safely deleted (frees up to 500 MB).

What to do if the “Other” grows again: prevention

Cleaning up the Other is a temporary solution, so that the problem doesn't come back, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks) through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 🚫 Do not install applications from unknown sources – they often leave garbage in the system.
• 📱 Update. MIUI — In new versions, the work with cache is optimized.
• ☁️ Turn off automatic update downloads (if the location is critical): Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Downloading.

It is also useful to use automatic tools:

• 🤖 SD Maid – cleans the remnants of remote applications.
• 🧹 CCleaner – Deletes temporary files and cache.
• 📊 Storage Analyzer – Shows which folders take up the most space.

⚠️ Note: If the "Other" takes >20 GB and does not decrease after cleaning, this may indicate damage to the file system, in which case only a complete reset (with loss of data) will help).

💡

The safest way to clean the Other is by combining Files by Google + manually cleaning the app cache. Avoid removing system folders without understanding their purpose.

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many Xiaomi users make critical mistakes when trying to make room.

• 🚫 Delete the folder /data/app — This is where the installed applications are stored.
• 🚫 Format a section /data without a backup, that is equivalent to a complete reset.
• 🚫 Use "cleaners" with questionable permits (for example, asking for access to the SMS or call).
• 🚫 Delete files with the.db or.sqlite extension are application databases.

If the phone starts to slow down or restart after cleaning, then the critical files have been deleted.

1. Try restarting the device.
2. If the problem remains, reset the cache through Recovery Mode.
3. In extreme cases, restore the data from the backup or make a complete reset.

FAQ: Answers to the frequent questions about the “Other” in the memory of Xiaomi