Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face an unpleasant situation where the built-in storage is overflowing and the standard analyzer does not give a clear answer.
In the system menu of memory management appears mysterious category “Other”, which can take up tens of gigabytes of free space, critically slowing down the device.
Understanding the nature of this data is the first step to optimizing the system, as blindly deleting files can lead to instability of the MIUI shell or loss of important application settings.
The nature of hidden data in the shell of MIUI
The “Other” category is a collection of heterogeneous data that the system cannot uniquely classify as images, videos, music, or documents.
Most often, cached data of popular applications, remnants of remote programs and system logs of errors that accumulate during operation are hidden here.
Particular attention should be paid to instant messengers such as Telegram or Viber, which save media files in their own private folders, ignoring the standard media library of the gallery.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to manually delete files from Android system folders through a file manager without first creating a backup, this may disrupt Google services.
Xiaomi algorithms aggregate all unknown formats and temporary files into one group so that the user sees the overall picture of disk load.
Main sources of filling the category "Other"
The analysis shows that the lion’s share of the volume is occupied by temporary files, which are created by browsers and social networks to speed up the loading of content.
- 📦 App cache: Temporary YouTube, Instagram and TikTok data that speeds up video re-runs and feed viewing.
- 🗑️ Residual files: Configurations and libraries from long-deleted games and utilities left in deep system directories.
- 📱 Logs and reports: System debugging logs and bug reports that Android saves for crash diagnosis.
- 📥 Downloaded Updates: Firmware files that were downloaded automatically but not installed or deleted after successful installation.
Also, a significant amount is occupied by offline maps of navigators and downloaded tracks in music streaming services, which the system perceives as unknown data.
The more you use your smartphone, the faster this section grows, requiring periodic manual cleaning to free up space.
Analysis tools: Standard conductor vs. Third-party utilities
For detailed study of the contents of memory embedded tools MIUI is often not enough, as they show only the total mass of data.
It is recommended to use specialized utilities such as DiskUsage or Files by Google that visualize the file system as a block map.
These programs allow you to see which folder has swelled to a giant size, and decide to clean it.
| Tool. | Scan depth | Security of removal | Visualization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Cleanup | Surface. | Tall. | Charts |
| DiskUsage | Full (Root not needed) | It requires knowledge. | Tree map |
| Files by Google | Medium | Tall. | Lists of categories |
| Total Commander | Complete. | Low (dangerous) | Textual |
Using third-party analyzers gives the advantage of accurate definition of files that occupy a place in the “Other” section.
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Use the DiskUsage app in Safe Browse mode to see folder sizes, but not be able to delete them accidentally.
Safe cleaning through Xiaomi’s standard menu
The most reliable way to free up space is to use the built-in Security tool, which is pre-installed on all Redmi devices.
You need to start the application, select the "Clean up" item and wait for the analysis to be completed, after which the system will suggest removing the garbage.
It is important to read file descriptions carefully before deleting so as not to erase important data that the system mistakenly considered garbage.
⚠️ Note: Deep Clean Up can delete stored Wi-Fi passwords or authorization data in some applications, use it with caution.
It’s also worth checking the Apps section in the phone’s settings, where you can force the cache for each specific application to be cleared separately.
Regular use of standard cleaning helps to keep the volume of the category "Other" within reasonable limits without risk of damage to the system.
☑️ Safe cleaning algorithm
Manual removal through the menu "Applications"
If automatic means do not cope, you need to go to the phone settings and open the "Applications" section by selecting the "All applications" item.
In the list you need to find the most heavy programs (social networks, browsers) and go to the Memory menu, where the Clean button is available.
It is important to distinguish between the “Clean” buttons (remove only the cache) and “Erase data” buttons (complete reset of the application to the post-installing state).
- 🔍 Search for heavyweights: Sort the list by memory size to find the top consumers of the place.
- 🧹 Cache Cleaning: Clean the cache of news and video services app aggregators regularly.
- 💾 Data reset: Use full data cleanup only if you are ready to reconfigure the application and log in to your account.
This method is most effective for dealing with the bloated messenger cache, which is often hidden in the “Other” category.
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Cleaning up the application data removes the entire history of correspondence and settings inside it, so make sure to back up in the cloud before the procedure.
Using ADB for Advanced Users
For users with a computer and basic command line skills, a USB debugging method is available.
This method allows you to remove system debris that is hidden from ordinary applications and even from the rights of the superuser in some cases.
It is necessary to turn on the developer mode, activate debugging over USB and connect the smartphone to a PC with the ADB platform tool installed.
adb shell pm clear com.android.browserExecuting the command clears the cache and data of the specified package, the example shows cleaning the system browser, but the command is applicable to any package.
The method requires accuracy in entering packet names, as a name error can result in the deletion of the wrong application data.
List of popular cleaning packages
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To the category “Other” did not grow uncontrollably, you need to change the habits of using a smartphone and set up automation processes.
It is recommended to disable auto-save media files in messengers and set up automatic cache cleaning when a certain threshold is reached.
Regular restarting of the device also helps the system to delete temporary files and reset the suspended processes.
⚠️ Note: Do not install “accelerators” and “cleaners” from questionable sources, as they often become a source of junk files and advertising.
Following these simple rules will keep the performance of Xiaomi Redmi at a high level throughout the life of the device.