Every Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone owner is faced with a frightening space-shortage notification, often not by a photo folder or apps, but by a mysterious section called “The Other,” which can escalate to tens of gigabytes, slowing down the device.
Users often get lost in not understanding what exactly is behind the term in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS. These are not viruses or malfunctions, but accumulated data that the system cannot automatically classify. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to clean up memory safely and return the gadget to performance.
To start with, the Other section is a collection of app cache, residual files after deleted programs, temporary messenger data and system logs. Secure cleaning requires understanding the nature of these files so that important information is not deleted along with debris.
What is hidden in the “Other” section
Before you take any action, you need to understand the structure of the filled space. In Android devices, especially those with a shell from Xiaomi, this section is often called “System Data.” App cache is a temporary file that speeds up the launch of programs, but over time inflates to inadequate size.
The second major consumer of space are instant messengers like Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber. They store photos, videos and voice messages viewed in hidden folders that the standard memory analyzer considers "other" files. The social media multimedia cache also contributes by keeping the news feed preview.
And there may be update files that didn't automatically delete after installation, and sometimes this section hides residual files of games or programs that you've deleted long ago, but their folders are left dead weight, and understanding this will help you choose the right cleaning method.
Why is the volume of the section constantly growing?
Cleaning through the standard “Safety” application
The easiest and safest way to start the fight for gigabytes is to use the built-in MIUI tools. Every Xiaomi smartphone has a Security app preinstalled, which can find obvious garbage. Run it and click on the Cleanup button.
After scanning, the system will suggest removing temporary files and cache. However, this is only a surface cleaning. For a deeper analysis, go to Clean -> Deep Clean. Here you will see a more detailed breakdown by file type.
Note the "Big Files" or "Dublicates" section, which is often where forgotten videos or screenshots are hidden, which are formally classified as "Other" in the overall memory balance. Deleting duplicates can free up a significant amount of space without risk to the system.
☑️ Verification by standard means
Manual deletion of messenger data
As mentioned earlier, messengers are the main culprits of memory overflows. Unlike standard cache cleaning, you need to do a point-by-point operation. Go to Settings -> Applications -> All applications and find, for example, Telegram.
Inside the app menu, select Memory or Storage. You'll see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear everything. Importantly, clicking Clear all will delete correspondence and login, so only use cache clearing if you don't want to lose data. Telegram itself has a built-in feature: Settings -> Data and memory -> Memory Use -> Clear cache.
The same thing is done with WhatsApp and Viber. WhatsApp is better done through the internal settings: Settings -> Data and Storage -> Storage Management, which allows you to see which chats take up the most space, and only delete them.
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Enable Cache Autodeletion in Telegram: Settings -> Data and Memory -> Autoboot Media -> Disable for all types of networks or set a Autodelete Timer.
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who don’t have the standard methods, there is a more powerful tool, USB debugging and ADB commands. This method allows you to remove the system cache that the average user can’t see. First, you need to activate the developer mode: go to Settings -> About phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI version.
Then, turn on USB debugging in the menu Additional -> Developer. Connecting the phone to the computer, you can use commands to clean specific partitions. However, this method requires caution, since an error in the command can lead to unstable system operation.
An alternative to manual commands is the use of special utilities for PCs, such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools. They have a graphical interface and allow you to safely remove system debris and Dalvik cache.
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Use of the ADB-commands give access to hidden system partitions, but requires a PC and basic command line knowledge.
Analysis of storage by third-party utilities
If the built-in tools don't show the full picture, specialized analysis apps come to the rescue. DiskUsage or Files by Google visualizes your smartphone memory as a handy map, and you'll immediately see which folders take up the most space.
The Android/data folder is often the heaviest on the memory card, storing game and application data inside it, deleting the contents of the folders with the names of remote games will make room safely, but touching the folders of active system applications is not recommended.
Also worth checking is the MIUI -> gallery -> cloud folder, sometimes with thumbnails of deleted photos that take up space in the "Other" section, and file managers let you find and delete those hidden remnants.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Security | Skills required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cleaning | Low. | Tall. | Initial. |
| Cleaning up messengers | Medium | Tall. | Initial. |
| Third-party utilities | Tall. | Medium | Medium. |
| ADB and Root Rights | Maximum | Low. | Expert |
Can I delete the.thumbnails folder?
Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings
When nothing helps and the Other section keeps growing, the final argument is a complete reset, which is guaranteed to clear up any garbage, but takes time to recover the data. Make sure to back up your PC or cloud before doing so.
Go to Settings -> Advanced Settings -> Restore and Reset. Select Reset. The phone will return to the "out of the box" state and the "Other" section will disappear as all the accumulated data disappears.
After a reset, take your time to restore all applications from backup. Install only what you need so you don't re-introduce the "junk" from old programs. Clean application installation often works more stable than recovery from backup.
⚠️ Warning: Full reset deletes ALL data from the internal drive, including photos, contacts and correspondence. Make sure the copy is saved on an external medium or in the cloud Mi Cloud/Google Drive.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to delete system files through the root file manager unless you know exactly what they are intended to be.