What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Storage and How to Clean It Without Risk to the System

Xiaomi smartphone owners are faced with a mysterious “Other” section in their storage settings, which takes up gigabytes of memory, but contains no visible files — no photos, no videos, no apps. Where does this “junk” come from, why does the system not allow it to be removed by standard methods, and most importantly, how to safely clean “Other” without harming MIUI or HyperOS?

Compounding the problem, this partition grows over time, eating up to 10 to 30 GB of precious space, especially for devices with 64 to 128 GB of memory, where every gigabyte counts, and in this article we will examine the reasons for the Other, official and hidden cleaning methods, as well as the risks that are important to consider before manipulating system files.

Let me warn you right away, not all files in the Other section can be deleted without consequences, but it stores system process caches, application time data, error logs, and even update snippets, but some of them are really unnecessary junk that you can remove, and the main thing is to know what to touch and what to leave.

═══

What’s hidden under the “Other” section of Xiaomi

The Other section is a collective name for files that MIUI or HyperOS cannot be classified as standard (photos, videos, apps, etc.) and includes:

• 📁 System application cache – temporary data from com.android.systemui, com.miui.home and other services.
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications – Incompletely erased files after uninstallation of programs.
• 📊 Error logs and dumps – reports of failures that the system creates for diagnosis (for example, in a folder) /data/anr/).
• 🔄 Update fragments – undeleted firmware packages or OTA-updates.
• 🎭 Hidden data of themes and widgets - registration files MIUI, which are not displayed in the gallery.

According to Xiaomi Community user analysis, on average, 50-70% of the volume of the Other is occupied by caches and logs that can be cleaned without risk, the remaining 30-50% are critical system files, the deletion of which will lead to malfunctions or even “bricking” the device.

Interestingly, on HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+), the Other section is often smaller than on older versions of MIUI 12-13, which is due to optimizing the storage of temporary files in the new shell.

═══

Official ways to clean up the “Other” in Xiaomi

Before you resort to radical methods, try standard MIUI/HyperOS tools. They are safe and do not require root rights.

1. Built-in utility "Cleaning"

Go to Settings → Storage → Cleanup. The system will scan the device and prompt you to delete:

• 🧹 Unnecessary files (cache, temporary data).
• 🗃️ Duplicates (if the scanning function is enabled).
• 📥 Downloads (old files from the folder) /Download/).

This method usually frees up 1-3 GB, but does not affect deep system files.

2.Cache cleaning for individual applications

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, select a program (such as Gallery or Browser) and click Clear Cache. Pay special attention to:

• 📱 System applications: Settings, Theme, Security.
• 🌐 Social networks: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok (their cache can weigh 500 MB-1 GB).

3. Removing old updates

Firmware folder (/cache/ota/) often remains intact after updates.

1. Open Files → Internal Storage → Cache → Ota.
2. Delete all files with the.zip extension or names like update.zip.

Clean the cache in the "Storage" section»|Remove the cache of system applications|Check the folder. /cache/ota/|Remove old downloads|Clear the basket in the Files»-->

═══

Hidden Methods: How to Clean the Other Without Root

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these advanced techniques that don’t require superuser rights.

1.Dumping cache via Recovery

This method removes temporary system files without affecting user data, suitable for devices running MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS.

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

⚠️

Warning: Don’t choose Wipe Data – it will erase all your files and settings!

2.Use of ADB for deep cleaning

If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can manually delete unnecessary files. Connect your phone to your PC and follow the commands:

adb shell


pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Cleaning the utility "Security"




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




rm -rf /cache/* # Clearing the cache system

This method frees up 2–5 GB, but requires caution – the wrong command can disrupt the system.

3. Applications for storage analysis

Third-party utilities like Files by Google or SD Maid (without root) help you find large, unwanted files, such as:

• 🎮 Cash games (especially relevant for Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile).
• 📂 Empty folders from remote applications.
• 📄 Duplicate documents (e.g. screenshots with the same content).

💡

Before using ADB, back up important data via Settings → Additional → Backup.

═══

Dangerous Methods: What NOT to Delete in “Other”

Some files in the Other section are critical to the system, and deleting them will lead to:

• 🔄 Cyclical reboot (bootloop).
• 📵 Loss of communication (calls or mobile internet will not work).
• 🔒 Blocking your Mi Account (if login files are deleted).

Forbidden folders and files to be deleted:

⚠️

Note: If you see /data/app-lib/ or /data/dalvik-cache/ in the Other, do not delete its contents – this will lead to the collapse of all applications!

The only safe way to clean these folders is to completely reset your settings through Settings → About Phone → Reset. But this is an extreme measure, since all user data is erased.

═══

How to Prevent the Growth of the Other in the Future

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

1.Tune in automatic cleaning

MIUI 13+ and HyperOS have a “Autocleaning” feature:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Cleanup → Settings.
2. Turn on the Auto Clean option and select the frequency (e.g. once a week).

2. Limit cache for applications

Some programs (such as Telegram or YouTube) allow you to limit the size of the cache:

• In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Cache size.
• On YouTube: Settings → History and cache → Clear the cache.

3. Disable unnecessary system services

Some MIUI functions actively write logs:

• 🔍 «Smart Assistant (Settings) → Special facilities → Smart assistant).
• 📡 «Usage Analytics (Settings) → Confidentiality → Analytics).

Disabling these options will reduce the number of logs created.

4. Regularly update firmware

Newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS have optimized cache management, such as HyperOS 1.0 (for Xiaomi 14), which has 20 to 30 percent less volume than MIUI 12.

💡

Regular cleaning of the cache (once every 1-2 weeks) and turning off unnecessary analytics will reduce the growth of the Other by 40-60%.

═══

What to do if the “Other” takes 20+ GB

If the partition has grown to a critical size (15-30 GB), standard methods may not help.

1. Check for viruses

Some malware masquerades as system files and fills the Other with garbage. Scan the device through Malwarebytes or the built-in Security Scanner (Settings → Security → Scanner).

2. perform a reset settings (last chance)

If nothing helps, do a hard reset:

1. Create a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Delete all data” and confirm.

After reset, the “Other” will be reduced to 1-3 GB (the laptop will return to a “clean” state).

⚠️

Note: On devices with an unlocked bootloader, a reset may result in a Mi Account being blocked. Before the procedure, check the lock status via fastboot oem device-info.

3. Contact the service center

If the “Other” grows again after reset, the problem may be:

• 🛠️ Damaged file system (requires flashing via Fastboot).
• 🔋 Faulty memory (wear and tear of the flash drive).

In this case, only diagnostics in the official Xiaomi service will help.

═══

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Xiaomi's "Other"