Xiaomi’s “Other” folder: What it is, why it grows and how to remove excess

Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO Sooner or later, you'll encounter a mysterious folder called "Other" in the "Storage" section of your settings, which can take anywhere from a few hundred megabytes to 10.+ GB, but it doesn't have any visible files -- no photos, no videos, no apps -- and it insists that it's "system data," but what exactly is behind that term and whether it can be made up?

The problem is complicated by the fact that standard cleaning methods (via Settings) → The storage or file manager often doesn't work, and users complain that the "Other" folder grows again after the reboot and the free space melts away before their eyes. In this article, we will discuss in detail what is part of the “Other”, why it appears and how to reduce its volume without risking the stability of the smartphone.

Spoiler: 80% of cases are blamed for unoptimized caches, logs and temporary files MIUI, It's not user-generated junk, but there are exceptions, and we'll talk about them.

What is the “Other” in Xiaomi’s vault: the official explanation and reality

According to Xiaomi’s documentation, the “Other” section includes:

• 📁 System caches (Dalvik-cache, ART, temporary update files)
• 📜 Logs and dumps (Error Reports, Journal Logs)
• 🔄 Residual data of remote applications
• 🔒 Secure files (DRM, encryption)
• 📊 Use statistics (for the purposes of MIUI Optimization)

In practice, however, the “Other” often includes:

1. Google Play Services Cash and MIUI System Launcher (can weigh up to 3-5 GB).
2. Remains of updates MIUI, which did not leave after installation.
3. Virtual memory files (swap) if RAM Extension Mode is activated.
4. Hidden application folders (e.g..thumbnails for thumbnails or.data for games)

Interesting fact: on smartphones with MIUI 12-14 share of the "Other" on average 20-30% more than POCO Launcher or HyperOS. This is due to an aggressive shell caching policy.

⚠️ Note: If the Other folder takes up more than 8-10 GB on a 128 GB device, this may indicate file system damage or viral activity (e.g., mining bots masquerading as system processes).

Why the Other is Growing Over Time: 5 Reasons

Let’s discuss the key factors that increase the volume of the “Other” even without active user actions:

1. Automatic caching MIUI

Shell MIUI cachingly:

• 🎨 Animations and transitions (e.g., unlock effects).
• 📱 Widget data (weather, calendar, steps).
• 🔍 Search indexes for quick search in settings.

The system does not always clean old caches correctly during updates.

2. Application removal errors

When you delete the program through Settings → Applications, its data can remain in folders: /data/data/[package_name] or /sdcard/Android/obb/[package_name].

For example, games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile leave behind 1-2 GB of junk that ends up in The Other.

3 Logs and debugging dumps

Xiaomi smartphones collect debugging information for:

• 🛠️ MIUI Bug Report (if the developer mode is enabled).
• 📉 Fall Analysts (files *.tombstone).
• 🔄 Update logs (recovery.log, ota.log).

These files can take up to 500 MB-1 GB and are not automatically deleted.

4. Virtual memory (Swap)

On devices with 4-6 GB of RAM MIUI It creates a swapfile of 1-2 GB, which is counted as "Other" -- not visible in the file manager, but takes up space on the drive.

5. Residual firmware files

After updating MIUI throughTA Fastboot or Fastboot remains in the system:

• 📦 Old versions boot.img and system.img.
• 🗑️ Folders. /cache/ota temporary-file.

For example, after updating with MIUI 13 on MIUI 14 'garbage' can weigh up to 3GB.

How to see what exactly takes place in the “Other”: 3 ways

Before you can clean the Other, you need to understand its structure. Here are the working methods of analysis:

Method 1: Through the built-in storage analyzer

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Slip on "The Other» → «Details».
3. The system will show the distribution by categories (cache, logs, etc.).

Disadvantages: Data is often inaccurate, especially in MIUI 12 and below.

Method 2: Analyzer applications (Files by Google, SD Maid)

• 📊 Files by Google → section “Cleaning up» → «Analysis of the vault».
• 🧹 SD Maid (requires root) → CorpseFinder tab (search for remnants of remote applications).

These tools will show hidden folders that are not visible in the standard file manager.

Method 3: Through ADB (for Advanced)

Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the commands:

adb shell


du -sh /data/* | sort -rh | head -20

This will show you the list of the largest folders in /data, which often refer to the "other».

adb shell rm -rf /data/log/*

This will remove old logs without harming the system.-->

How to clean the “Other” in Xiaomi storage: step-by-step instructions

Below are safe ways to reduce the Other from simple to complex, starting with the first point and moving on to the next one if the result is not satisfactory.

Step 1: Cleaning the cache of system applications

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size and select: 🔹 Google Play Services 🔹 MIUI System Launcher 🔹 Security (Security) 🔹 Download Manager

"Clear the cache."

This method frees up 0.5-2 GB on most devices.

Step 2: Delete temporary update files

1. Open the File Manager → Categories → Others.
2. Find the folders: 📂 MIUI → download (there are loaded downloads here) OTA-update). 📂 cache → ota (residual files).

lost+found

Step 3: Reset partition cache (without data loss)

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Tap 7 times in the version to activate the "Developer Mode".
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find “Clear the cache of the section” and confirm the action.

This will remove the Dalvik-cache and ART, This will free up 1-3 GB, but will not affect user data.

Step 4: Disable Virtual Memory (Swap)

If your smartphone supports RAM expansion due to the drive (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro)+), Turn off this function:

1. Settings → Advanced settings → Memory.
2. Turn off RAM Extension.
3. Reset the device.

2. Viral activity

Some malware masquerades as system processes and generates "junk," and you can check this out by:

1. Install Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.
2. Scan the device for miners (e.g. com.android.system.xx).
3. Check the list of running processes through adb shell ps -A (Look for suspicious names).

3. Damage to the file system

If the Other is growing by 500MB-1GB per day, the file system may be damaged (ext4 or f2fs). Decisions:

• 🔄 Perform reset to factory settings (pre-make a backup!).
• 🔧 Reflash the smartphone via Fastboot (instructions for your model is on the phone). 4PDA Xiaomi Community).

4. Vault accounting error

Sometimes. MIUI It's not calculating the volume of the other correctly:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and see the real amount of space you have occupied through DiskInternals or WinDirStat.
2. Compare with the data in Settings → Warehouse.

If the difference is greater than 10%, try calibrating the storage:

adb shell sm set-force-adoptable true


adb shell sm partition disk:179,64 private

💡

If the Other takes up more than 5GB and comes back after cleaning, the most likely causes are a virus, a corrupted file system, or an error. MIUI. In this case, only resetting or refrigeration will help.

Specific cases: "Other" on different Xiaomi models

Some devices have unique features that affect the size of the Other:

Redmi Note 10 Pro / 11 Pro+

On these models, the "Other" is often inflated because of:

• 🎮 Residual Game Turbo files (folder) /data/media/0/MiGameCenter).

Solution: Clean these folders manually through a file manager with root or ADB.

POCO F3 / F4 GT

It's the cache. POCO Launcher and virtualization files (if you used the "Duplicate Apps" mode) to clear:

Xiaomi 12/13 Series

On flagships, "Other" is often associated with:

Solution: Turn off unnecessary audio effects in Settings → Sound.

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many users compound the problem by following questionable advice.

❌ Mistake. 1: Deletion of the folder /data/data manually

This folder contains all applications, including system applications, and when it's cleaned, it will lead to:

✅ Correct: Remove only the cache of specific applications through Settings.

❌ Mistake. 2: Use of rm commands -rf /data/*

This command will delete all user data, including photos, contacts and messages, and it will be impossible to recover them.

✅ Right: Use point commands, for example:

rm -rf /data/log/*

❌ Error 3: Disabling system applications

Some “optimizers” advise to disable MIUI Daemon, Security, or Google Play Services:

• 🚨 Refusal of updates MIUI.
• 🚨 Losing access to Google Play.
• 🚨 Inability to use banking applications (due to lack of SafetyNet).

❌ Mistake. 4: Formatting of the section /cache through TWRP

It could disrupt the job. OTA-Updates and lead to bootloop (cyclical reboot).

✅ Right: clean up. /cache only through standard recovery or ADB.

⚠️ Warning: If after cleaning the Other, the smartphone started to overheat or discharge quickly, critical files of the thermal sensors or energy saving were probably deleted.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi’s “Other”