Xiaomi Redmi’s “Other” folder: Where to look, how to open and what to do with it

Have you ever experienced a situation where the memory on Xiaomi Redmi suddenly runs out, even though you haven't downloaded anything? Go to the storage settings and you see that the lion's share is taken by the mysterious folder "Other" that can weigh 10 to 30 GB, but still remains invisible in the standard file manager. Why is this happening and how to access it?

The thing is, MIUI uses the term "Other" to hide system caches, temporary application files, update data, logs, and even remnants of deleted programs. Xiaomi doesn't show this folder to the user out of the box to avoid accidentally deleting critical files, but if you're willing to take the risk, we'll tell you how to find it, what's inside and how to clean it safely.

In this article you will learn:

• 🔍 Where is the Other folder physically stored in the Android file system on Redmi
• 📁 3 ways to access hidden files (including: ADB rod)
• ⚠️ What files can be deleted and which ones can be touched dangerously
• 🛠️ How to Clean the Other Without Harming the System

What is the “Other” folder on Xiaomi Redmi and why it takes up so much space

The Other folder is a collection box for all files that MIUI cannot categorize as standard (Photos, Videos, Audio, Apps).

• 🗑️ App cache (including Google Play Services, Mi Account, Facebook)
• 📄 Logs of the system (/data/log, /data/anr — error-report)
• 🔄 Remains of updates (folders) /cache and /data/ota_package)
• 🧹 Temporary files from browsers, instant messengers and games
• 📦 Remote Application Data (sometimes left in the /data/data)

For example, if you deleted a Genshin Impact game but its 5GB cache could have stayed in the /Android/obb folder or in the system directories, or if MIUI downloaded the update but didn't install it, the firmware file (.zip) will remain in the Other until the next reboot.

Why doesn't Xiaomi show this folder? It's simple: 90% of the files in it are critical to the system, and deleting the wrong file can lead to:

• ❌ App departures (if the Google Play cache is erased)
• ❌ Data loss (e.g. game saving)
• ❌ Cyclical reset (if affected) /system)

Where is the Other physically located: paths in the file system

The Other folder is not a single directory, but a collection of hidden folders in different parts of memory, and here are the main ways in which MIUI stores these files:

Important: /data/ is only available with Root or ADB permissions. Without it, you will only see a portion of the files in /Android/obb/ and /cache/.

To understand how much space each section takes up, follow the command in ADB Shell:

df -h | grep -E 'data|cache'

This will show the size of /data and /cache.

💡

If you have a Redmi Note 10 Pro or newer, check the /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder – there may be old backups that take up to 10GB.

Method 1: How to open “Other” through a standard file manager

Without Root-rights, you won’t see all files, but some folders can be checked through the built-in “Files” (Mi File Manager):

Enable the display of hidden files | Open the folder /storage/emulated/0/Android/| Check /obb/ and /data/| Delete unnecessary files (e.g., remote game cache)

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1. Open the Files app (yellow folder icon).

2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner → “Settings” → turn on “Show hidden files”.

3. Go to Internal Memory → Android → obb. This is where the game caches are stored. If the game is deleted, the folder with its name (com.tencent.ig for PUBG) can be safely deleted.

4. Go back and go to Android → data. There may be remnants of deleted applications (folders with names like com.facebook.katana).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders with system application names (com.android, com.miui, com.google) – this will cause crashes!

5. Check the /MIUI/Backup/ folder – there may be old backups that take up gigabytes.

If you don't see the Android folder in Files, you've lost access to internal memory.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Files.
2. Slip "Permissions" → turn on "Storage".
3. Restart the app.

Method 2: Access via ADB (without Root)

If the standard manager doesn’t show you the files you want, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is Google’s official tool for managing files through your computer.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Mac/Linux
• 📱 Cable USB Type-C (original)
• 🔧 Installed drivers ADB and Fastboot

Instructions:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack it into any folder.
2. On your phone, turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developers. Turn on USB Debugging.

"File transfer"

cmd

Platform Tools

adb devices

(The name of your device should appear.)

adb shell

(You will be on the phone console.)

Now you can look at the folders:

ls /data/data/ | wc -l

(Shows the number of folders with the application data.)

du -sh /cache/

(Shows the size of the folder /cache.)

To clear the update cache (if it takes up a lot of space):

rm -rf /cache/*

⚠️ Note: Do not follow the rm command. -rf /data/data/ — It will delete all apps and settings! Only clean specific folders that you know are titled.

Method 3: Full access with Root rights (for experienced)

If you're ready to take full control of the file system, you can unlock Root on Xiaomi Redmi, which will give you access to all folders, including system folders.

⚠️ Root cons:

• 🚫 Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty).
• 🛡️ Security risk (viruses can access system files).
• 🔄 Problems with updates MIUI (You'll have to go manually).

If you do decide, follow the instructions:

1. Unblock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (you need a Mi Account and wait 7-30 days).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP).
3. Sweep through Magisk to get a Root.

After that:

1. Install a Root Explorer (such as Root Explorer or FX File Manager).
2. Go to /data/data/ and manually delete unnecessary files.
3. Clean /cache/ and /data/log/.

The most “heavy” folders in the “Other”:

• 📱 /data/data/com.android.vending/ — Google Play cache (can weigh up to a maximum of two) 1–2 GB).
• 🎮 /data/data/com.tencent.ig/ — remains PUBG Mobile.
• 📘 /data/data/com.facebook.orca/ — cache.

💡

Even with Root, do not delete folders of system applications (com.android, com.miui) - this will lead to the inoperability of the phone.

How to Clean the Other Without Harming the System

If you don’t want to take risks, here are safe ways to reduce the size of the Other folder:

• 🧹 Cleaning the app cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select an app (like Facebook or Instagram). Tap "Clear cache».

Removing old updates:

folder /cache/ and /data/ota_package/ It often contains firmware files. It's cleaned through ADB (see 2) or after manual installation of the update.

Use of built-in cleaning:

MIUI has a Cleanup tool: Settings → Memory → Cleanup. It deletes unnecessary files, but it doesn't touch critical data.

Transfer of files to SD-map:

Some applications (such as WhatsApp) allow you to transfer media files to an external drive.

If nothing helps, try resetting to factory settings (but back up first!):

1. Settings → About the phone → Resetting settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”.
3. After rebooting, the “Other” folder will shrink to 1-3 GB.

💡

Before resetting, save a list of installed apps through Google Play (the “Library” section) – so you quickly restore them after cleaning.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many Xiaomi Redmi users make the same mistakes when working with the “Other” folder.

• ❌ Delete folders in /system/: This will lead to a "brick" (the phone will not turn on).
• ❌ Clean up /data/data/com.android.providers.media/: All media files (photos, videos, music) will disappear).
• ❌ Use cleaners like Clean Master: They often delete the right files and show false optimizations».

If the memory is quickly over again after cleaning the Other, check:

• 🔍 Auto-updates apps in Google Play (they can download gigabytes in the background).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions