Cleaning “Other files” on Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: 7 working ways

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is one of the most popular budget smartphones of 2018, but even its 64 GB of memory is eventually clogged with the mysterious category “Other files” – this data takes up gigabytes, but the system does not show what exactly belongs to them. In this article, we will analyze what “Other files” on Redmi 5 Plus, why they accumulate and how to safely delete them without risking the phone.

The problem is relevant for all versions MIUI (including the latest available for this model — MIUI 12.5), But the solutions vary depending on the firmware version, and we tested all the methods on a real device and we eliminated the ones that either didn't work or could hurt. 5 Plus you can not delete files from the folder. /data/app-lib manually, this will lead to the collapse of applications.

What are the “Other Files” on Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus?

In MIUI memory analysis, the Others category includes anything that the system cannot classify as standard: photos, videos, audio, or documents.

• 🗑️ Application cache and system cache are temporary files that were not deleted after updates or closing programs.
• 📁 Residual data of remote applications – folders with settings and logs that remain after uninstallation.
• 🔄 Update files MIUI — downloaded but not installed firmware packages (weighing up to 2 GB!).
• 📊 Logs and dumps of the system – error reports that Android creates for diagnosis.
• 🎮 Game data – saves, texture packs and cache (for example, from PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact).

On the Redmi. 5 Plus, a lot of garbage is accumulating due to the features of the Snapdragon processor architecture. 625: The system actively uses the cache to speed up work, but does not always clean it. MIUI 10 → MIUI 11 file /data/dalvik-cache Maybe stay until 1,5 GB of unnecessary files.

⚠️ Warning: If the Others section is more than 10GB, it's not normal, possible causes: virus software, file system failure, or incorrect update MIUI. In this case, first check the phone for viruses (for example, through Malwarebytes).

Method 1: Cleaning through the built-in MIUI storage

The safest method is to use the standard MIUI tool, which only removes files that are safe for the system:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Slip to the "Other Files" section (may be called "Other").
3. Click on “Clean” or “Delete unnecessary files”.
4. Confirm the action by selecting “OK”.

The system scans the device and shows how much can be released. On Redmi 5 Plus, this method usually finds 1-3 GB of garbage. However, it does not remove the cache of applications - it takes a separate step (see Method 3).

Temporary update files

System Logs (not critical)

Empty folders of remote applications

Cash the loader.

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If the Clean button is inactive, the system has not found any debris, in which case move on to the following methods.

Method 2: Removing the application cache manually

The app cache is the main culprit in filling up memory. On Redmi 5 Plus, it's particularly voracious:

• 📱 Facebook and Instagram – up to 500MB of cash per month.
• 🎵 Spotify or Yandex Music – up to 1 GB for offline listening.
• 🗺️ Google Maps – Cache of cards can weigh up to 2 GB.
• 🎮 Games (like Call of Duty Mobile) – up to 3GB per texture.

To clear the cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Chrome).
3. Slip "Storage" → "Clear the cache."
4. For complete cleaning, click "Delete data» (⚠️ This will reset the application settings!).

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui or com.miui.home). MIUI, Up to the “perpetual” loading of the phone.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when memory ends

Never cleaned.

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Method 3: Delete Residual Files of Remote Applications

When you delete an app through Settings or Play Market, MIUI doesn’t always remove all of its files.

• 📂 Folders in /sdcard/Android/data/[name packet] (weigh to 1 GB).
• 🗃️ Settings files in /data/data/[Package name (available only from root).
• 🔧 Cash Dalvik (in) /data/dalvik-cache).

To remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and turn on the File Transfer mode.
2. Open the internal memory folder → Android → data.
3. Delete folders with names of remote applications (for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).

If the data folder is not displayed, it's hidden.

• 🖥️ On Windows: Enable Hidden Elements in Explorer (View tab»).
• 📱 On your phone: use the Mi File Explorer file manager with the “Show Hidden Files” option enabled (in the menu «⋮»).

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Before deleting folders, check their contents! Sometimes it stores important data, such as game saves or downloaded files from instant messengers.

Method 4: Cleaning through Safe Mode

If the phone is slowing down because of Other Files, but you can’t determine which app is to blame, run the device in Safe Mode.

1. Press the power button until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Press and hold the "Switch off" (or "Switch off power") item.
3. Confirm the transition to Safe Mode (the screen will appear watermark).

In safe mode:

• Check how much the “Other Files” take in Settings → Memory.
• If the volume has decreased, it's the third-party app's fault, and delete the programs one by one until you find the culprit.
• If the volume has not changed, the problem is in the system files (see Method 6).

To exit Safe Mode, simply restart your phone.

Method 5: Using Third-Party Applications

If the built-in MIUI tools don't help, try the dedicated utilities. We tested 5 apps and selected the most effective ones for the Redmi 5 Plus:

For SD Maid, we recommend you to include options:

• 🧹 «CorpseFinder (search for remnants of remote applications).
• 🗑️ «SystemCleaner (cleaning the system cache).
• 🔍 «AppControl (autoboot management).

⚠️ Warning: Do not use Deep Clean or Boost features in these applications, they often delete important files, which can lead to crashes. MIUI (For example, the disappearance of the themes of design).

Method 6: Manually Delete MIUI Update Files

The system saves update packs in the folder /cache and /data/ota_package. On the Redmi. 5 Plus, they can borrow up to 2,5 GB to remove them:

1. Open a file manager with root access (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /cache and delete all files with the.zip extension.
3. Move to the /data/ota_package and remove all contents.

If root access is not available, use ADB:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /cache/*.zip




rm -rf /data/ota_package/*




exit




exit

Then restart your phone. If you don't need updates anymore, turn off their autoboot:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Tap on «⋮» → «Update settings».
3. Turn off Automatic Booting.

Method 7: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If the Other Files take up more than 15GB and none of the methods worked, then Hard Reset will delete all the data, including:

• 📸 Photos and videos (if not saved on the SD-map).
• 📞 Contacts (if not synced with Google).
• 🎮 Save games and customize applications.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.
4. Enter your password (if installed) and confirm.

Once reset, the phone will reboot and be like new, and this method is guaranteed to delete all Other Files, but only if:

• 🔧 The phone's slowing down a lot.
• 📉 Free memory less than 1 GB.
• 🛑 Other methods have failed to produce results.

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Resetting to factory settings is the only way to remove system debris that has been accumulating for years (such as remnants of older versions of MIUI or corrupted database files).

FAQ: Frequent Questions About “Other Files” on Redmi 5 Plus