Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi 5 budget smartphone often face a sudden shortage of free space in the device’s memory, which is made worse by the fact that a large part of the storage begins to occupy a mysterious partition, which the system designates as “Other”, which can grow to tens of gigabytes, occupying up to 50% or more of the available volume, which leads to slowdown of the gadget, inability to install updates and problems with launching applications.
The nature of these files lies in the way MIUI and Android work, where temporary data, remnants of deleted programs, messenger cache, error logs and fragments of interrupted downloads accumulate. Standard cleaning methods often fail to deal with this “digital garbage” because the system considers this data important for its work. However, overflows cannot be ignored, since this critically affects the stability of flash memory.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the known ways to safely clean the “Other” partition on Redmi 5. We will look at both standard cleaning tools and more advanced methods that require a connection to a computer. You will learn to identify hidden files, clean the cache of specific applications and use special utilities for deep storage diagnostics.
Memory Occupancy Analysis and System Diagnostics
Before embarking on radical data removal measures, a thorough diagnosis of the current state of memory is needed. Understanding what exactly occupies space is key to successful cleanup. MIUI's built-in tools provide basic information, but detailed analysis often requires third-party software.
The standard storage analyzer in your smartphone settings shows the big picture, but rarely details the contents of the “Other” section. To get more accurate data, it is recommended to use specialized applications that visualize the file system, which allows you to see which folders have grown to giant sizes.
- 📊 Use the built-in Security app to initially estimate the amount of occupied space.
- 🔍 Install a disk analyzer, such as DiskUsage or Files by Google, to visualize folder structure.
- 📂 Pay attention to folders with messenger names (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), as they often hide media files in system directories.
- 📉 Write down the current volume of the Other section before any manipulations begin to evaluate the effectiveness of the cleaning.
Special attention should be paid to the applications you use daily. Social networks and instant messengers have the ability to cach the images and videos you see without automatically deleting them. These data can weigh several gigabytes, but in system statistics they are often displayed as part of the “Other” section, rather than as data from a particular application.
Use of built-in MIUI cleaning tools
The first step in the fight for space should be the use of native optimization tools built into the MIUI shell. Xiaomi developers have provided several levels of cleaning that are safe for stable operation of the system, these methods do not require root rights and do not carry the risk of damaging system files.
The main tool is in the Security app, which has an algorithm that scans the device for temporary files, residual data after deleting applications and advertising cache, and using this feature regularly helps keep the system clean, although not always effective against deep-seated files in the Other section.
To clean it up, you need to go to the storage settings, where you can manually analyze the memory of each application. Often it turns out that an application you rarely use has accumulated gigabytes of cache. Clearing the cache (not data!) of such programs can instantly release a significant amount of volume.
☑️ The algorithm of regular cleaning
It is important to distinguish between Clear Cache and Clear All Data. The first operation is secure and only deletes temporary files, the second one resets the application to the state immediately after installation, removing your logins, settings and correspondence. Be careful when choosing the action in the application management menu so that you do not lose important information.
⚠️ Note: When cleaning your data through the standard menu, never select the “Erase All Data” option for system applications such as Gallery, Contacts, or Phone unless you are ready for complete loss of information and resetting your settings.
Manual cleaning of messenger cache and social networks
The most common reason for the “Other” section to grow on Redmi 5 is messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber by default store all received media files in the memory of the device. Over time, these files can be deleted from the chat, but their copies will remain in the app’s cache, taking up space and appearing as system debris.
To clean up effectively, you need to go into the settings of each messenger separately. Telegram, for example, has a built-in cache management feature that allows you not only to clean it, but also to set up automatic deletion of temporary files after a certain time, a critical setting for owners of devices with a small amount of internal memory.
WhatsApp is more complicated because it creates multiple database and media backups in hidden file system folders. Often users don't know that Databases can backup copies in the last 7 days, each of which can weigh hundreds of megabytes. Deleting old copies through the file manager is a great result.
| Annex | Cache location (pathway) | Recommended action | Security of removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telegram | Settings → Data and memory → Memory use | Clear cache, install auto-removal | Safe, the media will load again. |
| Android/media/com.whatsapp folder or internal memory/WhatsApp | Delete Database (old) and Media folders | Safe for old backups. | |
| Viber | Settings → Memory → Clean the cache | Use built-in cleaning | Safe. |
| Phone settings → Apps → Instagram → Memory | Clear the cache through Android settings | Safe, you'll need entry. |
After manually cleaning the messengers, it is recommended to restart the device, which will allow the Android system to recalculate the file index and correctly display the space that has been released. If the volume of the "Other" partition has decreased slightly, then the problem lies deeper, in the system cache or update remnants.
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Tip: In Telegram settings, enable Autodelete Media and set a timer for 3 days or 1 week, which will prevent the accumulation of gigabytes of garbage in the future.
Working with file manager and hidden folders
Xiaomi’s default Explorer hides system folders and files that start with a dot. To gain full access to the file system and find sources of debris, you need to activate the display of hidden files, which will allow you to see the real size of directories that are usually hidden from the user’s eyes.
To enable this feature, open the file manager, click on the menu (three bars or dots) and select Settings. In the list that opens, find the Show Hidden Files switch and activate it. Now you can see folders like.android,.cache or.thumbnails, which are often the culprits of memory overflows.
Special attention should be paid to the.thumbnails folder, which stores thumbnails of all the photos and videos ever viewed on the device. On Redmi 5, with its screen, this folder can grow to incredible sizes. It can be safely cleaned, but it is better to do this through a special miniature cleaning menu in the gallery or third-party utilities so that the system does not create them again instantly.
⚠️ Warning: When working in hidden file mode, be extremely careful. Deleting.xml or.db files from system folders can cause resets or interface malfunctions.
It’s also worth checking the Download and Bluetooth folder, and users often forget about downloaded APK installation files, documents, or old videos received via Bluetooth. These files are not in any category and are automatically enrolled by the system in the Other section.
Deep cleaning through PC and ADB connection
If the software methods inside the smartphone have failed, you need to switch to “heavy artillery.” Connecting Redmi 5 to your computer allows you to see the file system in more detail and use powerful analysis tools, and it is the only way to safely delete some system logs that are locked when working from the phone.
First, connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-In the notification on the phone screen, select the file transfer mode (MTP). On your computer, open My Computer, find your device, and go to internal memory, and you can manually delete the contents of Temp, Cache folders in application directories, if you are sure of their purpose.
A more advanced method is ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging, which allows you to delete files that are not accessible even with superuser rights through normal conductors, by enabling Developer Mode and USB Debugging in your phone settings.
adb shell pm clear com.android.browser
adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/Android/data/com.example.app/cache/*Using ADB commands requires caution. One wrong command can delete the system file needed to download. However, if you know exactly the path to a particular application's cache that is not being cleaned properly, this method is the most effective. It is recommended to make a full backup of important data before executing any commands.
How to enable debugging on USB?
Radical methods: Resetting and flashing
When the volume of the Other partition reaches critical values (for example, 20-25 GB on a 16-gigabyte model) and no cleaning methods help, the last option is a complete reset to factory settings, which is guaranteed to remove all debris, file system errors and accumulated over the years digital junk.
Before you reset, make sure to back up all your important data to a cloud service or computer. The reset process permanently deletes all user data, including contacts, photos, messages and installed apps. Once reset, the phone will look like you just bought it from a store.
In some cases, especially after unsuccessful updates, even a full reset does not help reduce the “Other” partition.This may indicate logical errors of the file system or problems with the drive itself.
- 🔄 Make a full data backup before resetting.
- 🔋 Charge the device to at least 60% before the procedure begins.
- ⏳ The reset process can take 10 to 30 minutes, don’t interrupt it.
- 🚫 Don't take it out. SIM-card and memory card (if any) during reset.
If flashing doesn’t solve the problem, and the Other continues to take up the lion’s share of memory immediately after installation, the probability of physical degradation of flash memory is high, in which case the software methods are powerless, and the memory module in the service center needs to be replaced.
⚠️ Note: If the Other section grows rapidly again after a complete reset and application minimum is installed, this may be a sign of a memory controller malfunction.
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Hard Reset is the most effective tool to combat the sprawling Other section, eliminating 99% of the software errors of garbage accumulation.
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To prevent the problem with the “Other” partition on Xiaomi Redmi 5 from recurring, you need to develop a habit of regular maintenance of the device. Do not allow the memory to be filled “on the back”, always leave at least 10-15% free space for the correct operation of the system and recording processes.
Set up automatic cache cleaning in the Security app. In MIUI, you can set a schedule where your phone will clean up your trash at night while you sleep, and you can also limit the background activity of rarely used apps by preventing them from storing data in the background.
Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud let you store media files online, freeing up local memory. Set up a Free Space feature that automatically removes photos from your device that have already been uploaded to the cloud.