How to completely clean “Other files” on Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: 7 working ways

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is one of the brand’s most popular smartphones, but even its owners are facing the problem of mysterious “Other Files” that take up gigabytes of memory. This data does not apply to photos, videos or apps, but can weigh more than all of them together. Unlike the new models with MIUI 14+, on the Redmi Note 5 (released in 2018), cleaning requires a special approach due to the specifics of the old version of the firmware and the limited tools of the system.

In this article, we’ll look at what’s hidden under the Other Files category on your device, why standard methods (like clearing your cache through settings) often don’t work, and how to safely delete unnecessary data without risking damage to the system. We’ll focus on hidden MIUI folders, update cache, and temporary application files that aren’t visible in the standard file manager. All methods are tested on the Redmi Note 5 with MIUI 10–12 (Android 8–9) and don’t require root rights.

What are Xiaomi’s “Other Files” and Why Do They Take So Much Space?

In Xiaomi’s storage menu, the “Other Files” category is the system’s “junk box” that contains data that could not be classified as standard sections (photos, videos, audio, documents).

• 📁 Cash updates. MIUI — temporary firmware files that are downloaded automatically but not deleted after installation.
• 🗑️ Residual application data – fragments of remote programs that have not been completely cleaned.
• 🔄 System Logs and Dumps – Debugging Files Created MIUI Failures (such as anr or tombstone).
• 📱 Hidden folders MIUI — service directories /MIUI/backup or /data/local/tmp.
• 🎮 Game cache – temporary files of heavy games (e.g, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact that are not always cleaned correctly.

On the Redmi Note. 5 The problem is compounded by the fact that MIUI older versions (up to) 12-i) does not optimize automatic garbage cleaning, for example, after updating the firmware through OTA packet (update.zip) It can be remembered for years, taking up to 1–2 The same goes for Google Play Services cache and Mi Account, which accumulates over time.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Other Files" with the System section in the storage menu! Deletion of system files without root rights is impossible and dangerous. We're only talking about safe data to clean.

To understand the scale of the problem, check the memory distribution:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Storage.
2. Click on the chart and select “Other Files”.
3. If the volume exceeds 3-5 GB, it is time to act.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of applications and system services

Let's start with the simplest and safest method, manual cache cleaning, and on the Redmi Note 5, this is especially true for system applications that don't clear automatically.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select apps with large cache (usually Google Play Services, Mi Account, Browser, Gallery).
4. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».

To speed up the process, use batch cleaning:

• 🔧 In the same app menu, click on three dots. → «Clear cache for all applications».
• ⚠️ Don't click "Clear Data"! This will delete settings and accounts.

Google Play Services|Mi Account|Browser|Gallery|Download Manager|Themes|Mi Video-->

Once cleaned, restart your phone, which will help the system recalculate the space you've taken, and if the volume of Other Files has decreased slightly, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Delete temporary MIUI update files

One of the main reasons why Redmi Note 5 inflates Other Files is undeleted service packs. MIUI downloads them in the background, but often forgets to delete them once installed. These files can weigh between 500MB and 1.5GB and lie in hidden folders.

How to find and remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (in file transfer mode).
2. Open your internal memory and go to the folder. /Downloaded_rom (or /cache).
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension (e.g, miui_HMNote5Global_V10.2.3.0.OEGMIFH_...).
4. Also check the /MIUI/backup folder – old backups may be there.

If you don’t have access to your PC, use a root file manager (such as FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer) to enable the display of hidden files and folders in the manager settings.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system or /vendor! This could lead to failure. MIUI. Only work with folders. /Downloaded_rom, /cache and /MIUI/backup.

Method 3: Cleaning the system’s logs and dumps

MIUI actively logs the system, especially if the phone has ever crashed, stored in hidden folders and can take up hundreds of megabytes, and can be safely deleted without root rights on the Redmi Note 5.

Where to look:

To access these folders:

1. Use a root-access file manager (like Root Explorer) or connect your phone to your PC.
2. Turn on the display of hidden files.
3. Delete all the contents of the listed folders except files with the extension.prop or.conf.

If you don’t have root rights, try clearing logs through ADB (without unlocking the bootloader):

adb shell pm trim-caches 256


adb shell rm -rf /data/anr/*




adb shell rm -rf /data/tombstones/*

💡

If the phone started to work faster after deleting the logs, then the problem was fragmented memory. It is also recommended to perform storage optimization through Settings → Storage → Optimize

Method 4: Removing Residual Data from Remote Applications

When you delete an app on Redmi Note 5, MIUI doesn’t always clean up all the files associated with it.

• 📂 Folders in /sdcard/Android/data/[packet].
• 🗃️ Cash and settings in /data/data/[name packet] (requires root).
• 📁 Temporary files in /sdcard/.thumbdata (picture-size).

How to clean:

1. Open the file manager and go to /sdcard/Android/data.
2. Delete the folders of apps you have deleted long ago (e.g. com.tencent.ig for PUBG Mobile).
3. Check the folder. /sdcard/.thumbdata — There could be gigabytes of thumbnails here. thumbdata3-- and thumbdata4--.

For deep cleaning, use SD Maid (requires root for full functionality) to find “orphaned” files that are not tied to any installed application.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete folders of current applications (such as WhatsApp or Telegram)! This will lead to data loss.

Method 5: Cleaning up Google Play cache and Google services

Google Play Services and the Google Play Store are the main memory eaters on the Redmi Note 5. Their cache can grow to 1-2 GB, but standard cleaning through settings often does not help.

What to do:

1. Open Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find Google Play Services and Google Play Store.
3. Click on “Storage” → “Space Management” → “Clean all data”.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

If the volume of Other Files has not decreased after cleaning, try resetting your Google account settings:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and uncheck all services (Contacts, Calendar, etc.).
3. Delete your account and add it again.

This will force the cache of Google services to be updated and remove unnecessary temporary files.

💡

Cleaning the Google Play Services cache can temporarily slow down your phone (up to 1-2 days) until the services are back synced.

Method 6: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If all previous methods failed, and Other Files still takes up more than 5GB, the last option is a hard reset, which will remove all data from the phone, including system debris, but return the device to a “clean” state.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Delete all data” and confirm the action.
4. After reset, do not restore data from the MIUI backup, which may contain the same garbage.

If the problem comes back after a while, it means that the debris is accumulated due to a particular application or system error.

• 🔍 Check which app inflates memory (via Settings) → Warehouse → Annexes).
• 📉 Reverse to an older version MIUI (If the problem started after the update).
• 🛠️ Contact Xiaomi Service Center – You may need to reflash.

⚠️ Warning: Redmi Note 5 can take up to 10-15 minutes to reset. Don't interrupt the process, even if the screen doesn't respond for a long time. MIUI.

Method 7: Use of third-party utilities (for advanced users)

If you're not afraid of experimentation, you can use specialized tools for deep cleaning. Redmi Note 5 has a good track record:

• 🛡️ SD Maid finds and deletes orphaned files, duplicates, residual cache. Requires root for full functionality.
• 🗑️ Files by Google is a free Google app that offers to clear “unnecessary files” (including hidden files).
• 🔧 CCleaner clears cache, history and temporary files. Redmi Note 5 runs rootless but with limitations.

Instructions for SD Maid (with root):

1. Install the application and provide root access.
2. Run the scan in the "CorpseFinder" section (search for residual files).
3. Remove anything that is labeled orphaned.
4. Go to AppCleaner and clear the cache of all applications.

For Files by Google:

1. Open the app and click “Clear”.
2. Select the category “Other Files” and delete the suggested items.
3. Check out the “Dublicates” section – there may be repetitive photos or documents.

Warning: Do not use "optimizers" like Clean Master or DU Speed Booster. They often show false problems and can delete important data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about “Other Files” on Xiaomi Redmi Note 5