The Other section of Xiaomi's storage is a real black hole for free space. You delete photos, you clean the app cache, and the memory is still full. What's the point? The fact is that MIUI (even in the latest versions of MIUI 14/15) classifies dozens of file types as Other, from update logs to temporary Google Play Services data. And if on an iPhone this category is usually 1-2 GB, on Redmi or POCO it can grow to 10-15 GB — especially after a year of use.
We tested 5 working ways to clean this partition on Xiaomi devices (from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra) and found out which methods give the maximum effect without risking damage to the system. Importantly, not all files in Other can be deleted — some are critical for Android. But even with standard tools, it is possible to actually free 3-7 GB of memory. Next, step-by-step instructions explaining which data is safe to clean and which is better to leave.
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What is the “Other” section of Xiaomi and why is it growing?
In MIUI, the Other category is a collection of files that the system cannot categorize as standard (photo, video, audio, or applications).
- 📁 Cache of system applications (Google Play Services, MIUI System, Security)
- 📄 Logs and dumps (error reports, module logs)
- 🔄 Temporary files from updates (OTA-bags, firmware residues)
- 🎮 Game data (saves, downloadable resources type) OBB)
- 🔧 Configuration files (settings) MIUI, database)
The main problem — MIUI It doesn't show the detail of this partition in a standard file manager. 12 Pro+ s 256 GB of memory "Other" can take up 12 GB, but the user will only see the total number without being able to understand what's eating up the space. ext4/f2fs, Xiaomi uses to optimize performance.
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The growth rate of the Other is affected by:
- 📱 Version. MIUI: into MIUI 12-13 The bug with the incorrect counting of memory was especially noticeable.
- 🔄 Frequency of updates: each OTA-The package leaves a trail in the form of backup copies.
- 🎮 Games: titles like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile download gigabytes of data in the "Other».
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Method 1: Cleaning the cache of system applications
The safest and most efficient method is to manually clean the cache of embedded services, which in tests gave between 1.5 and 4 GB of free space on devices with MIUI 14. Importantly, don't confuse it with the usual application cache (cleaned in Settings → Applications).
Instructions:
- Open the Settings → Memory.
- Slip on the memory usage schedule, then select “Other”.
- Click on “Clear” (if the button is active) or “Manage”.
- In the list, find applications with a large cache volume: 🔍 Google Play Services (often 500MB-1.5GB) 🛡️ Security (antivirus) MIUI, cache) 📱 MIUI System (Temporary Interface Files)
"Clear the cache."
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☑️ Checklist before cleaning the cache
Warning: Do not clear your data for Google Play Services or MIUI System, which will result in resetting your Google account settings and sync errors.
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Method 2: Remove old updates and OTA-packet
Xiaomi keeps it OTA-Firmware files even after they have been installed. On devices that have been updated over the air several times, these files can take up to a few times. 3-5 GB: They can be safely removed – they are only needed while the update is installed.
How to find and delete:
- Open Explorer (standard or Mi File Manager)
- Go to /sdcard/MIUI/ota or (on new MIUI versions): /sdcard/Download/rom
- Delete all files with the.zip extension (example: miui_BLOCKOTA_V14.0.5.0.TKLCNXM_...).
- Also check the folder: /sdcard/Download/.thumbnails – it stores thumbnails of images that can weigh up to 1GB.
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What happens if you remove the current one? OTA-packet?
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Method 3: Cleaning Logs and Dumps Through ADB
For advanced users, logs and dumps (files with the.log extension,.dmp) can take up to 2 GB. They can not be deleted by standard means, but can be done through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a PC and enabled debugging over USB.
Step-by-step:
- Turn on Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times).
- Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
- Connect your phone to your PC, open Command Prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and type in: adb shell su rm -rf /data/log/* rm -rf /data/tombstones/* rm -rf /data/anr/* exit exit exit exit
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💡
If the su command doesn't work, you don't have root rights, and in this case, use an alternative method: type in adb shell pm clear com.miui.analytics, which will clear up MIUI analytics, which is also related to "Other."
Attention. ⚠️:
Deleting files from /data/log/ without root permissions can cause errors in the work of Google services (for example, apps in the Play Market will stop updating).
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Method 4: Manual cleaning of folders with garbage
Some folders in MIUI accumulate garbage that the system doesn't clean automatically, and can be safely viewed and manually removed.
| folder | What it keeps. | Max. Volume. | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| /sdcard/Android/data/ | Cache and application data (including remote) | 5GB | Yes (remote application folders only) |
| /sdcard/MIUI/screenrecorder/ | Temporary screen recording files | up to 1GB | Yes. |
| /sdcard/MIUI/bugreport/ | Error Reports to Send to Xiaomi | up to 500MB | Yes. |
| /sdcard/Download/unzip/ | Unpacked archives | 2GB | Yes. |
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Method 5: Reset the partition cache (Wipe Cache Partition)
If previous methods didn't help, try resetting the partition cache via Recovery Mode.This won't delete your data, but will clear the system cache, which can take up to 1-2GB in the "Other" section.The method works on all Xiaomi models, including the POCO F5 and Redmi K60.
Instructions:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the MI logo appears.
- In the Recovery menu, select the language (if required).
- Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
- Reboot your phone (Reboot → System)
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💡
Resetting the cache of the partition does not delete personal data (photos, contacts, messages), but can reset some application settings (for example, the cache of maps in Google Maps).
Attention. ⚠️:
Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option (Factory Reset) will completely reset the phone to the factory settings. If you accidentally chose Wipe Data, all data will be lost without the possibility of recovery.
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Additional advice on prevention
To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow these recommendations:
- 🔄 Turn off automatic update download: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Downloading (select “Off.»).
- 📱 Limit the background activity of applications: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Auto-start (disable unnecessary ones).
- 🎮 Transfer game data to a memory card: Use SD-class A2 storage OBB-files (in Android 11)+ This is done through settings. → Warehouse → Data portability).
- 📊 Regularly check memory: Install Files by Google app – it shows the detailing of “Other” better than the standard explorer.
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