How to Clean Up Xiaomi’s “Other”: The Complete 2026 Guide

The Other section in Xiaomi’s storage is a real black hole for free space, which can take anywhere from 5 to 30 GB, but the system does not show what is stored there. Users often face a situation where memory is running out, and in the Other section there are tens of gigabytes of unknown files. In this article, we will discuss what the Other is on Xiaomi, why it grows, and how to safely clean it without losing important data.

The problem is relevant for all Redmi, POCO and Mi models based on MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS. Even after resetting to the factory settings, “Other” can return – this means that the system or applications create hidden files that are not deleted by standard methods. We tested all methods on Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5 to identify the most effective ones.

What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Memory and Why Does It Take So Much Space?

The Other section (Other in English) is a hidden system file that does not fall into the categories of Applications, Media or Documents.

• 📁 Application cache (including data from Google Play Services, MIUI social media).
• 🔄 Temporary update files (remainders of firmware, application updates).
• 🗃️ System Logs (.log,.dump) are created when crashes occur).
• 🔒 Encrypted data (e.g. from Mi Account or banking applications).
• 🧹 Disposal of Remote Applications (Remains Folders in the /data/data/).

The main reason for the growth of the Other is the MIUI architecture, which actively caches data to speed up work, but does not always delete it correctly, for example, after updating WhatsApp or Telegram, old versions of files can remain in memory for months.

• 🤖 Background processes (e.g. Google Play Services downloads data for maps even without your knowledge).
• 📱 File system errors (damaged files are marked as "unidentified»).
• 🔄 Automatic backups (created by Mi Cloud and third-party applications).

On POCO F5 with MIUI 14, we found that The Other took up 18GB of 128GB — with only 5GB of photos in the gallery and apps weighing 20GB. After analyzing through ADB, it turned out that 60% of the volume was logged and cached by Google services in the past year, a typical situation for smartphones that have not rebooted in months.

Method 1: Cleaning up cache and debris through built-in MIUI tools

To start with, the safest method is to use standard MIUI features, which do not require superuser rights and is suitable for all models, including the Redmi 10 and Xiaomi 12T.

Step 1. Open Settings → Memory. Here you will see a diagram of occupied space. Click on "Other" (or "Other").

Step 2. The system will prompt you to clear the app cache and unnecessary files. Click "Clean" (usually freed 1-3 GB).

Step 3: Go to Settings → Apps → App Management. Sort by size and manually clear the cache for the heaviest apps (e.g. Facebook, TikTok, YouTube).

Clear the cache in the "Memory" section"|Check large applications in "Application Management"|Remove unnecessary APK from "Downloading"|Restart the phone after cleaning-->

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the application data (Delete Data button) unless you want to lose your settings and account logins. The cache can be deleted without risk - it will recover the next time you run the program.

Method 2: Delete temporary files via Safe Mode

If standard cleaning didn’t work, try Safe Mode, which disables all third-party apps and you can delete files that are normally locked.

How to log in to Safe Mode:

1. Press the power button before the off menu appears.
2. Press and hold “Switch Off” (or “Reboot” on some models).
3. Confirm the transition to safe mode.

In Safe Mode:

• 🗑️ Delete the Download folder (if unnecessary files are accumulated there).
• 🔍 Check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Here are the photos that can weigh up to 1 GB.
• 📂 Remove the contents /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ Remote applications (remains "dead" folders).

💡

In Safe Mode, you can remove apps that are not normally removed (such as pre-installed games from Xiaomi). → Annexes → Delete.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders called com.android. or com.xiaomi. - this is system data. Also avoid folders. MIUI at the root of the storage, otherwise after the reboot, the theme settings may reset.

Method 3: Memory analysis via ADB (for power users)

For deep cleaning, you will need ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to delete files that are not visible through standard Explorer, suitable for Xiaomi 11T, Redmi Note 11 Pro and other models with unlocked bootloader.

Step 1. Install ADB Tools on your PC and enable USB debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – press 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers).

Step 2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command:

adb shell


du -sh /storage/emulated/0/* | sort -rh

This command will show you the largest folders in the internal memory, usually the garbage is hidden in:

• 📂 /Android/obb/ — Cache of games (can be deleted if the games are not used).
• 📂 /Android/data/ — remote-apps.
• 📂 /MIUI/ — themes and wallpapers (weighing up to) 500 MB).

Step 3: Delete unnecessary files by command:

rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/folder/file

⚠️ Attention: Error in the rm command -rf It can erase all memory. Always double-check the path. If you're not sure, use ls to view the contents before deleting.

Method 4: Use third-party apps (with caution!)

Apps like Files by Google, SD Maid or CCleaner promise to clear the Other, but often delete useful data, and we tested it on POCO X3 Pro and found that:

Recommendations for use:

• 🛡️ Before cleaning, create a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.
• 🔍 V SD Maid disable the “Clean System Files” option without root rights.
• 📊 In Files by Google, check every file before deleting it – the app often flags important data as garbage.

💡

Side cleaners rarely find more than 3-4 GB of garbage. If the Other takes up 10+ GB, use ADB or manual cleaning.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If nothing works, hard reset remains. This method deletes all data, including "Other", but requires a complete reinstallation of applications. On Xiaomi 13 Lite, after reset, "Other" decreased from 22 GB to 3 GB.

How to reset:

1. Make a backup copy (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.
4. After the reboot, restore only the necessary data (do not restore the backup completely - it will return garbage!).

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) After reset, you may need to re-assign Mi Account. If you forget the password, the phone will be locked!

How to Prevent the Spread of the Other in the Future

To prevent the Other from taking up gigabytes again, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone once a week – it cleans up temporary files.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic app updates in Google Play (manually update).
• 📱 Use the “Lite” versions of applications (for example, Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite).
• 🗑️ Clean the Downloads folder regularly – it often lands in Another».
• 🔒 Turn off backup in Mi Cloud if you are not using it.

💡

Install DiskUsage from Google Play, which visualizes occupied space and helps you find heavy folders that MIUI doesn't show.

On the POCO F4 GT, we tested this approach: after a month of use with a 5-day reboot and auto-update disabled, the Other took only 2.8 GB (versus 12 GB before optimization).

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the "Other" on Xiaomi