Owners of the popular Xiaomi Mi 9T often face the same problem: the device’s memory is filled, and in a standard storage analyzer, the lion’s share of the volume is occupied by the “Other” section. This mysterious storage can take up tens of gigabytes, slowly but surely turning the speed of a smartphone into torture. Android, and in particular the MIUI shell, classifies as “Other” all files that do not fall into standard categories like “Photo”, “Apps” or “Music”.
Why is this happening on the Xiaomi Mi 9T? Because it has a very good performance, it has a limited amount of internal memory in the basic versions. Active use of instant messengers, streaming services and social networks leads to the accumulation of huge amounts of temporary data. Cache, remnants of remote programs and error logs — all this forms the same bulky partition that is so difficult to clean with standard methods.
In this article, we will explore not only standard but also advanced ways to free up space, learn how to safely remove excess without fear of losing important data or disrupting the system, and understand the structure of the file system is the key to solving the problem of overflowing memory on your device.
Analysis of the contents of the “Other” folder
Before we take any action, we need to understand what is behind the intimidating label: In the Android operating system, the “Other” section is a kind of “black box” that gets files that the system could not uniquely identify. On the Xiaomi Mi 9T, the main “culprits” of inflating this section are messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp, which store media files in their own closed folders.
Also, a significant portion of the volume is from streaming services like Spotify or YouTube, which cache video content for faster downloads. System logs and error reports can also grow to unimaginable sizes if a device experiences periodic failures. It is important to understand that simply deleting files through a file manager is not always effective, as applications can recreate their temporary storage.
- 📂 Social network cache and instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber).
- 🎬 Offline data and video service cache (Netflix, YouTube, Kinopoisk).
- 📝 System logs, error reports and residues of remote applications.
For deep analysis, it is recommended to use built-in MIUI tools or third-party utilities that can visualize the folder structure, which will help you determine exactly which application is eating away at your memory before you start cleaning.
Cleaning the cache and application data
The safest and first step to freeing up space is to work with the app cache. On the Xiaomi Mi 9T, you can do this through standard settings. Go to the Settings menu → Apps → All apps. Here you will see the full list of installed software. Sort the list by space to find the main users of resources.
Choose the app that takes up the most space (often browsers or social networks). Inside the app menu, you will see two important buttons: "Clean" and "Delete." Clicking "Clean" will offer two options: clear the cache or clean all data. Clearing the cache is safe - it will delete temporary files, but save your logins and settings. However, cleaning all data will return the application to a "post-install" state, removing correspondence and authorization.
☑️ Checklist for safe application cleaning
⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful with the Clear All Data button in messengers. If you don't have a backup of chats, you may lose your entire correspondence history irretrievably.
After cleaning the heavy application cache, you may notice that the Other section has decreased slightly, which is normal, since some files may be locked by the system or in hidden directories that require deeper intervention.
Work with garbage in Telegram and WhatsApp
Messengers are the main enemies of free memory on Xiaomi Mi 9T. Telegram, for example, by default downloads all viewed photos and videos to a cache that is not deleted automatically. To fix this, open Telegram, go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the amount of cache occupied. Click on “Clear Telegram cache”.
An important feature is to install automatic cleaning. You can set a setting where the cache will be deleted if the files are not used, for example, for 3 days. This will prevent the “Other” section from being re-inflated in the future. Similar actions should be performed on WhatsApp: Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management.
Why does Telegram take up so much space?
After you do this, you'll be surprised how much space has been freed up, and it's often the messenger cache that accounts for up to 70 percent of the "Other" partition volume on Xiaomi smartphones.
- 🗑️ Regularly clean the Telegram cache through the app settings.
- ⏳ Set auto-deleting the cache (for example, once every 3 days).
- 📹 Turn off auto-save to gallery for heavy video files.
Use of a conductor and hidden folders
If standard methods didn't work, you'll have to use a file manager. On Xiaomi Mi 9T, the best way to use the standard Explorer from MIUI or the more advanced Total Commander. You'll need to go to the root folder of the internal drive and pay attention to the Android/data folder. This is where the apps store their data.
Inside the data folder, you'll find directories with application packet names (e.g. com.telegram.messenger), which you should be careful about removing the contents of these folders, you can safely delete cache folders inside application directories, and it's worth checking the folders. MIUI/debug_log, where debugging logs that take gigabytes can accumulate.
The way to check: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/Another place that's often ignored is the thumbnails folder, which is located on the DCIM/.thumbnails path (the folder can be hidden), where you store thumbnails of your photos and videos. If you delete the originals, thumbnails can stay and continue to take up space. Deleting the contents of this folder is safe, the system will create new thumbnails if necessary.
💡
Tip: To see hidden folders (starting from a dot) in a standard Explorer, click on three dots in the corner of the screen and select Settings, then turn on the hidden files display.
Advanced methods: ADB and system cleanup
For users who are not afraid of technical manipulations, there is a way to clean through a computer using tools. ADB (Android Debug Bridge, which allows you to remove system debris that is not available through the phone interface. USB Settings menu → The phone. → (7 times to press the version MIUI) → Advanced settings → For developers → Debugging by USB.
By connecting the Xiaomi Mi 9T to your computer, you can use commands to delete temporary files. However, this method requires accuracy. Mistakeful deletion of system files can lead to unstable device operation. Below is a command to clean the dalvik cache (only if you understand the risks):
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999Also, through ADB, you can forcibly stop processes that block the cleanup of files, or remove pre-installed software (bloatware), which can also contribute to the “Other” section with your data.
⚠️ Attention: Use of teams ADB without understanding their purpose, it can lead to "bricking" of the device or loss of warranty.
This method is a "heavy artillery" and is recommended only in cases where other methods have exhausted themselves and memory is critically needed.
Prevention and optimization of storage
To keep the “Other” partition problem on Xiaomi Mi 9T from returning in a week, it’s important to implement a routine prevention habit: Don’t wait until your memory is full. Take 5 minutes to check the storage once a week. Use Xiaomi’s built-in “Security” app, which has a “Clean Up” feature. Although it’s not always deep, it helps remove obvious debris.
Consider transferring media files to cloud storage like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk and enabling the Free Space feature, which removes local copies of already uploaded photos. It’s also helpful to reboot your smartphone periodically – this helps the system to correctly complete background processes and update file indexing.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Security | Recommended frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning the cache in settings | Medium | Tall. | Once a week. |
| Clearing Telegram/WhatsApp cache | Tall. | Tall. | Once a month |
| Delete Thumbnails folder | Medium | Tall. | If necessary, |
| Using ADB teams | Maximum | Low (for beginners) | In critical cases |
Compliance with these simple rules will allow your Xiaomi Mi 9T to work quickly and stably, and the “Other” section will no longer be a source of headache.
💡
Regular cleaning of messenger cache and transferring photos to the cloud are the most effective ways to deal with the “Other” section without risk to the system.