How to Clean the Other section on Xiaomi Poco X3: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why the Other takes up gigabytes of memory on the Poco X3 and what to do about it

If you opened the memory settings on Xiaomi Poco X3 and found that the “Other” partition** occupies 10, 20 or even 30 GB is not a system error, but a feature of MIUI. The manufacturer combines under this category application cache, temporary files, update data, remnants of deleted programs and even fragments of system logs. Unlike the explicit categories (“Photos”, “Video”, “Apps”), the content of the “Other” does not have a clear structure, which makes it difficult to clean.

The main problem is that MIUI does not provide built-in tools for deep cleaning of this partition. The standard Cleanup function in the settings removes only surface debris without affecting system files. Moreover, after updating or resetting to factory settings, the volume of "Other" can increase automatically due to duplication of temporary firmware files. Below we will discuss how to safely reduce this partition without risk to the system.

What exactly is hidden in the “Other” section on Poco X3

Before you start cleaning, it is important to understand which files are taking up space. In the Other on Poco X3, you usually store:

Especially a lot of space is occupied by cachet. Dalvik/ART (Android virtual machine and files /data/app-lib, which are not cleaned by standard means, such as after updating MIUI 12 → MIUI 13 This section may remain in place until 5–7 GB of unnecessary data.

Method 1: Clear cache of all applications (without root)

The most secure method that doesn't require superuser rights is to delete temporary application files, but it doesn't affect system data.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Sort by size”**.
3. Turn to open applications that are larger than 100 MB and click Clear cache.
4. For system applications (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Browser) use the Warehouse → Clear Data button (this will reset the app settings!).

Pay particular attention to:

• 🎵 Music players (Mi Music, Spotify) – they cache album covers.
• 📺 Video players (MX Player, VLC) — store miniatures and subtitles.
• 📱 Social networks (Facebook, Instagram) – their cache can reach 1-2 GB.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system services (Google Play Services, Mi Account) – this can lead to synchronization errors.

Method 2: Remove update residues via MIUI Hidden Settings

After installation OTA-update MIUI often leaves firmware packets in the folder /data/ota_package. They can be manually removed through hidden settings:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code ##4636###.
2. Enable the option to “Show hidden files”** (if not, skip the step).

If the /data folder does not open, use an alternative method:

• 📱 Install a file manager with root access (Root Explorer, FX File Explorer).

Method 3: Reset to factory settings (nuclear cleaning)

If the Other takes up more than 15 to 20 GB and previous methods have failed, the radical solution is hard reset, which deletes all user data, including hidden files, but requires backup.

Step-by-step:

1. After the reboot, set your phone up as new (do not restore backup via Mi Account to avoid re-filling “Other”!).

⚠️ Warning: After reset, do not restore data from backups MIUI — They often contain the same temporary files that will fill in the "Other" section again.

Method 4: Cleaning through ADB (for advanced users)

If you have experience with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can manually delete unnecessary files. This method requires connecting your phone to a PC.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on USB Debugging** on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on version, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).

You can also clean the Dalvik cache (Android Virtual Machine):

adb shell


su




cd /data/dalvik-cache




rm -rf *

💡

Before using ADB, check that the phone has enough charge (at least 50%).

Method 5: Use of third-party utilities (with caution!)

Google Play has apps that promise to clean up the Other, but most of them are either ineffective or dangerous. We've tested a few and identified three relatively safe options:

When using such applications:

• ✅ Allow access to folders only /storage/emulated/0 (memory).
• ❌ Don't give access /system or /data rootless.
• ⚠️ Before mass deletion, check file extensions (e.g.,.nomedia can be deleted,.db can’t be deleted).

💡

The other side of the app works better if you have root access, and without it, they only remove surface debris (cache, thumbnails, temporary files).

How to prevent the “Other” from being refilled

To prevent the section from filling again, follow the simple rules:

• 🔄 Regularly (every 1-2 months) clean the cache through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic update downloads in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙️) → Downloading.
• 📁 Do not use the built-in file manager MIUI To store large files, it creates duplicates in /MIUI/backup.
• 🛡️ Install antivirus (Malwarebytes) – some viruses masquerade as system files in the “Other».

It’s also helpful to disable background optimization for unnecessary apps:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook) → Background Limitation.
3. Activate the option “Background Activity Banned”**.

⚠️ Note: If the Other section is refilled in a short time (e.g., a week) after all the manipulations, this may indicate that the file system has been damaged.

FAQ: Frequent questions on cleaning up the "Other" on Poco X3