How to Clean Up Xiaomi’s “Other” with MIUI 12.5.3: The Complete Guide 2026

The “Other” section in the memory of Xiaomi smartphones on the basis MIUI 12.5.3 is a real black hole for free space, and users often face a situation where the system shows that tens of gigabytes are busy with unknown things, and standard cleaning methods do not help. Unlike the obvious categories (Photos, Videos, Apps), the content of The Other is not structured in a clear way, with cache of system processes, remnants of deleted applications, log files, and even hidden updates. MIUI 12.5.3 is one of the most voracious versions of the shell, where the problem is aggravated due to the peculiarities of working with the skin. f2fs-Partitions and Aggressive Caching.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to clean the Other section, from basic (available through the phone menu) to advanced (using ADB and hidden engineering menus), focusing on the unique bugs of MIUI 12.5.3, which often fail standard tips like “clear cache” and learn which files can be deleted without risk to the system, and which ones can not be touched categorically – even if they take gigabytes.

What is the Other in MIUI and why does it take up so much space?

In MIUI 12.5.3, the Other section is a landfill for all files that the system cannot categorize as standard.

• 📁 Cache of system applications (including com.miui.home, com.android.systemui, etc.) – can weigh up to 5-7 GB.
• 🔄 Log files and memory dumps (generated when crashes, updates or debugging). MIUI 12.5.3 They are often not automatically cleaned.
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications – Folders /data/app-lib/ and /data/dalvik-cache/ They are not always completely cleaned.
• 🔄 Temporary update files (especially if the update is interrupted). MIUI 12.5.3 It is known to be a bug when update files remain in /cache/ even after successful installation.
• 📱 Hidden data from Mi-account and cloud services (e.g. Mi Cloud or Xiaomi Cloud Sync).

The main problem is that MIUI 12.5.3 does not provide the user with tools to analyze this partition in detail. In newer versions (starting with MIUI 13), the option “Deep Clean” appeared, but in 12.5.3 it is not. Moreover, the system actively resists manual cleaning: for example, when you try to delete files from /data/log/ through the file manager, you will get a “No rights” error, even with root.

⚠️ Note: Do not try to clean the “Other” through apps like SD Maid or Clean Master without root rights. 90% of the time, they will show a "successful cleanup", but in fact only remove surface debris without touching the main "deposits" in the system folders.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through “Safety” (for beginners)

If you've never cleaned your phone with a system, start with this method. It's technically unskilled and data-safe.

Open the Security app (the shield icon) and go to Cleanup.

1. Click Deep Clean (if you have the option) or Clean up garbage.
2. Wait for the analysis – the system will show how much space is occupied by the “Other” (usually 1-3 GB).
3. Click Clean and confirm the action.

This method removes:

• 🧹 Cache of user and some system applications.
• 🗑️ Temporary download files and installers APK.
• 📄 Minimum Logs (not all of them!).

However, this will not solve the problem completely: standard cleaning does not affect:

• ❌ System process cache (e.g. mediaserver or surfaceflinger).
• ❌ Update files in /cache/.
• ❌ Remains of Remote Applications in /data/dalvik-cache/.

Method 2: Manual cleaning through “Storage” (hidden options)

MIUI 12.5.3 has a hidden storage management section that allows you to delete some files from the Other without root.

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Click on the other (usually gray).
3. Tap on Application Files or System Data (if any).
4. Select Clean for each subsection.

Some Xiaomi firmware (especially on the Redmi Note 10/11 and POCO X3) can be found here:

• 📂 Downloads folder – sometimes invisible files from the browser or messengers get here.
• 🔧 Android/data/ — Remnants of data from remote games (for example, the cache of Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile can weigh several gigabytes).
• 📱 MIUI/ — Here are stored themes, wallpaper and temporary shell files.

If the Other item is not in the storage, try an alternative path:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. 7 times tap the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Activate Debugging over USB and connect your phone to your PC.
5. Enter in the command line: adb shell pm trim-caches -d 1000 This will forcefully clear the cache of all applications, including system ones.

Method 3: Remove the cache of system applications via ADB (advanced layer)

If the first two methods didn’t work, it’s time for deep cleaning through ADB. This method requires a PC and minimal command line knowledge, but allows you to remove up to 5-10 GB of garbage that standard means do not touch.

Connect your phone to your computer, activate USB Debugging (as in the previous method), and execute the following commands:

adb shell


su



Clearing the cache of all user applications



pm trim-caches 1000



Cleaning the cache of system applications (requires root)



rm -rf /data//cache/




rm -rf /cache/*



Delete temporary update files



rm -rf /data/ota_package/*




rm -rf /cache/ota/



Cleaning Logs (Secure for the System)



rm -rf /data/log/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




rm -rf /data/anr/*

After you execute the commands, restart the phone. The system can boot longer than usual, which is normal, since it recovers the necessary files.

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf If you don't have superuser rights, just use pm trim-caches. MIUI 12.5.3 This can lead to bootloader locking (especially on models with Anti-Rollback!).

If the space is not free after cleaning, check the following folders (via ADB Shell or Root Explorer):

💡

If after cleaning through ADB the phone began to brake, follow the command adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job - this will optimize the Dalvik cache and speed up the system.

Method 4: Resetting cache via Recovery (without data loss)

If MIUI 12.5.3 becomes unstable after cleaning or the space is still occupied by Others, try resetting the cache through Restore Mode.This method does not delete user data, but clears the system cache, which can take up to 1-3 GB.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese).
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Restart the phone (Reboot).

This method is particularly effective if:

• 🔄 You recently updated your firmware and the update files are still in memory.
• 📱 The phone began to brake or overheat (clogged cache can cause an increased load on the processor).
• 🗑️ In the “Other” section, files of the size appeared 500 MB–1 GB with names like cache.img or system_cache.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option (Factory Reset) will delete all your data, including photos and apps. MIUI 12.5.3. these points are adjacent and accidental pressing may result in loss of information.

Method 5: Delete hidden update files (for power users)

MIUI 12.5.3 is known for a bug where update files (update.zip) remain in memory even after successful installation.These files can take up from 1 to 3 GB and do not appear in the standard file manager.

To find and remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate File Transfer (MTP).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden Items).
3. Go to folders: Internal memory →.OTA Internal memory. → MIUI → Download Internal Memory → downloaded_rom

.zip

miui_*_global_*

If you have root access, do this in ADB Shell:

su


rm -rf /data/ota_package/*




rm -rf /cache/ota/*




rm -rf /sdcard/.OTA/*




rm -rf /sdcard/downloaded_rom/*

Once deleted, restart your phone. If the updates were partially downloaded (e.g., the process was interrupted), these files could fragment, taking up even more space, in which case only a complete firmware reflash would help.

💡

Update files in folders.OTA and downloaded_rom They can be removed without risk to the system, they are only needed during the installation of firmware and are not used in everyday work.

What if nothing works? Extreme measures

If after all the manipulations, the Other section still takes up gigabytes, two extreme measures remain:

1. Factory Reset: This will delete all data, but it is guaranteed to clear the Other before reset: 📱 Make a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup. 🔐 Record or take photos of your account details (logins/passwords). 📁 Save photos and videos to your PC or cloud. Go to Settings to reset → The phone. → Resetting settings.
2. Fastboot flashing. If the reset didn't help, there may be a problem with the firmware itself (e.g., corrupted system files). In this case: Download the official firmware for your model from Xiaomi Firmware. Use the Mi Flash Tool to install via Fastboot. Select the Clean All option.

Both methods take time, but are guaranteed to solve the problem with the "Other" and after flashing it is recommended:

• 🚫 Do not install applications from unknown sources.
• 🔄 Regularly clean the cache through Settings → Warehouse.
• 📱 Disable automatic firmware updates (if it has caused problems before).

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the “Other” in MIUI 12.5.3