How to Clean the Other section on Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC is a popular smartphone with excellent value for money, but over time, many users face a problem: the “Other” partition in the storage takes up tens of gigabytes, although there are no obvious files there. It’s not just an inconvenience — when you fill up the memory by 90% + the device starts to slow down, applications fly out, and the system issues warnings about the lack of space. In this article, we will analyze what exactly hides under the “Other”, why it grows and how to clean it safely without losing important data.

The reason for the problem lies in the peculiarities of MIUI (Xiaomi firmware): the system automatically creates backups, update cache, log files and temporary data that are not always deleted correctly. On the Poco X3 NFC with its 64/128 GB of memory, this is especially noticeable - users often complain that only 20-30 GB of 128 GB is available, although photos and applications are installed few, we tested all the current cleaning methods and selected those that actually work on this model.

What is the “Other” section and why does it take up so much space?

Under Settings → Memory on the Poco X3 NFC, you'll see a storage schedule where, in addition to apps, media files and documents, there's a mysterious "Other" section.

• 📁 System and application cache – temporary files that should be deleted automatically but often remain.
• 🔄 Remnants of Remote Applications – Incompletely Erased Data After Uninstallation.
• 📄 Log files and dumps – error reports that Android creates (especially after crashes).
• 🔗 Symbolic links – virtual shortcuts to files that the system considers as occupied space.
• 🔒 Encrypted data - files MIUI, Access to which is restricted (e.g., Mi Cloud backups).

On the Poco X3 NFC, the problem is compounded by the fact that the smartphone is equipped with a UFS 2.1 drive, which eventually fragments. The system creates up to 10-15 GB of “invisible” files to optimize work, but does not always clean them. For example, after updating MIUI, old versions of the firmware can remain in memory as recoil packets (weighing up to 2-3 GB each).

⚠️ Note: If the Other partition takes up more than 20 GB, this may indicate a file system failure. In this case, a simple cleanup will not help - you will need a complete reset or flashing through the Fastboot.

Method 1: Clear cache and temporary files through settings

The safest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which do not require root rights and is suitable for beginners.

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Slip on “Clean” in the “Junk” section (the system will scan the device).
3. Select Categories to Remove: 🗑️ Application cache (can be removed without risk). 📥 Downloads (check if there are any important files). 📊 Unnecessary APK (installer-leave).

"Clean it up."

This method frees up 1-3 GB, but doesn't affect deep system files. For more serious cleaning, move on to the next method.

Application cache|Unnecessary APK-file|Log files (if there are no errors)|Empty folders-->

Method 2: Removing the cache of all applications manually

Some apps (like Facebook, Telegram, or Google Play Services) accumulate gigabytes of cache that are not cleaned by standard means.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (slip on "Size").
3. Select an app with a large cache (like YouTube or Chrome).
4. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».

Pay special attention to system applications:

• 📱 com.miui.gallery – can store thumbnails weighing up to 500 MB.
• 🔍 com.android.providers.media – media storage (up to 1 GB).
• 📧 com.google.android.gms (Google Services) – up to 2GB of cache.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear data (“Clean all data”) from system applications – this can lead to malfunctions MIUI (For example, the synchronization of the Xiaomi account will disappear).

💡

If after cleaning the cache, the application began to work slower, restart the smartphone - the system will restore critical temporary files.

Method 3: Using Files by Google for Deep Cleaning

Files by Google (formerly Files Go) is more effective than the built-in MIUI tools at finding hidden junk. Download it from the Play Market and follow these steps:

1. Open the app and go to the “Cleanup” tab.
2. Slip "Free space" and wait for the scan.
3. In the section "Unnecessary files" mark: 🗃️ Duplicate files (especially relevant for photos). 📁 Large files (videos, archives that have not been opened in a long time). 🔍 Temporary application files.

"Delete"

Files by Google also shows "Unused Apps," which you haven't used in more than 30 days, and can be removed to save space, and the main advantage of this method is visualization, where you can see which files are taking up space and make an informed decision about deleting them.

Once a week.|Once a month|Only when the place ends.|Never clean.-->

Method 4: Cleaning through Recovery Mode (for power users)

If previous methods have failed and the Other section is still 10+GB, try cleaning through Recovery Mode. This is a riskier but more effective method. Important: back up your data before you start!

1. Turn off the Poco X3 NFC.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the MI logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select “Wipe & Reset” (manage – volume buttons, choose – power button).
4. Tap “Wipe Cache” (this won’t delete your data, just the system cache).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Restart the device ("Reboot").

This method removes:

• 🔄 Update cache MIUI (can weigh up to 3GB).
• 📦 Temporary application installation files.
• 🔧 Android kernel log files.

⚠️ Warning: Do not choose “Wipe Data” in Recovery – this will lead to a complete reset of the smartphone before the factory settings!

Method 5: Manually delete unnecessary system files (root required)

If you're ready for radical measures and have root rights, you can manually delete hidden files that take up space. Warning: wrong actions can put your smartphone down! Use this method only if others have not worked.

Using a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer) go to the following folders and delete their contents:

After removal, restart the device. The system can run slower for the first 5-10 minutes - this is normal (reassembly of the cache is underway).

💡

Root access gives you complete control over the file system, but it gives you no warranty and increases the risk of failure. Use it only if other methods have not worked.

How to prevent the “Other” section from being refilled

To prevent the problem from returning, follow simple rules:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly (once in a row) 1-2 weekdays).
• 🚫 Turn off automatic download of media in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
• 📱 Use cloud storage (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) to back up.
• 🔧 Update. MIUI Only through Wi-Fi – this will reduce the risk of failures when downloading firmware.

It is also useful to disable automatic memory optimization in MIUI:

This feature often removes the cache of the desired applications, forcing them to recreate temporary files anew.

FAQ: Frequent questions on cleaning up 'Other' on Poco X3 NFC