Xiaomi Poco smartphone owners often face a situation where the system storage is suddenly overcrowded and the majority of the space occupied is mysteriously absorbed by the “Other” partition, not a system error, but a specific mechanism for the MIUI or HyperOS shell, which accumulates application cache, remnants of remote programs, system logs and temporary update files. Ignoring this problem can lead to a critical slowdown of the device, the inability to install new applications and even cyclical reboots.
The problem of the growth of the category “Other” is relevant for all models of the line, from the budget Poco M-series to the flagship Poco F-series. the Android operating system in conjunction with the proprietary shell does not always correctly classify files, leaving them in the “gray zone”, from which a standard memory analyzer can not delete them automatically. The user cache of messengers and streaming services is the main culprit, which accumulates gigabytes of data for years.
In this article, we’ll look at safe and advanced ways to free up space, learn how to use built-in cleaning tools, apply USB deep-cleaning debugging, and prevent memory refilling. It’s important to act consistently so you don’t accidentally delete important system files that are necessary for a smartphone to function smoothly.
Anatomy of the “Other” section in the Android system
Before you start deleting, you need to clearly understand what is behind this name. The Other section (sometimes referred to as System or Miss) is a repository for files that do not fall into the standard categories like Photos, Videos or Applications, which includes temporary files created during the operation of programs, as well as data that the system was unable to identify.
The bulk of the app cache is usually the app cache. When you watch YouTube videos, listen to music on Spotify, or text to Telegram, the media files are stored locally for quick downloads. Over time, these files are no longer needed, but are not deleted automatically. In addition, it stores error logs, crash reports, and file residues after a failed software update.
Another hidden source is offline map data and language packets, and many users don't know that navigation apps can take up several gigabytes to store maps of regions in the "Other" section, and that includes files left over from deleting apps if the uninstaller doesn't work properly.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files from system folders through root-righted file managers without knowing exactly what they are intended for.
Understanding the structure helps to avoid panic, it's not a virus or a crash, it's a feature of the file system, but it's not a process: when the space runs out, Android starts to run unstable, because it lacks the space to create temporary files and swaps.
Basic cleaning with built-in MIUI and HyperOS
The first and safest step is to use the regular cleaning tools that are already built into your Poco.Shells from Xiaomi have quite aggressive garbage-search algorithms that can safely remove a significant amount of unnecessary data.
To start, open the standard Security app (a shield and lightning icon). Select the Cleanup tool. The system will analyze the storage and suggest removing the garbage. However, standard cleaning is often superficial. For a deeper analysis, click on the Acceleration icon or go to the storage settings via Settings → About Phone → Storage.
You can use Deep Clean up, which scans folders with large files, duplicates, and unused applications, and pay special attention to the Big Files section, which often includes forgotten downloads or backups.
Don’t forget to use the Cache Clearing feature inside your application management. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find heavy programs (social media, browsers) and click Clear Cache. This is secure and doesn’t delete your logins or correspondence.
☑️ Basic cleaning
Manual cleaning through Explorer and hidden folders
If the automatic methods didn't work, you'd have to manually clean, which requires more care, but allows you to free up gigabytes of space hidden deep in the file system, and you'd need a standard Explorer or a more advanced version, like Files by Google.
First of all, check the Download folder. Often users download APK installation files, documents and pictures that are no longer needed. Also, check the MIUI folder (if any) or Android/data, where applications store their temporary data. Be careful: delete only the contents of the folders, but not the directories themselves.
The directory Android/media/com.whatsapp or Android/media/org.telegram.messenger can contain thousands of images and videos that have been viewed but saved, and you can delete them if you don’t plan to review them in the future.
Here is a list of folders that often inflate the “Other” section:
- 📁 /Android/data/ — Here are stored cache files of games and applications.
- 📁 /DCIM/.thumbnails/ — hidden folder with gallery miniatures that can weigh several gigabytes.
- 📁 /Tencent/ — If you use Chinese versions of apps or messengers like QQ/WeChat.
- 📁 /Temp/ or /Tmp/ — Temporary files that are often forgotten by software developers.
⚠️ Note: When manually cleaning folders Android/data Do not delete files with the.obb or.dat extension unless you want to lose game progress or offline card data.
Once you delete the files, be sure to restart the device, so that the system recalculates the storage index and the space that is free is displayed correctly. Sometimes, without restarting, Xiaomi Poco continues to show old values of occupied memory.
Using USB and ADB debugging for advanced users
For those who are not afraid of the computer and the command line, the most effective method is the use of the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) toolkit, which allows you to delete the system cache and files that are not available through the normal interface, including the content of the “Other” section that is hidden from the user.
First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings. → About the phone and press 7 times in a row on the field "Version" MIUI» (or "Version" OS»). Then in the advanced settings, turn on “Debugging by” USB». Connect your smartphone to your PC with a cable.
On the computer where the ADB drivers are installed, open the command line and enter a command to clear the packet cache:
adb shell pm trim-caches 99999999999This command forcibly trims the cache of all applications to a minimum, and you can also use the command to delete temporary files:
adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Using ADB gives you maximum control, but it requires caution. An error in the syntax of the command can lead to the deletion of the wrong files. Always double-check the commands before entering. This method is especially effective for Poco F3, F4, F5 models, where the "Other" partition can grow due to the peculiarities of the optimization of the Snapdragon processor.
Analysis of storage using third-party utilities
When the built-in tools are powerless, specialized analytics applications come to the rescue, and they visualize the storage by showing the real picture, and one of the best utilities is DiskUsage or Storage Analyzer.
These programs build a graphics card where the square size corresponds to the size of a file or folder, so you can instantly find a hidden eater of space that could get lost in the depths of system directories, and often it turns out that the Other is one forgotten log file of 5 GB.
Popular tools for analysis:
- 🔍 DiskUsage – a classic tool with a tree structure, shows hidden files.
- 📊 Files by Google – can find duplicates and blurred photos, taking up little space.
- 🧹 SD Maid is a powerful harvester for cleaning, can find the “remnants” of remote applications (CorpseFinder).
Using these tools helps you understand which application generates the most garbage, for example, you may find that the video editor saves the projects in a hidden folder, taking up half the memory.
💡
Use the Storage Analysis feature in Google Files once a week.This app securely deletes screenshots you've already sent to chats and suggests you delete old WhatsApp backups.
Comparison of Memory Cleaning Methods
To choose the best way, let's compare the methods we've looked at on efficiency and safety, and not all of them are suitable for everyday use, some are better for "heavy artillery" when critically space-strapped.
| Method | Efficiency | Security | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in cleaning | Low/Mediocre | Tall. | Minimum |
| Manual removal in the Conductor | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Cleaning through ADB | Tall. | Low (requires knowledge) | Tall. |
| Third-party analyzers | Tall. | Tall. | Low. |
As you can see from the table, for the average user, the best balance is a combination of built-in tools and periodic use of analyzers. ADB Leave it for cases where other methods no longer help to free up critical memory less than 1 GB.
Regular maintenance is more important than one-off promotions, and if you get used to checking your Downloads folder once a month and cleaning your Telegram cache, the Other section won’t have time to grow to frightening sizes.
💡
A comprehensive approach (automatics + manual inspection) gives a better result than using only one cleaning tool.
Prevention and Frequently Asked Questions
To keep the problem from returning, change your smartphone usage habits. In your messaging settings (Telegram, WhatsApp), turn off auto-save media to the gallery. This will prevent duplicate files from being stored inside the application, but will not take up space in the system index "Other" as separate media files.
It’s also useful (once every couple of months) to remove and reinstall the heaviest apps, such as Instagram or TikTok. When reinstalled, all the accumulated garbage and cache are removed completely, often returning several gigabytes of free space.
Below are answers to the most common questions Xiaomi Poco users have about memory:
Can I delete the “Other” section completely?
Is it safe to use the Play Market’s Cliner Apps?
Why does the “Other” fill up quickly after cleaning?
Does overflowing the “Other” section affect the speed of work?
By following these guidelines, you can keep your smartphone in great shape.Memory is a resource that requires management, and now you know all the tools you need to do it.