Owners of the low-end but reliable Redmi series often face critical space shortages, especially for the Xiaomi Redmi 4X, which, despite its popularity, has limited internal storage, and is made worse when the Other section mysteriously appears in storage, occupying gigabytes of valuable space.
Users get stupored when they see that after installing a pair of apps, the memory is full, even though nothing technically heavy was downloaded. System garbage, remnants of deleted programs and messenger cache are the main culprits behind this problem. Understanding what exactly is behind this label is the first step to freeing gigabytes.
In this detailed guide, we will break down not only standard, but also advanced cleaning methods, learn how to safely delete hidden files, work with the application cache, and use specialized tools without risking damage to the MIUI operating system.
What is hidden in the category "Other"
The Other section is not some virus or file system bug, but a collection of data that the Android operating system or the MIUI shell cannot uniquely classify as photos, music or documents, most often hiding cached streaming service data, temporary update files and application logs.
Telegram and WhatsApp have a habit of saving all the media files viewed into hidden caches, which the standard memory analyzer perceives as “Other”, and remnants of deleted games and their cache files that were not automatically deleted when uninstalled also fall here.
Why can't the system see these files?
It's important to understand that mindlessly deleting files from this partition through a file manager can lead to unstable smartphone operation, some files are necessary to properly start system processes, so the approach should be selective and conscious.
Basic cleaning with MIUI staff funds
The safest and first step for a Redmi 4X owner is to use a built-in cleaning tool. The MIUI shell has a powerful built-in optimizer that can find a significant amount of garbage. To run, go to the Security app and select Cleanup.
Once scanned, the system will suggest removing the obvious debris, but to get to the deep layers of the Other section, click on the Clean up button in the Garbage section, and then carefully examine the Big Files section, often where forgotten videos or archives are hidden.
☑️ Basic cleaning algorithm
Don't ignore the Apps section, which is also in the cleaning menu, and you can see which programs are taking up the most space, and if you find an app you're not using, you'd better delete it or clear its cache separately through the settings.
Manual removal of the cache of messengers and social networks
The vast majority of memory on Xiaomi Redmi 4X is eaten by social media and instant messengers, and the way they work is that they store a copy of every image or video they view locally so that when you reopen the chat, content loads instantly, creating huge amounts of data in the Other section.
To clean up, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Go to Telegram, Viber or WhatsApp. Go to Memory and click Clear Cache. It is important not to confuse it with Clear Everything, as it will delete your accounts and correspondence.
⚠️ Before clearing the data of messengers, be sure to back up your correspondence in the cloud (Google Drive or iCloud), otherwise you risk losing important information without the possibility of restoring it.
Telegram itself has a built-in auto-cache deletion feature that many people forget. Go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Set the Store Media slider to 3 days or 1 week, which will prevent the Other section from growing in the future.
Analysis of storage using third-party snails
Staff tools don't always show the full picture. For deep folder analysis on Redmi 4X, it's recommended to use specialized analysis apps like DiskUsage or Files by Google, which visualize memory as a block map, where you can immediately see which file takes up the most space.
When you use these tools, you can find folders with names like.thumbnails or temp at the root of internal memory, which contain thumbnails of gallery images and temporary files that can be as large as several gigabytes, and remove the contents of the.thumbnails folder safely, and the system will recreate it when needed.
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Use the Map mode in the DiskUsage app to visually assess the scale of the problem. Large blue blocks usually point to video files or archives that can be moved to a memory card or deleted.
Be careful when deleting files labeled as system or in root directories if you are unsure of their purpose. Only delete what you recognize as user-generated content or explicit cache.
Resetting application settings and_factory_discharge
If the Other has grown to an incredible size and can’t be cleaned, there may be some bugs or broken links in the file system, in which case the effective method is to reset the settings of some heavy applications to factory ones, which will return the application to the post-installing state, saving it but removing all the accumulated debris.
To do this, go to Settings → Apps, select a problematic app (like YouTube or Instagram), click More (or three dots), and select Reset or Clear Everything. This action will free up a significant amount of space attributed to “Other.”
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Risk of data loss | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI's staff cleaning | Low. | No. | Low. |
| Hand-cleaning the cache | Medium | No. | Low. |
| Delete folder.thumbnails | Tall. | No (only thumbnails) | Medium |
| Factory Reset (Dumping) | Maximum | High (all data) | Tall. |
In the extreme case, when nothing helps and the memory is critically filled, the radical method remains – a complete reset to factory settings (Factory Reset), before this procedure, you need to copy all important contacts, photos and documents to the computer or to the cloud, since the internal memory will be fully formatted.
Memory overflow prevention on Redmi 4X
To keep the problem from returning, you need to change your smartphone usage habits. Check Download regularly, as browsers and messengers often save open files there, forgetting to delete them. This is a dead load that takes up space for years.
Use the app version Light. The modestly specificated Redmi 4X is great for Facebook Lite, VK Lite or Skype Lite, which consumes less resources and generates significantly less cache, which directly affects the size of the Other partition.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install dubious applications, such as “accelerators” or “cleaners” from unverified sources, and often are themselves a source of advertising and junk files, exacerbating memory shortages.
It is also recommended to disable autoloading of media files in instant messengers. In the WhatsApp and Telegram settings, prevent automatic downloading of photos and videos via mobile network and Wi-Fi. It is better to download the file once as needed than store gigabytes of unnecessary visual noise.
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Regular manual check of Download and DCIM folders, as well as the use of Lite versions of applications is the best prevention of the growth of the Other section on smartphones with a small amount of memory.