Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the unpleasant situation of the device’s internal memory suddenly overflowing. In the standard storage analyzer, you can see that a significant portion of the volume is occupied by a section labeled “Other” or “System.” This section can grow to tens of gigabytes, occupying up to 50% of the available space, which leads to interface brakes and the inability to install new applications.
The nature of this “junk” is rooted in the way the MIUI and Android operating systems work. System cache, temporary update files, application logs, messenger data, and remnants of remote programs all accumulate in a hidden area that the standard cleaning tool often ignores. Ignoring the problem causes the phone to run slower and the processor to overheat due to constant indexing of files.
In this article, we will discuss safe and advanced methods for cleaning the Other section, learn how to use built-in developer tools, file managers and special commands for deep cleaning. It is important to act consistently so that critical system data is not deleted, so follow the instructions carefully.
The causes of the growth of system debris in MIUI
To effectively combat memory overflow, you need to understand what exactly takes up space. The “Other” section is not one type of file, but a collection of different data. Xiaomi uses an aggressive caching policy to speed up the work of frequently used applications, but over time this data ceases to be useful. The main reason for bloating the partition is the cache of streaming services (YouTube, Netflix) and instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), which is not deleted by standard cleaning.
In addition, the system backs up updates and error logs that can weigh several gigabytes. If you are actively using navigation, offline maps can also be written to this section. Fragmentation of the file system during prolonged use of the device without a full reboot also contributes to incorrect display of occupied space.
Often, users don't notice how background processes save temporary files, such as watching high-resolution videos or downloading large files through a browser leaves traces in the system, and without regular prevention, these files accumulate, turning into gigabytes of useless ballast that slows down the smartphone.
- 📦 Cache of applications: Temporary data of social networks and browsers, occupying the lion’s share of memory.
- 🔄 Updates: Remains of system updates MIUI, which have not been automatically removed.
- 🗺️ Offline maps and navigation: Loaded regions of maps that the system classifies as system data.
- 📝 Logs and reports: Error logs and usage reports collected for debugging.
⚠️ Note: Before deep cleaning, we strongly advise you to back up your sensitive data. Some methods may affect user settings or application data.
Basic cleaning through standard tools
The first step that every user should take is to use the built-in Security app, which is Xiaomi's regular tool that has the rights to remove safe debris. Launch the app, select Cleanup and wait until the analysis is complete. The system will suggest removing temporary files, but often misses a deep cache.
For more detailed analysis, go to the storage settings. From the Settings → Memory menu, you can see a detailed breakdown by category. Click on "Other" or "System Data" to see which applications contribute the most to memory filling. Often, instant messengers and video services are at the top.
And remember, Extended Cleanup inside a security application, which allows you to find large files, duplicate photos, and rarely used apps, and deleting that data is the safest way to free up a few gigabytes without risking system stability, and it should become a habit to use it regularly.
☑️ Xiaomi's Basic Cleanup
After the standard procedure, restart the device, which is necessary for the system to recalculate the file index and correctly display the space that has been vacant, and if the volume of the Other partition has decreased slightly, more radical measures will be required, which will be discussed below.
Clearing the cache of specific applications
The most effective way to combat the inflated “Other” section is to manually cache heavy apps, messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp are known for being gluttonous, and they store all the photos and videos they see into cache that can eventually reach the point of cache. 10-20 GB.
To clean up, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the app you want (like Telegram) in the list. Select Storage inside the app menu. Here you will see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear all. Be careful: the Clear All button will delete authorization and settings, so only use cache clearing.
The messengers themselves also have built-in memory management tools. Telegram has Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage. You can set a limit on the size of the cache or clear it completely. Similar settings are available on YouTube, where the cache of videos often inflates the system partition.
| Annex | The path to cleanup in the system | Internal cleaning | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telegram | Settings → Applications | Yeah (in chat settings) | Low (cache only) |
| YouTube | Settings → Applications | No (only through the system) | Low. |
| Chrome | Settings → Applications | Yes (History) | Medium (history, passwords) |
| Settings → Applications | No. | Low. |
Why is the cache not removed completely?
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who are not comfortable with standard methods, there is a possibility of cleaning through debugging via USB.This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and installing ADB drivers. It allows you to remove the system cache that is hidden from the average user.
First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the build number (MIUI version) seven times. After that, the menu will appear “Additional” or “Extended settings”, where you need to turn on “Debugging by USB”.
Connecting your phone to your PC, open the command line on your computer. ADB commands can be used to clean the Dalvik cache and system cache. However, a safer method is to use special scripts or combine programs that have a graphical interface.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This team is trying to trim the cache of all applications to a minimum. Be careful: improper use of ADB commands can lead to unstable system operation. root access is not required for this command, but debugging rights must be confirmed on the smartphone screen.
⚠️ Attention: Use of teams ADB Introducing the wrong command can lead to the deletion of system files or resetting of settings. If you are not sure about your actions, you should skip this section.
💡
Use ADB wireless debugging (available on Android 11+) to avoid depending on the cable when executing cleaning commands, which simplifies the process and reduces the risk of the device being turned off.
Analysis of storage by third-party utilities
Xiaomi's built-in tools don't always show the real picture. Third-party disk analyzers like DiskUsage or Files by Google allow you to visualize folder structure. They show files as a map, where the square size is proportional to the file size.
When you download this app from Google Play, you can see hidden folders that take up space in the Other section, often with folders with names like.thumbnail or remnants of deleted games, and manually removing those folders through the file manager effectively frees up space.
When working with third-party file managers, it is important to have access to system packs.In newer versions of Android, access to the folder Android/data It's limited, but special managers can request permission to work with these files, which allows you to clean up the garbage that has accumulated for years after removing games and applications.
- 🔍 DiskUsage: Best Visualization, Shows All Hidden System Files.
- 🧹 Files by Google: The Official Tool With Smart Garbage and Duplicate Search.
- 📂 Total Commander: Powerful File Manager with Cleanup Plugins.
- 🚀 SD Maid: A dedicated tool to remove the “bodies” of remote applications.
💡
Visual analysis of the storage is the fastest way to find specific parasitic files that inflate the “Other” section to immense sizes.
Radical measures: Resetting and reflashing
If no methods help and the Other section continues to grow, there may have been errors in the file system or a critical amount of system debris accumulated, in which case the only effective solution is a complete reset to factory settings.
Before you do this, be sure to save all the important data to the cloud service or computer, and the reset process will completely destroy user data, returning the phone to the “out of the box” state, which is guaranteed to clean the “Other” partition to a minimum value.
To reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” Once the phone is rebooted, the alternative is to flash the device over the Mi Flash Tool with a “Clean All” option, which also clears all memory partitions completely.
⚠️ Warning: After a reset, don't restore the backup of the applications right away. Install only the necessary programs. Often, a recovery from the full copy returns all the accumulated debris back.