How to Clean Files Other on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: A Complete Guide with Proven Methods

Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 often face a mysterious problem: the phone’s memory is filled with unknown “files other” that take up gigabytes of space, but do not appear in standard folders. This hidden data can include the cache of system applications, remnants of deleted programs, temporary MIUI files and even fragmented messenger data, as a result, the user sees the message “Memory is filled”, although there are almost no visible files on the device.

The reason for the appearance of “other files” lies in the features of the Android file system and the MIUI shell. The operating system automatically creates temporary files to speed up work, but does not always delete them correctly. For example, after updating the MIUI, duplicate system libraries may remain, and messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp store media files in hidden folders. On the Redmi Note 7 with its 64 GB of memory (of which ~50 GB is available), even 5-10 GB of “junk” can lead to critical space shortages.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven ways to clean “files other” – from standard tools MIUI to manual methods using ADB We will focus on the unique problem of Redmi Note. 7: post-update MIUI 12+ The system creates duplicate files in the folder /data/app, You'll learn how to safely remove them without risking damage to the system.

1.What are "files other" and why do they take up space

The term "files other" in MIUI combines all the data that the system cannot categorize as standard (photo, video, audio, documents).

  • 🗑️ Application cache – temporary files that programs create to speed up work (for example, thumbnails of images in a gallery or map data in Google Maps).
  • 🔄 Remnants of remote applications – fragments of programs that have not been completely uninstalled (especially relevant for games with large resources).
  • 📁 Hidden system folders, for example, /data/dalvik-cache (cache of the Android virtual machine; or /data/log (error-log).
  • 📱 Data data MIUI — topics, wallpaper, backups of settings that the system saves in the background.
  • 🔗 Symbolic links – “shortcuts” to files that take up space but don’t appear in the Explorer.

On the Redmi Note 7, the problem is exacerbated by two factors:

  1. The eMMC 5.1 memory architecture is slower than UFS, which results in data fragmentation and garbage accumulation.
  2. MIUI limitations – the shell hides many system folders even from users with developer rights.

Interestingly, according to research by XDA Developers, up to 30% of the space on Xiaomi devices can be occupied by invisible garbage, while the standard “cleaner” in MIUI deletes only 10-15% of these files.

📊 How much space does the “files other” take up on your Redmi Note 7?
Less than 1 GB
1-3 GB
3-5 GB
More than 5GB
I don't know.

2. Method 1: Standard cleaning through "Safety"

Start with the built-in MIUI tools.They won’t delete all the “other files” but will help free up 1-3GB without risking the system.

Step-by-step:

  1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
  2. Go to the Cleanup section (or Cleaner in older versions of MIUI).
  3. Press Deep Clean and wait for the scan.
  4. Please note all categories, especially: 🗑️ Cash app. 📁 Unnecessary APK-files (installer residues) 🔄 Logs and dumps (debugging files)

Clean up

Once cleaned, restart the phone is a must-do step, as some temporary files are blocked by the system before the reboot.

Check the free space in Settings → About the phone → Memory

Reset the device

Repeat the scan in 10 minutes (some files reappear)

Remove unused apps (they also create cache)

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⚠️ Note: Do not manually clean the System Cache section through Recovery on Redmi Note 7 — This can cause a loading failure due to firmware features MIUI 10-12 for this device.

Method 2: Manual removal of application cache

Many “other files” are cache of popular apps that are not deleted by standard means, such as Facebook can take up to 1 GB of cache, and Telegram can take up to 500 MB of media files.

How to clean the cache manually:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
  2. Sort programs by size (click on three dots in the upper right corner → Sort by size).
  3. Select an app with a large cache (e.g. YouTube, Chrome, MIUI Gallery).
  4. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
  5. For social media (like VK or Instagram), also click Clear Data, but note that this will delete your login/password.
  6. Go to the root folder (/storage/emulated/0/) Delete the following directories (if any): 📁.trash - basket MIUI (can weigh up 1 GB). 📁.thumbdata - miniatures of images. 📁 Android/obb — Cache of games (remove folders of games you haven’t used in a long time). 📁 DCIM/.thumbnails — gallery-piece. 📁 Download/unused — file-square.

Do not delete the folders with the names:

  • 🚫 Android/data — This is where the application data is stored (the remote from here can break the software).
  • 🚫 MIUI — shell-file.
  • 🚫 Alipay or MiPay – Payment System Data.
What to do if you do not have enough permissions to delete the folder?
If the file manager writes "Disclaimed", then the folder is protected by the system. In this case: 1. Try using ADB (method 5). 2. If you have root rights, use Root Explorer. 3. Move the file to another folder (sometimes this works instead of deleting).

⚠️ Attention: On the Redmi Note 7 s MIUI 12.5+ file-delete /Android/obb/com.miui.gallery If this happens, reinstall the Gallery app through Settings. → Annexes.

5. Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (without root)

If previous methods didn’t work, use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level device management tool that doesn’t require root rights, but allows you to delete files that aren’t available through standard tools.

Preparation:

  1. Download ADB Tools for Windows/Mac/Linux.
  2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI to activate Developer Mode. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.

Cleanup commands:

Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) in the ADB folder and type:

adb shell


pm clear com.miui.gallery #Cleaning up gallery cache




pm clear com.android.providers.media #Disposal of media storage




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




rm -rf /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails/* # Cleaning up miniatures




rm -rf /sdcard/Download/unused/* # Delete under-performing files

To remove the cache of all user applications (without system):

adb shell pm list packages -3 | awk -F: '{print $2}' | xargs -n1 adb shell pm clear

These commands will safely delete up to 2-4 GB of hidden files. Once executed, restart the phone.

💡

ADB is the most effective root-free cleanup method, and it removes files that are not available even through super-user file managers.

6. Method 5: Resetting the cache to Recovery (last chance)

If neither method worked and the "other files" take up more than 5GB, try resetting the cache via Recovery.This won't delete your data, but will clear the system cache, which can weigh up to 1-2GB.

Instructions:

  1. Turn off the phone.
  2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
  3. In the Recovery menu, select the language (volume buttons) and confirm the choice with the power button.
  4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
  5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
  6. Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.
Why do “other files” appear again after cleaning?
This is normal Android behavior. System and apps are constantly creating temporary files. To slow down: Limit application background activity in Settings → Battery → Application selection. Turn off autoload media in instant messengers. Clean the cache regularly through ADB (once a month). Redmi Note 7 also helps to disable the Mi Cloud feature (if not used), as it creates local copies of backups.
Can I transfer “other files” to a memory card?
Partially. You can move it: 📁 Cache of some applications (for example, Spotify or Google Podcasts allow you to choose the cache storage location). 📷 Media files from messengers (manually through the file manager). But system “other files” (such as dalvik-cache or logcat) can not be transferred — they are tied to internal memory. Important: microSD cards on the Redmi Note 7 are slower than internal memory (eMMC 5.1 vs. UHS-I), So moving apps to them will slow down your phone.
Will resetting to factory settings help?
Yes, but it's a last resort: ✅ All other files (except system files). ✅ Cash and application data. ✅ Settings and accounts: How to make a reset correctly: Back up your important data (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Reset. Select to Erase all data (don't Erase only the settings!) After reset, don't restore the data from the backup, it will return some of the garbage. Install only the necessary applications manually. On Redmi Note 7, it is recommended to immediately update after reset. MIUI up to the latest version, as the new firmware optimized work with memory.
Is there a difference between the “other files” on the Redmi Note 7 and other Xiaomi smartphones?
Yes, due to the features of the Redmi Note 7: 🔋 EMMC memory 5.1 — It is more susceptible to fragmentation than UFS In new models (Redmi Note) 10 higher). 📱 MIUI 10-12 — In these versions of the shell there is a bug with duplicate files in /data/app post-update. 🔄 No dynamic partition (unlike Android) 10+ on new devices), which makes it difficult to manage memory. 8 Pro (c) UFS 2.1) «Other files are stored more slowly on Redmi Note 7 You may need to clean up once in a while. 1-2 month.