'Other' takes up all memory on Xiaomi Redmi? learn to clean properly

You open your memory settings on your Xiaomi Redmi, and there's a nasty surprise: the Other section takes up gigabytes of precious space, and it's unclear what those files are and whether they can be deleted. This is familiar to many owners of Redmi Note 12/11/10, Redmi 9/10 and other MIUI smartphones. Unlike photos or apps, "other files" don't have a clear source, but they often cause memory shortages.

In this article, we’ll look at what’s hidden under the “Other” category in Xiaomi’s storage, why these files are piling up and how to safely clean them, from built-in MIUI tools to manual methods for power users. You’ll learn which data can be deleted without risk to the system and which ones should not be touched, even if they take up a lot of space. We’ll also look at hidden folders, app cache and temporary files that MIUI doesn’t show in the standard interface.

What is the “Other” in Xiaomi Redmi memory and why it grows

Xiaomi Redmi’s Other category is the garbage bin of MIUI, which includes files that do not belong to the standard categories (photo, video, audio, documents, applications).

• 📁 App cache (including Google system services and Mi Account)
• 🔄 Temporary Updates, Downloads and Installers Files APK
• 📄 System Logs and Error Dumps (created when crashes)
• 🖼️ Miniatures and previews from the gallery and file manager
• 🔗 Residual data from remote applications (not always cleared completely)

The main problem is that MIUI doesn't provide tools to analyze these files in detail, for example, in Settings → Memory you will only see the total volume of the Other, but you won't be able to understand what data it occupies, and in fact, some files are hidden from the user - they can only be seen through the root or ADB file manager.

Why is The Other growing so fast?

• 🤖 Active use of social networks (TikTok, Instagram, Telegram), which create gigabytes of cache.
• 🔄 Frequent updates MIUI — Each update leaves behind temporary files.
• 🎮 Games (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile, which download additional resources in the background.
• 📱 Background activity of system processes (com.miui.system, com.android.providers.media).

⚠️ Note: If the “other” is more 10 GB on a smartphone MIUI 13/14, This may indicate a Media Storage malfunction, in which case only a factory reset will help.

Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools

To start with, the basic features of MIUI are standard, and do not require additional programs or administrator rights, which are safe and suitable for most Xiaomi Redmi users.

Step 1: Cleaning the app cache

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Sort by size."
3. View the list and select apps with large cache (e.g. YouTube, Chrome, Facebook).
4. Click on Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data!).

Step 2: Use the “Cleaning” function

• 🧹 Go to Settings. → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 🔍 Click on “Deep Cleanup” and wait for analysis.
• ✅ Mark all items (cache, temporary files, empty folders) and tap “Clear».

Step 3: Removing downloads

Download folder often contains unnecessary APK-files, archives and documents to clean it up:

1. Open Files (the standard file manager of Xiaomi).
2. Go to the Inner Memory → Download.
3. Select unnecessary files and click “Delete”.

Backup important data | Check free space in memory |Close all background applications |Connect charger (if charge < 30%)

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Method 2: Manually remove hidden folders (without root)

If the built-in tools don’t work, you can manually delete some of the “other files” that MIUI doesn’t show in the standard interface, and you’ll need a file manager with access to system folders like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.

Which folders can be cleaned:

Cleaning instructions:

1. Install Solid Explorer from Google Play.
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
3. Follow one of the paths from the table above.
4. Remove the contents of the folder, except files with the.nomedia extension.

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders Android/obb and Android/data It will crash your installed applications, and avoid file names. settings_* and miui_* root-directory.

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (for power users)

If standard methods have failed and manual cleaning has failed, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level smartphone management tool that is suitable for users who are willing to work with the command line.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB Xiaomi Redmi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Cleanup commands:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Cleaning up the standard MIUI cleaner


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




adb shell rm -rf /cache/* # Cache cleanup (requires root)

Once you have completed the commands, restart your smartphone. If ADB issues a “Permission denied” error, you don’t have the right to delete system files, in which case only unlocking the bootloader and obtaining root rights will help.

Built-in tools MIUI|Manual cleaning through the file manager|ADB root|I've tried nothing.|Another way.-->

Method 4: Resetting cache in Recovery Mode

If the Other takes more than 5-7 GB and is not cleared by standard methods, try resetting the cache through Recovery Mode, which does not delete user data, but resets the system cache, which may be corrupted.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select the language (if required).
4. Go to "Wipe & Reset» → «Wipe Cache».
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Reboot the phone ("Reboot» → «Reboot to System»).

This method is particularly effective if:

• 📱 The smartphone began to slow down after the update MIUI.
• 🔄 In the “Other” section, files with the.tmp or com.miui extension appeared.*.
• 🚨 The system emits errors such as “Not enough memory”, although there is free space.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Wipe Cache" with "Wipe Data"! The second option will completely reset the smartphone to factory settings, deleting all your data.

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If the Other grows fast again after resetting the cache, check the apps in Settings → Battery & Performance → Battery Management. Some programs (such as UC Browser or Likee) aggressively cache data in the background.

Method 5: Complete resetting of settings (last resort)

If none of the above methods worked, and the Other still takes 10+GB, the last option is a full reset, a radical solution that will bring the smartphone back out of the box, but also delete all your data.

How to prepare for the reset:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Save photos and videos on PC or in the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud).
3. Write down or take a picture of the list of installed apps (can be exported via Google Play).

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”.
3. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-15 minutes).

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore data from the backup immediately – first check if the problem with the “Other” is coming back».
• 📱 Install applications one at a time by watching for changes in memory.
• 🚫 Avoid installing modified firmware or unofficial patches – they often cause garbage buildup.

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If the Other grows again after the reset, the problem may be hardware failure (especially on smartphones with eMMCs, such as Redmi 9A or Redmi 8), in which case only replacing the memory module in the service center will help.

How to Prevent the Accumulation of Other Files in the Future

To prevent the problem from returning, follow these recommendations:

1. Set up automatic cleaning:

• 🤖 Include “Autocleaning” in Settings → Memory. → Settings (cogs) → Autocleaning.
• 📅 Set a schedule (for example, once a week).

2. Control the application cache:

• 📱 Check your settings regularly → Annexes → Application management → Size-based sorting.
• 🗑️ Clean up the cache for Chrome, Facebook, TikTok and other “gluttonous” programs.

3. Avoid "junk" apps:

• 🚫 Do not install software from unverified sources (especially modified ones). APK).
• 🔍 Before installing, read reviews about the app on Google Play – many users complain of “cluttering” memory.

4. Use cloud services:

• ☁️ Set up automatic upload of photos and videos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• 📁 Store documents and archives in Google Drive or Yandex Drive.

5. Update MIUI:

Regular updates often include fixes for memory leaks and Media Storage optimization to check for updates:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on "Check Updates."
3. If a new version of MIUI is available, install it.

FAQ: Frequent questions about “Other Files” on Xiaomi Redmi