Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the problem of lack of internal memory caused by the mysterious “Other” section.This section can take up tens of gigabytes, accumulating app cache, remnants of remote programs and system logs. Standard cleaning tools do not always cope with this task effectively, requiring deeper intervention in the device’s file system.
The accumulation of garbage in the system folder leads to slowdown of the interface and the inability to install new updates. Understanding the structure of the storage and the ability to safely delete redundant files is a key skill for an advanced Android user. In this article, we will discuss proven methods of freeing up space without losing personal data.
What is hidden in the “Other” section on Android
The Other section is not a virus or a system bug, but a collection of files that the operating system cannot classify as standard categories (photos, videos, apps), including browser cache, instant messengers, streaming services, and temporary installer files. System debris often grows to huge sizes due to the nature of the MIUI and HyperOS shells.
Special attention should be paid to the cache of social networks: apps like Telegram or TikTok store the media files viewed locally to speed up their re-upload, over time, this data takes up gigabytes of space, remaining invisible to the average user, and the Other also stores error logs, crash reports and remnants of deleted programs.
Why can't the system see these files?
⚠️ Warning: Before deleting files from system folders, make sure they are not important application data. Deleting system libraries can cause a smartphone to function unstable.
Basic cleaning through standard settings
The first step should always be to use Xiaomi’s built-in tools**. They are secure and do not require a connection to your computer. First, go to Settings → Memory and select Cleanup. The system will suggest removing obvious debris, but often ignores the deep cache.
A more effective method is to clean up specific application data. Find the Apps → All Apps section in the settings. Select a “heavy” app (like YouTube or Instagram) and click Memory. Here you can clear the cache, which often frees up 500MB to 2GB of space.
- 📱 Open Security. → Cleaning to remove temporary files.
- 🗑️ In application management, use the “Clear Data” function for instant messengers.
- 🔄 Restart the device after cleaning to update system indexes.
Keep in mind the Advanced Cleanup feature in the standard security application, which analyzes large files, duplicates, and rarely used applications, and regularly using these tools helps keep the Other section under control without the need for complex manipulation.
Use of debugging mode on USB and PC
Deep cleaning requires access to the file system via a computer. Enable developer mode by clicking on the MIUI version several times in the About Phone menu. Then activate USB debugging in advanced settings.
Connect your smartphone to your PC and select file transfer mode (MTP). Open the internal storage and find the Android/data and Android/obb folders. This stores game and application data. Deleting the contents of remote program folders will safely free up space.
The way to check: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/Also check the root folders of messengers. WhatsApp or Viber often have folders with media files even after deleting chats. Manually delete the contents of the folders Media if you do not need backups.
☑️ Check before removal from PC
Analysis of storage using third-party snails
Standard Explorer doesn't always show a real picture of disk occupancy. Specialized applications like DiskUsage or Files by Google render the storage as a map, which allows you to instantly find giant files hiding in the back of directories.
DiskUsage scans memory and displays files as blocks that are proportional to the space it occupies, and by clicking on a large block, you can see which application it belongs to, and it's the fastest way to find forgotten videos or logs.
| Annex | Functional | Security | Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiskUsage | Visual memory card | Tall. | No. |
| Files by Google | Search for duplicates and debris | Tall. | No. |
| SD Maid | Deep cleaning of the system | Medium (requires rights) | It's free. |
Use these tools with caution. Although they show the structure of files, removing system components through them can be dangerous. Focus on user data: downloads, browser cache, and media files.
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Tip: Use the “Storage Analyzer” feature in Xiaomi’s settings (if available in your version of MIUI), it works similarly to third-party apps, but is more secure.
Cleaning through ADB-team-up
The most powerful method is the use of the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) toolkit, which allows you to delete files that you can't access even through a Explorer, and to work, install Platform-tools on your computer and connect your smartphone.
In the command line, enter a command to start the device shell, which will give access to the system cleaning processes. Beware: one error along the way can lead to data loss.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999999This command forcibly trims the cache of all applications to the lowest possible value, a secure operation that often frees up several gigabytes without affecting the user's personal data.
⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB Do not use the removal commands (rm). -rf) In system partitions without knowing the exact path, it can turn a phone into a brick».
Prevention and optimization of the system
To keep the Other section from growing again, you need to change your smartphone usage habits, clean your heavy app cache regularly, and turn off auto-save media in messengers, which will prevent gigabytes of useless junk from accumulating.
Use cloud storage for photos and videos, removing local copies of them. Set up sync with Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud with Free Space helps keep internal memory free.
- 🚫 Turn off autoloading videos on social media.
- 📸 Set up automatic removal of local copies after uploading to the cloud.
- 🧹 Once a month, conduct a complete revision of the folder “Downloads».
Timely firmware updates are also important: Xiaomi engineers regularly improve memory management algorithms in new versions of HyperOS. An outdated version of the system may be worse at cleaning temporary files.
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The main conclusion: Regular prevention and use of visual memory analyzers is more effective than rare attempts to clean the Other by hand.