How to clean folder Other files on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

The situation of smartphone storage filling in an incomprehensible way is familiar to every owner of Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO. You delete photos, clear the app cache, but the amount of space occupied does not change much. The masterly hidden section of “Other files” is able to absorb gigabytes of data, turning into a digital black hole.

This folder accumulates remnants of remote programs, temporary update files, messenger cache and logs of system processes. Cleaning this section requires a careful approach, since incorrect actions can lead to loss of important information or failures in the MIUI and HyperOS shell. In this guide, we will discuss safe and effective methods of freeing up space.

Before taking drastic measures, it is necessary to understand the nature of the accumulated garbage. The system often marks as “other” files that cannot be uniquely classified into standard categories (photos, videos, music). Up to 60% of the volume of the “Others” folder usually takes up the cache of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and residual files of remote applications. Understanding the structure will allow you to act point-by-point, saving the necessary data.

⚠️ Warning: Before you start deep cleaning, be sure to back up important data.Deleting system files from your Android folder can disrupt applications.

Analysis of contents through the built-in conductor

The first step should always be diagnostics. Xiaomi’s standard shell Explorer tool has basic analysis features that users often ignore. Go to the memory management menu to see the visualization of the occupied space.

The system automatically scans the storage and sorts the data by type. However, the Others section often remains blurred. Click on it to see the detail. This can show large files that the system did not classify as media or documents, often forgotten downloads or archives.

• 📂 Open the Explorer app and select the Analysis tab».
• 🔍 Click on the “Other Files” section for a detailed view.
• 🗑️ Carefully study the list and remove clearly unnecessary large objects.

It's important to distinguish between system files and user junk. If you see files with the.log extension or folders with the names of remote games, you can delete them. However, files with the.obb or.data extensions in the Android folder should not be touched if you plan to use the corresponding applications.

Cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks

The main culprit behind the “Others” bloat is messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber by default store all received media files in a cache that the system perceives as “other data.” Without the right setup, these applications can take up to 20-30 GB of space.

Inside the apps themselves, there are tools for memory management. Telegram does this through cache settings, where you can set a limit or clear everything at once. WhatsApp needs to go into storage management to delete large files from specific chats. This is the most secure way.

If the built-in tools can't clean everything, you can use the file manager. Find Android/media/org.telegram.messenger folders or similar ones for other applications. Inside, look for video, image, audio folders. Deleting the contents of these folders will make room, but delete media files from chats (they will remain in the cloud or with the interlocutor).

⚠️ Note: When manually cleaning the folders of messengers through the conductor, you may lose access to previously uploaded photos and videos inside the correspondence, if they are not stored in the cloud.

Use of the Application Security and Cleaning

MIUI and HyperOS firmware have a Security system application preinstalled, and it contains a Cleanup module that runs deeper than a standard analyzer, and it can find duplicate files, large unused files, and remnants of deleted applications.

Run the scan and wait for it to be completed. The system will suggest removing the "junk," but often the list is superficial. Pay attention to the "Big Files" and "Unused Apps" section, which is where heavy game installers or old videos often hide, which form the volume of "Other."

For more advanced users, there is a hidden deep cleanup feature, and in some versions of the shell, if you press the cleanup button long enough or through the three-point menu, you can activate advanced search, which finds files left over after removing games and temporary update files of the system.

Manual Deletion through File Manager

Manual requires care, but it works best. You'll need a file manager with access to hidden folders, like MI File Manager or CX File Explorer. Go to the root directory of the internal drive. We're interested in the folders that take up the most space.

Pay special attention to the DCIM folder. Sometimes there are hidden albums or folders of.thumbnails that can weigh several gigabytes. This is the gallery sketch cache. It can be deleted, the system will create it again the next time the gallery opens, but this will temporarily free up space.

• 📁 Find the file. Android/data — Here data of games and applications are stored.
• 🎮 Look for folders with names of remote games (for example, com.gameloft...).
• 🗑️ Remove only the contents of folders of applications you have deleted.

Also check the Download folder. Often browsers and instant messengers save.apk installation files and documents that the user forgets about, accumulating such files for years creates the illusion of overflowing with “Other files”.

Cleaning through computer and ADB

The most powerful way to clean up is to connect your smartphone to your computer. In file transfer mode (MTP), you see the real structure. Computer programs like WinDirStat or WizTree (when you connect your phone as a network drive, if possible, or just through visual analysis in Windows Explorer) will help you find the heaviest files.

For advanced users, the method is available through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to remove system debris that is not visible to the average user. You will need a PC, a cable and an installed Platform-tools. Enable debugging over USB in the "Developers" menu.

adb shell pm clear com.android.browser

This command will clear the browser cache completely, and you can also clean the cache of other system services by knowing their batch names, and be very careful: cleaning system packages like com.miui.home will reset your desktop settings.

Radical measures: Resetting or reflashing

If none of the methods worked, and the Others section continues to grow, there may have been a build-up of errors in the file system, in this case a full reset to the factory settings (Wipe Data) solution, guaranteed to remove all the debris, but requires a full backup.

Before reset, make sure your contacts are synced with Google Account or Mi Cloud and photos are saved to Google Photos. Once reset, the phone will be as new and the Other Files category will take up the minimum amount needed to run the system.

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Use Google Drive (Mi Cloud) to automatically upload photos and videos, which will prevent the Others folder from growing in the future.

In extreme cases, when even a reset doesn’t help (which is rare and indicates memory wear or firmware bug), it requires flashing the device through the Mi Flash Tool with a complete cleanup of all partitions, which returns the phone to a factory state at the software level.

⚠️ Warning: Wipe Data permanently deletes all data from your phone. Make sure you have an up-to-date backup before starting the procedure.

Prevention of memory filling

To keep the problem from returning, you need to change your smartphone usage habits. Check your messenger settings regularly. Turn off auto-save media to a gallery for group chats where there's a lot of spam, which will significantly reduce the amount of cache.

Use the Cleanup feature in the Security app at least once a week, which will keep debris from accumulating to critical values, and keep an eye out for system updates – newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS often optimize their work with the file system.

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Regular preventive cleaning of messenger cache and removal of installers APK-Files prevent 90% of partition overflow problems.

Don’t store files for long in the Downloads folder. Delete installation files or move important documents to the cloud immediately after use. Understanding how the system classifies data will help you keep your smartphone clean without the need for constant deep cleaning.