How to Clean a folder Other on Android Xiaomi

Many Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners will sooner or later face a mysterious category in storage called "Other" -- a folder that can take up tens of gigabytes, blocking new apps and updating the system. The user sees that memory is crowded, but standard cleaning methods often prove powerless against hidden data.

Understanding the nature of this partition is key to freeing up space. Unlike photos or music, it stores system logs, messenger cache, remnants of deleted programs and temporary files. Android groupes everything that doesn't fall into the standard media categories.

You don't have to be a technician to clean up your mess. There are proven methods to safely remove the excess without damaging important data. We'll look at all the ways you can do that, from built-in tools to manually analyzing it through a computer.

Reasons for the growth of the “Other” section

The main culprit behind the growth in volume is cached data. Apps actively save temporary files to speed up work, for example, Telegram or WhatsApp can accumulate gigabytes of media files, which the system sees as “Other” rather than “Photos” or “Video”.

Another reason is the remnants of remote applications, and if you've ever installed a game or a program and deleted it, but you haven't cleaned it completely, you may still have traces, and you may also get system logs and error reports that MIUI saves for diagnostics.

There is a less obvious reason, too, because you downloaded system updates, and the firmware files that you downloaded in the background are often hidden in the back, and if you upgraded successfully, those files become garbage, but they don't automatically get deleted.

• 📦 Accumulated cache of messengers and social networks
• 🗑️ Residual files of remote applications
• 📝 System Logs and Error Reports
• 🔄 Updates downloaded but not installed

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Check Telegram settings: in the Data and Memory section, you can configure autodeletion of the cache, which will prevent the folder from growing in the future.

Analysis of the storage by standard means

The first step is to use the built-in analyzer. The MIUI and HyperOS shells have a powerful memory management tool. Go to Settings → Memory and wait until the scan is finished. The system will show a detailed breakdown by category.

Click on "Other." Often, you'll see a list of the apps that take up the most space. If you see that a particular application (like a browser or editor) takes up a disproportionate amount, it's worth checking its settings.

Note the line "Clean up." A standard cleaner may suggest that you delete some temporary files. However, it doesn't always handle deep cache. Manual checking often gives you a better result than automatic checking.

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The built-in analyzer only shows the tip of the iceberg, so more action is often required for deep cleaning.

Cleaning the cache of applications and messengers

The most effective way to free up space is to cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Sort the list by size (busy). You'll be surprised at how much space YouTube, Instagram, or navigators can take up.

Select the app and click Clear. The important thing here is to choose Clear Cache, not Clear Everything. The second option will delete your logins and settings, which will require re-authorization. The cache is temporary data, it is safe to delete it.

For instant messengers like Viber or WhatsApp, it’s better to use built-in cleaning features. In chat settings, look for Memory Use, where you can selectively delete videos or documents that inflate the Other section.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear system application data (e.g. System Framework or Google Play Services) if you are not sure of their purpose.

Sometimes, reinstalling heavy apps helps: Remove the app completely and download it again from Google Play, ensuring that all hidden files that have accumulated over the years of use are deleted.

Delete temporary files through Explorer

The MIUI file manager lets you look into the deep folder structure. Open the Explorer app and go to the root of internal memory. Find the application names or system directories.

Pay special attention to the Android/data folder. This is where the application data is stored. Be careful: deleting active folders will lead to loss of progress in games or settings. Look for folders with names of remote applications.

Also check the Download and Temp folders. Often there are APK installation files that are no longer needed. Files with the.tmp or.log extension can be deleted safely - these are temporary logs.

Use of Developer Mode and ADB

For advanced users, there is a method of cleaning through the computer. You will need to turn on the developer mode. To do this, click on the MIUI version 7 times in the About Phone menu.

In the developer menu, turn on USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your PC. Adb can remove system debris that is not available to the average user. It's a powerful tool that requires caution.

adb shell pm clear com.android.browser

This command, for example, will completely clear the browser data. Replace the packet name with the desired one. You can find lists of packages on the Internet. Using ADB allows you to delete files that are physically impossible to touch through the phone interface.

• 💻 Connect your smartphone with a cable to your computer
• ⚙️ Put the debugging on. USB developer-menu
• 🖥️ Install the drivers and ADB PC-only
• 🗑️ Execute cleaning commands selectively

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB A mistake in the name of the package can lead to the removal of important system components.

Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings

If nothing helps and The Other keeps growing, the last option is: a full reset will put the phone back out of the box. All data will be deleted, so backup is critical.

Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” It takes a few minutes to turn on, and you get a clean system with no garbage or storage errors.

This is the only way to ensure that you remove system errors in the file system that can distort the memory display. After a reset, "Other" usually takes up a minimum amount.

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A complete reset is a “nuclear option” that solves 99% of memory problems but takes time to recover data.

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Before reset, be sure to sync your contacts and photos with your Google account so you don’t lose important data forever.