Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 smartphone often face a nasty situation: the device’s internal memory is filled, and the standard storage analyzer shows that the lion’s share of space is occupied by the mysterious “Other” section. This can happen even if you don’t have many photos or installed games. Android system accumulates a lot of temporary data, which over time turns into digital garbage, slowing down the gadget.
The storage overflow problem on the Redmi Note 7 is particularly relevant given that basic versions of this model often come with 32 or 64 GB of storage. When the Other partition inflates to 10-15 GB, this severely limits the user’s experience. In this article, we will discuss safe and effective ways to free up space without resorting to radical methods like a complete reset.
It’s important to understand that the Other category is not a virus or a system bug, but a collection of app cache, residual files after deleted programs, error logs and temporary messenger data. The main source of garbage on Redmi Note 7 is often media files from WhatsApp and Telegram, which the system does not always correctly classify as Images or Video.
Analysis of the contents of the “Other” section
Before you start deleting files, you need to understand what exactly takes up space. Standard Android tools on the MIUI shell do not always give detailed information, so you should use the built-in analyzer. Go to Settings → Storage and wait for the scan to finish. The system will show an approximate distribution, but for deep analysis, you better use the file manager.
The most common space eaters are browser and social media cache, for example, YouTube can store gigabytes of watched videos in a time buffer, and significant volume is occupied by logs of system updates that were not deleted automatically after the successful installation of the new version of MIUI.
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Use the built-in Security app for initial evaluation: it will show the largest folders, but it doesn’t always correctly display hidden files in the Other section.
It is worth noting that some files in this category are system-critical and critical to the Redmi Note 7. Blind removal of everything in a row can lead to unstable operating system operation or malfunctions in installed applications.
Cleaning with standard MIUI tools
The first and safest step is to use Xiaomi's regular webs. The Security app has a built-in Cleanup tool that can remove safe debris. Run a scan and press the Clean button. This will delete temporary files, but often leaves the messenger cache intact.
To do more, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, manually go through the most “heavy” programs: Instagram, TikTok, browsers. Select the application, click Memory and then Clear Cache. Importantly, don’t confuse it with the “Clear All” button, which will reset the application to the factory settings and delete your logins.
- 📱 Open the storage settings and find the Applications section to sort by size.
- 🗑️ Remove the cache only those programs that you use regularly, but which take up a lot of space.
- 🔄 After cleaning the cache of the heavy application, it is recommended to restart the smartphone to update system indexes.
This method allows you to free up 1 to 3 GB of space, which can be a crucial factor for the Redmi Note 7, but if the Other partition is still large, you will have to move to more advanced methods of working with the file system.
Manual cleaning through the file manager
To access hidden folders, you will need a file manager with extended rights, such as MI Explorer (standard) or third-party Total Commander. In the Explorer settings, be sure to turn on the display of hidden files. We are interested in directories at the root of internal memory and the Android folder.
Pay special attention to the Android/data folder. This is where app data is stored. You can often find folders of remote games or programs that take up gigabytes. Also check the memory root for folders with the names of remote applications - they often remain "hang" dead weight.
⚠️ Note: When manually cleaning the Android folder, only delete directories that correspond to already deleted applications. Do not touch the folders of system services of Google or Xiaomi, this can disrupt the smartphone.
Another source of garbage is the DCIM/.thumbnails folder, which stores thumbnails of your photos, and if you delete thousands of photos but the space doesn't vacate, it's probably this hidden folder that has bloated, and you can delete it safely, and the system will recreate it if necessary.
☑️ Checking for manual removal
Work with garbage messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)
Messengers are the main culprits behind the proliferation of the Other section on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7. They save copies of all files sent and received, even if you have already viewed them and you do not need them.
Open WhatsApp → Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. Here you will see a list of chats sorted by location. You can select a specific dialog and delete all media files older than a certain period or files larger than 5 MB.
Telegram has a similar situation, but there is an advantage: you can set up autodelete the cache. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory use and set the Cached Files timer to 3 days or 1 week. This will automatically clear the Other of media debris.
- 💬 On WhatsApp, use the “Storage Management” feature to selectively remove heavy videos.
- ⚙️ In Telegram, set up automatic cache cleaning so that memory won’t get clogged in the future.
- 📂 Check the folder. MIUI/gallery/cloud, If you use a cloud album, there may be temporary copies.
After such manipulations, the volume of the Other partition can decrease by 5-8 GB, which will significantly extend the life of the internal memory of your Redmi Note 7 without losing important correspondence.
Using PC and ADB for deep cleaning
If you can't get your memory cleaned by mobile, you can get a computer to help you. USB-This will allow you to see the directory structure more clearly and remove large files that are inconvenient to search from the phone.
For advanced users, there is an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) cleaning method that removes the system cache and files that are not available to the average user, by enabling USB debugging in the Developer menu and connecting the phone to a computer with an ADB installed.
adb shell pm clear com.android.browser
adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/Android/data/com.example/cache/*The commands above clear the browser and specific application cache. Be extremely careful with the rm -rf command, as it deletes files without the possibility of recovery. Before executing any commands through ADB, it is strongly recommended to make a full backup of important data.
What if the ADB can’t see the phone?
Table: Comparison of cleaning methods
To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have prepared a comparison table of cleaning methods for the Redmi Note 7.
| Method | Security | Efficiency | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cleaning | Tall. | Low. | Minimum |
| Cleaning up the app cache | Tall. | Medium | Low. |
| Delete via File Manager | Medium | Tall. | Medium |
| Using ADB teams | Low. | Maximum | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, for most users, the optimal balance is a combination of cleaning the application cache and working with the file manager. The ADB method should be used only in extreme cases when other methods have exhausted themselves.
Prevention of memory overflow
To prevent the “Other” partition problem on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 from returning too often, it’s worth following simple digital hygiene rules: Check the storage regularly and delete unnecessary files without waiting for critical filling.
Use cloud-based photo and video storage services. Set up automatic sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud, allowing originals to be stored in the cloud, leaving only thumbnails on the device, which significantly reduces the load on internal memory.
⚠️ Note: Do not install applications from unknown sources (APK-They often contain viruses-miners, which quietly fill the memory with hidden files and slow down the processor.
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Regularly restarting your smartphone (at least once a week) helps the system automatically clean temporary files and reset the hanging processes, which has a positive effect on the volume of the Other partition.
Following these guidelines will help keep your Redmi Note 7 in excellent condition. Remember that full memory is one of the main reasons for Android slowdown, so controlling the Other partition directly affects the comfort of your device.