How to Clean the Other folder on Xiaomi Redmi 9: A Complete Guide with Proven Methods

Why the Other folder on Redmi 9 takes up so much space – and what to do about it

You opened your storage settings on your Xiaomi Redmi 9 and found that the mysterious “Other” folder was eating 10, 20, or even 30 GB of precious memory? This is not a system bug — this is how MIUI classifies files that don’t fall into the standard categories (“Photos”, “Video”, “Audio” or “Apps”). Everything from messenger cache to temporary update files and system logs gets into this folder.

The problem is that on Redmi 9 with factory-made MIUI 12-14, the Other folder is often inflated due to the F2FS file system and aggressive caching. For example, after an OTA update, the system may not delete old firmware files, and Telegram or WhatsApp may store gigabytes of garbage in hidden folders. In this article, we will discuss how to safely clean the Other without the risk of breaking the phone.

Spoiler: Not all files in The Other can be deleted -- some are critical to MIUI work. But we're going to show you how to find and remove garbage, not system data. Start with the simplest method and get to advanced tools for power users.

Method 1: Clearing the application cache through settings

The safest way to free up 1 to 5 GB is to remove the app cache, which are temporary files that programs create to speed up work (such as thumbnails in a gallery or downloaded pictures in instant messengers), deleting them will not harm the data, but can slightly slow down the first download of some applications.

How to do this:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Sort by size” – so you will see the most “gluttonous” programs.
3. Select an app (such as Facebook, Telegram, or Gallery) and click on Storage → Clear Cache.

Top.-5 The apps that most often clog up the “Other” on Redmi 9:

• 📱 Social networks: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok (cache can weigh up to 2-3 GB).
• 💬 Messengers: Telegram (Chapter Data folder), WhatsApp (Whatsapp Media folder).
• 🎮 Games: PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact (texture and update cache).
• 📷 Gallery: miniatures and metadata photos (.thumbnail files).
• 🌐 Browsers: Chrome, Mi Browser (page cache and cookies).

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse Clear Cache and Clear Data! The second action will delete all settings and accounts in the app (such as WhatsApp chats or saves in games).

Remove the cache of social networks and messengers|Clean Download folder from unnecessary files|Remove the old ones APK-file MIUI/Download|Clear cache of galleries and thumbnails|Delete temporary update files (MIUI/ota)

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Method 2: Removal of garbage through the built-in Cleanup application

Xiaomi preinstalled the Redmi 9 with a Security utility, which has a Cleanup module, and it analyzes the system and finds unnecessary files: remnants of deleted applications, temporary data and duplicates. The tool is not perfect, but can release up to 1-3 GB in a few taps.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the Cleanup tab (or Cleaner).
3. Click on “Scan” and wait for the analysis to be completed.
4. Check the “Junk Files,” “Residual Files,” and “App Cache” sections, and uncheck items that seem suspicious (such as files with the.db extension or.log from system folders).
5. Press "Clear."

What is the "Cleaning" utility looking for:

If the utility finds files in the folder /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log, They can be easily deleted -- these are the logs of system errors that only developers need. /sdcard/MIUI/extra It is better not to touch: there is stored data for the work of the themes of design.

Once a month | When I run out of memory | Never cleaned | I use automatic cleaners

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Method 3: Manually clean hidden folders through file manager

Built-in MIUI tools don't always do a deep cleaning job. To manually remove garbage, you'll need a file manager with access to system folders (like Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer). Importantly, don't delete files randomly, which can cause your phone to crash.

Where to look for garbage:

• 🗑️ Folder with update residues: /sdcard/MIUI/ota — This is where old firmware (.zip files) are stored, and can be deleted if the phone has successfully upgraded.
• 📁 Cash messengers: Telegram: /sdcard/Telegram/Telegram Data (maps* and cache* files) WhatsApp: /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases (file msgstore.db.crypt14 — These are backup copies of chats, they do not need to be deleted!).
• 🖼️ Miniatures and gallery cache: /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails — This is where the previews of the photos and videos are stored, and deleting them won't hurt the original files.
• 📦 Remnants of remote applications: /sdcard/Android/obb and /sdcard/Android/data — folders with names of remote games / programs.

How to securely delete files:

1. Open Mi File Manager and enable the display of hidden files (in settings).
2. Go to the desired folder (see the list above).
3. Select the files you want to delete and click “Delete”.
4. If the file is not deleted, check if it is not being used by the system (e.g. com.miui.gallery.cache may be blocked).

⚠️ Note: Never delete files in folders: /sdcard/MIUI (except for debug_log), /sdcard/Android/secure (secure application data), /sdcard/alarm (Alarm clock files, which can cause malfunctions MIUI data loss.

Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)

If previous methods have failed, and the Other folder still takes up tens of gigabytes, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), an Android debugging tool that allows you to delete files that are not available through the standard interface, but requires caution.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB Redmi 9 (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Cleanup commands:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.gallery #Cleaning up gallery cache


adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log/* # Deletion of logs




adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/ota/* # Removal of old firmware




adb shell pm trim-caches 1000000000 # Cache Cleanup of all applications (1 GB)

Explanation to the teams:

• pm clear – resets the data and cache of the specified application (for example, galleries).
• Rm -rf - deletes files in the specified folder (be careful!).
• pm trim-caches – clears the cache of all applications to the specified limit (here – 1 GB).

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf Delete files irrevocably. Error on the way (e.g. rm) -rf /sdcard/ instead /sdcard/MIUI/ota/) This will cause the loss of all data on the phone before use. ADB Make a backup of important files.

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Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If none of the methods worked and the Other folder still takes 20+GB, the last option is a complete phone reset. This will delete all data, including apps, photos and settings, but return the phone to a "clean" state. On Redmi 9, the reset takes 5-10 minutes and often solves the problem of the bloated Other.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, chats).
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data” and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the phone will be like new. Don't restore the data from the backup right away - first check if the Other folder has reappeared.

What to do after the discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore all data at once – first install only the necessary applications and check the volume of the “Other».
• 📴 Turn off the automatic download of media files in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
• 🗃️ Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Warehouse → Clean up.

If the Other folder grows again after reset, the problem may be in the damaged file system, in which case only flashing the phone through the Mi Flash Tool will help (see the instructions in a separate article).

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How to prevent the “Other” folder from clogging again

Cleaning "Other" is half the battle. To keep the folder from growing again, follow these tips:

1. Turn off autoload media in instant messengers: In WhatsApp: Settings → Storage → Media Autoboot → Disable for mobile data and Wi-Fi. In Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Media Autoboot → Select Never.

Limit the app cache

• In Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear data → Cached images and files (clean once a week).
• On Instagram: The cache is cleared only through the phone’s settings (Settings → Apps → Instagram → Storage).
• Use cloud services to store photos and videos (such as Google Photos or Mi Cloud).
• Remove unnecessary system applications (if there is root access) or at least disable them through Settings → Applications.

Useful applications for memory control:

• 📊 Files by Google – Shows which files take up the most space and suggests clearing up garbage.
• 🔍 SD Maid (requires root) – deep cleaning of system folders.
• 📈 DiskUsage – visualizes occupied space in the form of a diagram.

If you notice that the Other folder is growing after the MIUI update, check the /sdcard/MIUI/ota folder, which may have left old firmware files, and you can delete them if the phone is successfully updated and stable.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the folder “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi 9

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