How to Clean the “Other” folder on Xiaomi Poco M3: full guide 2026

The “Other” folder on Xiaomi Poco M3 — It's a real black hole for free space, and it can take 5 to 20 GB, but it doesn't show any specific content in a standard file manager. Why is that? MIUI It includes app cache, temporary files, OS updates, log files, and even remnants of deleted programs. Many users try to clean it up through Settings. → The storage, but it only has a temporary effect.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to clean the “Other” folder on Poco M3, including hidden methods through ADB We'll also look at third-party tools, which can be deleted without risk to the system and which can be removed, and we'll also look at why the folder fills up again over time and how to avoid it. If your smartphone shows “Memory is full” but you don’t know where the gigabytes went, this guide is for you.

🔹 Important: Back up important data before cleaning. Some methods affect system partitions, and if you make an error, you can reset your settings.

1.What is the “Other” folder and why does it take up so much space?

The "Other" folder in MIUI — It's a collector for files that the system can't categorize as standard (Photos, Videos, Audio, Documents:

• 📁 App cache (including Google Play Services cache that can weigh up to a maximum of 1-2 GB).
• 🔄 Temporary update files (firmware residues, packages) OTA).
• 📜 Log files (error logs, system dumps).
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications (Incorrectly Uninstalled) APK).
• 🔒 Encrypted data (e.g. files) DRM streaming).

On Poco. M3 s 32/64 GB of memory folder "Other" often grows to 10-15 GB, because:

1. Stock firmware MIUI Aggressively caching data to speed up work.
2. The weak Snapdragon 662 processor forces the system to create more temporary files.
3. The “Smart Cleaning” function in MIUI It does not always remove garbage correctly.

🔍 How to check folder size?

Go to Settings. → The phone. → Storage. There you'll see a memory allocation graph, where "Other" is usually gray. Click on this segment and the system will show approximate volume (but not content!).

2. Method 1: Cleaning cache and debris through standard settings

The safest method is to use built-in MIUI tools, which do not require root rights and is suitable for beginners.

Step 1. Cleaning the app cache

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Sort by size."
3. Select apps with a large cache (e.g. YouTube, Facebook, Google Play Services).
4. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».

Step 2: Delete Unnecessary Files through Cleanup

• 🧹 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 🔍 Wait for the analysis (may take a while). 1-2 minute).
• ✅ Check boxes "Cash", "Advertising files", "Unused" APK».
• 🗑️ Click on “Clean” (usually free) 1-3 GB).

Step 3: Delete downloaded update files

The system stores packages OTA-Updates even after installation, to remove them:

1. Open the file manager (standard or Mi File Manager).
2. Go to the Download folder → downloaded_rom.
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension (weigh) 1-2 GB).

Backup of important data|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Connect to Wi-Fi (to download tools)|Close all background applications-->

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in folders MIUI, Android or system manually – this can cause a crash MIUI!

3. Method 2: Using Files by Google for deep cleaning

Xiaomi’s standard file manager doesn’t show the entire contents of the Other folder. For more detailed analysis, we recommend installing Files by Google (formerly Files Go), an official Google app that can find hidden debris.

Instructions:

1. Download Files by Google from the Play Market.
2. Open the application and give access to the storage.
3. Go to the “Cleaning” tab (basket icon at the bottom).
4. Wait for the scan. The app will show you.

"Clean it up."

Advantages of the method:

• 🔍 Finds files that the standard manager cannot see MIUI.
• 🛡️ System-Secure (Does not affect critical folders).
• 📊 Shows the size of each type of garbage.

💡 Tip: In Files by Google settings, enable the Auto Clean option – the app will delete the cache once a week automatically.

4. Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (power-user)

If the standard methods do not help, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) — This is a tool for low-level system management, which allows you to delete files that are not visible in the GUI.

🛠️ What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original or quality).
• 📥 Utilities. ADB and Fastboot (download from Android site).
• 🔧 Included debugging by USB phone-on.

Step 1: Preparing the phone

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on this item to activate Developer Mode.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Turn on "Debugging by" USB» and “Debugging by USB (security)».

Step 2. Connect to ADB

1. Get Poco on. M3 computer-to-computer.
2. Open the terminal (cmd on Windows) and type:

adb devices

If the device appears in the list, enter:

adb shell

Step 3: Disposal and Disposal of Waste

Enter the commands in turn:

su


pm clear com.android.providers.downloads




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*




rm -rf /cache/*




rm -rf /data/log/*

📌 Explanation:

• pm clear com.android.providers.downloads – clears the download manager.
• rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* — deletes temporary files.
• rm -rf /cache/* — cleans the system cache (safely, recreated when restarted).
• rm -rf /data/log/* — deletes log files.

⚠️ Attention: Su command requires root rights! If you don't have them, skip this step. /system or /vendor — This will lead to a device blink!

5. Method 4: Resetting cache via Recovery Mode

If the Other folder takes up more than 10GB and previous methods didn’t help, try clearing the cache through Recovery mode.This won’t delete your data, but will reset the system cache, which can weigh several gigabytes.

Instructions:

1. Turn off Poco. M3.
2. Press the “Power” and “Loudness up” buttons at the same time before the logo appears. MI.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to Recovery Mode (English menu).
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
5. Select "Wipe & Reset» → «Wipe Cache».
6. Confirm the action ("Yes").
7. After cleaning, select “Reboot” → “Reboot to System”.

⚡ What does it mean?

• 🧹 Remove update cache, temporary system files.
• 🔄 Corrects errors related to damaged data.
• 📉 Frees him. 2-5 GB (depending on the degree of pollution).

❌ What not to do in Recovery:

• ❌ Don’t choose “Wipe Data” – it’s a complete phone reset!
• ❌ Do not format sections manually (for example, /data or /system).

💡

If after cleaning the cache, the phone is loaded for a long time (5-10 It's normal. The system recovers the files it needs.

6. Method 5: Manually remove hidden folders (for advanced ones only)

This method requires caution, but allows you to delete files that are not cleaned by standard methods. FX File Explorer).

🔎 What folders can be cleaned:

⚠️ Folders that you can't touch:

• 🚫 /system — System files (deleting will lead to a brick).
• 🚫 /vendor — driver and firmware modules.
• 🚫 /data/app — user applications (deletion of user applications) = program-deleting).

📌 How to remove:

1. Open Root Explorer and grant root rights.
2. Go to the desired folder (for example, /data/local/tmp).
3. Select all files and click “Delete”.
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone stopped loading after deleting the folders, try going to Recovery and making Wipe Cache. If that didn't work, you'll need to flash it over Fastboot.

7.Why is the Other folder filling up again and how to prevent it?

Even after cleaning it completely, the Other folder grows again over time, and this is due to the peculiarities of Android and the way it works. MIUI. Main causes:

• 🔄 Automatic caching – the system creates temporary files to speed up the application.
• 📥 Background updates – Google Play Services and MIUI download packages in the background.
• 📁 Incorrect removal of applications – some programs leave “tails” in the form of settings files.
• 📊 Log files – the system keeps error logs that take up a lot of space over time.

🛡️ How to slow down folder growth:

1. Turn off automatic application updates:
2. Limit cache for individual applications:
3. Use the lightweight versions of the applications:
4. Clean the cache regularly through ADB or Files by Google:

📈 Comparison of methods for efficiency:

💡

Regular cleaning of the Other folder not only frees up space, but also speeds up Poco’s work. M3, It reduces the fragmentation of memory.

8. Frequent Questions (FAQ)