How to Clean the “Other” folder on Xiaomi Redmi 9

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the unpleasant situation when the system storage suddenly becomes overcrowded and the culprit is a mysterious section. On Redmi 9, this problem is especially relevant due to the limited amount of internal memory in basic configurations. The user sees that the “Other” category takes up tens of gigabytes, but it is almost impossible to understand what is stored there with standard means.

This section is a collection of app cache, residual files from remote programs, messenger data, and system logs. Memory cleaning becomes critical as overflowing leads to slowdowns, freezes, and no updates. In this article, we will explore proven ways to safely remove excess debris.

You know, you can't just take and delete the entire folder through the file manager, because it blocks access to critical files, and you need a comprehensive approach that involves analyzing space, working with specific applications, and, in extreme cases, using special tools. Let's take a step-by-step approach to Redmi 9.

Memory analysis and detection of large files

Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to conduct a thorough diagnostic of the storage. Standard MIUI tools provide basic information, but for deep analysis, you better use the built-in tools or third-party utilities. Go to Settings → Memory to see the overall picture of the data distribution.

Often, it turns out that the lion’s share of the space in the Other section is in messengers like Telegram or Viber, which have been accumulating media files for years, and these apps store the photos and videos they receive into hidden directories that the system classifies as other content. Without manually cleaning the apps themselves, standard cache cleaning may not give a tangible result.

To get a closer look at the structure of the files, you can use the built-in Explorer app, and look at the folders that have the names of social networks and browsers, and that's where the most heavy files are hiding, which inflate the amount of space that's occupied.

• 📱 Check the storage settings in each messenger separately, limiting the autoload of media.
• 📂 Use file size sorting to find the heavyweights hidden deep in the directories.
• 🗑️ Remove old downloads from the Download folder that users often forget.

⚠️ Note: When analyzing files, pay attention to extensions. files with the.apk extension can be application installers, and a.log can be error reports that can be safely deleted.

Cleaning cache and system application data

Xiaomi’s system applications tend to accumulate temporary files that eventually turn into gigabytes of unnecessary garbage, especially Google services, the gallery and the GetApps app store. Cache cleaning is a safe operation that will not lead to loss of personal data, but will free up a significant amount of memory.

To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the most voracious services, and look for apps with a large amount of storage in the Cash box. Click on the app, select Memory, and then Clear Cache.

It is important not to confuse cache cleaning with data cleaning. If you choose Clear Data, the app will return to factory settings and you may lose logins or saved progress. So proceed carefully by choosing only temporary files.

The Gallery app, which often stores thumbnails of deleted photos and cloud sync data, can instantly free up a few gigabytes if you recently deleted a lot of photos or videos, is worth a special attention.

Working with messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber

Messengers are the main memory eaters on Android smartphones. In the case of Redmi 9, which is often used as the main communication device, this problem is acute. Internal structure of message storage allows these applications to grow to incredible sizes, falling into the category of “Other”.

In Telegram, you need to go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the exact size of the cache. The Clear Cache button will delete all downloaded media from the device, but leave them available in the chat cloud, which is the most effective way to combat memory bloating.

For WhatsApp, the situation is more complicated, as backups and media files are stored locally. Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. Here you can view files larger than 5 MB and delete unnecessary videos that most often take up space. It is also useful to turn off auto-save to the gallery.

• 💬 Enable the “Auto-Delete” function for cache in the Telegram settings by setting a timer (for example, 3 days).
• 📹 On WhatsApp, regularly check the “Big Files” section in storage management.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic media download on the mobile network for all messengers.

⚠️ Note: Before clearing messenger data, make sure you have an up-to-date backup of important correspondence if you plan to remove the app entirely.

Delete residual files after deleting applications

When you delete a game or app with Redmi 9, Android often leaves behind tails — folders with settings, cache, and data — that are no longer needed, but they continue to take up space and appear in the Other section, and hundreds of folders can accumulate over time.

To find these files, open the Explorer app and go to the Internal Storage root folder. Look for folders with names of remote games or services. Often they are in the Android/data or Android/obb directories, although access to them is limited in new versions of Android.

A safer way is to use the built-in MIUI cleaner. Run the Security → Cleanup app. The system will scan the device for residual files and suggest that they be deleted. This is less deep than manual search, but safer for inexperienced users.

If you decide to delete files manually through Explorer, be sure to check the folder name. Deleting a folder with the name of an active application (for example, com.google.android.youtube) will cause it to reset or malfunction.

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Use the Analyzer feature in Xiaomi’s built-in Security app – it visually shows which folders take up the most space, making it easier to find garbage.

Developer Mode and ADB (for Advanced)

For users who aren’t afraid of technical terms, there is a more powerful cleaning method, USB debugging and ADB commands, which removes system debris and cache that is not available through a conventional interface, but requires a connection to a computer and install drivers.

First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on MIUI Version. After you have become a developer, go to Additional → For Developers and turn on USB Debugging.

Connect Redmi 9 to your PC, open the command line with administrator permissions, and enter a command to clear the cache of a packet manager or other system services. For example, a command to clear the cache of a particular package looks like this:

adb shell pm clear com.android.packageinstaller

This method is effective when standard methods fail, and the Other section continues to grow for no apparent reason, but be careful: deleting the wrong system data can lead to unstable MIUI operation.

• 💻 Make sure that the current drivers are installed on the computer. ADB for your device.
• 🔌 Use the original. USB-cable for stable connection during the procedure.
• ⚡ Do not turn off your smartphone until all commands in the terminal are completed.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-If you are not sure about the purpose of the package you are going to clean, you should skip this step or pre-create a full backup of the data.

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Developer mode and ADB are “heavy artillery” to clean the system, requiring precision but giving maximum results in the fight against hidden debris.

Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings

If none of the above methods has helped reduce the size of the Other folder and it continues to occupy a critical amount of memory, the last option is a complete reset to factory settings, which is guaranteed to remove all software debris, file system errors and accumulated artifacts over the years.

Before starting the procedure, be sure to back up all important data to your Mi Cloud service, computer or external memory card. Reset will destroy all information on your phone, including contacts, photos and installed applications. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all data.

After the reset, Redmi 9 will launch as a new one.The Other section will be minimal in size, and it is recommended not to restore the app backup "wholesale", but to install them again from Google Play to avoid returning old garbage along with the programs.