Owners of popular Redmi smartphones often face the mysterious situation when the internal memory of the device is filled for no apparent reason. Especially relevant question for the model Redmi Note 7, which, despite the excellent characteristics, has a limited amount of internal storage in the basic versions. Users notice that the “Other” partition in the memory settings inflates to tens of gigabytes, occupying space that should be free for photos and applications.
This problem is typical of the MIUI 12 shell, where the free space counting algorithms may not work correctly or the system accumulates huge amounts of temporary files, and understanding the nature of this phenomenon is the first step to solving it, often hiding cached messenger data, remnants of remote programs or system logs that were not deleted automatically.
In this guide, we will discuss proven cleaning methods that will help you return gigabytes of free space without losing personal data. It is important to act consistently, starting with secure software methods and moving to more radical measures only when necessary.
The nature of the "Other" section in MIUI 12
The system partition, displayed as “Other,” is a hoard of different types of data. In the Android operating system that runs MIUI, this volume is generated from a cache of applications, system updates, temporary files, and data that the system cannot classify as standard media files. On the Redmi Note 7, this problem is often exacerbated by aggressive memory optimization.
Social networks and instant messengers are the main “eaters” of space. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store every photo and video viewed into hidden folders that the standard memory analyzer perceives as unidentified data, and over time these files accumulate, creating the illusion of overflowing the system.
MIUI 12 also has the ability to save error logs and application performance reports, and if an application is unstable and crashes, it can generate megabytes of reports per minute, and these files also fall into the Other category, taking up valuable disk space.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to delete system files manually through root-righted file managers unless you are sure of their purpose.Removing critical libraries can result in a cyclical device reboot (bootloop).
Basic cleaning through standard Xiaomi tools
The first step should always be a regular cleaning utility built into Xiaomi’s shell, which is safe and efficient at removing obvious debris, and accessing it will go to the Security → Cleanup menu, and will analyze the device and suggest that temporary files be deleted.
But standard cleaning often doesn't affect the deep cache of applications. To get to it, you go to Settings → Memory. Here, the system will show a more detailed breakdown. By clicking on the "Other" category, you can see a list of the applications that take up the most space.
Within the settings of a particular application (for example, YouTube or Chrome), find the item "Storage" and select "Clear cache." It is important not to confuse this item with "Clear data", since the second option will delete the logins and settings of the program. Cache is temporary data that can be deleted without consequences.
💡
Use the Deep Clean feature in the Security app – it finds large files you may have forgotten in the Downloads folder and duplicate photos.
Analysis of storage using third-party snails
If the MIUI tools don't work, you should use specialized software, DiskUsage or Files by Google analyzers visualize the file system by showing which folders inflated the "Other" section, which allows you to spot the unnecessary.
Once you install this analyzer, run a scan, and you'll see a graphical memory representation where the squares are the size of the files, and it often turns out that half the space is occupied by forgotten downloads or cache streaming services like Spotify or Netflix.
When working with file managers, be careful about system folders. Only remove content in Download, DCIM or the cache of specific applications in the Android/data folder. System partitions cannot be touched, this can disrupt the work of Redmi Note 7.
- 📱 DiskUsage – a classic tool for visualizing occupied space, shows the hierarchy of files.
- 🗑️ Files by Google – a smart cleaner that offers to remove similar photos and old screenshots.
- 🧹 SD Maid is a powerful tool for advanced users, able to find “silent” files after deleting programs.
Cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks
As mentioned earlier, messengers are the main culprits of memory overflows. In Telegram, for example, media files are saved to the cache by default. To fix this, go to Telegram Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Here you click “Clear Cache” and, more importantly, set a cache size limit (for example, 256 MB or 1 GB).
On WhatsApp, the situation is similar. Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The app will show the chats that take up the most space. You can selectively remove heavy videos from specific dialogues without deleting the correspondence itself. This effectively reduces the volume of the "Other" section.
There are also built-in cleaning tools for Viber and Instagram. Instagram often helps by simply reinstalling an app or clearing its data through Android system settings, as there may not be a built-in cache clearing button in the app itself.This frees up gigabytes of space occupied by watching the feed.
☑️ Daily Memory Hygiene
Radical Methods: Resetting and Formatting
If the software methods don't help and the Other section continues to grow, the file system may be corrupted or have accumulated indexing errors, in which case the way is to completely reset the settings. Before you do that, make sure to back up your important data to the Mi Cloud cloud or to your computer.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The device will return to factory status. Once set up initially, the Other section will be minimal. This is guaranteed to remove all system errors from garbage accumulation.
There is also a method of formatting through Recovery mode, but on modern data-encrypted devices, this amounts to a complete reset.Using third-party PC programs like ADB allows you to manually delete the system cache, but requires command-line skills.
⚠️ Warning: Before performing a full reset, make sure that the battery is at least 50% charged. Interrupting the reset process due to battery discharge may damage the system partition.
Table: Comparison of cleaning methods
For ease of choice of the way to free up memory on Redmi Note 7, below is a comparative table of methods, which will help to assess the risks and effectiveness of each approach.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Risk of data loss | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard MIUI cleaning | Low (100-500 MB) | Absent. | Minimum |
| Cleaning up the app cache | Medium (1-5 GB) | Minimum (logins only) | Low. |
| Third-party analyzers | High (depending on the user) | Medium (can be removed extra) | Medium |
| Full reset (Hard Reset) | Maximum (up to 99%) | High (requires a backup copy) | Tall. |
Prevention of memory overflow
To keep the “Other” partition problem on the Redmi Note 7 from returning, you need to develop a habit of regular maintenance: Do not allow the memory to be filled “on top of the line.” Android needs free space (about 10-15%) for the normal operation of the mechanisms of writing and reading data.
Set up automatic cleaning in messengers. In the same Telegram, you can install autodelete the cache in 3 days or a week. This will eliminate the need to manually clean the memory every couple of months. WhatsApp recommends disabling auto-save media in the gallery.
Check the Downloads folder and the gallery cart regularly. Deleted photos often stay in the cart for 30 days, continuing to take up space. Using cloud storage for photos will allow you to store originals online, leaving only thumbnails on the device.
Hidden system folders
💡
Regularly cleaning the messenger cache is the most effective way to keep the “Other” section under control without losing personal data.