Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a difficult situation: the device’s memory is full, although the number of personal photos and videos is minimal.The system reports that the bulk of the storage is occupied by a mysterious category “Other”, which can be as large as tens of gigabytes, this partition becomes a “black hole”, where temporary files, messenger cache, remnants of remote programs and system logs fall.
The problem cannot be ignored, as overcrowded storage leads to interface brakes, camera failures and the inability to install security updates. Unlike standard Photos or Apps folders, the contents of Others are not always obvious to the average user, but there are proven ways to effectively free up space without losing important data.
In this guide, we will explain why MIUI and the new HyperOS classify files this way, and what cleaning methods are safe. You will learn how to find hidden files, clean the cache of specific applications and use system utilities for optimization.
Anatomy of the "Other" section: what is stored there
To effectively combat overcrowding, you need to understand the nature of the enemy: The Other category is not a virus or a system bug, but a standard mechanism for classifying files in Android. This includes all the data that the system cannot uniquely attribute to media files, documents or application installation packages, often cached data from streaming services, temporary browser files or messenger databases.
Special attention should be paid to messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp, which store photos and videos viewed in a hidden cache that the system sees as “Others.” Even if you delete correspondence, files can remain in memory, and it accumulates error logs, usage reports and residues after unsuccessful Google Play updates.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete the contents of the Others section through third-party root-rights file managers without understanding the folder structure. Deleting system libraries from this section can lead to a cyclical smartphone reboot (bootloop).
This category can grow exponentially if you’re a social media user, like watching Instagram or TikTok uploads hundreds of megabytes of temporary data that isn’t automatically deleted, and understanding which apps are inflating this section is the first step to solving the problem.
Using Xiaomi's built-in cleaner
The first and most secure garbage control tool is the standard “Security” app, preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones.It has access to system files and knows what data can be deleted without risking the stability of MIUI. Launch the app and select the “Cleanup” feature.
Once scanned, the system will prompt you to remove the obvious debris: advertising files, deleted app residues, and temporary files. However, to deep clean the "Other" section, you need to click on the "Clean" button at the bottom of the screen or go to the "Deep Clean" section, here you will find the file categories that occupy the most space.
☑️ Algorithm of working with a standard cleaner
It is important to carefully examine the proposed files before confirmation. Sometimes the list includes important documents or saved files from work chats. Xiaomi system usually marks safe to delete files by ticks by default, but human control is necessary. After cleaning, restart the device so that the system recalculates the amount of space occupied.
💡
Run a standard cleanup routinely, at least once a week, and this will prevent the accumulation of huge amounts of temporary files that are difficult to delete in one fell swoop.
Manual cleaning of the cache of messengers and social networks
The lion’s share of garbage in the category “Other” is accounted for by instant messengers. Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber and other applications store media files in their internal folders, which are not always correctly displayed in the gallery, but take up space in memory. → Annexes → All applications.
Find a heavy app like Telegram on the list. Go to the Storage menu. Here you will see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear everything. The first button is secure, it will delete temporary files, but save your logins and correspondence. The second button will completely reset the app to just out of the store, deleting all data.
| Annex | Where to find files | Data type in "Other" | Security of removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telegram | Settings → Data and memory | Photo, video, GIF | Safe (if there is a cloud) |
| Settings → Data and Storage | Media files, backups. | It requires caution. | |
| TikTok | App settings → Cash | Temporary video | Completely safe. |
| Chrome | Settings → Confidentiality | Cache sites, cookies | Safe (will be logged out of accounts) |
For Telegram, there is a more flexible method of cleaning inside the app itself. Go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Here you can set up automatic cache cleanup (for example, store files for 3 days) or manually delete the cache, while saving important files that you sent yourself or received from contacts.
Why does the cache grow again after cleaning?
Analysis of storage through third-party utilities
If Xiaomi’s standard methods don’t give you a complete picture of what’s taking up space, specialized disk analyzers come to the rescue. Apps like DiskUsage or Files by Google visualize the file system by showing the size of each folder as graphs or lists, which allows you to find hidden heavyweights.
Install the app you select from Google Play and give it the necessary permissions to access files. It scans the internal memory and shows which folders are bloated. Often it turns out that the Android/data or Android/obb folder contains gigabytes of data from long-distant games or video editing apps.
- 🔍 DiskUsage: Shows the structure of memory in a tree diagram, where the square size corresponds to the file size.
- 🧹 Files by Google: Google’s official “Clean Up” app that securely removes duplicates, WhatsApp memes and temporary files.
- 📂 Total Commander: Powerful file manager with plugin for searching duplicates and analyzing space, convenient for advanced users.
Using these tools, you may find that “Other” has swelled due to offline navigator maps or downloaded series on Netflix. When deleting such files, be careful: delete only the contents of the folders, not the system directories themselves. After cleaning through third-party utilities, it is recommended to restart Xiaomi’s standard cleaner for final verification.
💡
Third-party analyzers show the real file structure that the standard interface hides, allowing you to find “invisible” gigabytes of garbage.
Resetting settings and radical methods
When software methods fail and the Others section continues to grow even after cleaning, it is possible that there have been indexing errors in the Android file system, in which case resetting the network settings or completely resetting to factory settings can help. This is an extreme measure requiring a prior backup of all important data.
Before taking a radical step, try a gentler method: clear the Dalvik Cache partition through Recovery mode. To do this, turn off the phone, press the Volume+ buttons and Power before the MI logo appears. In the Recovery menu (volume button management, power button selection), select Wipe Data (attention: this will delete all data!) or, if you have access to ADB, use the command to clear the cache.
⚠️ Attention: Complete reset (Wipe) Data/Factory Reset removes ALL data from your phone, including photos, contacts and apps. Be sure to back up to your computer or the cloud. Xiaomi/Google beforehand.
If you decide to reset completely, don't restore the app backup immediately after you turn on your phone. First, check the amount of Other on a clean system. If it's minimal (1-2 GB), then one of the installed applications created the problem. Install the programs one by one to figure out the culprit.
What is Wipe Cache Partition?
Prevention of memory overflow
To prevent the problem from returning with the bloated “Other” section, you need to implement simple habits of using your smartphone: first of all, set up automatic cleaning in messengers. Telegram and WhatsApp can set a time limit for storing media files, which will automatically free up space.
Check the Download folder regularly. Often installation files are downloaded there. APK, PDF-Documents and pictures you no longer need, and you should also disable the automatic saving of WhatsApp and Stories statuses from social networks, if such a feature is enabled, since they take up space in hidden folders.
- 🗑️ Auto Remove: Enable the Auto Remove feature in Xiaomi’s storage settings if it’s available in your firmware version.
- ☁️ Cloud services: Use Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud with Free Place feature, which removes local copies of already uploaded photos to the cloud.
- 📉 Update control: Do not store app update installers. APK-file can be deleted.
Following these simple rules will keep the HyperOS or MIUI system clean. Smartphone memory is a resource that requires management. Regular file hygiene will ensure the device’s performance throughout its life.
💡
Use the Memory Cleanup widget on your desktop, and one tap on it will trigger a quick cache cleanup, which is convenient to do every night before charging your phone.