How to completely clean the “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: a step-by-step guide

The “Other” section of Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 memory is a real headache for smartphone owners, and over time it grows to several gigabytes, taking up precious space, but it remains a mystery: what exactly is stored in this section and how to clean it safely. Unlike photos or apps, the files from “Other” do not appear in the standard manager, and MIUI system tools often remove only the tip of the iceberg, leaving the main debris intact.

Compounding the problem, the Redmi Note 7 (codename lavender) has only 32/64 GB of memory, of which 10-15% less is actually available to the user. When the Other takes 5-10 GB, it is critical: apps start to slow down, updates are not installed, and the camera refuses to save photos. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods — from basic to advanced — that will help regain control of memory without risking damage to the system.

What is the “Other” section and why is it clogged

In MIUI, the term “Other” hides system caches, temporary files, application logs, and residual data that do not fall into the standard categories (“Images”, “Video”, “Audio”), the main culprits behind the expansion of this section:

• 📁 Application cache: Even after deleting the program, temporary files can remain in memory.
• 🔄 Residual update data: MIUI Often saves older versions of the firmware for rollback.
• 📊 System Logs: Debugging files (.log,.dump) are created automatically when crashes occur.
• 🎮 Cash games: games like this PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact can leave gigabytes of unnecessary files.
• 🔗 Symbolic references: MIUI They use them for compatibility, but they sometimes duplicate data.

The Redmi Note 7’s eMMC 5.1 architecture degrades over time with frequent recordings. When memory is clogged, the smartphone starts to “brake” not only because of space shortage, but also because of fragmentation of memory cells, which means that even after cleaning, performance may not recover completely – defragmentation will be required (we will discuss this in one method).

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse “other” with the section /data/media/0 (Delete files directly from system folders (/data, /system) without root rights will cause a breakdown MIUI.

Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools

To begin with, the safest way is to use the standard MIUI 12/13/14 features, which, although limited in effectiveness, does not require additional software and is suitable for beginners.

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Memory.
2. Tap on the Others section (may be called Other Files in newer versions of MIUI).
3. Click on “Clean” or “Delete unnecessary files.” The system will scan the app cache and prompt you to remove up to 1-3 GB of garbage.
4. For deep cleaning, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, select any application, and click Clear Cache. Repeat for all programs that take >100 MB.

This method only removes the surface cache, and for more serious cleaning, you need third-party utilities or manual actions, for example, MIUI does not touch:

• 🗑️ Google Play Services cache (can weigh up to 500MB).
• 📂 Residual data of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp).
• 🔄 Update files MIUI file /cache.

Back up important data |Close all applications |Connect the charger |Contact the free space after cleaning-->

Method 2: Manual cleaning through file manager

If the built-in tools didn't work, you'd have to dig deeper, and you'd need a file manager with access to system folders like MiXplorer or Solid Explorer (with root mode enabled if you have superuser rights).

The main folders that can be cleaned without risk to the system:

Cleaning instructions:

1. Install MiXplorer from the official website (not from the Play Market, as the version is stripped down there).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0 and manually delete unnecessary files from the table above.
4. The /cache folder will require a phone reboot.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders: /system, /vendor, /data/app — This will lead to incapacity. MIUI.

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Before deleting your Android/data folder, check if it is being used by active apps, for example, deleting WhatsApp data will result in chats being lost.

Method 3: Using ADB for deep cleaning

If manual cleaning failed, Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level smartphone management tool, will help. It allows you to delete files that are not available through standard methods.

Preparation:

1. Download ADB Tools from Google’s official website.
2. Turn on Redmi Note 7 Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times).
3. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.

Cleanup commands:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Cleaning up the built-in MIUI cleaner


adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




adb shell rm -rf /cache/* # Cleaning system cache




adb shell pm trim-caches 100000000 # Forced cache clearing of all applications

Once you have completed the commands, be sure to restart your smartphone.This method removes up to 3-5 GB of hidden debris, but requires caution: the wrong command can erase important data.

Method 4: Recovery Mode Cache Reset

When the Other takes >10GB and previous methods have failed, it leaves a hard cache reset via recovery mode, which will not delete personal data, but will clear all temporary system files.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the Redmi Note 7.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (control – volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
4. After cleaning, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

This method removes:

• 🗃️ Dalvik cache (accelerates the system).
• 📜 Temporary update files MIUI.
• 🔧 Logs of the kernel and modules.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data – the second option will completely reset the phone to factory settings!

Once a month | Once every 3 months | Only when memory ends | Never cleared |I don't know what it is-->

Method 5: Memory defragmentation (for advanced)

If the other still takes up a lot of space after all the manipulations, the problem may be fragmentation of the eMMC memory. Over time, files are broken into small blocks, and the system spends additional space on their bundle. Defragmentation helps to "assemble" files into continuous blocks, freeing up to 1-2 GB.

How to defragment:

1. Install Storage Analyzer & Disk Usage from Play Market.
2. Analyze the degree of fragmentation (the "Analysis" tab).
3. If fragmentation >30%, use ADB-Command: Adb shell fstrim -v /data
4. Reboot the phone.

This method does not delete files, but optimizes their placement, the effect is noticeable on “cluttered” devices with a large number of small files (for example, after frequent use of messengers or games).

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Defragmentation is only useful for devices with eMMC memory (like the Redmi Note 7), and on smartphones with UFS 2.1+ (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro), it does not have a noticeable effect.

What to do if nothing helps

If the “Other” section is still >5 GB after all the methods, the following reasons are possible:

• 🛠️ File system damage: Fastboot flashing is required.
• 📦 Hidden backups MIUI: check the folder /MIUI/backup.
• 🔒 Encrypted data: If the phone has been encrypted, some files may appear as “Other».
• 🎯 Virus software: some Trojans disguised as system files.

In such cases:

1. Check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes.
2. Make a backup and perform a full reset via Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset.
3. If the reset does not help, reflash the phone through the Mi Flash Tool (instructions on the official website).

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On the Redmi Note 7, a factory reset removes the Others section completely, but also erases all user data. Always back up before resetting!

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up "Other"