Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a mysterious problem: the device’s memory is filled, but when analyzing storage, the lion’s share is given to a section called “Other” or “System.” This section can grow to tens of gigabytes, blocking app installation and photo uploading. Standard cleaning methods often prove powerless against this “hidden” garbage.
Making matters worse, the MIUI or HyperOS operating system doesn’t always transparently report what’s hiding inside the system container, which could be application logs, remnants of remote programs, messenger cache, or even fragments of system updates, and understanding the nature of these files is the first step to a successful cleanup.
In this article, we will discuss safe and advanced methods that will help you return precious gigabytes. We will not use questionable software-cliners, but we will apply proven system tools and commands Android Debug Bridge.
What is hidden in the “Other” section really?
Before you take any action, you need to understand the structure of the files, and the "Other" section is not a single file, but a collection of data that the system cannot classify as images, videos, music or applications, often accumulating error logs, temporary installer files and social media cache.
Telegram and WhatsApp have a habit of saving media files in their own folders, which the system may perceive as system garbage or data of the Other, and can also store offline maps of navigators and game data.
⚠️ Warning: Before any manipulation of system files, be sure to back up important data. Error when deleting system logs can lead to unstable operation of the device.
You can use a built-in analyzer to make a precise diagnosis, but it often gives only superficial information. Deeper analysis requires connecting to a computer or using file managers with root rights, although in most cases you can do with standard tools.
Basic cleaning through storage settings
The easiest and safest way to start the memory struggle is to use the built-in MIUI tools. The system provides basic data management functionality that users often ignore. Go to Settings → Memory and wait for the analysis to be completed.
Click on the "Other" (or "System Data") section. Here you can see the breakdown by category if the system has been able to identify them. Often, cleaning the cache through the "Clean Up" menu helps. Click on the broom icon to delete temporary files.
- 🧹 Go to the Security app and select Cleanup to delete temporary files.
- 📂 Manually check the Download folder in the file manager.
- ♻️ Use the Deep Clean feature in the memory menu to find large files.
If the Other section size has decreased slightly after this action, then the problem is deeper, the system cache may have been damaged or blocked by the background services processes, in which case a deeper intervention is required.
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Reboot your smartphone regularly. When you reboot, Android automatically deletes many temporary files and logs that may be in the Other section.
Clearing the data of specific applications
Often, the culprits of the Other section are specific applications that aggressively cache content, where social networks and messengers have traditionally been the leaders, and you need to manually check their storage settings.
Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find heavy apps like Instagram, TikTok or browsers. Select an app and click Memory. Here you will see the "Clear Cache" button. Don't confuse it with "Clean All" because the second option will reset the app to factory settings.
☑️ Verification of the leading applications
Pay special attention to Telegram. Inside the app, go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Click on Clear Cache. This is secure, as all media files are stored in the cloud and re-downloaded if needed. This procedure often frees up 1 to 10 GB of space that the system considered "Other."
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who haven't been helped by standard methods, there's a way to clean through USB debugging. This method allows you to remove the system cache and logs that are not available through the normal interface. You'll need a computer and an installed ADB driver.
First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and press 7 times on MIUI Version. Then, in the “Additional” menu, turn on “Debugging on USB.” Connect your phone to your PC and select File Transfer Mode.
adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.downloads
adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gmsThese commands clear the cache of the bootloader and Google services, which often generate errors and logs. Be careful when typing commands. Incorrectly removing system packages can lead to a bootloop.
| ADB Team Team | Function | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| adb shell pm clear com.android.cache | Cleaning the system cache | Low. |
| adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* | Deletion of temporary files | Medium. |
| adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CLEAN_UP | Starting system cleaning | Low. |
| adb shell pm clear com.miui.securitycenter | Resetting Xiaomi antivirus | Medium. |
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Radical methods: Resetting and flashing
If the software methods fail, the last option is a complete factory reset, which is guaranteed to clear the Other section, as it will be recreated, but this step requires full preparation.
Go to Settings → About → Settings → Settings Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” The phone will return to “out of the box” state. All your photos, contacts and apps will be deleted, so be sure to back up to an external medium or to the Mi Cloud.
⚠️ Warning: After a reset, don't restore the app backup right away.First check the volume of the "Other" partition on a clean system.If it grows fast, it may be a problem in the particular app you install.
In some cases, flashing the device through the Mi Flash Tool with the option “Clean all” helps, which will reinstall the operating system itself, fixing possible file system errors that could lead to incorrect display of memory.
Prevention and optimization of storage
To prevent the problem from returning, Xiaomi must adhere to certain operating rules. Regular digital hygiene will help keep the system clean without unnecessary effort.
Turn off automatic media saving in instant messengers if you don't need it. Use cloud storage to archive old photos and videos. Also keep an eye out for system updates - developers often release patches that fix memory leaks.
- 📅 Once a month, you will manually check the storage.
- 🚫 Avoid installing applications from unknown sources.
- 🔄 Update apps regularly via Google Play or GetApps.
Remember that filling up memory by more than 90% slows down the flash memory of the smartphone. Try to keep 5-10 GB free for the correct operation of the system and caching.
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The “Other” section is most often the cache of applications and system logs. Regular cleaning of the messenger cache and periodic restart of the device prevents its critical proliferation.