How to open the folder “Other files” on Xiaomi Redmi: hidden data and cleanup

What is the “Other Files” folder and why does it take up space?

If you’ve ever looked into your Xiaomi Redmi storage through Settings → Memory, you’ve probably noticed the mysterious “Other Files” category, which can range from a few hundred megabytes to tens of gigabytes — and doesn’t give you a clear idea of what’s stored there or whether it can be deleted. Unlike Photos, Videos or Audio, the content of Other Files doesn’t show up in a standard file manager, which raises a lot of questions for users.

In fact, Other Files is a system container where MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) folds everything that doesn't fall into the standard categories: application cache, temporary files, debugging log data, remnants of remote programs, and files with an undefined extension.

• 📁 Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber cache that is not automatically cleared.
• 🔄 System and application update residues (e.g.,.apk packages after installation).
• 🖥️ Error Logs and Memory Dumps That Android Creates When Failing.
• 🗑️ Temporary files from browsers, editors and games (e.g. com.android.chrome or com.tencent.ig).

The problem is that MIUI doesn't directly access this folder through a GUI -- you can't just open it like Downloads or DCIM. But there are a few ways to find, analyze and clean that data without having to reset your phone. We'll go through all the working methods from simple to advanced.

Method 1: View through a standard File Manager (hidden folders)

In most cases, the Other Files folder is not displayed in Xiaomi's default MI File Manager, but it can be manually enabled by activating the hidden file display. Here's how to do this:

1. Open the Files app (the icon with the folder on the desktop).
2. Slip on three horizontal lines (☰) top-left.
3. Select “Settings” → “Show hidden files”.
4. Return to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and scroll down the list.

Now you will see folders with names like:

• 📂.thumbnails – thumbnails of images and videos.
• 📂.cache - cache of various applications.
• 📂 Android/data — Application data (including remnants of remote programs).
• 📂 MIUI/debug_log — log-book.

These folders form the lion's share of Other Files, and manual deletion is not recommended, but rather the use of specialized tools (about them below) to keep the system running smoothly, but you can analyze which files take up the most space and decide to clean up.

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If the Android/data folder weighs a few gigabytes, it's likely that data from remote games (like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact) has been accumulated there, and you can delete it if the game is already uninstalled.

Method 2: Using the built-in Cleanup utility in MIUI

Xiaomi has built-in MIUI garbage cleanup tool that partially affects Other Files, which is the most secure method, since the system itself determines what data can be deleted without risking stability.

1. Go to Settings. → Memory.
2. Slip on "Clean" (or "Free the place", depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Wait for the analysis to be completed (it may take 1-2 minutes).
4. In the “Junk” or “Unnecessary Files” section, select “Clean”.

This way will remove:

• 🗑️ Application cache and temporary files.
• 📥 Download residues (e.g.,.apk files after installation).
• 📊 Logs of the system (unless they are critical).

However, not all Other Files** will be deleted – some of the data (such as backups or configuration files) will remain intact.

Method 3: Third-party applications for memory analysis (Files by Google, SD Maid)

If the built-in MIUI tools fail, third-party tools will come to the rescue, allowing you to detail the contents of Other Files** and remove unnecessary items in semi-automatic mode.

Files by Google (free, no root)

Google's app specializes in finding garbage and duplicates to analyze "Other Files":

1. Install Files by Google from the Play Market.
2. In the Unnecessary Files section, select the categories to delete (e.g., App Cache or APK Residues).

SD Maid (Paid version, Deep Clean)

SD Maid is a more powerful tool that finds even deep-hidden files.

1. Install SD Maid (the free version has limitations).
2. Start the analysis (Menu → Analyze).
3. Go to the “CorpseFinder” section – here you will see the remnants of remote applications.
4. Select the unnecessary files and press “Run”.

Warning: SD Maid can find files critical to some applications. Never delete folders called com.xiaomi.* or android, which can cause MIUI to crash.

Method 4: Manual removal via ADB (for power users)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, you can connect to your smartphone via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and manually delete unnecessary files, a method that requires debugging over USB and basic command line knowledge, but allows you to spot-clean even data that is not visible through the file manager.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to the basic settings and open "Additional → Developer." Turn on "Debugging on USB."

Redmi

ADB Tools

cmd

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed).

root

adb shell


su

cd /data/media/0/


ls -la

rm -rf .thumbnails/*


rm -rf .cache/*

Attention: ⚠️ Incorrect use of rm can lead to loss of important data or system failure. If you are not sure about the team, you better skip this step. Also note that working with su requires an unlocked bootloader, which will void the warranty on some Xiaomi models.

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ADB-It's only suitable for advanced users, and most of the tasks have built-in tools. MIUI or Files by Google.

Table: What can be deleted from Other Files and what can’t be deleted

To avoid cleaning errors, we have compiled a table with permitted and prohibited actions:

Why do “Other Files” reappear after cleaning?

Many Xiaomi Redmi users find that after a while, the Other Files folder grows again.

• 🔄 Automatic caching of applications (especially social networks and instant messengers).
• 📦 Residual data after updates MIUI or.
• 🤖 Background processes of the system that create logs and dumps.
• 🎮 Gaming files (e.g. Call of Duty Mobile or Free Fire) leave gigabytes of cache).

To minimize the growth of "Other Files":

• 📵 Limit cache for individual applications in Settings → Annexes → [Select an application] → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 🔄 Regularly (once a month) start the built-in cleaning MIUI.
• 🚫 Avoid installing apps from unverified sources – they often leave debris behind.
• 📱 Use the "Light Mode" (Settings) → Special opportunities → Light mode, if the phone is old, it will reduce background activity.

Attention: ⚠️ Some apps (like TikTok or Facebook) actively cache data even in the background. If you notice that after using a particular application, Other Files have grown dramatically, check its caching settings or consider alternatives (e.g. Facebook Lite instead of the main client).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the folder “Other files” on Xiaomi Redmi