How to Clean Other Files on Xiaomi Redmi 6A: Effective Methods

Owners of budget smartphones like the Redmi 6A often face the problem of lack of internal memory, which leads to slowdown of the device and the inability to install new applications. Android system over time becomes accreted with digital garbage, which accumulates in the “Other files” section, occupying precious gigabytes. Understanding what exactly lies behind this mysterious item is the first step to optimizing your gadget.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the mechanisms of temporary data storage and offer proven ways to delete it without losing important information, learn how to use the built-in MIUI tools, work with the file manager and apply advanced cleaning methods that will help return the phone to its previous speed.

Many users mistakenly believe that removing apps solves the problem, but the root of the evil often goes deeper. Cache data, remnants of deleted programs and logs of system errors are the main culprits of overflowing storage. Let's figure out how to safely free up space on your device.

What is hidden in the category Other files

The Other section of Xiaomi’s storage is a kind of black box where the system resets anything that doesn’t belong to standard categories like photos, music or videos, including archives, APK installation packages, instant messenger data and browser temporary files, often up to several gigabytes, which is critical for models with 16 or 32 GB of internal memory.

It is important to understand that not all content in this category is garbage, some files are necessary for the installed applications to work correctly, and their thoughtless removal can lead to failures, but a significant part is occupied by the remnants of remote programs and cache that can and should be cleaned.

• 📦 Residual files after deleting apps and games.
• 📄 Temporary browser and social media files.
• 🗺️ Offline maps and uploaded navigation data.
• 📞 Backup copies of messages and call logs.

⚠️ Before manually cleaning the files, make sure that there are no important documents or working materials that you did not have time to save to the cloud.

Analyzing the contents of a folder requires careful attention, since file names are often encoded or look like a set of characters. Redmi 6A users need to learn how to distinguish system logs from personal garbage, so as not to disrupt the stability of the operating system.

Use of the built-in Cleanup application

The easiest and safest way to start the fight for space is to use a regular application from the developers of MIUI. It automatically scans the device for obvious debris, such as app cache and install file remnants, run the program through a menu or shortcut on the desktop to begin analysis.

After scanning, the system will prompt you to delete files it considers safe to delete, usually browser cache, thumbnail sketches and temporary update files. Pressing the cleanup button in this section often frees up 500MB to 2GB of space, which is essential for budget models.

However, standard cleaning doesn't always affect deep system folders. For more careful work, go to Files inside the cleanup app. Here you can find large files you may have forgotten or duplicate photos. Deep cleaning allows you to select specific types of data to delete.

• 🗑️ Application cache (safe to remove).
• 📸 Duplicate photos and screenshots.
• 📥 Uploaded files from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
• 📦 Large archives and documents.

⚠️ Attention: Deep Cleaning may prompt the removal of application data, which will result in resetting or logging out of accounts.

Regular use of the built-in tool will help keep the system clean. Don’t wait until the memory is full – do prevention at least once a week to maintain high performance Redmi 6A.

Manual cleaning through the conductor

For those who want to have full control of the process, manual cleaning through the standard file manager is available. Go to Memory → Internal Shared Drive, and here you will see a list of folders whose names often match those of applications or developers.

Special attention should be paid to the Android/data and Android/obb folders. The first stores application data, the second stores the cache of games and heavy programs. Deleting the contents of the folder of a particular application is equivalent to reinstalling it with loss of progress if it is not stored in the cloud.

It’s also worth checking the folders of messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram, which often store thousands of images and videos viewed but not needed. The path usually looks like WhatsApp/Media or Telegram/Telegram Images. Deleting the contents of Cache folders inside these directories is safe.

• 📂 Download folder – here accumulate all downloads from the Internet.
• 📂 folder DCIM/.thumbnails — galleries.
• 📂 Tencent folder - messenger data QQ and sometimes WeChat.
• 📂 folder MIUI/debug_log — Logistics that take up a lot of space.

Deleting the.thumbnails folder can temporarily slow the opening of the gallery, as the system will have to recreate thumbnails, but it will free up a significant amount of space. This is a classic example of how hidden files can stealthily eat up the resources of a device.

Cleaning the cache and application data

Special attention should be paid to managing the cache of specific applications through system settings. Social networks and instant messengers tend to grow to giant sizes, storing media files viewed for years. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications to get started.

Select a heavy app like YouTube or VK and click Memory. Here you will see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear all. The first is secure and deletes temporary files, the second resets the app to a state immediately after installation, requiring you to log in again.

Especially the space is occupied by messengers. In Telegram, for example, you can set up automatic cache cleaning in the settings of the app itself, so that it does not occupy the memory of the phone, which is more effective than manual cleaning through the Android settings.

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Set up automatic cache deletion on Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use → Media Save: 3 days. This will prevent the application from sprawling.

Storage analysis and removal of large files

Sometimes it's not thousands of small files that are causing the problem, but a few forgotten videos or archives, which can be found using a built-in memory analyzer or third-party utilities, and the standard MIUI Explorer has a file sorting function by size, making it much easier to find heavyweights.

Pay attention to the Video folder and the messenger attachments. Often users save statuses from WhatsApp or TikTok videos that automatically enter the gallery and take up space, and deleting such files is the fastest way to gain free space.

⚠️ Note: When deleting large files through third-party analyzers, make sure you don’t delete system files with the.sys or.img extension, even if they seem large.

If you find a file with a name that is not clear but large, try opening it. If it's a video or archive, delete it. If the file doesn't open or the system writes a format error, it's best to leave it alone, as it can be an important system file.

Use of Developer Mode and ADB

For advanced users who lack standard methods, there is the option of cleaning through USB debugging.This method requires connecting the smartphone to a computer and installing ADB drivers. It allows you to delete files that are not available to the average user.

Before you start, you need to activate the developer mode. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the MIUI build number seven times. After that, the “For Developers” option will appear in the “Additional” menu, where you need to turn on “Debugging by USB”.

With the command line, you can force the Dalvik cache to be cleared, which sometimes helps with critical system errors. However, for the average Redmi 6A user, this method can be redundant and potentially dangerous in the absence of experience.

adb shell pm clear com.android.cache

Using these commands should be a conscious move, and if you're not sure what a folder or command is, you'd better use the less risky methods described above. Data security is always a priority over releasing a couple of megabytes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Regular memory maintenance on Redmi 6A extends the life of the drive and ensures stable operation of the MIUI interface.