How to Free Up Your Space in the Other section on Xiaomi Redmi 9T: The Complete Guide

Why the Other takes up gigabytes of memory on Redmi 9T and how to fix it

Have you ever looked into the storage of your Xiaomi Redmi 9T and wondered where the free gigabytes went? The “Other” section in the memory settings often becomes a “black hole” absorbing up to 10-20 GB for no apparent reason. Unlike photos or applications, this garbage has no clear structure: it gets remnants of MIUI updates, cache of system services, logs of errors and even fragments of deleted files that the system failed to clean correctly.

On Redmi 9T, the problem is exacerbated by firmware features: MIUI 12/13/14 actively uses background processes to optimize work, but does not always correctly delete temporary data. For example, after updating through the OTA, backups of older versions of firmware weighing up to 1-2 GB may remain in the Other section. And if you often install and remove applications, the cache of Google Play Services and Mi Account inflates to unthinkable sizes.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to clean the Other on Redmi 9T, from basic (menu-available settings) to advanced (using ADB and manual file deletion). Importantly, some methods require root rights or unlock the bootloader, but we’ll show you where to do without them.

What exactly is hidden in the “Other” section on Redmi 9T

Before you start cleaning, you need to understand what exactly takes up space. In MIUI, the Other section includes:

• 🗑️ Cache of system applications: data com.android.systemui, com.miui.home, com.google.android.gms, etc. Can weigh up to 3-5 GB.
• 📦 Remains of updates: backups of firmware (/cache/recovery), log-in (/data/ota_package).
• 🔄 Temporary files: memory dumps (/data/tombstones), mistake (/data/anr).
• 📱 Remote Application Data: Incorrectly erased files from /data/app-lib.
• 🔒 Encrypted data: if the device was encrypted, the tails remain in the device /data/system.

On the Redmi 9T with 64GB of memory (of which ~50GB is actually available), the Other section can take up to 15-20% of the total. For example, after a year of use without cleaning, it accumulates:

A critical feature of Redmi 9T: if the Other partition has accumulated more than 5 GB, the system begins to slow down when writing new files (for example, photos or downloads), this is due to the fact that MIUI reserves some of the memory for system needs, and when it is not enough, lags occur.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to clean “Other” through a file manager manually – delete files from the file /data or /system rootless can lead to bootloop. Use only the proven methods in this article.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of system applications through settings

The safest method, which does not require root or computer permissions, is suitable for deleting temporary files from Google Play Services, MIUI Launcher and other system services.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Show System Processes”.
3. Find applications: 🔍 Google Play Services (com.google.android.gms) 🔍 MIUI Launcher (com.miui.home) 🔍 Mi Account (com.xiaomi.account) 🔍 System UI (com.android.systemui)

"Storage" → "Clean the cache"

After cleaning, restart the device.This method frees up 500MB to 2GB, depending on the time of the last cleaning.

Close all background applications

Connect the charger (in case of long-term processing)

Check the vacant space before and after cleaning

Reboot the phone-->

⚠️ Warning: Do not click Clear Data for system applications (e.g. Google Play Services) – this will cause account sync failures and errors in Google services».

Method 2: Remove the remnants of MIUI updates

Every one. OTA-The update (through-the-air) leaves behind backups and logs that take up gigabytes over time. 9T These files are stored in hidden folders and are not displayed in a standard file manager.

To remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB and enable File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On the computer, open the conductor and go to the folder of the phone.
3. Enable the display of hidden files (in Windows: “View” → “Hidden Items”).
4. Delete the following folders (if they exist): 📂.OTA (memory-root) 📂 cache/recovery 📂 data/ota_package (root)

If the data folder is not in the conductor, it's okay: without root, it's not available.

1. Open the Files app on your phone (from Xiaomi).
2. Go to the Categories» → «Installations» (APK).
3. Delete all files with the name update.zip or miui_....

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times. Then go back to Additional Settings → Developer Mode and turn on USB Debugging.
2. Connect your phone to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
3. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) and type: adb devices If the device appears in the list, continue. If not, check the drivers.
4. Follow the commands to clean the cache: adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms adb shell pm clear com.miui.home adb shell pm clear com.xiaomi.account
5. To delete temporary system files: adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* adb shell rm -rf /cache/*

These commands will securely clear the cache of key system applications and temporary files. Don't use commands like adb shell rm -rf /data/* - this will result in a complete reset of the phone!

Method 4: Resetting cache via Recovery Mode

If the phone is slowing down and the Other takes more than 5GB, it will help to reset the cache through recovery mode.This method does not delete user data (photos, apps), but cleans all temporary files of the system.

Instructions:

1. Turn off Redmi 9T.
2. Press the Nutrition + Volume Up buttons at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the MI logo and Recovery menu appear.
3. Use volume buttons for navigation and power buttons for selection. Choose a language (usually English or ).
4. Go to "Wipe & Reset» → «Wipe Cache».
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 1-3 minutes).
6. Select "Reboot» → «Reboot to System».

After the reboot, check the Other section in the storage settings.This method frees up 1 to 3 GB, but does not delete deep system files (such as update residues).

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Wipe Cache" with "Wipe Data"!The second option will delete all your data, including photos and apps.

💡

Recovery cache resetting is the only official way to clean system temporary files without root.It is safe and recommended by Xiaomi when braking the system.

Method 5: Advanced root-right cleaning (for experienced)

If you are willing to take the risk of root access, you can remove up to 90% of the garbage from the Other section, but this method requires unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk or SuperSU, which voids the warranty and can lead to problems with MIUI OTA.

What can be cleaned with root:

• 🧹 folder /data/log (logistic).
• 🧹 folder /data/tombstones (dumping).
• 🧹 folder /data/dalvik-cache (Dalvik's cache).
• 🧹.apk and.odex files in /data/app-lib (remnants of remote applications).

To clean up, use a root-enabled file manager (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer). Deleting files from /system can cause your phone to fail - only operate in /data and /cache folders.

Example of secure commands for Terminal Emulator (requires root):

su


rm -rf /data/log/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*

After cleaning, restart the device. This method frees up to 5-7 GB, but requires caution.

How to prevent the “Other” from clogging again on Redmi 9T

To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow these tips:

• 🔄 Clean the cache of system applications (Google Play Services, MIUI Launcher once every 1-2 months.
• 📥 After updating MIUI manually delete the folder.OTA memory-root.
• 🚫 Do not install apps from unverified sources – they often leave garbage in the back of your home. /data/app-lib.
• 🔧 Turn off automatic update downloads in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings → Auto-downloading updates.
• 📊 Use memory monitoring apps like Files by Google or SD Maid (with caution!).

If you install/delete games or applications frequently, consider transferring some of the data to a memory card. Redmi 9T supports microSD up to 512GB, but remember: not all applications can be ported.

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To reduce the cache size of Google Play Services, limit background activity of Google services. To do this, go to Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync and turn off unnecessary options (for example, Fitness or Google Play Music if you do not use).

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up "The Other" on Redmi 9T