How to Safely Clean the “Other Files” Folder on Xiaomi: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Reasons

The Other Files folder on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most mysterious to users, taking up gigabytes of memory but not displaying its contents in a standard file manager, and attempts to delete it often end in errors or returning the freed space after a few days.

The fact that this folder hides system caches, temporary application files, debugging data, remnants of deleted programs and even fragments of MIUI updates. The manufacturer does not provide a direct tool for cleaning it, but there are proven ways - from manual cleaning through the engineering menu to using hidden MIUI functions. In this article, we will analyze all the working methods of 2026, including those that do not require root rights, and explain why the folder can appear again.

Importantly, not all files in this category are safe to delete, such as deleting com.android.providers.media data can reset the media library, and cleaning /data/log folders can disrupt system logs, and we'll show you how to distinguish junk from critical data.

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

On Xiaomi smartphones (and other Android devices), the Other Files folder is a container for data that the system cannot categorize as standard: photos, videos, audio, or documents.

• 📁 App cache (including Google Play Services cache, which can weigh up to 1-2 GB).
• 🔄 Temporary update files (firmware residues) MIUI, which did not leave after installation).
• 🗑️ Logs and dumps (debugging files created by the system when crashes).
• 🧩 Remnants of remote applications (folders lib, cache in) /data/data).
• 🔒 Encrypted data (e.g. files) DRM streaming).

The main problem is that MIUI doesn’t automatically clean this folder. For example, after updating the system through Settings → About Phone → Update MIUI temporary files often stay in /cache and take up to 500-800 MB. And applications like Facebook or TikTok can accumulate cache in the background, even if you don’t use them.

According to the tests of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ And Xiaomi 13 Ultra, the "Other Files" folder averages 3 to 10 GB — and this is despite the fact that the user regularly cleans the cache manually? MIUI Uses some of this space to preboot system components to speed up the interface.

How to Check What’s in the “Other Files”

Before you clean it, you need to understand what kind of data is being stored, and there are two ways to do this: through standard MIUI tools and through third-party utilities.

Method 1: Built-in memory analyzer

Open Settings → Memory and tap on the usage chart. The system will show the categorization, but for Other Files, there will be no detail. However, you can see which apps take up the most space in the cache, which will tell you where to start cleaning.

Method 2: Files app by Google

Google's tool can scan hidden folders and show them the contents.

1. Open the app and go to the Cleanup tab**.
2. Tap "Other files» → «View».
3. The system will show folders like /data/log, /cache, or com.xiaomi.*.

Note folders with the.tmp,.log or.bak extensions – they can be deleted without risk.

💡

If you see the com.android.vending folder on the list, this is the Google Play Market cache, and cleaning it up can solve your app download problems.

Method 3: ADB for Advanced Users

If you need a detailed scan, connect your phone to your PC and use the command:

adb shell du -h -d 1 /data | sort -h

This command will show the size of folders in /data (where most "other files" are stored) and look for folders as small as 100MB, which are worth analyzing separately.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders with names com.android.providers or system – this can cause a crash MIUI.

Safe Ways to Clean Other Files Without Root Rights

If you don't have superuser rights, you can use the following methods: they won't give you 100% cleanup, but they will free up 2 to 5 GB of storage.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of all applications

Go to Settings → Applications → App Management. Sort the list by size and manually clear the cache for each application (especially for Google Play Services, MIUI System, and Browser).

To speed up the process:

• 🔍 Use the filter "By size».
• 🧹 Clean the cache of applications that have not been used in a long time.
• 🔄 After cleaning, restart your phone – it will reset temporary files in memory.

Method 2: Delete temporary update files

The /cache folder often contains the remaining firmware.

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
2. Select "Deep Cleaning"**.
3. Please note the “Temporary Files” and “Update Files”.

This method works on MIUI 14 and later, and older versions (such as MIUI 12) may require manual cleaning through File Manager with hidden files enabled.

Method 3: Resetting media storage settings

If there is a lot of trash from photos or music in Other Files, reset the media scanner:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Multimedia Storage** (or com.android.providers.media).
3. Click on “Storage” → “Clear Data”.

After that, the phone will rescan the media files, but the old thumbnails and cache will be deleted.

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the free space on the phone|Close all background applications|Connect the charger (if cleaning takes a long time)-->

Advanced root-rights cleanup: what can be removed

If you have root access, you can remove significantly more debris, but it is important not to overdo it. Below is a list of folders that can be cleaned without risk to the system (tested at MIUI 13-14):

Use Root Explorer or the command in ADB to remove:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/log/*




rm -rf /cache/*

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders /data/data/com.android.* It's going to crash the system services, and the best thing you can do is clear the cache).

Why the “Other Files” folder appears again and how to prevent it

Even after cleaning it completely, the folder can grow in a few days.

• 🔄 Auto-updates (especially Google Play Services) MIUI System).
• 📱 Background activity of social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok accumulate cache even in the background).
• 🔧 Diagnostic data MIUI (The system creates logs for error reports).
• 📥 Incomplete downloads (for example, interrupted updates or files from messengers).

To slow the folder growth:

1. Turn off auto-update apps in Google Play.
2. Limit the background activity of social networks in Settings → Battery → Applications selection.
3. Regularly (once a week) clean the cache through Settings → Memory.
4. Use Lite versions of apps (e.g. Facebook Lite instead of the main client).

💡

The most effective way to prevent the recurrence of Other Files is to turn off the background activity of unnecessary applications, which reduces cache accumulation by 40-60%.

Frequent cleaning errors and how to avoid them

Many users make critical mistakes when trying to make room, and here are the most common ones:

• 🚫 Use of cleaners like Clean Master → They often delete the right files.

If after cleaning the phone began to slow down or give errors, try:

1. Reboot the device (this will recreate part of the system caches).
2. Start Settings → Applications → Reset application settings.
3. If the problem is serious, reset via Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset (but this will delete all data!).

Alternative ways to free up memory on Xiaomi

If cleaning Other Files didn’t work, try these methods:

• 🗃️ Transfer of files to SD-card (works on models with support for microSD, for example, Redmi Note 11).

For example, transferring photos to Google Photos with compression enabled (“High Quality”**) frees up to 3-5 GB, and disabling MIUI preload reduces background memory consumption by 20-30%.

💡

Xiaomi models with MIUI 14 have a hidden feature called Easy Mode, which reduces memory load. Enables via ##4636## → Memory Management.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions