How to Clean the “Other” folder on Xiaomi Redmi 8: a step-by-step guide with pictures

Why the Other folder takes up gigabytes of memory on Redmi 8 – and how to fix it

Have you ever looked into the storage of your Xiaomi Redmi 8 and found in horror that the mysterious folder “Other” takes 5, 10, and even 15 GB of precious memory? It is not a glitch of the system and not a virus — this is how the MIUI firmware is built on Android. Unlike the obvious sections (“Photos”, “Video”, “Apps”), “Other” collects everything that could not be classified automatically: from the cache of messengers to the remnants of remote games.

On Redmi 8, with its modest 32 or 64GB of internal storage, this folder can eat up to 30% of the total. Worse, standard cleaning tools (like Settings → Storage) often ignore these files, suggesting that only the tip of the iceberg be removed. In this article, we will understand what is stored in the Other, how to safely clean this partition without risking breaking the system, and what tools will be needed to do this.

Spoiler: You don’t need root access or complex ADB manipulations. Just follow the instructions carefully and after 15 minutes you’ll be free of 2 to 8 GB of storage.

What is hidden in the folder “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi 8: a complete analysis of the content

The Other folder is not a single directory, but a virtual partition where MIUI resets everything that doesn't automatically categorize. Redmi 8 usually includes:

• 🗑️ App cache and system cache are temporary files that should have been deleted automatically, but are “forgotten” in memory, especially messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and social networks are guilty of this.
• 📦 Residual files of remote programs – when you uninstall a game or application, some of the data (settings, saves, logs) may remain in the system.
• 🔄 Update files - packages OTA-update MIUI, Those who have been squandered but have not been established (or have been purified, but have not been purified). 8 they can weigh up to 1-2 GB.
• 📄 Logs and dumps of the system - error reports, module logs (e.g. logcat or bugreports) useful for diagnostics, but useless for the user.
• 🖼️ Miniatures and sketches – reduced copies of images and videos that the gallery creates for quick download.
• 🔒 Encrypted data – files that MIUI Can't read without special keys (e.g., data from some banking applications).

Fun fact: Redmi 8 with MIUI 12 firmware and later with Other can hide up to 30% of the total cache of Google Play Services, the service that powers many of Android's features, which are not visible in the standard storage manager, but can be manually deleted.

⚠️ Note: Do not try to delete files from the Other folder through Explorer unless you are sure of their purpose. For example, deleting files with the.odex or.vdex extension can lead to the collapse of applications!

Method 1: Cleaning the cache of applications – quickly and without risk

The safest method, which requires no additional tools, is suitable for deleting temporary files that accumulate in the Other due to the operation of applications.

On Redmi 8, the cache can be cleaned in two ways:

1. Through the settings of individual applications: Open Settings → Applications → Application Management. Select an application (such as Telegram or Facebook). Click Storage → Clear Cache.
2. Mass cache cleansing of all applications: Go to Settings → Storage → Cache data. Confirm deletion (can release up to 1-3 GB).

📱 Cache of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber)

🎮 Cash games (especially if you play online projects)

🌐 Cache of browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser)

📷 Gallery miniatures

📦 Download files (Download folder)

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This method does not delete critical data, but it can free up to 2-4 GB of memory, and the main disadvantage is that the cache will start to accumulate again after a few days of active use.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data”! The second action will delete all settings and files of the application (for example, correspondence in messengers or save in games).

Method 2: Removing Residual Files from Remote Applications

When you delete a game or program through Settings → Apps, some of its data may remain in /Android/obb/ and /Android/data/. On Redmi 8, these files often weigh hundreds of megabytes, or even gigabytes — especially if you’ve played heavy games like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact.

To remove them:

1. Open any file manager (e.g., standard Mi File Manager or Files by Google).
2. Go to the internal memory folder → Android → obb.
3. Delete all files with the.obb extension (this is additional game data).
4. Then go to Android → data and delete folders with the names of the remote applications (for example, com.tencent.ig for PUBG).

If the data folder doesn't open, it's okay: MIUI hides it to protect your data, in which case use Files by Google (it has advanced rights), or connect your phone to your PC and delete files through Windows Explorer.

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Before deleting folders from /Android/data/, check their names in Google – some system applications (e.g. com.miui.gallery) cannot be deleted!

Method 3: Cleaning up MIUI update files

Xiaomi regularly releases updates for Redmi 8, But these update files often remain in memory even after installation. 500 MB to 2 GB and hiding in a folder. /cache or /data/ota_package.

To remove them:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select “Delete downloaded package”.
3. If this is not the case, use a root file manager (such as Root Explorer) and manually delete the contents of the /cache folder.

On Redmi 8 with MIUI 11 and older, you can also use the hidden command:

am broadcast -a android.intent.action.DELETE_CACHE

It must be entered through Terminal Emulator or ADB. This command compulsorily clears the cache of all system applications, including hidden update files.

Method 4: Using Files by Google for Deep Cleaning

Files by Google (formerly Files Go) is one of the most effective tools for cleaning up the Other on Redmi 8.

• 🗃️ Duplicate files (photos, videos, documents).
• 📁 Large files that have not been used in a long time.
• 🧹 Residual application files.
• 📂 Temporary files (.tmp,.temp).

How to use:

1. Download Files by Google from Google Play.
2. Open the app and go to the “Cleanup” tab.
3. Click “Free space” – the program will scan the memory and prompt you to delete unnecessary files.
4. Pay special attention to the section "Unnecessary files" - gigabytes of garbage from the "Other" are often hidden here.

Files by Google is safer than the standard MIUI file manager because it analyzes files before deleting and warns if you are trying to erase something important.

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Files by Google can find up to 30% of the “hidden” garbage that is not visible in the standard MIUI storage manager.

Method 5: Manual cleaning through ADB (for advanced users)

If previous methods didn't work, and the Other folder still takes gigabytes, you'll have to use ADB, which is a debugging tool that allows you to manage your system files via the command line.

Warning: This method requires connecting the phone to a PC and basic command-line knowledge, but it allows you to delete files that are not available through standard means.

Instructions:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. On Redmi 8, enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (or Terminal) in the ADB folder.
4. Type in the commands: adb shell su cd /data du -sh * | sort -n This command will show which folders take up the most space. Usually the culprits are log, cache or dalvik-cache.
5. Delete unnecessary files (e.g. logs): rm -rf /data/log/* rm -rf /data/tombstones/*

Be careful: Deleting the wrong files can cause system failures, such as never touching /data/app or /data/system folders!

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 8s MIUI 12+ The su command may not work without unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk. In this case, use an alternative method through the TWRP Recovery (if installed).

How to Prevent Re-Filling in the Other folder: 5 Prevention Measures

Cleaning up the memory is good, but it's even better to keep it from clogging. Here's what you can do on Redmi 8 to keep The Other from growing again:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play. Instead, manually update programs every 1-2 weeks.
• 📸 Clean the gallery cache once a month. → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🎮 Delete games correctly: first clean their data (Settings) → Annexes → [play] → Warehouse → Clear the data, then uninstall.
• 📥 Transferring heavy files to SD-Redmi 8 supports cards up to 512GB.
• 🛠️ Use lightweight alternatives to heavy apps, like Facebook Lite instead of Facebook, and Brave or Opera Mini instead of Chrome.

It is also worth turning off the automatic download of media in messengers:

• On WhatsApp: Settings → Storage and Data → Autoupload Media → Disable for Mobile Data.
• In Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Autoboot Media → Select “Never”.

These measures will reduce the storage load and reduce the growth rate of the Other folder by 40-60%.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi 8