With each month of smartphone usage, users face the same problem: a sudden lack of internal memory, especially for owners of Xiaomi devices, where MIUI has a tendency to accumulate huge amounts of temporary data, which is displayed in standard storage as a mysterious category, occupying gigabytes of space and slowing down the gadget.
Users often panic when they see that the Other has grown to 20, 30, or even 50 gigabytes. It is important to understand that this is not a system error, but the result of applications that save cache, temporary update files, and remnants of deleted programs. Cleaning this partition requires a competent approach so as not to delete important data or system files.
In this article, we will detail why this problem arises and what proven ways to free up space exist. You will learn how to use embedded tools, third-party utilities and manual cleaning methods. Data security will remain a priority, so we will eliminate methods that carry risks to system stability.
What is hidden in the category Other
Before we take any action, we need to understand the nature of this storage. Android and MIUI categorize files into photo, video, audio, apps, anything that doesn't fall into any of these clear categories is automatically sent to the Other.
Most often, the lion’s share of the volume comes from app cache, with messengers like Telegram and Viber storing images and videos viewed to load them faster when reopened, and over time, this data can take up tens of gigabytes, remaining invisible to a standard memory analyzer.
Also included are:
- 📂 Residual files of remote applications and games.
- 📦 Temporary files of system and program updates.
- 📄 Markup files and database messengers.
- 🎵 Downloaded music from streaming services.
⚠️ Warning: Before deep cleaning, it is strongly recommended to back up important contacts and documents. Although the described methods are safe, the human factor has not been canceled.
Understanding the structure helps avoid removing the extra, for example, some files may be necessary for system services to work properly, and blindly removing everything can cause applications to crash and have to be reinstalled.
Use of the Standard Security Application
The easiest and safest way to start cleaning is to use a built-in tool from Xiaomi.Security is already pre-installed on all devices and has access to system folders that third-party programs will not get to.
To start the procedure, go to the menu and select Clean up. The system will analyze the device and suggest removing garbage. However, the standard mode often leaves files in the Other category intact. For deeper cleaning, click on the Cleanup icon again or select Deep Cleanup from the app menu.
☑️ Verification by standard means
In deep cleaning mode, you'll see a list of the apps that take up the most space. The algorithm is simple: select an application, see what it takes up (cache, large files), and clear selectively, which allows you to save important correspondence by removing only temporary debris.
💡
Use the Analyzer feature in the Security app to see the visual memory card and find the heaviest folders.
Manual cleaning through File Manager
If the automatic means didn't free up enough space, you'll have to use the manual method, which is a more time-consuming process that requires attention, but it's the best thing you can do, and you'll need a standard Explorer or File Manager.
Go to internal memory and look at the Android folder, and that's where all the apps you've installed are stored, and you're interested in two subfolders inside of it, data and obb. The data folder is where you're settings and app cache, and obb is where you're looking at heavy game files.
Here is a table of the main folders that can be analyzed:
| folder | Description of the contents | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| Android/data | Cash and application data | Only the contents of remote application folders |
| Android/obb | Game cache files | Yes, if the game is deleted. |
| MIUI/debug_log | Logs of system debugging | Yes, it's safe. |
| Download | Downloads from the browser | Yeah, after checking the files. |
Be extremely careful when removing files from the active application data folder. Deleting key files can cause the program to stop running or reset all settings to factory settings. The best strategy is to delete only those folders whose names correspond to already deleted games or programs.
⚠️ Warning: Never delete the entire Android folder, which will result in loss of all applications and possible system failure.
Hidden folders of system garbage
Cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks
Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber are the main culprits behind the proliferation of the Other section, which stores copies of all media files sent and received, even if you have already viewed them and forgot them.
In Telegram, the cleanup is done most efficiently through the settings of the application itself. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the amount of cache you occupy. By clicking Clear cache, you will free up space without deleting your correspondence history. Media files will be re-downloaded if necessary.
WhatsApp has a slightly different procedure. You need to go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The app sorts files by size, allowing you to delete the heaviest videos and documents. Often users forget about group chats, which can accumulate gigabytes of information for years.
- 🗑️ Remove old backups in the cloud if you don’t need them.
- 📹 Clean Automatically Uploaded Videos in Privacy Settings.
- 📂 Check the Documents folder inside the messengers.
💡
Regularly cleaning the cache of messengers through their internal settings is safer and more effective than deleting files through the explorer.
Use of third-party utilities for analysis
When built-in tools aren't enough, specialized analytics apps come to the rescue, and they visualize the file system by showing which files are taking up space, and one of the most popular and reliable tools is DiskUsage or Solid Explorer.
These programs build a graphics memory card, and you see rectangles that are proportional to the size of the file, and you can instantly find the culprit for the space shortage, who may have been lost in the back of the system directories, and visualization makes it much easier to find forgotten movies or archives.
When using third-party software, remember access rights. On newer versions of Android, access to the Android/data folder is restricted. The application may request special permission to work with the file system - it must be provided for proper analysis.
Some utilities offer a feature called "Duplicates of Files," which finds identical photos or documents that may have been saved in different folders, and deleting duplicates is a quick way to free up a few gigabytes without risking losing important data.
Radical measures: resetting and reflashing
If none of the above methods worked, and the Other category continues to grow at an alarming rate, there may have been a critical error in the file system, in which case a full reset option is considered.
Factory Reset brings the phone back out of the box, and all user data, apps, and most importantly, system debris will be removed, and this is guaranteed to clear the Other section as it is re-formed.
Before the discharge is performed, it is necessary:
- ☁️ Sync your contacts with your Google or Mi Cloud account.
- 📸 Save photos and videos to your computer or the cloud.
- 🔑 Remember passwords from important accounts.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting permanently deletes all data from internal memory.Make sure you have an up-to-date backup before pressing the confirmation button.
After reset, do not restore the backup of the applications immediately if it was made a long time ago, it is better to install the applications again from the store, this will prevent the return of old erroneous files and cache that could cause the problem.
Why is the folder growing again?
Prevention of memory overflow
To keep the problem from returning in a month, you need to adopt a habit of regular smartphone maintenance, prevent it takes less time than deal with the consequences, first of all, set up automatic cache cleaning in messengers.
Telegram, for example, can install automatic deletion of cache if it takes more than 1 GB or if files have not been used for a week, which completely automates the process and eliminates the need to manually clean the memory.
It is also recommended that:
- 📉 Regularly remove unnecessary apps that you don’t use.
- ☁️ Use cloud storage for photos and videos, including the “Free Space” function».
- 🔄 Periodically reboot your smartphone to reset temporary system files.
Following these simple rules will allow your Xiaomi to work quickly and consistently for many years, memory will be used rationally, and the category “Other” will not be frightening with its size.