Owners of budget smartphones like Redmi 7A often face a critical lack of free space when the system reports an overflow of the “Other” partition, which is a hidden reservoir in the device’s storage, where temporary files, remnants of remote applications, messenger cache and system logs get into, which a standard cleaner can not always correctly identify.
Understanding the nature of these files is the first step to successfully clean them up. Unlike photos or music, the data in the Other category does not have an explicit owner in the form of a specific application in the standard view of the MIUI file manager. Android labels them as “miscellaneous” if it cannot determine the exact type of content, which often happens with instant messenger databases or temporary download files.
There are several proven methods of freeing up space, which range from safe manual cleaning to deeper interference with system files. Regular maintenance of a smartphone allows you to extend its life and keep the performance at an acceptable level even after several years of use. Below we will discuss in detail the algorithms of actions that will help you return precious gigabytes of memory.
Analysis of the contents of the storage through settings
Before you start deleting files, you need to determine exactly what is taking up space. Standard MIUI tools provide basic visualization, but for deep analysis, you better use the built-in analyzer. Go to the Settings menu → Storage, where the system will suggest an initial cleanup, but this method is often superficial.
For a more detailed look, click on the “Clean” button in the “Memory” section, and then select “Analyze.” The system scans the device and shows large files, duplicates and applications that take up a lot of space. A visual memory card will help you understand which programs generate the most data in the “Other” section. Often it turns out that the lion’s share of garbage is from social networks and instant messengers.
It is important to distinguish system files from user debris. If you see the volume of the Other skyrocket after updating the firmware or installing a heavy app, the reason most likely lies in the residual files of the installation. The ext4 file system used in Android does not always automatically delete temporary data after operations are completed, requiring manual.
Clearing the cache of messengers Telegram and WhatsApp
The main source of the Other category’s growth is messengers, which by default store all received images, videos and voice messages into internal memory. On Telegram and WhatsApp, these files often do not appear in the gallery, but take up gigabytes of space, forming that mysterious partition.
In Telegram, you need to go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the cache loading band and the Clear Cache button. Data security does not suffer: all media files will remain on the server and re-download if necessary, and the local copy will be deleted. It is recommended to install automatic cache cleaning, for example, every 3 days or week.
⚠️ Note: When clearing WhatsApp cache through the app settings (“Data and Storage» → «Storage management) make sure you have a backup of important chats in Google Drive if you plan to delete databases, not just media files.
For WhatsApp, the procedure is similar: open an app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings, then Data and Storage and Storage Management.The system will suggest removing files larger than 5MB or media from specific chats. Selective cleaning allows you to remove heavy videos from group chats, leaving important documents intact.
☑️ Checklist of cleaning messengers
Using Files by Google for Deep Cleaning
The standard MIUI Explorer can hide some system folders or incorrectly display cache size. For more effective garbage control, it is recommended to install the official Files by Google app, which has deeper access to the file system and better classifies files. This application is safe and does not contain advertising, unlike many analogues.
Once installed, run a scan of the device. The app will find hidden temporary files, old backups, unused apps and duplicates. The smart algorithm will prompt you to delete files that have not been opened for a long time. In the Cleanup section, you will see the Hidden Files or Temporary Files category, which often corresponds to the Other section in the system settings.
Special attention should be paid to the Android/data and Android/obb folder. In newer versions of Android, access to these is limited, but Files by Google can request special permission to view. Within these directories, games and applications that are already deleted or not in use are often stored. Secure deletion of this data will free up a significant amount of memory without risking system stability.
Why can’t you just delete your Android folder?
Manual removal of system debris through the Explorer
For advanced users, the method of manual cleaning through the built-in MIUI Explorer is available. This method requires caution, since it involves working with system directories. Open the Explorer application, click on the folder icon and turn on the display of hidden files in the settings (three dots → Settings → Show hidden files).
At the root of internal memory, look at folders that contain names of remote applications or services that you don't use, often with logs and cache. MIUI/debug_log, Debugging logs can take hundreds of megabytes and do not provide any benefit to the average user.
| folder | Description of the contents | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI/debug_log | System Logs and Error Reports | Yes, it's safe. |
| Android/data | Cash and application data | Only Remote Application Folders |
| Download | Downloads from the browser | Yeah, after checking the files. |
| thumbnails | Miniatures of gallery images | Yeah, but they'll be created again. |
Another important directory is.thumbnails (hidden folder in the.thumbnails). DCIM). It stores thumbnails of all your photos and videos, and over time, this file can grow to the size of the original gallery, and it's safe to delete, and the system will automatically recreate it when you open the gallery, but the space will temporarily vacate. Periodic cleaning of this folder is a good way to deal with space shortages.
Cleaning through Recovery Mode
If standard methods do not help and the Other section continues to occupy an abnormally large volume, you can use the Restore mode. This method allows you to delete temporary update files and cache of the system that are not available from the operating OS. Recovery Mode on Xiaomi is triggered by a combination of buttons when the device is turned off.
Turn off your smartphone completely to enter recovery mode. Then press the volume button and the power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power, keep the volume up. In the menu that appears (manage volume buttons, select the power button), select Wipe Data, then Wipe Cache. It is important not to confuse them with a full reset (Wipe All Data), if you want to save personal files.
⚠️ Attention: In Recovery mode, the touchscreen is not working, the navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the confirmation of selection is with the power button.
Once the cache is cleared, select Reboot to restart the system. This process can take a few minutes. Once turned on, you will notice that the amount of available memory has increased as temporary MIUI update files and the Dalvik system cache have been deleted. This procedure also often solves problems with stuck system updates.
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If after cleaning the cache in Recovery, the phone requests a screen unlock password, enter it.This is a standard security measure of Android 10 and higher to protect user data.
Memory overflow prevention on Redmi 7A
To prevent the “Other” partition problem from returning too quickly, you need to introduce a habit of regular device maintenance.The Redmi 7A has a modest amount of internal memory, so discipline in using messengers is critical. Set up automatic cache cleanup in Telegram and limit autoloading media to WhatsApp only over Wi-Fi.
Use cloud storage to archive old photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk allow you to free up space on your device by deleting files already uploaded to the cloud. Automating backup processes ensures that you do not lose important moments, but also do not store terabytes of data on a budget smartphone.
It is also recommended to reboot your smartphone once a month, which is a simple action that forces the system to recalculate file indexes and delete some temporary processes that may have been stuck in RAM or permanent memory.
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Regularly restarting your smartphone and setting up auto-cleaning your messenger cache prevents 90% of overflow problems in the Other section.