Why does the Other folder take up so much space on the Redmi Note 7?
Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 often face a problem: the phone’s internal memory is full, but the main folders (Downloads, Photos, Videos) take only a few gigabytes. The culprit is the mysterious “Other” folder, which can “eat” from 5 to 20 GB of space. Unlike the obvious files, its contents do not appear in the standard file manager, which causes confusion.
In fact, the Other is a collection category for system caches, logs, temporary application files, remnants of remote programs and even hidden messenger data. MIUI especially prone to the accumulation of such debris due to aggressive caching and features of working with the ext4-For example, after updating the firmware, old system files can remain in memory for years, taking up space.
The main challenge is that you can't just delete everything. Some files in "Other" are critical to Android and MIUI. For example, deleting the /data/dalvik-cache folder will lead to a cyclical reboot of the phone, so cleaning requires caution and understanding what you can touch and what you can't touch.
Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools
The safest method is to use standard MIUI utilities, which only delete unnecessary temporary files without affecting system data. Redmi Note 7 has two tools for this: Cleanup and Storage.
How to clean up:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → Warehouse.
- 🧹 Tap on “Clean” at the top of the screen (near the memory busy schedule).
- ✅ Select the categories to delete: App cache, Downloads (if not needed), Unused files».
- 🔄 Confirm the action with the “Clear” button».
For a deeper cleanup, go to Settings → Apps → App Management and manually clear the cache for the most voracious programs (e.g. Facebook, Telegram, Google Play Services).
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If the memory is quickly filled up again after cleaning, check the sync settings of cloud services (for example, Google Photos or Mi Cloud).
Method 2: Manually remove garbage through file manager
The built-in MIUI tools don’t show the full list of files in Other, and you’ll need a root file manager (like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) or a standard MI File Manager with hidden folder mode enabled to see them.
Where to look for garbage:
- 🗑️ /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ — Remnants of remote applications (folders with names such as com.example.app).
- 📁 /data/local/tmp/ — Temporary system files (root rights required).
- 📄 /cache/ — cache of updates and system processes.
- 🔍 /sdcard/.thumbnails/ — Image and video miniatures (can be removed without consequences).
Warning: Do not delete folders with the names dalvik-cache, system or miui, this will cause Android to crash, and avoid files with the.odex and.apk extensions in system partitions.
Remove the folders of remote applications in /Android/data/|Clean up /sdcard/.thumbnails/|Delete the contents /cache/ (except for the folder recovery/)|Check it out. /Download/ file-to-file-->
Method 3: Use of specialized applications
If manual cleaning seems difficult, use third-party utilities that analyze memory and suggest removing unnecessary files, including hidden ones.
| Annex | Functions | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| SD Maid | Remove application residues, empty folders, duplicate files. | The free version is limited. It requires root to clean it completely. |
| Files by Google | Finds large files, duplicates, messenger cache. | It does not show the system files of the Other. |
| CCleaner | Clears the cache, history, temporary files. | Aggressive advertising, can delete the data. |
| Storage Analyzer | Visualizes the occupied space by category. | A complex interface for beginners. |
Important: Before using any cleaners, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup. Some utilities (such as CCleaner) can delete MIUI configuration files, causing themes or widgets to crash.
Method 4: Reset partition cache (without root)
If the Other takes more than 10GB and standard methods don’t help, try resetting partition cache via Recovery Mode, which requires no root rights and is safe for user data.
Instructions:
- Turn off the Redmi Note 7.
- Press the Power + Volume buttons up until the MI logo appears.
- In the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (control – volume buttons, confirmation – power button).
- Once completed, restart the phone (Reboot).
This method cleans the update cache, temporary system files, and remnants of installed packets. However, it does not affect user data in the Other (for example, saving games or setting up applications).
What if the memory is not freed after Wipe Cache?
Method 5: Memory re-marking (for power users)
In rare cases, the Other folder grows due to memory fragmentation or file system errors. ext4. This is typical of the Redmi Note. 7 after multiple updates MIUI. Solution — re-marking of the section /data through TWRP.
Warning: this method will delete all data on the phone!
⚠️ Warning: Remarking will result in a complete reset of the phone. TWRP → Backup (select Data, System, Boot) without backup, it will be impossible to recover data.
Step-by-step:
- Install TWRP Recovery for Redmi Note 7 (the version must match the lavender model).
- Download to TWRP (Power buttons + Volume up).
- Go to Wipe → Format Data and type in Yes.
- After formatting, restart and restore the data from the backup.
This method is radical but effective: it removes all hidden files, including those that are not visible even through root. Use it only if other methods have failed.
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Memory re-marking is a last resort: 90% of the time, cache cleaning and manual garbage removal are enough, and only use this method when the free space level is critically low (less than 1 GB).
How to Prevent Filling in the “Other” Folder in the Future
To avoid the problem recurring, follow simple rules:
- 🔄 Regularly (once a month) clear the cache through Settings → Warehouse.
- 🚫 Turn off the automatic download of media files in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
- 📱 Remove unused applications through Settings → Apps, not just swiping them off the screen.
- 🔧 Update. MIUI Only through official channels (not beta versions).
- 📁 Use Google Drive (Mi Cloud) to store rarely used files.
Also, limit the background activity of applications. To do this, go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management and select the “Limit Background Activity” mode for unnecessary programs. This will reduce the number of temporary files created in “Other”.
If you install/delete games frequently, use a memory card (format) FAT32 or exFAT) as the primary storage. To do this, select Move to the app settings SD-This will transfer some of the cache and data to the external memory, unloading the internal memory.