How to Clean the Other folder on Xiaomi smartphones: The Complete Guide 2026

Why is Xiaomi’s Other folder growing to giant sizes?

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi’s storage and found the Other folder to be 10, 20 or even 30GB in horror? It’s not a system bug — that’s how MIUI works. Unlike Android in its pure form, Xiaomi’s firmware aggressively caches data, creates duplicate logs, and hides utility files under the generic “Other” label. The problem is compounded by the fact that standard cleaners (like the built-in “Optimizer”) often ignore these files.

In this article, we'll look at 5 proven ways to reduce the size of the Other folder, from safe (through MIUI settings) to radical (using ADB). It's important to understand that some of the files in the Other are critical to the system, and deleting them can cause malfunctions. So we'll selectively remove only what's not exactly going to harm the smartphone.

Method 1: Cleaning through “Security” and “Storage” (without root)

The first method does not require superuser rights and is suitable for 90% of users, it affects the cache of applications, temporary files and debris that MIUI marks as “unnecessary”, but does not delete automatically.

1. Open Settings → go to Security (on some models – Optimization).
2. Choose a Cleanup (or Warehouse) → Clean up).
3. Wait for analysis. The system will show file categories: Cache, Ad files, Unused APKs, etc.
4. Mark all items except Download (if there are important files there).

This method removes up to 1-3 GB of garbage, but does not affect deep system files.

Unused. APK-file|Cash app.|Advertising files|Error logs-->

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete the System Data category manually through the file manager! this can lead to a cyclical smartphone reboot (bootloop).

If the size of the Other hasn't decreased after cleaning, then the problem is deeper, either in system logs or duplicate updates.

Method 2: Remove the MIUI update cache (hidden folder)

One of the main "eaters" of space in the folder "Other" is the MIUI update cache, which stores all downloaded firmware, even after installing it, these files can weigh 2-4 GB each and accumulate for years.

1. Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /sdcard/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/ /sdcard/MIUI/backup/rom/
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension (these are firmware archives).
4. Also check the folder: /sdcard/Download/rom/ – there may be undeleted firmware.

If there is no MIUI or Download/rom folder, then your Xiaomi model stores the cache elsewhere. Try to find them by searching for the update keyword in the file manager.

💡

After deleting the update cache, restart your smartphone. This will reset temporary files and free up an additional 500-800 MB.

This method frees up 3 to 10 GB, but it takes care. If you remove the firmware that is currently being installed, the system can hang on to the MI logo.

Once a month (regularly) | Only critical bugs |Never (unupdated) |I don't know what MIUI-->

Method 3: Cleaning system logs through Engineering Mode (for advanced)

System logs (.log,.txt,.db) are another hidden source of debris, created by Google apps, and MIUI itself for debugging. These files are light in weight under normal conditions, but if there are bugs in the system (such as Mi Home or Google Play Services crashes frequently), logs can grow to several gigabytes.

You can remove them through the Engineering Mode, which doesn't require root, but you have to be careful.

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
2. Select Usage Statistics (Usage Statistics).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Clear logs.
4. Confirm action. The system will delete logs from the last 30 days.

If #4636### doesn’t work, try an alternative method:

• 📱 Install Activity Launcher from Google Play.
• 🔍 Find Engineering Mode or Testing in it.
• 🗑️ In the Logs section, select Clear All.

⚠️ Note: Clearing logs can reset app usage statistics (like screen time in Digital Wellbeing) and it will also prevent Xiaomi’s support team from diagnosing problems if you contact them in the coming days.

This method is free of 500MB to 2GB, but it doesn't work on all models. If the engineering menu isn't available, move on to the next one.

Method 4: Manually remove duplicates and debris through ADB (for experienced ones)

If previous methods didn't work, then the Others folder has duplicate media files, a Google Play Services cache, or remnants of deleted applications, which can be found and removed through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Here's what we need to do:

1. Put the debugging on. USB: 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. 🔨 Press 7 times on the version MIUI, activate the developer mode. 🔌 Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and enable debugging by USB.

Connect your smartphone to your PC

Command line.

Terminal

Follow the commands

adb shell


su




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

This command will show you the folders that take up the most space.

• 📁 /data/data/com.google.android.gms (cache of Google Services)
• 📁 /data/media/0/DCIM/.thumbnails (photo-picture)
• 📁 /data/log (journal)
• Delete unnecessary files by command: rm -rf /data/media/0/DCIM/.thumbnails/* Example: cleaning thumbnails (safe).
• Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 2-5 minutes).
• Reboot your smartphone (Reboot).

This method frees up 2 to 5 GB, but has side effects:

• ⏳ The first download after the reset will take longer than usual (the system restores the cache).
• 🔄 Some apps (like Google Maps or Instagram) will recreate the cache, which will temporarily increase the storage load.
• 📱 Widget and wallpaper settings can be reset.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will completely reset the smartphone to factory settings, deleting all your data.

If the Other folder is still large after the cache is reset, then the problem is in system applications (for example, Mi Video or Mi Browser caches video) or in damaged memory areas, in which case only a complete reset or firmware will help.

How to prevent the growth of the “Other” folder in the future?

Cleaning is good, but it's even better to keep the garbage from accumulating. Here are 5 prevention measures:

• 📵 Turn off automatic firmware updates: Go to Settings → The phone. → Update MIUI And deactivate Auto Download. Install updates manually to control the cache.
• 🗑️ Clean the app cache once a month: In Settings → Annexes → App management select frequently used programs (e.g. Telegram, Chrome) and click Clear Cache.
• 📱 Use lightweight alternatives to standard apps: For example, install Firefox Focus instead of Mi Browser, and instead of Mi Video — VLC. They cache less data.
• 🔄 Regularly reboot your smartphone: This clears RAM and resets temporary files, which then fall into “Other».
• 📊 Monitor Storage: Install Storage Analyzer or Files by Google to track which folders are growing.

If you notice that the Other folder is growing faster than 1 GB per month, it's a sign of a system problem -- maybe a virus or a MIUI malfunction.

1. Scan your smartphone with an antivirus (such as Malwarebytes).
2. Check the application in Safe Mode (click the shutdown button → Safe Mode).
3. If the garbage continues to accumulate – reset to factory settings (don’t forget to make a backup!).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi’s Other folder