How to Clean the Others section in Xiaomi Memory

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the uncomfortable situation of empty storage space disappearing rapidly. Storage analysis shows that the lion’s share of storage is occupied by a mysterious section called “Other” that combines system files, app cache, remnants of remote programs and messenger data that standard cleaning tools sometimes ignore. Understanding the structure of this partition is the first step to successfully fighting for gigabytes.

The accumulation of junk files slows down the MIUI and HyperOS operating system. The device begins to open applications longer, there may be delays when typing or switching between windows. In addition, a crowded drive does not allow you to install new updates or take high-quality photos in high resolution. Regular cleaning is necessary to maintain the stability of the gadget.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the safe and effective methods of freeing up space, which files can be deleted without risk to the system, how to work with hidden folders and which tools are best for deep cleaning. We will look at both built-in shell features and third-party utilities that will help return your smartphone to its previous performance.

Analysis of the occupied space by built-in means

Before you start deleting files, you need to know exactly what's taking up space. The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have a built-in analyzer that visualizes the distribution of data. Go to Settings → Memory and wait for the scan to be completed. The system will suggest removing the obvious debris, but the Others section often requires additional actions.

Notice the large applications that may hide their data in this category. Social networks and instant messengers often store media files in hidden directories, which the system refers to as system or other data. Detailed analysis reveals such memory eaters. Sometimes a single messenger can take up tens of gigabytes if you do not configure automatic history cleanup.

💡

Use the built-in memory analyzer right after installing a large number of applications to understand their real cache weight.

It is important to distinguish between system files and user debris. If you see that the volume of the Other partition has increased dramatically after the system update, it can be normal to create backups or new system logs. However, if the growth continues without active user actions, it is worth checking for errors in the file system or malware.

Cleaning the cache and application data

The safest way to reduce the volume of Others is to work with the cache of individual applications. Cache is temporary files that speed up the loading of frequently visited pages or interface elements. Over time, it grows and begins to take up an unreasonable amount of space. To clean, go to Settings → Apps → All applications, select a heavy application and click Clear Cache.

Don't confuse cache cleaning with data cleaning. If you choose Clear Everything, you reset the app immediately after installation, losing logins, settings, and local saves. Cache can be deleted regularly without losing important information, especially for browsers, YouTube, and social networks, where gigabytes of temporary images and videos accumulate.

For some applications, such as Telegram or Viber, standard cleaning through Android settings may not be enough.These programs have their own built-in memory management tools. Telegram can set up automatic deletion of the media cache after a certain period of time, which completely eliminates the need for manual cleaning in the future.

Working with Android folder and hidden files

Much of the Others section is often hidden in the Android system folder, namely the data and obb subdirectories. It stores app data, including game cache, offline navigator maps and downloaded series of series. Access to this folder in new versions of Android is limited, so a special file manager with extended rights may be required to manage files.

When deleting files from the obb folder, be extremely careful: Deleting the folder with game data will cause the game to stop running and require re-downloading resources, which can take a lot of time and traffic. It is safer to delete folders of already deleted applications that often remain “hang” in the system for years.

⚠️ Note: Never delete files with the.apk extension unless you are sure of their origin, and do not touch files with the names of system packages (com.android..), otherwise the phone may stop loading.

Also worth checking is the root directory of the internal drive, which often leaves folders from long-deleted programs, various.tmp files and error logs. Using an advanced conductor such as MT Manager or Total Commander, you will see hidden files (those that start from a dot) and evaluate their usefulness.

Use of Third-Party File Managers

Xiaomi's standard Files Explorer is good, but sometimes it lacks deep cleaning functionality. Third-party applications like Files by Google or SD Maid are good at finding "orphaned" files -- remnants of remote programs that the system doesn't consider garbage, but doesn't consider useful either. These tools scan the file system for special signatures.

SD Maid is particularly effective for finding CorpseFinder, finding directories and files belonging to apps that are no longer on the installed list, and one of the most effective ways to reduce the size of the Others partition without risking removing something important, and database analysis also helps compress bloated application log files.

Don't give questionable programs access to your personal photos or contacts. Use only proven tools with a good reputation on Google Play. Often, one deep check once a month is enough to maintain order.

Specificity of messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber

Messengers are the main culprits behind the growth of the Other category, and they cache every photo and video you see even if you haven't saved it to the gallery. WhatsApp and Viber often duplicate these files. Telegram is easier with cloud storage, but local cache is still growing.

To clean up Telegram, go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. You can see the exact size of the cache and clear it with a single button. You can also turn on Autodelete by setting a limit of, for example, 3 days or 1 week, which will prevent the accumulation of garbage in the future.

WhatsApp and Viber often accumulate thousands of small status files and stickers, and you can find a Media folder inside the messenger directory and manually remove Statuses or Stickers subfolders, which will free up hundreds of megabytes that are often masquerading as system data.

Radical Methods: Resetting and Formatting

If none of the soft methods worked and the Others partition still takes up half the memory, it is possible that the file system is damaged or a critical amount of system debris has accumulated, in which case a complete reset helps. Before that, be sure to back up all the important data to your computer or to the cloud.

Reset via Settings → Phone → Reset will return the device to factory status. All applications, accounts and files will be deleted. Once you set up and install only the necessary applications, you will be surprised how much free space will appear. This is the most effective way to combat software errors of memory storage.

⚠️ Warning: Before resetting, make sure you know the password from your Mi Account and Google account.Without them, activating your phone after reset will be impossible due to theft protection.

An alternative to a full reset might be to clean the Dalvik Cache partition through Recovery mode, a more complex method that requires an unlocked bootloader and a customized recap (such as TWRP).

Prevention of memory overflow

To prevent the “Other” problem from coming back too often, change your smartphone usage habits. Check Downloads, which is where installation files often accumulate, regularly. APK, PDF-documents and images from the browser, and deleting them is the easiest way to free up space.

Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Sync with Google Photos or Yandex.Disk with Free Space allows you to store originals in the cloud, and leave only compressed copies on your phone or delete them altogether, which significantly reduces the load on internal memory.

💡

The main secret of a clean “Other” is not to accumulate garbage: turn off auto-save storis in the gallery and regularly clean the cache of heavy applications.

Also, it is necessary to abandon the installation of “accelerators” and “cleaners” of dubious origin, which are themselves sources of advertising and junk files. Xiaomi’s built-in tools in conjunction with the competent use of messengers are enough to maintain order in the system.