How to Clean the Other in Xiaomi Memory: The Complete 2026 Guide

Why the Other Partition Takes Gigabytes of Memory on Xiaomi – and How to Fix It

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO storage settings and seen that the mysterious “Other” partition takes 10, 20, or even 30 GB? This isn’t a system bug — it hides files that aren’t standard categories (photos, videos, apps). In this article, we’ll look at what’s stored in “Other,” why it can’t be deleted in standard ways — and how to free up space without risking your smartphone.

This is particularly important for devices with MIUI 12/13/14 And HyperOS, where it actively caches data to make it faster. 12T Pro or Redmi Note 11 Pro+ «The other can "eat" before 40% internal memory, even if you haven't installed new apps in a long time, because of the way Android and the shell work. MIUI, which create temporary files, error logs, backups and cache of system processes.

It's important to understand that not all of this can be deleted without consequences. For example, cleaning the cache of com.miui.system can cause interface failures, and deleting /data/log files can cause error logs to be lost, which will be useful in diagnosing problems, so we will then look at safe and risky methods, and learn how to distinguish "junk" from critical system data.

What’s Behind Xiaomi’s “Other” Item

The Other section is a shopping cart for files that Android and MIUI can't categorize as standard, and this is what's usually stored there:

• 📁 System App Cache – Temporary Files from Google Play Services, MIUI Launcher, Security and other services can take up to 5-10 GB.
• 📄 Logs and memory dumps – files with error information (/data/anr, /data/tombstones). They are needed for debugging, but rarely exceed 1 GB.
• 🔄 Backups and updates – remnants of updates MIUI, backup (/MIUI/backup). Maybe weigh up. 15 GB.
• 🎭 Residual files of remote applications - folders /data/data from long-uninstalled programs.
• 🔒 Encrypted data –.asec and.obb files from games (e.g. Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).

To see the detailed composition of the Other, you will need root access or ADB-But even without them, you can estimate the amount of garbage through standard tools:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Slip on the storage schedule.
3. Select the category "Other" - the system will show an approximate composition (cache, logs, etc.).

If your case is more than 15GB, the problem is likely in one of three scenarios:

Method 1: Cleaning the cache of system applications (without root)

The safest method is to delete temporary files from standard applications, which won’t hurt the system, but can free up 1 to 5 GB.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (slip to three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select apps from the list below and click “Clear Cache” (not data!):

Clear the Google Play Services cache

Clean up the MIUI Security cache (Security)

Clear the Download Manager cache (Download Manager)

Clear the MIUI Launcher cache (Luncher)

Clean the Media Storage cache (Multimedia Storage)-->

⚠️ Note: Do not clean data from system applications – this can lead to malfunctions MIUI (For example, the launcher will disappear or notifications will cease to work).

After cleaning the cache, restart the device. If the Other has decreased slightly, proceed to the next method.

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To speed up the process, use the Easy Clean mode in the Security app, which automatically finds unnecessary cache files, but does not touch critical data.

Method 2: Remove the remnants of MIUI updates

Each MIUI or HyperOS update leaves behind packets weighing 1-3 GB that the system doesn't automatically delete. These files are stored in the /cache folder and can accumulate for years.

To remove them:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation, power for confirmation).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
5. Reboot the device (Reboot → System)

This method is completely secure and does not affect user data, but it only clears the update cache, not other system files.

Method 3: Manually clean folders through file manager

Some files in the Other section can be manually deleted if you know where they are stored, and any file manager with access to system folders (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer) can do this.

Here's what can be safely removed:

• 🗑️ Download folder – unnecessary folders often accumulate here APK, archives and temporary files.
• 🎮 folder Android/obb — It contains additional game data (can be deleted if the games have already been uninstalled).
• 📥 folder MIUI/backup — old backups of settings and applications.
• 📦 folder DCIM/.thumbnails — Photo and video miniatures (you can delete them, they will be restored automatically).

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete files from folders: /data, /system, /vendor — This can lead to the collapse of the system and the need for flashing.

If you are not sure what to delete, use the function "Storage Analysis" in Mi File Manager: Menu → Analysis → Deep Analysis. the program will show which files take up the most space and offer safe cleaning options.

Method 4: Using ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced)

If standard methods didn’t work, and the Other still takes tens of gigabytes, you can use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a PC connection but allows you to delete files that are not available through the normal interface.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Turn on your smartphone Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect your smartphone to your PC and type in the command line:

adb shell


su




cd /data/log




rm -rf *




exit




exit

This command clears error logs, which often take 1–3 GB. To delete the Google Play cache, use:

adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf Without specifying a specific folder, you can erase all the data on your device!

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ADB allows you to delete files that are not available through the standard interface, but requires caution. A mistake in the command can lead to data loss or system failure.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If neither method worked, and the Other still takes more than 20GB, the last option is a complete reset, which is a radical solution, but it is guaranteed to clean up all unnecessary files.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data” and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, restore the data from the backup (but don’t restore system settings – this can bring back “junk”!).

Reset deletes all user data but leaves files untouched SD-After the procedure, the "Other" usually takes no more than 1-2 GB.

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Factory reset is the only way to completely clear the Other if other methods have not worked, however, it will also delete all your data, so backup is a must!

How to prevent the “Other” from being refilled

To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow these recommendations:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Memory. → Cleaning (just 1 time per month).
• 🚫 Turn off automatic backup in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud if you don't use it.
• 📱 Remove unused applications through Settings → Apps, not just “freeze” them.
• 🔧 Update. MIUI Timely – new versions often correct errors that lead to garbage accumulation.
• 🎮 Use (Lite) applications (for example, Facebook Lite instead of the usual Facebook).

It's also worth tracking which apps are actively writing to memory.

1. Install DiskUsage or Storage Analyzer from Google Play.
2. Check which programs occupy the most space in the “Other” section.
3. Limit the background activity of “gluttonous” applications in Settings → Battery → Energy Management.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the "Other" on Xiaomi