Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones often face the unpleasant situation when internal memory is filled and standard cleaning tools do not give the desired result. Of particular concern is the category “Others”, which can take up tens of gigabytes of valuable space, not allowing you to install new applications or take quality photos. This part of the storage is a collection of messenger cache, residual files of remote programs and system logs that are not always visible to the average user.
Understanding the nature of this data is the first step to successfully cleaning a device. Unlike photos or music, the contents of the Others folder are often hidden from direct access without using special methods or connecting to a computer. System debris accumulates during active operation of the gadget, and ignoring this problem can lead to a significant slowdown in the MIUI interface.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to secure and effective ways to free up space. You will learn how to manually find hidden files, whether to use third-party utilities and what actions should not be taken to avoid losing important data. Redmi 9 has enough potential for fast operation, if its storage is not overloaded with unnecessary digital ballast.
Memory Analysis: What's Hiding in the Others Category
Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to understand what exactly is taking up space on your Xiaomi. The category “Other” (sometimes referred to as “Other” or “Misc”) is not one specific file, but a collection of disparate data, which includes temporary system update files, cache of streaming services, offline maps of navigators and application databases.
Often, the bulk of this section is occupied by messengers such as Telegram or WhatsApp, which store all received media files in their hidden directories, which the system does not always correctly classify as “Images” or “Video”, sending them to a common pile of “Other Files”, and storage analytics show that up to 60% of the space in this category can be accounted for by social networks.
It can also contain error logs and crash reports from Android. If you're actively navigating or listening to music offline, a significant portion of the volume is cached map and track data, and without deep analysis, the user sees only a frightening number of occupied space, without understanding the source of the problem.
Cleaning through the built-in “Safety” application
The easiest and safest way to start the fight for space is to use a regular tool from Xiaomi.Security application is deeply integrated into the shell of MIUI and has access to system partitions that are closed to third-party programs. To start the procedure, go to the menu and select Clean.
Once scanned, the system will suggest removing the obvious debris: thumbnails, empty folders and remnants of deleted applications. However, to work with the category "Other" you need to click on the "Clean" button in the appropriate section or go to a deep cleanup. The automatic algorithm will try to find large files that can be safely deleted without harming the phone.
It is important to look carefully at the system's suggestions before confirming deletion. Sometimes important documents or saved browser pages get into the list of candidates. Use the preview function to make sure you do not lose the information you need. This method is effective for regular maintenance, but may not remove the deeply entrenched cache.
☑️ Checklist of basic cleaning
Manual deletion of files through File Manager
If automatic tools don't work, you'll have to use manual methods. Built-in File Manager allows you to look into the folder structure and find large objects hidden in the bowels of memory. To do this, open the application and go to the Internal Drive section, then turn on the display of hidden files in the menu settings (three dots in the corner).
Special attention should be paid to folders with the names Android/data and Android/obb. This store app data, including game cache and messenger media. Attention: deleting files from these folders can lead to resetting of the relevant programs or loss of progress in games, so act selectively.
Often, huge amounts of data are hidden in the DCIM/.thumbnails folder. This is a repository of thumbnails of your photos and videos. If you deleted a lot of media files but the space didn't vacate, the problem could be right here. The.thumbdata file can grow to giant sizes, and its safe removal often solves the overflow problem.
Why is the.thumbnails folder filling up again?
Use of debugging mode on USB and PC
For deep cleaning, when standard methods are powerless, it is recommended to connect Redmi 9 to your computer. USB debugging mode gives you wider access to the file system. To activate it, go to Settings → About phone and seven times click on the MIUI build number until the message “You became a developer” appears.
Then, in the Advanced Settings menu → For developers, turn on USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your PC, you can see all the hidden directories. It's easier to analyze folder sizes through your computer and find heavyweights that aren't visible through your smartphone interface. The wired connection provides stable data transfer and allows you to use powerful disk analysis tools.
You can use programs like WinDirStat or TreeSize Free on your computer, and you can connect your phone as a drive, and they visualize the space that's occupied, showing you which folder in the Others section has swelled to an obscene size, so you can pinpoint the culprit without affecting the system files.
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Use a USB 3.0 cable and a port on the motherboard (back of the system unit) for maximum data transfer speed when analyzing files.
Clearing the cache of specific applications
Often the problem is not with the system, but with a particular memory-consumption-leading app. Social media and instant messengers tend to accumulate huge amounts of temporary data. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find a suspect (e.g. YouTube, Instagram or Telegram) and select Memory.
Here you will see the Clear Cache button, which is safe and will not affect your personal correspondence or accounts, but will free up significant space. In some cases, if the cache is damaged or too large, you may need to clear everything (or Reset) but this will return the application to state immediately after installation.
For like Telegram messengers, it is better to use built-in cleaning settings: Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use → Clear cache. Here you can configure cache autodeletion, for example, store files for only 3 days, this will prevent the “Other” category from being re-inflated in the future.
⚠️ Note: Before clearing any application’s data (“Reset”), make sure you remember your account password, as all local information will be destroyed.
Summary table of cleaning methods
To structure your knowledge and choose the best way to solve the problem, check out the Comparative Table of Methods, each with its own advantages and risks that Redmi 9 owners need to consider.
| Method | Efficiency | Security | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security annex | Low/Mediocre | Tall. | Minimum |
| Manual Deletion (File Manager) | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Cleaning up the app cache | High (for instant messengers) | Tall. | Low. |
| Connection to PC (Debugging Mode) | Maximum | It requires caution. | Tall. |
The choice of method depends on your technical training and the scope of the problem. The first point is enough to prevent, but if the Others take more than 20 GB, you will need a comprehensive approach using a PC.
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The combination of manual cleaning of messenger folders and connecting to a PC gives the best result in the fight for free space.
Prevention and important warnings
After a successful cleanup, it is important to keep the results. Don't install the dubious "accelerators" from the Play Market that promise miraculous memory release, often becoming a source of garbage and intrusive advertising, consuming the resources of the Redmi 9 processor.
Set up automatic cleaning in popular apps, like YouTube, where you can limit cache volume, and Chrome, where you can set up automatic deletion of download history, and regularity of service is more important than one-time gigabyte removal promotions.
⚠️ Warning: Never delete files with unknown names from system folders unless you are 100% sure of their purpose.This can lead to a cyclical phone reboot (bootloop).
Also watch for updates to the MIUI system. In new firmware versions, Xiaomi engineers often fix memory management errors that could cause incorrect display of space occupied.