How to completely delete other files on Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro: clean up memory without risk

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is a popular smartphone with 64 GB of internal memory, but even this amount is not enough over time. The system is clogged with temporary files, app cache, duplicate photos and “junk” from updates. Unlike the new models, there is no automatic cleaning, so users have to delete files manually.

The problem is that standard methods (e.g., through Settings → Storage) often don’t show all the unnecessary data. In this article, we’ll look at hidden ways to delete things from the system cache to the residual files of remote applications.

Important: Before you delete files, check if they are related to key applications, and some “unnecessary” data may be part of backups or MIUI updates.

1.What are “Other Files” on Xiaomi and Why Do They Take Place

Settings menu → Warehouse → You may have noticed a category called "Other Files" (or "Other" in English firmware) that is a collection category where you can see the file. MIUI relating:

• 📁 Cache of system applications – temporary data from Google Play Services, MIUI Launcher and others.
• 🔄 Residual files after deleting programs (for example, settings or log files).
• 📄 Log files of the system - error reports, memory dumps (.dmp,.log).
• 🔗 Symbolic links and file system metadata.
• 🗑️ Garbage from the Download folder - undeleted APK, archives, temporary browser files.

On the Redmi Note 6 Pro, this category often grows to 5-10 GB due to the features of the file system. F2FS, The system doesn't always clean the cache correctly after updates. MIUI, Especially if the smartphone is hand-held.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the folder /data/system manually – this can cause a failure of authorization in the Mi Account or loss of access to certain features MIUI.

To understand which files are taking up space, use Files by Google (free on Play Market) to show detailed analysis of the storage, including hidden folders:

1. Install and open Files by Google.
2. Go to the Cleanup tab.
3. Press Free Place. → Other files.
4. The app will show a list of large files and folders sorted by size.

2. Cleaning the cache of applications and system data

The safest way to free up 1-3 GB of storage is to remove the app cache. On the Redmi Note 6 Pro, there are two ways to do this:

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the All Apps tab and sort by size (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Slip on the app (like Facebook or Google Chrome) → Storage → Clear the cache.
4. For complete cleaning, click Clear Data, but note: this will reset the application settings.

Method 2: Mass cleaning through Recovery

If the smartphone is slowing down and the cache takes more than 3 GB, use the recovery mode:

1. Turn off the Redmi Note 6 Pro.
2. Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation, power for selection).
4. Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

⚠️ Note: Do not select Wipe Data in Recovery – this will result in a complete reset (hard reset).

After cleaning the cache, check the free space in Settings → Storage. If the volume of "other files" has not decreased, proceed to the next method.

3. Delete Residual Files of Remote Applications

When you delete an app through Play Market or Settings, MIUI does not always clear all associated files.

• 📂 Folders with data in /Android/data and /Android/obb.
• 🔧 Settings and cache in /data/data (Root rights are required for access).
• 📄 Log files and dumps in /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log.

To remove them:

1. Install a file manager with access to system folders, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.
2. Go to /sdcard/Android/data and delete folders with the names of the remote applications (for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
3. Check the /sdcard/Android/obb folder – large game files (sometimes up to 2-4 GB) are stored here.

Deleting files from /data/data requires root rights, and if they are not, use an alternative method:

adb shell pm list packages -u

This command will show you a list of applications with residual files. To delete them completely, do:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packet

4. Clean Download folder and temporary files

The Download folder on Redmi Note 6 Pro often becomes a dump for:

• 📥 APK-files after installing applications.
• 📎 Archives (ZIP, RAR), which were unpacked but not removed.
• 📄 Documents from messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp).
• 🎵 Audio and video downloaded through the browser.

To clean it up:

1. Open the Files app (standard manager from Xiaomi).
2. Go to Categories → Downloads.
3. Sort files by size (tap them into three dots) → Sorting → By size).
4. Select unnecessary files and click Delete.

For automatic cleaning:

1. Open the Settings → Storage → Cleaning.
2. Activate the option Automatic cleaning of downloads.
3. Set a period (e.g., Delete files older than 30 days).

💡

If you download files frequently through your browser, change the default download folder. To do this, go to Settings → Downloads → Downloads → Download folder and select, for example, an external memory card (if installed).

5. Removal of duplicate photos and videos

On the Redmi Note 6 Pro, duplicate photos appear because of:

• 📷 Automatic backup in Google Photos.
• 🔄 Synchronization with Mi Cloud.
• 📱 Transfer files between internal memory and SD-card.
• 🤖 Errors when editing photos (copies with edited suffix are created).

To search for and remove duplicates:

Method 1: Integrated MIUI tools

1. Open the Gallery → Press three points → Control.
2. Select Duplicates → the system will show pairs of identical photos.
3. Click Remove duplicates (one photo with the best quality will remain).

Method 2: Third-party applications

For deep cleaning, use:

• 🔍 Duplicate Files Fixer – Looks for duplicates by content, not by name.
• 📊 Files by Google → purification → Duplicate.
• 🖼️ CCleaner – removes similar photos with different resolutions.

⚠️ Before mass removal of duplicates, check if they are backups (for example, photos from WhatsApp can be duplicated in folders). WhatsApp/Media and DCIM/Camera).

On the Redmi Note 6 Pro, duplicates often take up to 3–5 GB due to an error in the Mi Cloud sync algorithm (MIUI version 9–10). If duplicates appear again after deleting, turn off automatic sync in Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery.

6. Cleaning of log files and system dumps

MIUI creates logs and dumps to diagnose errors, and these files are stored in hidden folders that can take up to 1-2 GB.

• /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log — logs.
• /sdcard/log is a system log (.txt,.log).
• /data/anr – application dumps (root rights required)
• /data/tombstones – Reports of critical errors.

To remove them:

1. Use Total Commander or Root Explorer (if root is available).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings.
3. Go to the folders above and delete all files with the extensions.log,.txt,.dmp.

For removing dumps without root:

adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log/*


adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/log/*

These files are safe to delete — only developers need them to debug. However, if after cleaning the smartphone began to reboot, restore at least some of the logs (for example, from a backup).

💡

Log files and dumps are the main reason for the growth of the category "Other files" on the Redmi Note 6 Pro. They can be deleted without risk to the system, but no more than 1 time per month (so as not to interfere with the diagnosis of errors).

7.Storage optimization with the help of SD-map

If the internal memory is full, and SD-The map is empty, transfer some data to it:

What can be transferred:

• 📸 Photo and video - through Settings → Warehouse → Transfer to SD-map.
• 🎵 Music and podcasts – in player settings (e.g. Google Play Music).
• 🎮 Games data - some games (for example, PUBG Mobile allows you to select the installation location.
• 📁 Documents – manually through file manager.

What I CAN'T TREAT:

• ❌ Annexes (only if) SD-The card is formatted as internal memory, but this slows down the memory).
• ❌ System files MIUI.
• ❌ Application cache (this can lead to errors).

To use SD-map as an internal memory:

1. Put the card in your smartphone.
2. When a notification appears, select Use as internal memory.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen (the map will be formatted).

⚠️ Note: After formatting SD-It's not going to be read on other devices without completely erasing the data, and it's going to be faster than the class. UHS-I (U3) may slow down the system.

8. Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If none of these methods worked, and the "other files" take up more than 10 GB, do a hard reset. This will delete all data, including system debris, but return the smartphone to "clean" state.

Preparation:

• 🔋 Battery charge of at least 70%.
• 📱 Backup of contacts, photos and documents (via Mi Cloud or computer).
• 🔑 Remember the Mi Account data – after the reset, authorization will be required.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data.
3. Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, set up your smartphone as new.

Alternative methods through Recovery:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power before Mi Recovery appears.
3. Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm and wait for completion.

After discharge:

• Do not restore backup through Mi Cloud, it will return some of the garbage.
• Install only the necessary applications.
• Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks).

FAQ: Frequent questions